Roddenberry and the Biblical Allusions in TOS.

[MakeshiftPython]

Something that has always stuck out to me with TOS compared to the rest of Trek is how heavy handed biblical allusions were right from the very beginning, with Pike and Vina being compared to Adam and Eve. How the show seems to take real joy in pointing out how Spock looks like Satan. The expulsion from Paradise peppered throughout the episodes like "Space Seed" and "The Apple".

Roddenberry was known as a staunch atheist, but in spite of that he and other writers still liked to practically make biblical allegories in a sci-fi setting. "Who Mourns for Adonais?" almost seems like Roddenberry trying to hammer in how humanity has left religion behind with their rejection of Apollo, except for that one line spoken by Kirk "we find the one sufficient". Word seems to be that it was an insert by the studio, but is that true?

TOS' biblical allusions only really stand out for me because it's practically nonexistent in other Trek shows, with few exceptions. After all, Archer and Trip never seemed to make reference to the fact that Vulcans looked like Satan, because to them Vulcans simply looked like Vulcans.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

You're forgetting the zingiest zinger of them all, in "Bread and Circuses" co-written by Gene Roddenberry, when Christianity is discovered to be spreading on a parallel world, with both "Christ" and "the Son of God" literally name-checked, and it is presented as positive progress, a "philosophy of total love and total brotherhood."

 

[Albertese]

I think it's just what was expected at the time. Go watch The Twilight Zone and the The Outer Limits. Those shows make Trek's Biblical and Christian-spiritual references pale in comparison. Not long before was George Pal's War of the Worlds which is pretty heavy handed with God's wisdom supplying Earth with microbes the Martians couldn't beat.

Religion was a bigger deal in the mid-20th century then, I'd argue, any other period of American history. Remember it was only in the 1950's that they decided to make "In God we trust" the national motto of the United States. The much more secular "E Pluribus Unim" was in use prior to that. This was the same time that "under God" was added to the Pledge of Alliance.

Overt Christianity in TV shows was just part of the zeitgeist.


--Alex

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

After all, Archer and Trip never seemed to make reference to the fact that Vulcans looked like Satan, because to them Vulcans simply looked like Vulcans.

Archer mentioned a Bible movie once.
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Bible_movie

Even if you didn't believe the Bible (I do, however), it's classic literature that influenced a lot of human civilization's development, and provided literary tropes and plot types.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

The Bible and Shakespeare were foundational to our literature. I know I'm not letting any cats out of the bag there. Writers would naturally dip into those wells to give the audience recognizable touch points, as well as just to show some erudition behind the typewriter.

 

[at Quark's]

Well, it's not surprising that there would be a bible reference every now and then. After all it's been an important formative element in our culture for centuries, traces (at the very least) of which still would exist centuries from now.

But more contemporary shows wouldn't nearly be as heavy on them as TOS, produced during the 60's.

 

[Doug Otte]

In addition to all the wonderful points above, the Bible used to be part of the literary canon. Educated people knew the Bible as well as secular literature. So, they naturally used those tropes.

Edit: Hah! Three of us posted the same point at nearly the same time.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

In addition to all the wonderful points above, the Bible used to be part of the literary canon. Educated people knew the Bible as well as secular literature. So, they naturally used those tropes.

In historical America, the Bible was often the only book a family owned. If you were poor, you made sure your children knew their Bible stories and could quote some verses, because that was the common currency in public discourse. It showed that they were at least basically educated. Even your better class of hillbillies knew the Bible.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Sadly, it isn't the ubiquitous relatable cultural touchpoint it once was; people aren't being taught it in school, nor are they all learning it elsewhere (home, church, with friends, on TV). But the same can be said of other classic works, I suppose, like Shakespeare, Greek myths, and even some scientific theories.

I suppose as more works become relevant that weren't before, indeed are written that didn't exist before, and history unfolds, things change. (The Bible will never not be relevant IMO.)

 

[Phaser Two]

There's another interesting allusion to the Bible that is one of those beautiful "throwaway" pieces of dialogue that so enriches Star Trek scripts - in "Gamesters," when the Enterprise arrives at Triskelion and Spock announces that he'll beam down, McCoy offers to go with him into "the lion's den," and Spock - an alien but still hip to the reference - responds that "Daniel, as I recall, had only his faith."

Then of course there's the music selection at Spock's funeral in TWOK. Spock's personal choice?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Well, "Amazing Grace" is a fairly popular funeral hymn. Whenever there's a vigil for someone on the news, people gather and sing the song. And it sounds pretty good on the bagpipes, too.

The song Scotty plays best, perhaps?

 

[ZapBrannigan]

There's another interesting allusion to the Bible that is one of those beautiful "throwaway" pieces of dialogue that so enriches Star Trek scripts - in "Gamesters," when the Enterprise arrives at Triskelion and Spock announces that he'll beam down, McCoy offers to go with him into "the lion's den," and Spock - an alien but still hip to the reference - responds that "Daniel, as I recall, had only his faith."

Then of course there's the music selection at Spock's funeral in TWOK. Spock's personal choice?

Good catches. Background on "Amazing Grace" at Spock's funeral:
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Amazing_Grace

Criticisms notwithstanding, it is one of my favorite musical moments in the film, which is saying a lot because TWOK is my favorite music score in the series.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Bible
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Biblical_references

For reference.

Many of the Biblical allusions are ones that have since passed into popular metaphor, such as the Good Samaritan. That is, the statement is made without mentioning it's "from the Bible story", or invoking the entire story, not just a quote.

 

[Phaser Two]

Good catches. Background on "Amazing Grace" at Spock's funeral:
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Amazing_Grace

Criticisms notwithstanding, it is one of my favorite musical moments in the film, which is saying a lot because TWOK is my favorite music score in the series.

Nice info - thanks. I had never heard about any of that.

I'm with you - my favorite musical moments punctuate the Enterprise-Reliant battles - especially the initial ambush and its buildup - but it's damn hard not to be moved by Amazing Grace (and Shatner) during the funeral scene.

 

[fireproof78]

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Bible
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Biblical_references

For reference.

Many of the Biblical allusions are ones that have since passed into popular metaphor, such as the Good Samaritan. That is, the statement is made without mentioning it's "from the Bible story", or invoking the entire story, not just a quote.

There are also many turns of phrase in our popular culture lexicon that come from biblical texts. Phrases like "the apple of my eye" and "by the skin of your teeth" can be found and considered popularized due to the proliferation of the biblical text. Another phrase "not one iota" could also be considered such.

As for TOS, none is so blatant as in TAS with the creature Lucian being clarified as Lucifer.

 

[Tallguy]

Now there are Star Trek fans who object to the term "bible" being used to refer to the Writer's Guide.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

There are also many turns of phrase in our popular culture lexicon that come from biblical texts. Phrases like "the apple of my eye" and "by the skin of your teeth" can be found and considered popularized due to the proliferation of the biblical text. Another phrase "not one iota" could also be considered such.

As for TOS, none is so blatant as in TAS with the creature Lucian being clarified as Lucifer.

Well TOS ≠ TAS, but yes having a character identified as "Lucifer" is an example of swinging for the fences as I like to refer to it. And making the character sympathetic, worth defending, even. The franchise rarely attempts anything so bold.

 

[fireproof78]

Well TOS ≠ TAS,

I always put the two together. Hazard of growing up with the Star Trek Concordance and VHS tapes of episodes.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

I think it's just what was expected at the time. Go watch The Twilight Zone and the The Outer Limits. Those shows make Trek's Biblical and Christian-spiritual references pale in comparison. Not long before was George Pal's War of the Worlds which is pretty heavy handed with God's wisdom supplying Earth with microbes the Martians couldn't beat.

Religion was a bigger deal in the mid-20th century then, I'd argue, any other period of American history. Remember it was only in the 1950's that they decided to make "In God we trust" the national motto of the United States. The much more secular "E Pluribus Unim" was in use prior to that. This was the same time that "under God" was added to the Pledge of Alliance.

Overt Christianity in TV shows was just part of the zeitgeist.


--Alex

Good points. Again, I just find it interesting that Roddenberry himself, being an atheist (which I’m sure was an even more provocative stance in the 60s than it is today) would still use a ton of biblical allegories in his work, and with seeming reverence. Even encouraging it with his writers.

One of the few things in TOS that indicates his atheism is his choice of making Spock look like Satan. As though he was making a joke out of the fact that not only will he create a character that resembled the Devil, but that it’ll be the character in the show that is most intelligent and logical (transplanted from what was supposed to be for Number One), and that TV viewers will love. I’m sure he got a big kick out of that.

 

[mb22]

I think Roddenbery became more outspoken about his atheism during the 1970s (e.g. the 1975 God Thing script etc.) and thereafter, as seen in TNG. I don't think he was as vocal about it when TOS was in production.