religion+scifi

[jukeboxhound_backup]

Can anyone think of any movie or show that crosses religion and science fiction?  (E.g. how one issue influences the other in positive or negative ways, something like that.)  The only one I can think of is that episode of Cowboy Bebop called "Brain Scratch" that had the digitalization of 'souls.'

(There was also one movie that I believe was Dracula 3000 that had the concept of Christianity being banned in the future; one character mentioned it and all the others were like CHRISTIANITY?  WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?  Which could've been an interesting premise in itself if the movie hadn't been so crap.)

EDIT: YOU GUYS ARE SO FREAKING AWESOME I KIND OF WANT TO BEAR ALL OF YOUR BABIES.

Comments

[arin-rowan.livejournal.com]

Definitely pops up in the anime Serial Experiment Lain. The concept of there being a 'God' of the Wired or internet is an arc theme, as well as worshipers to this God or even prophets.

Also, Neon Gensis Evangelion, though good luck figuring out how *any* of it relates.

Oddly enough, Dragonball touched on it in a way that most non-Japanese speakers will miss- the person who threatens the world on multiple occasions is literally called 'Evil', and to be able to defeat him, the hero has to go up to a person who's the Guardian of the Earth that has a name that literally translates as 'God' to receive training. We're not meant to see it as a blending of religion and sci-fi, I'm pretty sure, but you could make a case for it if you were really bored and had an academic paper to write.

Also, if you want it in written form, look up anything by John Varley. He writes surprisingly well-planned and thought-out sci fi short stories, several of which deal with the concept of gods and religion in a post-modern sci-fi-esque world. For example, there's the cult that has their bodies altered so they all look exactly alike - everyone calls them Barbies. Or the cult that believes it is their sacred duty to paint the rings of Jupiter red.