So it begins...

This will be my blog for the popular culture class this summer. What does this class hold in store? I cannot make any prediction that is for sure, but it has proven itself interesting already. I see a divided class, splitting across all lines of interest and foreknowledge of the subject. Some see no merit in serious study of science fiction. Some live their lives surrounded by it. But one might ask, where I fall in this cataloging that humans love to do to each other.

I have read hard and soft sci-fi writings. Ray Bradbury is my favorite author, though much due to his writing style. Poetic he is (look, I am using Yoda speech :P) and he has written more than I could dream to write in my lifetime. His choices of topic are wonderful too. One story comes to mind or rather, came to mind as we ended the last class speaking of human arrogance.

This story is basically about two priests that visit a planet that mankind is colonizing. They find some “creatures” in the hills, glowing orbs actually. They decide that they must convert said creatures since they must have a soul. The priests are not horrible men, and are not presented such but much more what I would call men who doing a good work that perhaps God didn’t call them to do. They are getting ahead of themselves and doing it out of their own thoughts. They understand that God came to us and saved us in our form. They surmise that it must also be so for the orbs. They strive to make a church for the creatures, with an orb like them to represent Christ like a cross does for us (yes, I am Christian). Through their striving and failure, the orbs finally speak to them. They let these men know that Jesus has indeed done the same for them, and in fact they have ascended higher in that they do not need their bodies. They had spiritual bodies. The priests realize their arrogance and repent. They presume themselves to be such men of God that they could understand all that is of God’s mind and plan. They discovered that they knew only what their human minds could know. They discovered the meaning of Isaiah 55: 8-9,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts then your thoughts.”

Perhaps there are a few in the class who would read this would scoff at me, and that is ok. I respect and appreciate them even though they may not respect me, and will listen closely if they are intelligently speaking something relevant. I don’t know their life, and I don’t know their thoughts. Humans are remarkable and always full of surprises. My only wish is that everyone takes this class seriously enough to have lots of fun with it. Sci-fi is fun. It can speak to both the child and adult in us all. It exposes fears, hopes, lies, truths, and humanity the same as any literature has since the beginning of time. The themes do not change, only our environment around us. Everyone needs to accept the fact that science fiction literature is fast becoming science fact and life. It speaks to our times and the effects on humanity. I love science fiction, and if anyone wants to call me geek, thanks for the compliment.