Under the right writer, certainly. Under RDM, no, it just turned into a magical wand to solve whatever the plot needed it too.
I don't think RDM's and David Eick's intention was that God really did it. I believe their intention was to leave it open-ended as to who it was (from my understanding of the commentaries) . They felt they had boxed themselves in and any answer they gave would have sucked and been unpopular so they felt they'd just leave everything mysterious. Personally, I would have preferred a real answer. Either way, it sucked.
You think B5 approached religious belief with respect? B5's religious belief was 'positive fanaticism'. The Minbari needed a religious sign not to commit genocide and because it happened prior to the start of the series that makes them unquestioned protagonists. And then they resolved the caste war by giving one caste an unquestioned majority. I'm a huge fan of B5, but I think the Bajorans are a far more positive presentation of religion. Both B5 and BSG portray religion as inherently fanatical.
Yes...as said above or implied, I don't think it was 'a magical wand'. It was 'effect'. A mystery. I don't need everything spelled out for me. Between the acting, the story, the music...I'm just fine with effect.
I thought this thread was about Ronald D.Moore and the future of Star Trek. I'm all about underlying subjects but this is going too far.
When a new Star Trek Series will happen, I whould love to see him involved as a Executive Producer/Creator/Writer. Not only because he know Trek, even more because of his very well written Episodes in the Past of Trek.
Why not simply enjoy each one for what it is instead of pitting them against each other? I don't use my enjoyment of 'Amok Time' as a reason to cut Voyager apart.
In this case it's more like using City on the Edge of Forever to dump on TMP. Spoiler: Where Nomad Has Gone Before When everyone knows that's what The Changeling is for.