anthropologist thinks 'Star Trek Klingon' fan groups are a cult

[jefferiestubes8]

is it an actual cult? Some anthropologists think so.
Their conclusions? Writes cultural anthropologist Michael Jindra in the journal Sociology of Religion.

Is Star Trek A Religion?
May 29 2009
http://io9.com/5272441/is-star-trek-a-religion
The journal's website has the source article it in full
Sociology of Religion Advance Access published online on May 22, 2009
"Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact"
book review (33K) free PDF file
http://socrel.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/srp021v1.pdf

original book, 2007, 364 pages
http://socrel.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/srp021v1
http://socrel.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/srp021v1

An interesting article.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

I suppose Star Trek does embody a philosophy... I don't know if it would qualify as a religion though.

I mean Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a philosophy because they don't worship a god...

 

[barnaclelapse]

Yeah, I kind of see it as more of a philosophy myself, although there are some who have worshipful tendencies towards certain actors or characters.

 

[robtclements]

Since a religion is a subject in desperate search for the object, i know a few Niners who could qualify

 

[Trekarama]

Star Trek is a greatly beloved series of stories told through a number of different mediums. It has been around decades and has millions of fans.
All of us who are fans have something about Trek that affects us, whether the philosophy, the technology, the adventure, etc. Each of us are drawn to certain aspect of the mythology. We then in turn display our enthusiasm in our own unique way. Some are more extreme or extroverted than others, but we all do it. I don't believe we qualify as a cult though. If we did, then a great number of other intellectual properties would qualify as well. Star Wars, X-Men (and other comic book characters), Dungeons & Dragons, and many other decades old franchises would fall within the same category. Football, Baseball, Basketball and any other spectator sport could be considered a cult as well. If we only base our opinions on the extremist faction of any group, then almost anything can be labled a cult.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

"Radical Trekists" and ST:XI

Some are more extreme or extroverted than others, but we all do it. I don't believe we qualify as a cult though.

If we only base our opinions on the extremist faction of any group, then almost anything can be labled a cult.

According to the original link above at io9.com

Star Trek a religion? And, if it is, will the latest film's reinterpretation of canon provoke a violent schism among fundamentalist Trekkies? (Otherwise known as "Radical Trekists.")

 

[KimMH]

Many posters here claim Trek is their hobby/fascination/guilty pleasure - few would seem to claim it as their religion. The article is compelling - though. People have based their personal philosphy/world outlook on much flimsier metaphysics.

 

[Anticitizen]

Ha! To be a cult, we'd have to actually be sociable first! Take that, Mr. Anthropologist!

 

[barnaclelapse]

That's an awfully good point.

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

I suppose Star Trek does embody a philosophy... I don't know if it would qualify as a religion though.

I mean Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a philosophy because they don't worship a god...

This is a common misconception. Worship of a "god" or "gods" is not a requirement for being a religion. And Buddhism is most definitely considered a religion by most religious scholars, depending on what definition of religion they accept. The best definition of religion that I have come across in my studies is that of anthropologist Clifford Geertz, who said that religion is

"A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic"

 

[Trekarama]

Many posters here claim Trek is their hobby/fascination/guilty pleasure - few would seem to claim it as their religion. The article is compelling - though. People have based their personal philosphy/world outlook on much flimsier metaphysics.

Agreed, though I have never understood how or why people would do so. I have always viewed Star Trek (or any other tv show, movie or book) as nothing more than entertainment. Though the virtues, morals and philosophy it encompasses are admirable, they are nothing that can't be found elsewhere. I suppose the fact that it is presented in such a dynamic manner is what attracts people who otherwise would not have an interest in such concepts given through more traditional means (i.e. organized religion). My viewpoint has always been, that anything that inspires a person to better themselves, their community and their world is a good thing.

 

[Anji]

Trek a cult? Not likely. The guy is looking for a fast buck.

 

[Islander]

I suppose Star Trek does embody a philosophy... I don't know if it would qualify as a religion though.

I mean Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a philosophy because they don't worship a god...

God isn't required for a religion, just answers to unanswerable questions such as life after death. Other than rare episodes that "may" have addressed such issues, there is nothing within the global Trek universe to make it a religion, unlike Star Wars's Force for example.

Ultimately, I am a dislexic agnostic:I don't beleive in dog.

 

[miraclefan]

You bet TREK is a religion, look at shatner, he's TREKS GOD!

 

[KimMH]

^^^ wouldn't it be more analogous for Roddenberry to be Trek's god?

 

[Islander]

^^And Shatner his messiah?

 

[KimMH]

there is no other cosmic deity but Roddenberry and his prophet is Shatner?

 

[Islander]

Does that makes George Lucas the devil?

 

[Gary7]

If a bunch of people are so obsessed with the imaginary Klingon culture that they learn the conjured up language to a level of fluency and speak it amongst themselves, I'd say you've got a cult going there.

"Coming up on Channel 11's news at 10: Are people taking science fiction too seriously? We've got a breaking story about a scuffle between Star Trek enthusiasts fully captured on video, where one person slices off the arm of his victim with a Klingon Bat'leth while shouting out expletives... in KLINGON! Stay tuned."

 

[ria 75]

I didn't read the article, but I can see what it's about.

Would you say that learning Japanese and Bushido (the way of the samurai) and living, to a certain extent, by its principles, makes you a cult member? If so, then so are those "Klingons", or Klingon lovers.

In my opinion, the imaginary nature of Klingons makes little difference to the matter. It can be used to prove one side of the argument as well as the opposite, depending on your own definition of religion and what it's based on.

Personally, I will not choose any of these sides, because I have not yet formed for myself such a precise definition of what a cult is. I think it pertains to a much wider question/debate/field of study which is barely being grazed here.

All I can say in the absolute is that when a group of people have a particular lifestyle that inspires wonder and suspicion, people are prompt to call it a cult. But I don't know how far the Klingon lifestyle goes, so once again, I'm being non-committent...