a new atheist and marriage

[Brian37]

..Jesus was a fictional character..

Prove it..
As for Gene Roddenberry who invented Star Trek, he was an atheist but was still open-minded enough not to ban religious references from the show, so kudos to him..

Religion in Star Trek
An alien 'god' demands Kirk worships him but Kirk replies-"Mankind has no need of gods, we find the One quite adequate" (OST: 'Who Mourns for Adonais")

McCoy says 'Lord forgive me" when he kills an alien with a phaser blast that's taken the form of an attractive human woman. (OST: The Man Trap)

The rebels on Magna Roma, a nearly perfect "Parallel Earth", seem to worship the "sun", which Uhura discovers is actually God's "Son" Jesus. (OST: "Bread and Circuses").

In the wedding chapel on the Enterprise we can see a sort of altar and some religious symbols, among them a cross (OST: "Balance of Terror").

The computer M-5 states: "Murder is contrary to the laws of man and God" (OST: "The Ultimate Computer").

Dr. Ozaba quotes from the Bible- "In His hands are the deep places of the Earth. Psalm 95, verse 4." (OST: "The Empath").

Dr. Phlox says he has been to a Tibetan monastery and that he has attended a mass at St. Peter's Square. This is a most definite statement that religion still plays a role in the 22nd century (ENT: "Cold Front").

Spock, traveling back in time to save his own life, presents himself to his parents as a cousin making a ritual journey "to honor our gods". (TAS: "Yesteryear").

Vulcans, like many other races, believe in a spiritual place from which they as a people were born. Their name for this place is Sha Ka Ree ("Star Trek V")

Bridge officer Lt. Rhada is wearing a bindi, a traditional Hindu symbol, on her forehead (TOS: "That Which Survives")

Edith Keeler runs a Christian mission and soup kitchen in New York in the 1930s (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")

Data mentions a Hindu Festival of Lights in his log entry (TNG: "Data's Day")

There is a mention of a Christmas party (TOS: "Dagger of the Mind")

The Caldos Colony includes a church or chapel and we can hear the attendees say "Amen" (TNG: "Sub Rosa")

The American Indians on Dorvan V continue to practice their old rituals such as vision quests. Picard says he has the deepest respect for them (TNG: "Journey's End")

Kilana asks Sisko: "Do you have any gods, captain?" He replies- "There are things I believe in." (DS9: "The Ship")

Sisko recites from the Bible to his son's surprise. He also appears as a priest in Ben's hallucination (DS9: "Far Beyond the Stars")

Kasidy says she would like to have a priest to perform the wedding ceremony (DS9: "Penumbra")

Captain Saavik asks Admiral Kirk for suggestions. He replies- "Prayer, the Klingons don't take prisoners" (Wrath of Khan)

A church in VOY "Spirit Folk"


Picard celebrates Christmas with his family in the Nexus ("Star Trek Generations")


MORE- http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/incons...ligion.htm

How does Roddenberry being tolerant of diversity prove the existence of your personal pet deity claim?

You do understand he was once approached and it was suggested that the show had a Christian Chaplin and he refused basically saying the show was not there for one religion but all of humanity.

Accepting diversity does not mean accepting every individual claim a human may make.

There are lots of people in my life who have held god claims to be true, the most important person in my life, my mom died this past March, she died a believer, but even she knew what I thought of her claims. Liking an individual or loving an individual does not mean you have to agree with everything they claim.

I most certainly value my fellow humans capability of compassion and empathy even that of believers, I simply doubt their claims as to where that empathy is coming from.

Roddenberry was a very compassionate man and had a great pulse of what humanity could be capable of if we wanted to be. But no, not even that proves one god over another, or that all gods are true equally. It simply was a great show.