Spirituality a la Stargate-SG1 (Earth, followers, hell, myths, church)

[Neale]

I think for my time, it doesn't get any better than Stargate-SG1.

The concepts of spirituality in Stargate are strikingly Buddhist (moreso I would say on the Mayahana side), but can be applied to nearly every religious concept of the "soul."
Here is the Sparknotes version for those who don't have a Stargate neckbeard:
-There are different planes of existence according to our known concepts of theorhetical astrophysics (e.g. String Theory, Laws of Spatial non/Location, etc.).
-The human body inhabits one plane, being the physical that we understand and experience.
-There is a finite number of planes (12), whereas is there are an infinite number of hypothetical existences within said planes.
-Beings are capable of "ascending" into another, higher plane of existence, usually at the time of death. This happens when a series of "universal realizations" occur while in this physical plane, sometimes with the aid of another being already existing in the higher plane. Upon ascension, the physical body is shed for a more effective carrier of the consciousness (soul), which is energy-based form that isn't restricted by the physical laws of time/space as we understand them.
-Beings can descend to lower planes with the right intention (i.e. hell).
-There is no mention of "God," as we understand.
-Ascended beings hang out in a diner at the end of the universe.

This, to me, makes a great deal of sense. Spiritual self-awareness has been a major theme in nearly all world religions, and the notions of "higher existences" can be found in every religion. As humans, we've always attempted to justify our fleeting impermanence with post-death means for further existence. StarGate-SG1 did it quite nicely. Ups to Richard Dean Anderson.

Does anyone have anything to add, or dwell upon?

[Feathers in Hair]

No real profound thoughts- just that I think a spirituality could be started around Ben Browder.

Did you change your name to blank? I can't see it.

[Neale]

Originally Posted by Feathers in Hair

No real profound thoughts- just that I think a spirituality could be started around Ben Browder.

Did you change your name to blank? I can't see it.

I would start the church of Michael Shanks, if I could.

No, I didn't change it. I just logged in and saw that my nice, little, dark red highlight was gone. C'est la vie.

[Halcyon]

I do like SG-1, i missed the last couple of series before the most recent one, but i'm loving the Ori.

I think it shows great imagination the way they've taken pretty much every Earthly religion and created alien reasons behind the myths and gods.
In the Stargate universe every supernatural character and event has a scientific or at least a thought out explanation, there is no faith, no unknowns, which if anything makes the gods more believable (to me anyway) than the gods without rational explanations we have in the real world.

The idea of ascended beings - that is, individuals that have somehow been transformed into 'heavenly' beings - is found in real-world religions. We have Enoch in the OT for example. Theosophy also contains a great deal of belief in Ascended Masters as they call them - i think it appeals to the human desire to cheat death, that we could somehow ascend to a higher plane instead of dying.

The references to dangerous faith in the example of the Ori is also interesting, perhaps the similarities to Muslim extremists are too obvious - the followers of the Ori are told they will ascend at death if they do the Ori's bidding, which mirrors the suicide bombers being told they will get 70 houris if they kill in the name of God. It also mirrors the Crusaders being told all their sins would be forgiven if they fought.

It's a thought provoking show.

[Random]

Read in SFX magazine that Stargate SG-1 is gonna be cancelled. That sucks.

[Neale]

Don't let Phillip catch wind of that...heads will roll.