Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Help me, Spock!

Help me, Spock!

Last updated on: February 28, 2015 at 9:59 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

Help me, Spock! 2015-02-28T09:59:08-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Only Kirk is left.

Saturday nights I would endure the end of Lawrence Welk to see Star Trek. No internet summaries of episodes existed. No fan fiction was available. I bought photo-novels and recorded episodes on a tape recorder for the times when Star Trek was off the air . . . which oft occurred, though Lawrence Welk endured to irritate me for decades.

I know Leonard Nimoy was not Spock. He wrote a book to tell me so, though later he sort of took it back. They have even let another actor play Spock, but there always has been, is, and will be a unique relationship between being Nimoy and being Spock.

And now Spock has gone to the undiscovered country.

If I cannot avoid every Star Trek meme, I hope fans will forgive me. I went to every Star Trek (original cast) film on opening day and cried when Spock died. My childhood actor-heroes are dying and it is hard to know how best to respond. I did not know Leonard Nimoy, but the character he played made a great impression on me. My guess is that a good bit of unreflective decision making, desires, and dreams are influeneced by Star Trek.

Undoubtably that is bad, Shakespeare would have been better as a model instead of a show that pirated Shakespeare for titles and lines,but I grew up the way I grew up. I will always think Kodos the Executioner first and not Hamlet when I hear the phrase “conscience of the King.” There is a good side to it as well, though. Nimoy did not share my politics or religious faith (so far as I know) and so I may not have learned the lessons he wished me to learn from Star Trek, but I did learn.

I spent so much time thinking about the relationship of actors, story, and imagination that I wrote a book about it.

Here is what Nimoy playing Spock as written by the Original Series writers taught me:

It can be excellent to be the number-two guy.

Kirk was my first hero, but Spock was his happy second in command. He learned the hard way he was not fit to lead. Most of my career has been being the support to another leader and one reason that has been great is that Spock showed me the way. I know Jesus modeled it earlier and better, but Spock showed me that subordinating my needs for the Captain might not just be acceptable, but even leave me the breakout star.

And a good Captain would be fine with that . . . even if he lost at three dimensional chess!

Blended backgrounds are a strength.

Spock was “half-Vulcanian and half-human.” I have never understood how this worked in fact, but in fiction it was illuminating. Humans were good and Vulcans were good . . . Spock got the best of both races. He had Vulcanian super strength, intelligence, and human passions. He was better for being a “mongrel.” For an American, this is an encouraging lesson.

We have borrowed the best of many cultures to create something splendid.

Friendship is as excellent as romance.

As a romantic, I thought a girlfriend was the highest hall of human happiness. Spock, McCoy, and Kirk showed me an alternative*. They were friends and their friendship created a family based on the five year mission. My ideal of a workplace remains one where a band of brothers and sisters join to boldly go. There might be a commander (Kirk!) but every person is essential to the team and nobody is dispensable.

It was never right when Kirk became an admiral or when someone else was a science officer. Spock, McCoy, and Kirk belonged together and I have never trusted a “go it alone” captain ever since!

Logic is an essential tool, but is not everything.

Vulcan had a pathway that crushed all emotion. Spock discovered that pathway was not for him. Eventually, he pointed out to a disciple that logic was just the beginning of wisdom for him. Spock encouraged me to take mathematical logic and to endure until I learned it. I knew (at a gut level) that thinking well (even very well) was important. He also showed me that the arts mattered by playing an e-harp . . . though Nimoy should never ever have sung about Bilbo Baggins. (No link out of respect. Google at your own risk.)

Science is glorious, but is not the only way of knowing.

As the science officer, Spock showed the excitement of learning using the scientific methods. He made research and study look essential and the job of exploration heroic. You did not have to be a fighter, you could be a scientist. Vulcans also were mystical and respected ritual . . . dare I say religion? The show had many writers and at least one of them in an episode I treasured, Bread and Circuses, broke with old atheism and showed Christian origins respect.

Star Trek was willing to do that sort of thing even when Gene Roddenberry was not.

I can learn from anybody, even space hippies.

The third season of Star Trek came about because fans organized the first petition drive in the history of television to save it. That at least is what we told ourselves, though the third season was so mutilated and cheapened that many of us are sad we cared. As the “break-out” character, Spock took over too many episodes and the triumvirate was deemphasized.

And yet I watch them all for the pleasure of their company. There are even a few gems, though the Way to Eden is not one of them. This episode was so wretched and contrived to make a sixties-liberalism point that I long remembered it and finally learned to appreciate it. Spock tried to “reach” everyone and learn from them. He did this even when they turned out to have not-so-much to say.

It is the way of the dialectic and he was right. Yeah, brother!

Nobody beats death, not even Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.

The last few movies featured actors aging out of the parts they were being given to play. Each of the movies dealt with death, endings, and what it meant to face the final challenge. Shatner’s character was actually killed to transition to the Next Generation cast, ending my interest in the movies. First, McCoy died. Now Spock is dead. Kirk alone remains.

No hero beats death. There are no stunt doubles to fill in when the moment comes. My hope, deep, deep, hope, is that for all of us at that moment clarity comes and confusion is lifted. We can choose life as Moses would have said. I hope at the moment of his death Nimoy saw Life and chose life.

I am thankful for the many lessons he taught me, entertainment provided, and pray that his soul rest in peace.

*I know some fans “shipped” them . . . some fans “ship” everyone . . . but I did not and learned something better as a result.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

February 27, 2015

It Can End Well

Next Post

March 1, 2015 Rest In Peace: Why I Always Have Hope for the Dead

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Isaiah 40, what voice cries out to prepare the way for the Lord?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A lion roaring A voice in the wilderness A trumpet blasting A child singing

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »