I've been watching the series "The 100" and it raised an interesting question in my mind....

[A HERETIC I AM]

If you aren't familiar, this is a science fiction story on the CW network, now in it's second season and has been signed for a 3rd;

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2661044/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100_%28TV_series%29
(Caution...the Wikipedia page has a link to a list of all episodes and that contains spoilers)

The basic premise is that there was a nuclear holocaust on Earth and when it happened, there was several space stations in orbit with around 3000 people total. They all gather together creating one large station called "The Ark". Those on the Ark think they are the only humans left. The series starts some 100 years after the holocaust and the leaders of the Ark decide to send 100 (hence the name of the series) young people - all convicted criminals - down to the surface to see if it is safe to return.

They encounter humans descended from others who managed to survive.

So here's the relevance to this forum;

For the most part, any reference to god is pretty much left out. However there was one scene where one of the principal characters says to one of the "Grounders" (the name the 100 gave to those they found on the surface) "Thank god...blah blah blah".

She used the term Thank God and got no reaction or quizzical look from the native. The writers saw fit to just let this pass, but this is where the question got raised in my mind.

If such a scenario were to occur and the vast majority of humanity were wiped out, how much do you think the remaining individuals would cling to the religions of their forebears? In the series, the Grounders are basically warlike native tribes or clans, trying to survive in a post apocalyptic environment.

Would they have kept God?

Anyway.....I found it interesting they way the writers just sort of offhandedly let this slide.

It is a good series with interesting plot twists, if you are at all interested.

Netflix has all of season one available to stream and Hulu has most of season 2 except the first 4 episodes. Those I found on Amazon Prime and cost me $1.99 each to watch! It's on the CW Wednesday nights at 9 Eastern. Last nights episode was new and the latest.

[progressoid]

1. I've often said "Thank God"

Usually ironically. Or because it takes too long to say, "well, that was certainly fortuitous".

So I wonder if it was just an easy way to complete the dialog. OR...they're going to write in some religious theme Hope not but it wouldn't be unheard of.

I haven't seen the series, but might have to check it out. Looks interesting.

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. It was indeed an easy way of finishing the point....

Instead of the character saying "Thank your lucky stars" or whatever, she said "Thank god you didn't get hurt" (or whatever) so yeah, it was probably just an easy way to go.

Path of least resistance, if you will.

And yes, if you are at all interested in the Dystopian/futurist/what would happen if...genre of Sci Fi, then you'll like it. It has certainly gotten my attention, and I can count on half of one hand the number of TV series I currently follow!

You really do want to start at the beginning episode on Netflix instead of catching next weeks as your first. Too much backstory is needed for the current episodes to make sense.

[Rainforestgoddess]

4. I watch it too,

And FYI, the entire two seasons (so far) are available on Canadian Netflix, if you're here, or use hola.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Well, I have never seen this program,

but in response to your question of whether they would have kept God.....aren't those Mormons supposed to have some special place where they will survive the end of the world or some such BS? Well, don't you think that they would be praising God?

I am sad to say that I think 100 years is not long enough for God to disappear. My question is more: Why do the people who were part of the landing crew still use the term "thank god"?

[Rainforestgoddess]

5. Probably just sloppy writing. N/t

[Exultant Democracy]

6. The more fucked the world the easier it is for religion to spread

in a post apocalypse I would expect religion to thrive. I would also expect monotheism to survive but with elements of animism and shamanism starting to creep in depending on the level of culture they devolve to.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. They have not written any religion in to the series at all

That's another thing I found interesting.

[Exultant Democracy]

10. I'm not caught up, but I recall some type of tree centered religion on the ark or whatever it was

called.

But the CW is already accused of promoting devil worship so I imagine they are pretty gun shy on the whole religion issue to start with.

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. Yes, as I mentioned in my post below, there was a woman on The Ark that led "services"....

but they were pretty ambiguous as to deity, etc.

At this point in the series (nearing the end of season 2) the Ark is no more.

[guillaumeb]

8. why god at all

Why do people feel the need for a deity? Do we need a deity for psychological reasons? Is positing the existence of a deity necessary to justify an afterlife? when did the first hominid realize he/she needed a deity?

I do not remember if "Star Trek" discussed a creator.

Why do some people feel that only belief in a deity can allow one to live a good life?

Maybe these questions are the reasons the producers kept the reference.

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. "Star Trek" discussed the issue of god in numerous ways, in various episodes....

Gene Roddenberry being an atheist himself.

I've watched all the episodes of "The 100" in only the last few weeks, and that one reference I mentioned was the only one I recall, notwithstanding a fringe character on the Ark that was sort of an evangelical, but not apparently Christian.

The "Grounders" have so far, not shown any reverence to a supreme being.

[onager]

12. Harlan Ellison wrote some funny stuff about ST

In Ellison's 2 books "The Glass Teat" and "The Other Glass Teat." (The title was Ellison's way of saying that TV doesn't necessarily suck, it IS sucked.)

As everybody probably knows, Ellison worked on Star Trek and wrote some of its classic episodes.

Gene Roddenberry constantly had different writers coming in with the same story idea - "the Enterprise crew goes to the far reaches of the Universe and FINDS GOD!" Roddenberry would have absolutely none of that, and just laughed at such ideas. Somebody also thought it would be a good idea if the Enterprise had a Chaplain or "spiritual advisor." Roddenberry disagreed.

One of Ellison's funniest stories concerned an idiot son/cousin/brother-in-law or something. He only got a job because he was related to some studio honcho, but was given the title of "writer" on Star Trek.

So Ellison comes into a story conference, and Idiot Relative is explaining his GREAT!1! story idea: "The Enterprise travels back to the dawn of time, and meets the ancient Mayan civilization..."

Ellison interrupted and said: "There weren't any Mayans at the dawn of time."

Idiot: "That don't matter, man! This is SCI-FI! We can do whatever we want!"

Ellison got up, walked to the door, turned and said. "I'm a writer. I don't know what the fuck you are." And left the room.

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. LOL! Love it.

Neat story!

I can appreciate the sentiment Mr. Ellison expressed as he walked out.

I have no problem at all with odd twists to history or physics or whatever when it is in a movie or show, just EXPLAIN IT TO ME! If the story includes something impossible, the writers should make some attempt to explain it. If the Mayans they were going to see had arrived at the dawn of time via a time machine of their own invention, fine, just explain it to me.

A good example of that NOT happening (and it pissed me off!)was at the end of the movie "The Ring" that came out a while back. At the end the monster crawls out of a television set. Ridiculous! No explanation, no mention the monster was a being capable of such things, just have the wet, scary female crawl out of the screen of a perfectly good television set!

Fuckin hated that movie.

[Lordquinton]

14. I like how Babylon 5 handled religion

the culture day episode was wonderful in showing the various civilization's approach to spirituality (like the Centauri getting plastered in reverence to their ancestors) though the ending with Sinclair having a lineup of priests from all of Earth's religions was corny to say the least. Part of the whole point of the series was that they weren't Star Trek's enlightened future, they were us in 200ish years, with all the same conflicts and struggles.

And even God was revealed to be not what we think he was (well, he was revealed to be a being going around manipulating civilizations across the galaxy to his will, and was also a massive dick about it, so maybe it's not that he's something other than what we think?)

[Panich52]

17. "TV doesn't necessarily suck, it IS sucked" - reminds of riddle:

Know why there's a vacuum in outer space?





The whole world sucks.

[Cartoonist]

15. One commanality on SF series

I notice that for the most part, whenever we find a new planet with a native population, everyone belongs to the same religion. The same government. There is no variety. They're all Klingons, or all Romulans.

[Catherine Vincent]

16. It doesn't appear the grounders have kept "God"

Or any type religion. I think they are more on the spiritual side. The grounder leader Lexa mentioned something about if she dies, whoever her spirit manifests into, then that person will be their new leader from what I understand.

Love this show, btw.