Believing Flandry dead, Djana wants to give him Christian burial. Ydwyr agrees that she must give her dead his due. What do different species make of each other's religions? An Ivanhoan thinks that Earthmen must be specially blessed during the season of their Prince of Peace. That is a pagan attitude projected onto an extra-solar species.
Suppose, for the sake of argument, that Christian belief is literally true. What provision does God make for the salvation of Merseians? This is theology: assume the truth of a religious doctrine, then reason philosophically from that premise. The Holy Spirit would have to inspire some Merseians of the Roidhunate to replace their concept of "the God" with a more approachable, personal concept. Then some of them might listen to Jerusalem Catholic missionaries. Of course, they could move in other directions. A move away from racial supremacism would be an advance.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I sort of touched on similar issues in my "God and Alien" article. And I recall how the devout Kossara Vymezal tried to convert an old style pagan Merseian retainer of her father in A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS.
Now I wonder, were any Merseians in the Roidhunate converts to Christianity? Even if not officially persecuted any such converts still had to probably endure a loss of social status and opprobrium.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: It's a State religion in Merseia.
OTOH, they're similar enough to humans that I think they'd get occasional converts.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree! And "Day of Burning," showing us Star Believers and Demonists, hints at a wide variety of Merseian religions.
Ad astra! Sean
Incidentally, Flandry probably wouldn't object if Djana gave his body Christian burial.
On the principle of:
"Oh, some to the earth do give their dead;
Some to the cleansing fire.
But since I won't be here to see
You can use my guts to string a lyre."
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
True, but we do see one or two moments when Flandry was not quite so sure God does not exist. And we know, from A CIRCUS OF HELLS, he had also read the Bible.
Ad astra! Sean
Flandry prayed sincerely at Kossara's tomb. It did not seem to him that he received any answer.
I mean that this recounts one man's experience. I do not draw any general conclusions from it.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, but I also had two other moments in mind. First, there was that amusing time when Flandry, coming under Merseian fire in ENSIGN FLANDRY, "nearly prayed." Secondly, at another time we see him being glad God had given noble pleasures--then, in a moment of fear we see him asking God not to take those enjoyments away before Flandry was too old to any longer care about them. Wish I could remember which story that was in!
Ad astra! Sean
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