I've mentioned this verse time and time again: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." It's so seared into my brain that I didn't even bother to get the exact KJV or ESV wording. It's in I John (let me look it up again...I John 2:15.
When I talk about the concept of "having a life", I mean "embracing the world as if you're a member of it." That is, being so rooted in this world that the world would easily consider you a citizen. In fact, Jesus says in John 15:19a:
"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:"
As a kid, and even as a young adult, I've always felt like I've been on the inside looking out, wanting to join my high school peers in whatever adventures in the world they're going on. Of course, now that I'm in my mid to late 30s, I realize that those peers have since settled down, so I didn't see the point in chasing their company (these days, there's little need, I work with two members of my college graduating class every day!). In fact, the two co-workers themselves have settled down with families of their own, so they wouldn't exactly invite me to a beer, they're too busy themselves!
So, who's "inviting me to a beer" now? Who is tempting me to embrace the world and live a little? Someone who doesn't exist in real life, yet, if I met the actress who played her, the two could seem identical.
There's this version of Star Trek that interested me, it's called "Lower Decks". It features inexperienced Ensigns of a common starship. I think I myself was on the bottom rung of the career ladder when Lower Decks premiered, I have since moved up to a position comparable to lower management, or in the Star Trek world, at the very least, a Lieutenant.
The main character is a former senior officer named Beckett Mariner, played by Tawny Newsome. Mariner is regularly a troublemaker who deliberately tries to remain an Ensign, uninterested in advancing in her career in Starfleet. She is joined by Ensign Brad Boimler, played by Jack Quaid. He's the guy that plays by the rules, and strives to one day be a starship captain. He is a fan of Starfleet legends such as William Riker and Beverly Crusher.
The first time I watched the program, I immediately compared myself to Boimler and any "cool" worldly person to Mariner. In fact, every single person who has told me, "Come on, live a little!" acts just like Mariner. She...is the one who would invite me to a beer. (I can say that because during a high school class reunion, there was one person who in fact invited me to the bar, I'm guessing for a beer.)
My carnal self would definitely want to let loose, and she would be my guide. In fact, near the end of the first episode, Mariner called Boimler her "cha'dich", which is a Klingon term used to mean "friend/disciple". Boimler would learn from Mariner in her unorthodox ways of life.
Scripture warns against running around with such people:
Proverbs 1:10-19 (KJV)
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
So yeah, it's not wise to be enticed by someone like Mariner. OK, what about Tawny Newsome herself? What's she like?
Let's see, she's 4 years older than me (just like Mariner)...OK, while Mariner reminds me of the troublemaker trying to get me into trouble, Tawny Newsome the actress reminds me of Trek clergy. According to an article by ScreenRant, Mrs. Newsome has an "impressive knowledge of Star Trek", and she is a writer for a new upcoming Star Trek series. I call her "clergy" because I have given another Star Trek actor a religious title: Wil Wheaton, whom I call the "high priest of geekery". The podcast The Happiness Lab called him a "geekvangelist", preaching a gospel of loving a niche of the world with reckless abandon, with the example of the fans of Benedict Cumberbatch being called "cumberb****es.". It is my opinion that Mrs. Newsome would preach a similar gospel, making Trek disciples of all nations. Why? I've heard her on other podcasts recommend starting episodes to get into Trek, just as I recommend starting in the book of Matthew to learn about Christ.
OK, so isn't the solution simple? Just cut yourself off from Trek entirely? (like in Matthew 10:29) Or at least Lower Decks? Just writing that makes me think that's a good idea. Perhaps the less reinforcement of Trek knowledge, the better. I still have knowledge of Trek, I just don't want it to consume me.
What? Is Star Trek evil? In and of itself, I don't know. Now, I'm not talking about their misguided vision of humanity (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5 to show what humanity will really be like), but rather the fact that it's of the world. There is much "lust of the eyes", "lust of the flesh", and "pride of life" in Star Trek.
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