Required Reading

Here in The Middle Room we tend to overlook intelligent reflections on religion. It isn't that we find such things dull: nothing could be further from the truth. It is only that such quandaries can distract us from our mission: to seek out new comics and new films, and boldly roll where no man has rolled before.

Ours is a study of Geek, and if we forget that, we risk losing our path.

But to consider today's discussion we do not need to leave the road. This one is on the way. Gabriel McKee's observations rate among the most intelligent we can remember reading on the subject of science and religion. That they are rooted in science fiction makes them all the more enticing. His comments are brief and elegant, reminding us that the battle between religion and science is often waged by less subtle forces. His indictment of fundamentalism accomplishes more in a couple sentences than most writers could accomplish in an entire book:

Religion, in fact, does not inherently believe that it knows the full and complete truth. The best theology, from Plato to Augustine to Alfred North Whitehead, depends on speculation, thought experiments, and best-guesses; the biggest crime of fundamentalism is its theological laziness.

Of course, no less would be expected from Gabriel McKee, whose recent work, The Gospel According to Science Fiction, belongs on the bookshelf of every self-respecting geek on Earth. Perhaps beyond.

So take a minute off from work to glance through his posts. If your boss yells at you, just say he's oppressing your freedom of religion.