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Lursa

Vulcan Religon

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Lursa once again,

 

I will be known as two people, i am also sometimes refer to myself as major kira 05. But anyways, I have a question of vulcan religon. Is it simlar to the bajorians or is like the minbari of babylon 5? How did it start and is it still effected the characters of star trek?

 

Lursa :)

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From TOS very little was ever imparted regarding Vulcan Mysticism, or religion. We do know they subscribe to Pure Logic, but from the movies (Star Trek III, mainly) we learn that they have an eternal soul. Sarek was most concerned that his son's body and his katra (soul) had not been returned to Vulcan after the demise of Spock. He was rather dismayed by it citing that all that his son knew, all that he was, was lost. It was so important, in fact, that Sarek set Kirk out on a mission to bring both Spock's body and his Katra back, once they realized McCoy was the keeper of Spock's katra. It was only after they learned his body yet lived, that they ventured the ritual of Fal Tor Pan (Refusion) to return Spock's Katra into his body. (Risky business, that, since they were uncertain it would even work, being an ancient ritual, after all.) Beyond that, unless it was further eluded to in later series, Vulcan religion remains a mystery.

 

On a side note: Gene Roddenberry had an extensive footnote in the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture which addressed Vulcans' belief in a higher being, a creator of sorts, whom they referred to as the All.

 

We also can note that meditation is something a Vulcan does, something of a personal nature, again described by Sarek in "Journey to Babel". We certainly have seen Spock practice it. Incense and candles also seem to be a part of their rituals, as seen in "Amok Time" Star Trek VI: The Final Frontier.

 

Hope this helps in some small way.

 

T'Bree

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Well, according to T'Pol in Cold Front - the Vulcan's belief is based on logic and the pursuit of clarity. She was asked by one of the pilgrims if Vulcan's were a spiritual people.

 

I stated in another post that I think that logic is merely a tool - it can not be an end in itself so none of that makes sense. You can use logic and control of emotion to accomplish any goal - something humans migh label as "good" or "evil".

 

However, they also claim to be pacifists (although not true pacifists) so we get a glimpse into what they value.

 

I wasn't aware they actually had a spiritual belief in a creator - T'Pol has shown a fair amount of contempt for "religion" - rather condescending.

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I find it difficult to accept anything T'Pol says regarding Vulcan culture. In so many ways Enterprise has challenged "facts" we've known about the Vulcans, mostly imparted through Spock, the most famous Vulcan of all. I find this . . . disturbing.

 

I should note here, that in another Star Trek series, (TAS) one not entirely falling within the realm of canon with the exception of a single episode about Spock's childhood, has Spock mentioning his desire to offer prayers or worship to their gods in said aforementioned episode. So, you might be able to take that to the bank, as it were.

 

Hope this helps.

 

T'Bree

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I agree with all of you. If we had more vulcan websites and book it would be easier to understand.

 

Lursa

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They have High Priests and Priesteses so it seems they have an organized religion of some sort. However, apart from the immortal soul in The Search for Spock, the only thing tangible I am aware of is a belief that all life originated from Shaka Ri somewhere in the Galactic Core in The Final Frontier.

 

I tend to discount this however. We Humans refer to this planet as Eden but as far as I am aware we believe Eden to a garden on Earth (just outside Moscow according to Chekhov). Plus The Final Frontier sucked anyway. Heck, I don't even consider it canon.

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Based on my own observations, it seems to me that Vulcan religious beliefs are very similar to that of the Chinese, specifically Taoism.

 

Taoism, which was founded by Lao Tsu in China some 2,600 years ago, is a religion about living in harmony with the flow of the energy (Chi) of the Universe. Taoism can be found in science fiction in many places. The character Rev Bem from Andromeda is clearly a Taoist (he calls his religion "Wayism" and the Chinese word Tao means "Way" or "The Way"). George Lucas originally conceived of the Jedi ethos as essentially a combination of Chinese Taoism and the Japanese Bushido code, found in the Samarai tradition. By contrast, the Minbari from Babylon-5 seem more like Hindus then anything else.

 

Vulcan spiritual practices such as meditation can clearly be found in Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism (Yoga), and even mystical Judaism (Kabbalah).

 

sacred-texts.com/tao

Edited by Validus

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Vulcans do seem like Taoism, but to me i see as a crossover culture. With every vulcan generation, the idology will never be the same.

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I would have to agree with you on that one. I also have the book Sarek, Spock's father maybe that also will give me a better understanding about Vulcan culture.

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