Earth and the Cylon god.

[Zompton]

So here is my take on the cylon god. First off, i believe that if you take the BSG time line back far enough you will get to right here right now. I also believe that the first cylons (either in a "robot" form or as "genetic creations") were created sometime before or shortly after we left Earth as we know it today.

So considering all that, isn't it safe to say the cylon god is the god we know today, the one "true" god (thats if you even are religious)? Honestly this has never been a topic of speculation for me, I see it more as implied with the story line, and quite frankly if it turns out that all of that is false it will greatly devalue the story for me.

[genji2000]

If you're "pure bread" does that mean a Cylon could make toast out of you?

I would probably agree that the intention is for the Cylon god to equate to the Christian/Moslem/Judaic god.

[Zompton]

If you're "pure bread" does that mean a Cylon could make toast out of you?

Yes most defiantly, but I am only good with grape jelly!

[Mayhem1703]

I can't believe my first post in here is about to start with this, but.... What about with apple butter?

Anyway... I got that feeling right away with the "one true god" bits that they referred effectively to the Christian God when i started watching the series on dvd this past weekend. However, how does that fit in with the fact that BSG was/is so heavily influenced by Mormonism? That i remember of my previous researches many years ago, LDS has 12 saints (BSG's Lords of Kobol), but they still believe in one true God as well.

Perhaps some of this is due to my recently starting to watch again as opposed to watching from the very beginning (saw the miniseries through Water, then had issues with my vcr and had to work during the actual broadcasts so fell away) and remembering a lot from the original series, but the colonials were basically LDS, were they not?

Or perhaps the Colonials have fallen from the way and the Cylons plan is to bring the flock back and destroy those who refuse to believe?

[genji2000]

BSG was/is so heavily influenced by Mormonism?

Was to a degree. Is - not at all. There is no underlyng Mormon message and certainly no overt Mormon influence on the re-imagined series.

And it's LDS, not LSD.

[Mayhem1703]

Oops... Too early in the morning, eyes not focusing... As well as a brain fart... Thanks for the catch there.

[thevarrior]

I'm fairly sure that keeping in tune with the naturalistic themes of BSG they are never, ever going to say "hey guys, their God is actually Jesus/Allah/YHWH" because it would (a) piss off a lot of people and (b) be completely incongruous with the rest of the story. Yes, the original series was very much influenced by Mormonism since Larson was a Mormon, but like RDM said they completely changed the mythology of the characters around. I for one like the idea of the human polytheism, since it basically shows that ultimately monotheism and polytheism are just viewpoints of faith and our society wouldn't be all that different if it had been reversed.

As far as God goes, my personal theory is that the Cylons are still following their programming. We're probably going to find the original programmer on Earth or the Cylon Homeworld - which if you notice, still has not been revealed. And once we know who/what it is, everything really will be revealed.

I don't think the Cylon monotheism falls strictly in line with the monotheism of Judaism, Islam or Christianity though. They have beliefs which are very eastern, like Nirvana/moksha, reincarnation, the idea of 'duty' to one's line, etc.

[The Dirt]

The other issue here is Baltar's claim that we are all perfect. Basically, he sort of took the Judeo-Christian message that God forgives all (if you repent or whatever), and took it a few steps further and said, well if God is going to forgive you anyway then you did nothing wrong, and if you did nothing wrong, then everything you do is right, hense you are perfect. I'm sure that kind of message would piss off a lot of Christians.

[genji2000]

I don't think the Cylon monotheism falls strictly in line with the monotheism of Judaism, Islam or Christianity though.

No, but RDM once said in interview that one of his fascinations was the rise of monotheism in a polytheistic society. Given the target and majority part of BSG's audience (US and western audiences) it's reasonable to equate Baltar's rise in colonial society with the early Christians' in the Roman Empire. I agree they're not strictly mapped and that there's allegory being played out, but that what I think the influence for Baltar's position is.

We won't know until the end of the series at best, but I still feel that the one god is the one god, whether it's a Cylon god or a Christian, Muslim or Jewish god. If the question is left unanswered by the show then one god = one god. They'd have to deny it for their target audience not to see it that way I think.

It'll be interesting if the cycle of time is broken to see whether that equates to Nirvana or whether it leads to desolation. I'm not convinced the Cylon religion has considered the breaking of the cycle of time (or for humans, birth and rebirth) as a good thing so far. It was Lee who corrected D'Anna in saying "it doesn't have to happen again." I'm open-minded about whether Cylon resurrection equates to human reincarnation. Human resurrection is to resurrect the body and soul whereas Cylon 'resurrection' is to resurrect the soul (or consciousness) in a new body, more like human reincarnation.

The eastern monotheistic influence on the show (surely an important part if only because of the theme tune) is not something I'm knowledgeable enough about to comment on so I'd be interested if you expanded your ideas.

[timbo]

I'm fairly sure that keeping in tune with the naturalistic themes of BSG they are never, ever going to say "hey guys, their God is actually Jesus/Allah/YHWH" because it would (a) piss off a lot of people and (b) be completely incongruous with the rest of the story. Yes, the original series was very much influenced by Mormonism since Larson was a Mormon, but like RDM said they completely changed the mythology of the characters around. I for one like the idea of the human polytheism, since it basically shows that ultimately monotheism and polytheism are just viewpoints of faith and our society wouldn't be all that different if it had been reversed.

I'm fairly sure that keeping in tune with the naturalistic themes of BSG they are never, ever going to say "hey guys, their God is actually Jesus/Allah/YHWH" because it would (a) piss off a lot of people and (b) be completely incongruous with the rest of the story. Yes, the original series was very much influenced by Mormonism since Larson was a Mormon, but like RDM said they completely changed the mythology of the characters around. I for one like the idea of the human polytheism, since it basically shows that ultimately monotheism and polytheism are just viewpoints of faith and our society wouldn't be all that different if it had been reversed.

Yeah, I like this. I think theisms are really just starting points. A way in, so that we can later begin to develop a relationship with God, gradually coming to realise that doctrines and rituals are useful in the beginning, but ultimately man-made. For some, it is scary to let go of this stuff and move on to a more mature faith. Like you, I like the way they have mixed up the theologies and pretty much turned things on their head. I think too that Jesus, Allah, etc are different threads of the same story. It doesn,t really matter which of the well trodden paths you follow, or even if you make your own path, they all lead to the same God - who is beyond our understanding anyway, so we shouldn´t worry too much about putting a face or a name to Him.

I have been away for a while, and am a bit rusty, but this is the sort of stuff that got me hooked on the show in the first place.

[genji2000]

I'm sure this (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16633_1.html) has been referred to but here (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16633_1.html) it is again anyway (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/166/story_16633_1.html).

[Zompton]

When i say that the Cylons god will turn out to be the "one true god" we know today, I don't think they will flat out say, "Yes, our god is the Christian/Muslin/ect god from the 21st century". I think they will simply imply that the Cylons god is the god we know today, and it is for you to determine whether thats god/jesus/allah or whatever based on your religion, if you have one.

[genji2000]

When i say that the Cylons god will turn out to be the "one true god" we know today, I don't think they will flat out say, "Yes, our got is the Christian/Muslin/ect god from the 21st century". I think they will simply imply that the Cylons god is the god we know today, and that one god is different for each of us with a different religion, if any.

I can't contradict that.