The Doctor

I just recently became a fan of the hit BBC series, Doctor Who.  It follows the adventures of a Time Lord, who travels through space and time in a ship that looks like a British Police box.  He travels with a "companion", typically a human from the UK.  It's a science fiction show that is filled with British humor, and has been running since 1963.

The Doctor is an alien, from the planet Gallifrey, known as a Time Lord.  He travels with his companion through different points in time and to different planets.  They are constantly finding themselves in trouble, where there are people in need.  If you are into British humor or a great science fiction, this is it.  

In the latest season of Doctor Who there was an episode called, "The Rings of Akhaten".  The Doctor takes the latest companion, Clara to a famous location in space, the Rings of Akhaten.  Upon arriving, the people of the area are performing a religious ceremony.  The people are singing to the god who supposedly lives in the pyramid located near the center of the surrounding planets.  One young girl, Merry, is singing a solo to the old god, when something goes wrong.  

The song she sings does not please god and she is sent to the pyramid.  The Doctor and Clara go to rescue her, to find that she is unwilling to escape with them.  She says it's her duty to sacrifice herself, otherwise everyone on the surrounding planets will suffer the old god's wrath.  

The Doctor looks at her and gently says, 

"Hey. Do you mind if I tell you a story? One you might not have heard. All the elements in your body were forged many many millions of years ago in the heart of a faraway star that exploded and died. That explosion scattered those elements across the desolations of deep space. After so, so many millions of years, these elements came together to form new stars and new planets. And on and on it went. The elements came together and burst apart, forming shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings. Until, eventually, they came together to make you. You are unique in the universe. There is only one Merry Galel. And there will never be another. Getting rid of that existence isn't a sacrifice, it's a waste!”

That exchange hit me hard.  

See, the people of that area were living in fear of this god.  They sacrificed themselves constantly to this thing who demanded their time, respect, and lives.  The Doctor is a Time Lord.  He has seen all of time and space, he knows this "god" is a fraud.  He sees a group of people being taken advantage of because of their beliefs.  


There is an epic standoff between The Doctor and this false god, who appears to be a large planet or star.  You can watch the exchange here:

Doctor Who is a show that challenges the institution of religion.  There is an obvious parallel between this “parasite god” and some of the religions that are held by many today. 

I’m not trying to conclude that organized religion is negative, or that it is corrupt.  Instead, it opens up the topic of organized religion.  It creates conversations between fans on both sides of the religious fence.