Religion
In reply to the discussion: Whether Jesus existed historically [View all]DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)OK disclaimer, scientologists will be offended so stop reading:
OK, L. Ron was actually a DECENT sci-fi author. He was no Harlan Ellison or Robert A. Heinlein or Asimov, but he did have genuine respect, and published ideas that did have a genuine impact on the genre. One of his more famous characters was an immortal doctor that seemed to travel about the universe solving problems, which was published a little bit before the BBC made Dr. Who. However, when you see him on film, he is VERY mortal. Charming yes, but very mortal, right down to the voice that obviously betrayed his chain smoking. He literally had the Scientologist make a style of recording called "clear-tone" because he was so unhappy which how his voice sounded on tape.
Now, we do not know the sound of Yeshua Ben Miriam (aka Jesus) or of Mohammed, or of Joseph Smith. Yes we can read, but when someone is shown on tape, as MORTAL, as someone you could meet in any cafe, how will it affect mythology? Granted, the Madonnas and Lady Gagas can be adored for a time, indeed archaeologists will find more evidence of them than of Hera or Venus. But will tape allow us to deconstruct prophets easier?