Undiscovered?

"It's about the future - some people can be very frightened of change".      Captain James T Kirk.

"There's something unsustainable about an environment that demands constant atonement but actively disdains the very idea of forgiveness".  Elizabeth Bruenig.

There have been plenty of hours spent viewing over the last few months. One of the things that my brother and I have enjoyed doing during our Skype updates is watching some good Science Fiction together, and particularly the highly enjoyable re-visits to some quintessential moments in Star Trek - not the jingoistic, virtue box-ticking new dross, but the glory days when the show and movies were clearly heralding back to earlier great sagas.

Recently, we viewed what for me was one of the highlights of the classic voyages - Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country, which tells the tale of how two great powers manage to forge peace on the very brink of interstellar war.

Literally weeks from retirement, Captain Kirk and his crew find themselves thrust into the centre of a diplomatic endeavour to bring reconciliation with an environmentally wounded but militarily dangerous Klingon Empire.

Kirk finds himself in (and here's where it gets deeply theological) the Jonah seat (unwilling and morally unable), having to act as an Olive Branch to the very power responsible for the loss of his only son. What makes matters worse is he is placed in this position by his long-time friend, Spock, who presumes he knows how to bring about calm between the two factions in a reasonable, logical fashion (sadly neglecting, at least at first, some of the humanity he had found in some of the other movie adventures).

The consequences of prejudice on both sides are then played out as malevolent forces wanting only chaos pray upon these presumptions to their advantage. The Klingon Ambassador is assassinated  presumably by the 'good' guys, requiring Kirk to surrender to save his ship from destruction, and then becoming trapped - literally imprisoned - by his own words at a show trial. Spock must cut the Enterprise off from Starfleet and use all his skills to discover what is really taking place and then rescue both Kirk and the forthcoming negotiations from a tragic end.

The story resolves in a highly satisfactory way (see below), but what I find (to use a Spock-ism) "fascinating" is how short-sightedness on both sides, even when coupled with honest intent, is used to almost bring disaster to the entire, highly precarious, moment.

The last few weeks have allowed us to witness shocking and unexpected events in respect to social issues - the injustice of the miss-use of power, bringing unwarranted death, but equally, the excessive desire to see suppression of certain aspects of culture and history in response to this.

I have watched and listened to people of remarkable passion and integrity on both sides, who have certainly deserved to be heard and who's concerns, for all our sakes, must be held dear if we are to see life remain tolerable, but as in the film, I have also seen many dark forces in play which are merely using these moments to "see the world burn".

The movie concludes with a last moment rescue by Kirk and company of the president from assassination, but the beauty of the event is what then follows - reconciliation between all parties.

If we are to see something truly valuable result from current events, then a tearing down, as history clearly shows, must be replaced by a raising up of something good and meaningful - a deeper peace. This is truly achieved for us all by Jesus Christ in His reconciling work, who brings all into one family through the blood and suffering - the redeeming work - of His cross.

A deep price has been paid to make each of us truly free, not merely from present inequality or discrimination, but from what disqualifies us from inheriting eternal peace with God and thereby with each other.

We need to look there, as others gone before us have done, to find a resolve in these needy times.