The Orb 133: We All Put Our Faith in Something / by Trek fm

The Emissary’s prophecies

Running Time: 44 minutes 10 seconds
Download / RSS / Send us a message / Discuss the show / Support Trek.fm

In “The Reckoning,” Doctor Bashir said that if you look hard enough, you'll find a Bajoran prophecy for just about anything. The Ancient Texts, he feels, are a tangle of vague contradictions. But that's not everyone's view—certainly not if you are Major Kira or Kai Winn. The list of believers extended to include Captain Sisko in “Rapture,” when his discovery of the lost city of B'hala solidified his acceptance of his connection to the Prophets. The visions that led to the find also ended Bajor's impending entry into the Federation and almost cost Sisko his life.

In this episode of The Orb, hosts C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing discuss the events of “Rapture” as we explore the role of faith and spirituality in Deep Space Nine, Roddenberry's vision of the future and how religion has been portrayed throughout Star Trek, as well as how the story of Bajor, the Federation, and Sisko's journey balances the natural and supernatural to allow people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs to work together.

Chapters

Intro (00:00:00) Prophecy and Faith in DS9 (00:02:58) Sisko’s Journey (00:13:47) Roddenberry’s Vision and the Portrayal of Religion (00:16:32) What Do You Define As a God? (00:24:34) The Emissary’s Prophecies (00:28:51) Final Thoughts (00:38:09) Closing (00:39:25)

Hosts

C Bryan Jones and Matthew Rushing

Production

C Bryan Jones (Editor and Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer)

More recent episodes of The Orb…
The Orb 159: Imagination Station
The Orb 159: Imagination Station

“If Wishes Were Horses” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss the story's fun veneer, the wealth of character and social commentary that lies beneath, and why Miles must be feeling like Lando Calrissian.

The Orb 158: Even the Birds Stayed Away
The Orb 158: Even the Birds Stayed Away

“Progress” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how the story of a stubborn landowner continues Kira’s incredible character development and focuses the DS9 narrative on everyday people.

The Orb 157: Dal’Rok Has Left the Building
The Orb 157: Dal’Rok Has Left the Building

“The Storyteller” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how a long-dismissed idea finally found a home on DS9, the search for Bajoran identity, and what the story has to say about the importance of fathers and the power of collective belief.

The Orb 156: Welcome to the Hotel California
The Orb 156: Welcome to the Hotel California

“Battle Lines” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how Opaka’s new calling changes not only her life but also Kira’s, why it was necessary to remove Opaka from her role on Bajor, what the story says about conflict, punishment, and redemption, and more.

The Orb 155: Double Your Danger
The Orb 155: Double Your Danger

“Vortex” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss revelations about Odo's people and how the story sets up the Dominion and why it's important to always keep an extra glass around.

The Orb 154: All About the Greed
The Orb 154: All About the Greed

“The Nagus” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss the resetting the Ferengi, subtle morality, the importance of fathers, and more.

The Orb 153: Down the Wrong Warp Pipe
The Orb 153: Down the Wrong Warp Pipe

“Move Along Home” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss the Wadi, whether budget was really the problem, why the crew should have played more Legend of Zelda, and more. Shap 6!

The Orb 152: Dead Giveaways
The Orb 152: Dead Giveaways

“The Passenger” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss how it works as a Bashir story, the introduction of Primmin, the Odo connection, the original concept, and more.

The Orb 151: Who Is What and What Is Where?!
The Orb 151: Who Is What and What Is Where?!

“Dax” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss the complex matter of where the line between host and symbiont begins and ends, how the story helps build the mythos of the Trill, some potential inspiration from Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, and much more.

The Orb 150: Like Oil and Water
The Orb 150: Like Oil and Water

“Q-Less” 30th-anniversary reflections. We discuss the appearance of John de Lancie’s fan favorite on DS9, the original premise compared with what we got, why it does (and doesn’t) make sense, and how the story makes more sense if you shift how you look at it.