Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)

We have been watching Star Trek again. This time we’re going through season two of the latest series, called “Enterprise”. It’s great. We’re big fans. We love the characters, and the stories, and the whole science fiction, space theme. Neato.

But the worldview often leaves something to be desired.

The world they have created is based on a couple things. One, there is no divine creator – we all just evolved, all over the universe – and two, government knows best. That leads them to all sorts of moral dilemmas actually, and makes the show somewhat interesting, but their conclusions can always be interesting.

In a recent episode (that we watched) they were told to go rescue three scientists from another world who were on a planet that had seen a military coup overturn their government during the scientists visit there, and now all visitors were unwelcome, and would be jailed or worse if not out in 3 days. So, the Enterprise crew work hard to go rescue these folks. Meanwhile, their doctor, who is another species finds that a patient they have taken aboard is from a different species that has a long history of war and hatred toward the doctor’s species. The patient needs to be treated, or he will die. But, initially he refuses treatment, because of who the doctor is.

All of that sets up the plots for the show, and reveals perhaps a flaw in their thinking.

As the show continued, Phlox (the doctor) refuses to treat the patient because the patient has refused treatment. He said he could not go against the patient’s wishes. But the star trek captain dude is quite angry, and suggests that the patient is being stupid, and they should forcibly treat him. Choice, is not an option.

On the planet, the rescue team finds the scientists, and they refuse to go, saying they will be fine, no one will find them. But the rescue team thinks they are being stupid, and threaten to take them by force. Choice, is not an option.

Let’s step back into reality for a moment. We have all seen the coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Whether online, or in the papers, or on TV, you have heard of the great destruction of property and lives that this storm has caused. And many times I have heard it suggested that the government (on whatever level) should have done better at getting people out. That somehow the government is responsible for most (if not all) of the lives lost to this storm.

People. Come on now.

First, this storm was huge. It was going to hurt and even kill some amount of people. We can not stop such events, no matter how prepared we might be. Second, I believe that most of the people who stayed in New Orleans and other areas were doing so BY CHOICE. I realize there were probably some who were not able to leave for some reason, and that is very sad. But a large part of those who did stay, were told to leave, and refused. Choice WAS an option.

But, some say that it should not have been. There is a way of thinking that says the government knows better, and should have stepped in and told those people, “You’re stupid, we’re smarter, you’re leaving.” And then, proceeded to remove them by force from their homes. Folks, that is not American. We are built on individual freedom in America. If you are not directly endangering other people, you have the full right to be an idiot! Really! Choice is DEFINITELY an option. But some would take that away, and hand over choice either directly to the government or to some other group of “experts”.

In the end, the scientists decided to “cooperate”, though they were forcibly coerced. And, the end result was they were “saved”, but at what cost? And the doctor actually made a good speech to convince the patient to allow treatment, and he was saved. That story turned out a bit better, as the patient was allowed to choose, even to his death. (A weird move for Star Trek) But in both cases, there was definitely evidence that choice was not really that important.

I hope we do not lose that right in this country. I hope we don’t lose that ideal. That God has endowed us with the ability and the privilege to choose where we will go in life. Often we may choose unwisely, and there are consequences both natural and structured to attempt to correct those choices (that injure society in some way). But overall, God has created us to think, and to choose, and that should never be taken away. Even if we choose to be stupid. We still get to choose.