When Star Trek the Original Series Got Biblical

And Uhura said the “G” word

DISCLAIMER: The episode mentioned in this article is awesome, like most of the original Star Trek series.

Bread and Circuses

There is a second season episode of Star Trek called Bread and Circuses. Like the title of the episode implies, a group of people are sated and kept compliant by superficial, but extravagant entertainment provided by the government.

In this particular episode, the government is set up to mimic ancient Rome. And just like Rome, the people are provided entertainment via gladiatorial games. It is into this violent setting our three boys — the intrepid Captain Kirk, the ever logical Mr. Spock, and the never-good-for-fight-scenes Dr. “Bones” McCoy — are beamed down into.

After arriving topside on the planet, the trio were immediately caught by a small group of escaped slaves and ex-gladiators. But there was no need for Kirk and crew to worry. Their captors were sun worshippers and therefore benevolent and even helpful.

One of the sun worshippers, an ex-gladiator, risked his freedom and life to lead Kirk, Spock, and Bones into the dangerous city where forced gladiatorial games awaited them.

The Sun Worshippers

Sure enough, our boys got captured. Spock and Bones were tossed into a sparse, dank dungeon. Whereas, in extravagant living quarters, the playboy Kirk found time to seduce a female house servant (as usual).

Soon, the trio found themselves shoved into a small studio setup like an arena. They were forced to fight opponent gladiators while the government broadcast it on tv for the public.

At the last possible moment, Kirk, Spock, and Bones were beamed off the planet and back to the safety of the ship Enterprise.

There on the brightly-colored bridge the three pondered the future of the planet they’d just escaped. Spock in all of his awesomeness commented that he’d wished that he’d had more time to investigate the sun worshipping religion.

It was unusual and downright illogical, he explained, that sun worshipping pagans “developed a philosophy of total brotherhood” because as all logical folks know “sun worship is usually a primitive and superstition religion.” (Spock. Just. Yes.)

Not Sun Worshippers

And that’s when the ever-elegant and always proficient Lt. Uhura stepped up and straightened it all out for the clueless men on the bridge:

“I’m afraid you have it all wrong, Mr. Spock, all of you. I’ve been monitoring some of their old style radio waves. The empire spokesman trying to ridicule their religion. But he couldn’t. Don’t you understand? It’s not the sun up in the sky. It’s the Son of God.”

The Son of God.

Then Kirk adds:

“ Caesar and Christ. They had them both. And the Word is spreading only now.”

And then Bones finishes with:

“A philosophy of total love and total brotherhood.”

Come on, guys. It doesn’t get much better than this. The genius writers Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon skillfully weaved the Word, the living Son of God, into a science fiction tv show.

On public tv.

And His named wasn’t even used as a curse word! How courageously refreshing is that?!

It is just another reason (and there are many) why Star Trek the Original Series is one of the greatest tv shows of all times. Period.

If you enjoyed this story, check out ‘Birdbox, Star Trek, and Spiritual Blindness’ here. Or ‘Jesus Wasn’t a Vegetarian’ here. You may also like ‘Is it Possible to Sell Your Soul?’ Follow so you don’t miss an article.

Thanks for your time. Thanks for reading.