I do

Hmm. Nobody wants to discuss the religion aspect of this one, where Picard doesn't want the Mintakans to regain their religious beliefs, and that it's an archaic superstitious belief to believe in God?
My feeling is that the writers could have avoided that whole implication by Picard saying, 'Yes, there IS an Overseeer, but I am not him.'

That would imply that Picard has met the Overseer. A more accurate thing to say would be, "I do not know if there is, or is not, an Overseer, but I know that I am not the Overseer."

Besides, while Picard's religious views may play a role in his decision, another important aspect was the violation of the Prime Directive.

Because of Federation personnel, a Mintakan, and possibly others, had gone back to a belief system that the Mintakans had already discarded. Picard didn't make the Mintakans give up their belief in the Overseer, but Picard's presence rekindled that belief and he had to set things back to the way they were before he arrived at the planet.

If the Mintakans development had involved going back to a belief in the Overseer without outside interference, then Picard would have done nothing to influence their beliefs.

(Although, if the story had been Romulans convincing the Mintakans that they are the Overseers, then who knows what Picard would have done?)

Wouldn't it have been a heck of a lot simpler to send down some VULCAN crewmembers, rather than go to all the trouble of cosmetic surgery?

What, and get some new actors, and pay them? Not really.

They'd still have to have some surgery. The Mintakans have a forehead crest, too.

On page 206 of the NextGen Guide II, Phil seems have confused Proto-Vulcan with Vulcan. It's possible that the term Proto-Vulcan was used because of their surface appearance and not internal similarities like blood color.

Also in the Guides Phil comments about Picard wearing a sling after Crusher treated his injuries with her usual skill. I guess in Clues and Suddenly Human, Beverly must have been using extraordinary skill.
Actually, its possible that Picard wore the sling to further convince the Mintakans that he is mortal. If he had been walking around with no sign of injury, don't you think someone would have thought it was magic. Of course, if Picard were a God, don't you think he would have given himself some hair?

Why does Starfleet just leave it's researchers essentially stranded on a planet, dependent on starships which could be weeks to months travel away? Logically, there should be a ship, either manned by a skeleton crew or remote controlled, in the event of an emergency.

How did Starfleet build this 'duck blind' without any Mintakans noticing?

The 'duck blind' doesn't look like it has a very good view of the village. Do the observers have additional methods of observing the village? For that matter, why not disguise some of the observers as Mintakans like Dr. Crusher did to Riker and Troi?

Around Earth we have satellites capable of photographing very small things from orbit. Why does the Federation need to put people on the surface?

Why didn't Geordi just shut off the faulty generator causing all of that electrical activity before trying to fix it?

Oji is supposedly taking her duties seriously and wants to be at the right spot when the sun reaches it's zenith, but then she gets distracted by the `duck blind' malfunctioning. However, halfway through the show, Oji realizes that the sun is about to reach it's zenith and runs off to do her duty. I'm not certain how much time had passed for the characters, but I think it was at least a couple of hours. So what was Oji going to do for that period of time waiting for the sun to reach it's zenith?

Of course, Mintaka, a.k.a. Delta Orionis, or the right most star in Orion's Belt, is a triple star system with Delta Orionis A & B orbiting each other every 5.7 days at an estimated distance of 10 million miles. So unless something has happened to one of those stars, Oji should refer to the suns reaching zenith, not the sun.

If I understand Troi and Riker's conversation about Mintakan women and men correctly, does this mean that the Mintakan women are the 'Pimps' and the Mintakan men are the 'Ho's?'

Isn't it amazing how some of the landmarks of Mintaka III resemble the landmarks of the planet in Arena where Kirk and the Gorn fought? Oh well, I guess some geologic features are bound to look similar given that geologic forces are similar on different planets. I've even heard that there is some place in California with a very similar rock formation, imagine that.

Prior to Liko's experience the Overseer was not called "The Picard", but after getting beamed up to the Enterprise Nuria very easily refers to what she thinks is the Overseer as "The Picard." Don't you think she should have just said, "Overseer..." instead?

Nuria refers to her people as "Mintakans" even though Mintaka is the Human name for her star.

In the NextGen Guide II Phil wondered about a Bronze Age culture having compound bows. Just because the Mintakans are at a Bronze Age level of development doesn't mean they cannot have developed better bows. The main reason for calling it the Bronze Age is because they have learned to create and use Bronze. (Depending on the rarity of certain metals it is entirely possible to meet a space faring race which never developed Bronze.) According to the Random House Word Menu the Bronze Age was characterized by use of bronze tools, the wheel, and ox-drawn plows, and by growth of first civilizations in Egypt and Sumeria. Nothing about bow development. It may also interest you that even here on 20th century Earth, there are still Bronze Age cultures.

If the Mintakans really believed Picard was the Overseer, then how would watching one of his servants die or even seeing him injured and bleeding prove otherwise? The Picard may have allowed His servant to die as punishment or when Nuria wasn't looking He could bring the servant back to life. As for the `injury' that may have been a ruse for some unrevealed purpose. After all, He is The Picardand He does work in mysterious ways and He must have His reasons for allowing His worshippers to believe Him to be mortal. All praise The Picard for Hewill lead us where no one has gone before.

At the end, Picard has Geordi drop the rockface hologram hiding the 'duckblind,' then when he wants the hologram restored he says, "Discontinue." If the energy creating the hologram is off, then what is being discontinued?

"here on 20th century Earth" -- shouldn't that be 21st century? =)

Of course, Mintaka, a.k.a. Delta Orionis, or the right most star in Orion's Belt, is a triple star system with Delta Orionis A & B orbiting each other every 5.7 days at an estimated distance of 10 million miles. So unless something has happened to one of those stars, Oji should refer to the suns reaching zenith, not the sun. Keith Alan Morgan

In one of his science articles for Analog, Isaac Asimov looked into what the sky would look like to someone on a planet in orbit around one of a pair of binary stars. It's primary would look rather like the sun (with the obviuos adjustments for the size and brightness of the star, and the distance of the planet's orbit), but the companion star would be just an extremely bright planet. It would be just barely large enough to present a disk rather than a point, and would, except when it was too close to conjunction with the primary, be visible in the daylight sky, both of which would probably lead up to an interesting mythology, but from the point of view of someone native to the planet, there would be only one sun.

NarkS: When I wrote it it WAS the 20th century. I recently scanned in the nits from letters I sent to the Chief. I tried to update them, but, at least, one dated reference was overlooked.

TomM: The planet would have to be in orbit of either Delta Orionis C or it would have to orbit BOTH Delta Orionis A & B, since A & B are only 10 Million miles away from each other (Earth is 93 million miles away from our sun & I can't imagine an Earthlike planet being closer).

I suppose they might see A & B as one sun, which occasionally gets wider, then shrinks (as the 2 stars orbit.)

KAM: On page 206 of the NextGen Guide II, Phil seems have confused Proto-Vulcan with Vulcan. It's possible that the term Proto-Vulcan was used because of their surface appearance and not internal similarities like blood color.

Luigi Novi: Phil only used that term because the episode did. He was merely quoting it.

KAM: Why does Starfleet just leave it's researchers essentially stranded on a planet, dependent on starships which could be weeks to months travel away? Logically, there should be a ship, either manned by a skeleton crew or remote controlled, in the event of an emergency.

Luigi Novi: There could very well be an escape vehicle in orbit where the scientists could beam to.

KAM: How did Starfleet build this 'duck blind' without any Mintakans noticing?

Luigi Novi: By locking on to large chunks of rock in the mountain, beaming it out, and then beaming in the equipment?

KAM: The 'duck blind' doesn't look like it has a very good view of the village. Do the observers have additional methods of observing the village?

Luigi Novi: I assumed they did. They probably have cameras scattered throughout the area, and the observatory is simply were they do the observing.

KAM: For that matter, why not disguise some of the observers as Mintakans like Dr. Crusher did to Riker and Troi?

Luigi Novi: Such observation would provide too large an opportunity of contamination. They want to observe these Mintakans WITHOUT ANY direction by outsiders. Passive observation using cameras and duck blinds does not. It’s basically the Heisenberg concept.

KAM: Around Earth we have satellites capable of photographing very small things from orbit. Why does the Federation need to put people on the surface?

Luigi Novi: Keith, I don’t think those satellites can make detailed observations of the culture, the language or HEAR what the Mintakans are saying. What good is a bird’s eye only view for what these anthropologists have to do? It’s fine for national security, observing technological advancements in an industrial society, etc., but not observation of primitive cultures.

KAM: If I understand Troi and Riker's conversation about Mintakan women and men correctly, does this mean that the Mintakan women are the 'Pimps' and the Mintakan men are the 'Ho's?'

Luigi Novi: Actually, wouldn’t they be ‘He’s"?

KAM: Prior to Liko's experience the Overseer was not called "The Picard", but after getting beamed up to the Enterprise Nuria very easily refers to what she thinks is the Overseer as "The Picard." Don't you think she should have just said, "Overseer..." instead?

Luigi Novi: When she was beamed up, Picard introduced himself by name, and the way the scene was presented, it was hearing his last name, Picard, that caused her to drop to her knees in adoration. Obviously, when she heard his name, she connected it with Liko’s story of "the Picard" and assumed that as the manner to address him.

KAM: If the Mintakans really believed Picard was the Overseer, then how would watching one of his servants die or even seeing him injured and bleeding prove otherwise? The Picard may have allowed His servant to die as punishment or when Nuria wasn't looking He could bring the servant back to life. As for the `injury' that may have been a ruse for some unrevealed purpose. After all, He is The Picardand He does work in mysterious ways and He must have His reasons for allowing His worshippers to believe Him to be mortal. All praise The Picard for Hewill lead us where no one has gone before.

Luigi Novi: That’s a very good point regarding the "servant", Keith, but I’m not so sure about the bleeding. If I saw my God bleeding, that’s not the first thing I’d think of, especially if he were trying to convince me he WASN’T a god.

I didn't say Phil invented the term Proto-Vulcan. In the Guide Phil felt that Proto-Vulcans would have green blood like Vulcans & hearts where Vulcans hearts were.

Oh. Sorry.

If I were those proto-Vulcans, I'd be watching out for the GORN! Those rocks are DEFINATELY Vazquez Rocks seen in "Arena" (and many other "Trek" episodes)

NANJAO: This is the episode that features the origin of the tapestry that Picard owns and keeps on his chair.

John, the planet where Kirk & the Gorn fought was not the Gorn homeworld. It was where the Metrons put Kirk & the Gorn to have their battle. Presumably it might have been the Metron homeworld.

In that case the proto-Vulcans should be wary of camp aliens who like to watch rough sweaty men wrestle...

[Source: The Completely Useless Unauthorized Star Trek Encyclopedia, or CUUSTE for short.]

It was Cestus III, by the way.

NO it was the Metron planetoid. :P [Make your mind up, will ya? - everyone]

Don't be too hard on yourself, Kam...I've done the same thing myself.

Sorry...I meant SVEN! (It's been a long week!)

RE: Followup on previous mistake....I think I've been on vacation so long...my BRAIN is still on vacation. Apologies all around

Not sure I'm so fond of this duck blind/hologram thing. With a big ol' hologram you're asking for something to break down. Why not just build it behind a barrier made of real rocks? No generator worries, no fear of short-outs...

And how does the survey team see out of the station? I don't think it'd be such a bad idea if they only made sure to maintain it with several redundant projectors, each with and individual and decentralized power sources.

Then again, that could apply to MOST systems on ships and stations that must break down for an episode's plot.

Nobody watches me.


But I must never interfere.

The "duck blind" idea would be repeated again in "Star Trek-Insurrection"

NANJAO: This is the first in the series of "religion is bad" episodes. What happened to I.D.I.C. in "Star Trek"?

I have a lot of respect for the work Phil has done on the books and I have enjoyed them very much, but I do have a bone to pick with regard to the entry for this episode. I don't think the long complaint about the religious views depicted on this show was appropriate -- it was not a mistake, it was not an error, it was not a problem of any kind. It reflected the view of religion that the writers (and their characters) hold. Just because Phil and a "majority" of Americans disagree with this view doesn't mean that the view is wrong, and, more important, it should not make the writers change their vision of the Star Trek world and what its characters believe. The basic fact is that Gene Roddenberry himself was very anti-belief; that is a basic component of the Star Trek world. It's fine if Phil or anyone else disagrees, but it's not a mistake or an error; it's a deliberate choice and one that I believe is honest and principled.

If Gene Roddenberry was so "anti-belief", explain the references to Jesus Christ in that TOS episode whose name I forget.

And you're wrong. It is NOT a basic component of Star Trek. Kirk told Apollo he found one God quite sufficient. DS9 dealt with religious ideas as well.

Rene: "Bread & Circuses"

Your point is taken Acsenray, but I would point out that Phil often voices opinions and ruminations that do not necessarily fall into the category of "mistake." Although he does not explicitly state this in the NextGen Guide vol. I, he does make it clear in all subsequent Guides (beginning with the TOS Guide) that Plot Oversights (where his rumination on religion for that episode is located in that episode's entry) is a "catchall", in which any other nit or note that doesn't fit anywhere else is placed.

Why is Picard showing EVERYONE on the planet the "Duck Blind" at the end of the episode? I mean, the Prime Directive was violated enough by beaming up the Proto-Vulcan lady & showing her around. I agree with what was said earlier...having Picard say, "There is an Overseer, but I'm not him" and be done with it.

And how would you like it if some alien came to Earth & said, "Yes, there is a Zeus, but I'm not him."?

Picard doesn't know if there is an Overseer or not. All he knows is that this group of Mintakans once, but no longer, worshipped an idea called the Overseer.

The resurgence of belief in the Overseer was caused by mistakes (for lack of a better term) made by Federation personnel, if those mistakes had not been made the resurgence of belief would not have happened. Picard needed to restore things to 'normal'.

To say there is an Overseer would further the Federation's interferance as these people would most likely have gone back to a religious system they had previously abandoned.

Now you have a group of religious Mintakans worshipping the Overseer, whom they know exists because The Picard told them he did. What's next? Spreading the word? Convincing unbelievers? Holy wars?

If Picard did what John & Will suggested the whole of Mintakan culture could have been changed. By doing what he did I think Picard was trying to restrict the damage to their culture.

Point well taken.

Thank you.

Of course, several hours after I got offline I realized that according to Who Mourns For Adonis there actually was a Zeus in the Star Trek universe. D'oh!

And if you count the animated series there was a Devil (The Magiks Of Megus-Tu) and a Quetzequatl (Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth).

So aliens played a part in at least 3 of Earth's religions in the ST universe. (Four if you count the Sky People from Voyager's Tattoo, but I don't know if the Amerindian culture in that ep was made up by the writers or not.)

Kinda makes the whole Stargate godish aliens thing seem tame by comparison eh?

And people laughed at my theories about ancient astronauts.

The episode says the Mintakans be Vulcanoid; since we associate the Vulcans with logic, the implication is that atheism is logical and rational. But there've been lots of atheists being mean and nasty--the Soviet Union is one example.
In the novelisation to Star Trek the Motion Picture there's a footnote which says the Vulcans have a seventh sense, a constant awareness of the Cosmic All or something like that, implying that it's God. Was that Roddenberry's idea, or Alan Dean Foster? And why would that be put in?

Picard could have used the Socratic method--"What do you mean by an Overseer? What exactly is it you don't believe in? Perhaps there's an Overseer who is different from what you don't believe in..." etc.

Another way of looking at it is religion=ethics.

Picard: "Do you believe in ethics?"
Mintakans: "Yes."
Picard: "Then you believe in God."

Then he leaves them to work out the implications about that, and tries real hard not to say anything else about it.
There have been so many ideas about the nature of God and gods, the religious system they come up with could have many different characteristics.

When they beam up the injured old guy from the surface, they should have had curtains around the bed so he wouldn't see or hear anything else.

And they should have kept him under sedation, or if he wakes up somebody in a mask and robe says, "You're having a weird dream. Go back to sleep."

Of course then the episode would end early.

Picard: "Do you believe in ethics?"
Mintakans: "Yes."
Picard: "Then you believe in God."

Just because a person does not believe in god, does not mean they do not have ethics.

And since it appears that Picard does not believe in God (but clearly has ethics) he would not believe or say anything of the kind.

What is interesting about Picard not believing in God is that, in the movie Generations, he celebrates Christmas when he enters the nexus. There must be some belief system in his life if that's where he's the most happy. If it were just that he wanted a family, why pick a holiday associated with a religion? Unless Christmas becomes so totally secular by the 24th century that no one even realizes there's a religious aspect to it.

That would be my guess, Margie. There are plenty of people today who don't believe Christmas is a religious holiday. Christmas trees, misteltoe, the December 25th date, Santa Claus and presents all have nothing to do with religious tradition. Many believe it to be a pagan holiday.

oregano: The episode says the Mintakans be Vulcanoid; since we associate the Vulcans with logic, the implication is that atheism is logical and rational.
Luigi Novi: I didn’t see any such implication. Vulcan logic is cultural, not genetic. Nothing indicates the Mintakans were exposed to the Vulcan culture.

oregano: The episode says the Mintakans be Vulcanoid; since we associate the Vulcans with logic, the implication is that atheism is logical and rational.

According to my pholosophy class a few years back religious thinking was non-rational thinking. Before someone flames me for saying religious was irrational I didn't say that at all, let me clarify. BTW this was about 4 years ago I took this class.

Rational thinking is that which can be observed and proven to be truth using logic.

Non-rational thinking is that which can not be proven and requires faith

Irrational thinking is that which can be proven false but someone still believes.

Margie, non-religious people do celebrate Christmas (or Xmas).

Christmas is one of the holidays most associated with family get togethers, so it makes sense that he would imagine it being Christmas (no work, time with family, presents).

Also the winter season brings a mixing of the past (regrets, paths not taken, ghosts) with the unknown future and thoughts of what will be left behind when one is gone.

why pick a holiday associated with a religion?
Originally all holidays were religious. Holiday derives from Holy Day.

Phil wondered in the book about the compound bow and using blunt arrow tips. It was already mentioned above that bronze age doesn't mean primitive culture. IIRC, the chinese or mongols (or the japanese or some other asian culture) used a compound bow in the middle ages, when the europeans were still using longbows.

As for blunt arrow tips, if you look at arrow tips found by archeologists, you will see all kind besides the familiar pointed tip head: blunt, squiggly, harpune-like, ... depending on the purpose. I've heard that the native americans eg used blunt tips to shoot birds so the feathers wouldn't be damaged, because the feathers were used for decoration and ritual ceremonies.

I wonder why these proto-vulcans are so eager to kill everybody once they believe in the picard? First they want to kill the scientist, the troy, then they shoot at picard himself...

I think phil commented so long in the guide because the writer of this episode was so heavy-handed in his message religion=bad.

GREAT LINE: "I will NOT give a list of commandments for these people to follow" (or something like that) Picard in the Conference Room.

I can almost imagine Picard wearing a robe and a fake white-haired wig & beard coming down a mountain with two tablets in his hands.

FUNNY THOUGHT: The teenage girl's name is Oji. (pronounced Oh-gee)...I wonder if she's the same Oji that once visited Magilla Gorilla?

THREE tablets. Oops. TWO. Two tablets.

I think you mean..."The Lord hath given thee these 15 (crash...Hebrew expletive) ten...TEN Commandments"

I remember a witch/troll comment from the last time this screen was up. I remembered it and wanted to response. Picard mentioned in this episode that religion killed witches, but partly at least that is not true.

First of all the majority of witches actually KILLED were during the "Burning Times." They were somewhere from the 1300's to the mid-1750's. There were many varied reports that 100,000 to 1,000,000 people were killed, but historians and social scientists have looked back and realized that only 10,000(maximum guess) were killed. Obviously a slaughter, but not as bad as some people would have you believe.

Second of all Christians did not kill the majority of people(the episode said "religion" killed witches, but we all know specifically which religion they were talking about). There were many Christians during the "Burning Times" especially in Europe, but there were many Christian and secular courts that decided if witches would die. Christian courts found quite a few witches, but if the witches repented of witchcraft(whether their repent was sincere or not, sometimes just a cover so they can continue to worship in secret) or some described themselves as white(or good) witches then they were left alone. Secular courts also found many witches. Secular courts may not have been as atheist/agnostic as today's courts were, but they killed the vast majority of witches, white(or good) witches, repentent or not. These crimes cannot be laid only at religion's doorstep.

Alexander, I can't quite agree with your theory.

The actual number of witches burned isn't the problem, its the mindset behind it which makes it wrong.

Likewise, handing people over to the secular authorities once they were established as guilty "because Mother Church doesn't spill blood" was only a ruse, since the inquisitors knew very well that the secular court and the laws which were in place in that time would ensure that the "guilty" would be burned.

It was the church, or more specifically, the pope, who sanctified the "Mallifus mallorum" or witches hammer, written by two church employees, which formed the basis for the whole witch hunt. This also went against previous catholic doctrine, which said that witches were misguided people, since Christ had all the power, so satan couldn't give witches any power. This was turned upside down with the "witche's hammer" which said that the devil and witches had awesome power and that practically everything could be caused by witches and practically every bodily mark was a sign of witchcraft.
The pope also re-introduced the idea of torture to get confessions out of presumed witches, after some more enlightened secular kings had already done away with it.

The pressure of the church (and no doubt many inquisitors were sincere in their belief, not only money-grabbers) to make people "confess, so that their soul could be saved" (not their body) and to name others, so they could be "saved", too, put a terrible twist on the already terrible hunt.

As for people who, once they confessed and repented, were let of free, I haven't heard of that before. Or do you mean the interesting socio-economic effect that most of the witches were people of the low class, and prosecutions and allegations stopped in the middle class and never touched noble class?

The fact that secular courts sentenced witches had to do with the fact that the catholic church and the various pope had asserted that a king or emperor was only legal on his throne if blessed by the pope, and the only way to govern a land was with religious laws (the ten commandments as basis). So every crime against religion was also automatically a crime against society and thus punished by secular courts. If the catholic church hadn't insisted on trying to continue the glory and power of the roman empire, staying a poor, idealistic sect, they would have been truer to their ideals, and these witchhunts wouldn't have happened.

So yes, I do lay the witchhunts in the middle ages at the doorstep of religion, or rather, the catholic church. I also lay the witchhunt of the 1950's at MacCarthys feet, so obviously, one doesn't need religion for the mindset to hold a witchhunt.

Also, The Spanish Inquisition really happened during the 15th & 16th Century. (No Python Jokes here)

Alright, any further discussion of witchhunts, burnings, tortures, etc. needs to be taken to Religious Musings or in the case of McCarthyism, to Political Musings.

Somebody had Cult TV on their brains when doing the casting for this show:

Kathryn Leigh Scott (Nuria) played Maggie Evans on the supernatural soap "Dark Shadows."

The late Ray Wise (Liko) was Leland Palmer, the father of the deceased (heh heh), on "Twin Peaks."

Pamela Segall (Oji) is not known for cult TV, but rather for her many voices. She voices Spinelli on "Recess" and Bobby on "King of the Hill," along with many others.

When the proto-Vulcans are chasing Riker, you see a HAWK (an Earth-hawk...that is) flying & screeching overhead.

How do you know its an "Earth-hawk"? Since this isn't Earth, it couldn't have been, unless someone from the research team brought it with them from Earth and released it.

And who in this episode said that Hawks only live on Earth?

And even though its been 2 years and 2 days ago, thank you Butch for putting a stop to the Religious talk! If I wanted to hear that kind of thing, I'd go to church!

Even using the zoom feature on my DVD player today, I couldn't tell that the bird was a "Earth-hawk"

This episode is the last time that anyone ever refers to Dr. Pulaski, thank god!

The music in this episode is really distinctive, particularly in the scene where Riker is rescuing Palmer.

Mike, I am so NOT dead! I just got done playing the vice president on 24!

KAM: Why does Starfleet just leave it's researchers essentially stranded on a planet, dependent on starships which could be weeks to months travel away? Logically, there should be a ship, either manned by a skeleton crew or remote controlled, in the event of an emergency.

Luigi Novi: There could very well be an escape vehicle in orbit where the scientists could beam to.

Wouldn't a warp-capable escape vehicle be potentially be visible from orbit? It can't be cloaked, but perhaps some sort of holographic shielding, maybe?

An escape vehicle wouldn't have helped here anyway, since the problems incapaciated everyone at the station.

At the end, Picard has Geordi drop the rockface hologram hiding the 'duckblind,' then when he wants the hologram restored he says, "Discontinue." If the energy creating the hologram is off, then what is being discontinued?

The removal of the hologram is what is being discontinued.(though that does seem kind of convoluted)

Nuria refers to her people as "Mintakans" even though Mintaka is the Human name for her star.

Universal Translator. They may call themselves "Boolarians" or something else which was translated.

On June 8th, I went to the Big Apple Comic Book Convention in Manhattan. I had printed a list of all the people who would be there who had Wikipedia articles, but not photos, and decided to take pics of them to add to their articles. I didn't know who Kathryn Leigh Scott was, but when I went up to her at her table, and saw a photograph of her from this episode, I said to myself, "Ohmygod, she played NURIA???". I didn't know that. Ms. Scott declined to pose for a photo, requesting that I use instead one of the various headshots she had for sale on her table. When I explained that copyright law would prohibit the use of any pic whose copyright belonged to her or anyone else, she looked over her table, and handed me one, informing me that this one was in the public domain. I added that pic to her article. Much thanks to Ms. Scott for the photo.

Speaking of names...

Anyone think that the name "Oji" was meant to be a reference to a "Ouija Board?"

KAM: The 'duck blind' doesn't look like it has a very good view of the village. Do the observers have additional methods of observing the village?

I do remember seeing what appears to be some-kind-of binoculars or some other form of magnifying device that could be used to view the village. Also, given how Oji saw the blue sparkle in the shadows of the hills while standing at the sun dial in her village, it's safe to say that the duckblind actually looks out toward their village.

In the begining of the episode the enterprise is talking to the Observation crew on the planet and in the background we can clearly see the outside of the planet through the "DuckBlind" thus establishing that while the hologram is active the illusion is one way only(those on the outside see a rock face but the scientists on the inside have an unobstructed view of the outside) yet after Liko gets beamed up to the ship and Gordie restores the Duck blind, Oji scampers up to the holographic rockface and pokes around. Now wouldnt Riker and crew see Oji standing there trying to peer inside? how come this is never mentioned? If I were Riker or Gordie I would have found it more then a coincidence that a Mintaken man found us and then moments later another Mintaken walks up to the same spot and even though the hologram is in place she pokes at the exact spot where the Window is. I would have investigated this further since Social Contamination was so big on their minds.

For much of this episode the rescue of Palmer is a major concern of Picard's, they have discovered that the sensors are of little use due to all the caves and sinkholes and such, yet they continue to blindly scan for him. Why not just surgically alter several search teams and beam them down? the sensors can obviously pick up these caves and sink holes, just not see inside them so they should have beamed the search teams down near the location of some of the caves and have them search for Palmer.

the whole reason they couldn't find Palmer is because he was in a cave, and something in the rocks was blocking the sensors so when Riker Rescues Palmer he runs out into the open, tells the Enterprise to wait for his signal then carries palmer into a nook in one of the rock faces and gets beamed out...yet if there was something in the rocks blocking the scanners shouldn't the ship have had difficulty locking onto his signal once he and Palmer squeezed into the crevices in the rock?

Regarding the Spanish Inquistion previouly mentioned here, MAD Magazine had a paperback in the early 70s called "History Gone Mad" and one of my favorite entries was:

"The Spanish Inquisition is established to torture and kill anyone who disagrees with the laws of the Church. However, it is deemed so obviously un-Christian that it is permitted to continue for only the next 600 years."

Another favorite from that book:

"St, Patrick introduces Christianity to Ireland, giving the natives something interesting to fight about for the rest of their recorded history."

And finally (I remember the year this time):

"1670: The pilgrims are too busy burning witches to celebrate their 50th anniversary of gaining religious freedom."

No real nitpicks. Once again, food for thought!

Noooobody was expecting that last post!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOObody expects the Spanish Nitquisition!

Our primary weapon is Paying Attention To The Story... and a good memory for trivia!

Our TWO primary weapons are Paying Attention To The Story, a Good Memory For Trivia... and a fanatical devotion to the Chief!

Our THREE primary weapons...

Are...Nothing! There is NO third thing! Is that clear?!

Right! Now, we have to extigate (?) the truth from this un-believer on PAIN OF TORTURE!

GET.....THE COMFY CHAIR!!!!!!!!!!!

(DOOOOOOO-DOOOOOO-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!)

Or we could sing along with Torqumada (Mel Brooks) from "History of The World Part I":

"The Inquisition, what a show!
The Inquisition, here we go!
I'll betcher wishin, that we'd go awayyyy...
But the Inquistion's here and it's here to stayyyyyyy!!!!!!!"

Top THAT, why doncha!!

Picard's denunciation of belief in the supernatural doesn't make sense, given the well-established existence of "psi"/"paranornal" phenomena in the Trek universe, which are essentially magical in nature. The only apparent difference between psi powers and magic is that the latter sometimes requires the use of a magical incantation or object. Otherwise, the distinction is just semantic.

Picard makes a logical case for why the Mintakans shouldn't worhip him specifically, as he is superior to them only in his technology. However, in his broader argument, he ignores the fact that Starfleet has encountered beings whose abilities are godlike even by Federation standards, and which do not involve technology at all.

What would Picard say to the Mintakans regarding, for example, Gary Mitchell, or Charlie X and the Thasians ("Okay, there was this guy who could turn you into an iguana with just a thought, but that wasn't magic, only the superstitious and ignorant believe in magic")? It is implied in various TNG episodes that Q's powers are not technology-based either.

The fact that psi-phenomena and advanced aliens are well-establsihed--that is, empirical and scientific, is what distinguishes it from religion. But Picard seems more disturbed by the notion of the Mintakans developing beliefs based on their presence, and at the notion of humans giving the Mintakans a "rule book" to codify their beliefs.

Picard says of the Mintakans: "Millennia ago, they abandoned their belief in the supernatural. Now you are asking me to sabotage that achievement, to send them back into the Dark Ages of superstition and ignorance and fear?"

This indicates that Picard isn't just disturbed by the idea of the Mintakans worshiping him, he considers any belief in the supernatural to be bad. The difference between the natural and supernatural is that the latter cannot be explained by natural laws. Psi powers cannot be explained by natural laws. But Picard knows that psi powers exist. So his hostility to belief in the supernatural seems irrational.

It would have made more sense if Picard had instead praised the Mintakans for having abandoned their belief in "phenomena whose existence cannot be proven".

Psi powers cannot be explained by natural laws in real life. In the Star Trek universe, they have presumably been scientifically established, so the analogy doesn't work. Psychic powers, therefore, are not "supernatural". The idea that Picard's reaction to the development on Mintaka III is inconsistent with the reality of psi powers in Trek is a non sequitur. Picard understands the history of religion, its absolutism, its rituals, its use of heresy, its place in conflict, etc, so it makes sense that he doesn't want humans or any of the other warp-capable species in the Federation to become the object of worship as a result of their accidental interference.

Psi powers cannot be explained by natural laws in real life. In the Star Trek universe, they have presumably been scientifically established, so the analogy doesn't work. Psychic powers, therefore, are not "supernatural".

Only the *existence* of psi powers has presumably been scientifically established in the trek universe. That does not necessarily mean that they can now be explained by drastically rewritten natural laws, rather than by some supernatural agency intervening in the natural world (my impression has been that no one in the Trek universe really knows how psi powers work). For this reason, it's fairly standard in fictional universes where "magic" has been proven to exist, for science and magic to still be distinguished. Similarly, in the real world, if the existence of say, ghosts, were scientifically proven, I'm sure ghosts would still be usually described as "supernatural", until science could explain how they could come into being entirely through the unconscious interactions of natural forces.

Furthermore, if you are going to presume that in the Trek universe, the known laws of physics and biology actually permit such things as telepathic communication between creatures that evolved on different planets, or turning one object into another with just a thought, then those laws are so radically different from our own that a) Trek is pure fantasy, not sf with some fantasy elements, and b) all scientific nitpicking of Trek becomes pointless. That is too much of a handwave for me, it's much simpler to just nitpick Picard's attitude in this episode, then presume that the basic scientific principles of the Trek universe are so utterly bizarre and unlike those of the real world.

IMO, this was another incredibly poorly written episode that only proved that the writers are themselves "superstitious and ignorant" by exposing to the world their biased and prejudiced views about religion and the supernatural. I myself have no significant religious beliefs, but I respect the beliefs of others.

I think that Phil expressed rather well in the Guide what the problems with this episode's plot were. Cultural observer Dr. Barron thinking that the Mintakans would be flung backwards into an age of superstitions and ignorance and fear if the continued their ways of *their* culture, and that even Picard believed that their belief system could eventually degenerate into inquisitions, holy wars, and chaos?! Who made them the ones to decree what the eventual and inevitable outcome for these people would be, just because they were a "primitive culture"? The Federation was on the planet to *observe* the native inhabitants and NOT interfere with their way of life! And it was only because the computer in the "duck blind" malfunctioned and the Mintakan Liko was naturally curious about what he saw and then got badly injured did the whole disasterous situation occur in the first place!

Anyway, I liked that Phil said that Christianity, Judaism and Islam have ALL engaged in inquisitions and holy wars. Remember the Crusades? What do you think all that was about? And yes, up above, in 2011, I had some fun with the references to historic events. But now I see how truly misdirected "The Message" from this episode was. Definetly not what it was intended to say. And that is really rather unfortunate.

BTW, here are a few more entries from "History Gone Mad":

"1618: Future generations are doomed as the English execute Sir Walter Raleigh, but allow his tobacco plants to live."

"1770: The killing of three people in the Boston Massacre touches off the American Revolution. 200 years later, three murders in Boston will be considered just about average for a Saturday night."

"1804: Vice-President Aaron Burr commits murder and treason, thus setting standards for the office that Spiro Agnew will find hard to live up to."

"1869: Joseph Lister discovers a way to prevent hospital deaths from post-operative infection, and is rewarded by having a not-so-good tasting mouthwash named after him."

"1920: The 18th Amendment to the Constitution makes drinking illegal in the U.S., so everyone stops. Except for the 40,000,000 people who don't stop!"

"1952: The world stands on the brink of disaster as the first hydrogen device is exploded, and the first issue of Mad Magazine is published. Two bombs in one year!"

I think that sums it up rather nicely!

At the start of the episode, Troi says that according to Doctor Barron, the Mintakans are proto-Vulcan humanoids at the Bronze Age level, quite peaceful and highly rational. Picard responds that it is not surprising, considering how closely their evolution parallels Vulcan.

Well, I find it VERY surprising. The NORMAL state of vulcans is that of emotional, irrational, agressive, conquest obsessed warriors, as demonstrated by their close cousins, the Romulans. It's only through the heroic efforts of Surak and his teachings of logic that Vulcan switched from a conflict ridden planet that made even Earth look tame, to the world of enlightened and peaceful scientists, artists and philosophers we know today. The Mintakans may have been rational and peaceful during their Bronze Age, but that is IN SPITE of their close relationship to Vulcans, NOT because of it.

Oji- Pamela Segall

The name was pronounced "Oh-Gee" in the episode. If I can recall, Oh-Gee was also the name (or at least a nickname) of the little girl in the cartoon Magilla Gorilla.