From: Michael Straight <straight@email.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: (urth) Pelagianism
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 08:36:32 

On Wed, 24 May 2000, Alex David Groce wrote:

> As to the earlier comment about Vodalu's hope to return to space as
> analogous to the rejection of Original Sin, although I still don't
> have BOTNS on hand, all I was thinking was that Wolfe's vague
> references to our crimes in our galaxy-spanning days and the plan to
> keep us from returning to the stars until we are redeemed seems to
> have clear connections to the idea of being turned out of the garden
> after the Fall.  After all, we're clearly in Milton territory here,
> justifying the ways of God to Man.

This reminds me of some of C.S. Lewis's poems and _Out of the Silent
Planet_ where he expresses horror at the thought of humanity colonizing
the universe because it would bring the taint of sin to previously
untainted worlds.  A sentiment that seems related to the moment in the
Lord of the Rings where, deep in the polluted lands of Mordor, Sam and
Frodo catch a glimpse one night of the stars and take comfort that there
are innumerable worlds that Sauron can never touch.

-Rostrum


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