Blish's "Conscience" vs. Wolfe's "Fifth Head"

galt_57 at hotmail.com · 01 Jan 2006, 15:16 · from rec.arts.sf.written.2006.mbox

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From: "galt_57 at hotmail.com" <galt_57 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Blish's "Conscience" vs. Wolfe's "Fifth Head"
Date: 1 Jan 2006 07:16:52 -0800
Message-ID: <1136128612.366330.128000 at f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
References: <1135781723.546189.19520 at g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

galt_57 at hotmail.com wrote:
> Contrasting the stories "A Case of Conscence" and "The Fifth Head of
> Cerberus" on the topic of religious redemption and inherent mortal
> flaws I am dismayed... [...]

Also when you consider the likely (or at least predictable) decline of
Western civilization simply due to the differential birth rates, the
hidden religious morality in this story further annoys me. Considering
that the least educated (and perhaps least intelligent) of the worlds
population are vastly out-reproducing those who probably are more
intellectually capable. How many children did Einstein have? Two? How
many children per typical welfare mom? What does this lead to by
geometric progression over the next few thousand years? Then it pains
me to remember that the Church may understand this and like this just
fine. After all the Church reached its maximum power during dark times
of turmoil and decline. Why shouldn't the Church promote beliefs which
could actually help to usher in such times and thus enhance its power
and authority?

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