by Bruce Wilson<\/p>\n
One of my favorite movie scenes occurs in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier<\/a>. On a voyage to rescue hostages, the crew of the starship Enterprise encounters Spock\u2019s half-brother, Sybok<\/a>, who has the power to heal a person\u2019s innermost pain through telepathy. Embracing emotion rather than logic, Sybok is obsessed with finding God who, he claims, lives in a mythical land called Sha Ra Kee at the center of the galaxy, beyond the Great Barrier<\/a>. No probe that has gone beyond the barrier has ever returned. In an effort to hijack the Enterprise to carry him to the center of the galaxy, Sybok gains the cooperation of Spock and McCoy by healing their pain\u2014or at least making them believe he had. But Kirk will have nothing to do with it.<\/p>\n To me, Sybok represents every religious guru and huckster who promises relief from suffering for eternal bliss and happiness. It\u2019s the Maharishi<\/a>, it\u2019s Meher Baba<\/a> (\u201cdon\u2019t worry, be happy\u201d), it\u2019s Osho<\/a>, the \u201csex guru\u201d with his 93 Rolls Royces; it\u2019s Jim Jones,<\/a> it\u2019s Adi Da<\/a>, who lived on Fiji, surrounded by followers who treated him like a god; it\u2019s a thousand other spiritual leaders who promise nirvana if only\u2026if only\u2026 you \u201cgive up\u201d your pain and follow them.<\/p>\n