Why Shaw must be religious

Isnt it strange that theres no mention of religions in ANY of the other Alien movies? Perhaps they kill God in Prometheus and thats the link for the Alien universe.

Yeah its not like in Alien 3 there was a guy who was a spiritual leader for the prisoners and talked about god and did sermons or anything...nope

I think you've got some of the reasons why Shaw has religious overtones. However, her play with religion can be interesting, and a thought provoking artifact that can blossom into terror. If used correctly, religion can add layers of depth to the character/story. The way I see it, Shaw was brought up via religion. Maybe deeply inspired by it. So what does she do? Studies archeology. She develops scientific maturity and understanding, and loses a great deal of her religious overtones in her educational endeavors. Nevertheless because she was brought up deeply rooted in religion, she still has adherence to some of the ideas deeply in her psyche. For instance, she may lose the idea of a Christian deity, but she believes in some sort of creator nonetheless. In Prometheus, she makes a grave mistake not in believing in a creator but, because of her religious upbringing, believes the creator will be peaceful. Where ever Prometheus goes, if the Space Jockey is indeed the creators, every aspect of religion and misguided understanding of science(like aliens being peaceful) will be destroyed. From my point of view, Shaw throughout this film is leaving in hell because all of her hopes will be shattered. As far as not being shocked by the idea of ancient aliens... well I wouldn't say that yet. They're are very thought provoking ways of making ancient aliens that seeded our existence into shocking story/cinema. One factor that I initially think about is what if humans find out in early human history that they were just cattle created by the Space Jockey for the xenos. Nothing more. Something happens and we gain independence. It's realized by humans that the Space Jockey is far more advanced. Eventually because of our intelligence and ability of discovering technology, the Space Jockey will find us again. However we realize history has a way of being forgotten and repeats itself again. So what do humans do? We create religion because it will keep scientific achievement at bay. It restrains us from asking deeper questions that may keep great perils of ever finding us.

I think you've got some of the reasons why Shaw has religious overtones. However, her play with religion can be interesting, and a thought provoking artifact that can blossom into terror. If used correctly, religion can add layers of depth to the character/story. The way I see it, Shaw was brought up via religion. Maybe deeply inspired by it. So what does she do? Studies archeology. She develops scientific maturity and understanding, and loses a great deal of her religious overtones in her educational endeavors. Nevertheless because she was brought up deeply rooted in religion, she still has adherence to some of the ideas deeply in her psyche. For instance, she may lose the idea of a Christian deity, but she believes in some sort of creator nonetheless. In Prometheus, she makes a grave mistake not in believing in a creator but, because of her religious upbringing, believes the creator will be peaceful. Where ever Prometheus goes, if the Space Jockey is indeed the creators, every aspect of religion and misguided understanding of science(like aliens being peaceful) will be destroyed. From my point of view, Shaw throughout this film is living in hell because all of her hopes will be shattered. As far as not being shocked by the idea of ancient aliens... well I wouldn't say that yet. They're very thought provoking ways of making ancient aliens that seeded our existence into shocking story/cinema. One factor that I initially think about is what if humans find out in early human history that they were just cattle created by the Space Jockey for the xenos. Nothing more. Something happens and we gain independence. It's realized by humans the Space Jockey is far, far more advanced. Eventually because of our intelligence and ability of discovering technology, the Space Jockey will find us again. However we realize history has a way of being forgotten and repeats itself again. So what do humans do? We create religion because it will keep scientific achievement at bay. It restrains us from asking deeper questions that may keep great perils of ever finding us.

There's a fine line between believing in a god and being 'religious'. I see her more as just a simple believer of some God. Many scientists, researchers, archeologists, etc. believe in some form of God, or something of that nature. You don't see many religious people digging up clues for extraterrestrial life. Politicians on the other hand... lol

Yep there is Religious and there is Religious. If Shaw was at one extream she would not even bat a eyelid at a Space Ship and would not go on board it as by doing so shatters her beleaves in two. Dont forget some Religious people do not ackowlege many things that are fact, some say the Dinosaurs was created by Man by that they just sculptures, and that indeed Man has never been on the Moon and will never ever be able to leave Earths Orbit. Period because the Bible says so ;)

Religion, or the overt Faith of a character in a movie like this, may as well be taboo - so if it is present as a theme here, it's noteworthy. With that, if you offer a speculation that, "the story itself is not going to be sufficiently disturbing to get the characters believably worked up", and query whether you may be right,or may be wrong? I'd bet on you being wrong, there. I'd speculate the explicit purpose of Shaw's overt Faith in this particular story, is for us to experience, by proxy, some challenge to it: perhaps her notions of The Benevolent Creator, (while not universal - [i]deeply[/i] rooted in our Human society) are fundamentally and spectacularly undermined and overturned with extreme prejudice - a mechanism by which to deliver maximum emotional trauma, like the rape of the nun in 'Bad Lieutenant'. If that is how it plays out, I wouldn't necessarily consider that a direct political/anti-religious positioning - (and, in fact, it might be just the opposite) - I'd tend to consider it as a shock device, using the tropes of Faith, to comment on just how much the brutal nature of reality may differ from what we, as a Species, do seem, somehow, to so much want to believe: which, (while we are not completely naive), does seem to be that, one way or another, there is [i]something[/i] out there, or "up" there, somewhere - some Higher Being or Beings that are actually [i]nobler[/i] than we; that we can aspire to, that can teach us, who will make us feel not quite so alone in this vast and cold place, with our big brains and no-one else to talk to. Through Shaw's experience, we may be asked to consider that, if that Higher Being exists, it may [i]not[/i] be nobler than we, contrary to our hopes and our Faith. Perhaps, being Higher, rather than seeking to raise us up on it's right hand, it is completely uninterested in our measures of nobility and regards us only with contempt, if it regards us at all . [i]Or[/i], we may find that Shaw's [our] Faith is actually validated, but that it was only placed in the wrong place... I'd only say that , if Shaw's Faith has been made an explicit issue for the purpose of this story, we should expect that Faith to be tested.

Just a note, I know plenty of scientific minded, deeply religious people who would sign up in a heartbeat for a one way ticket to explore mars, meet aliens, or so on.

[quote]Dont forget some Religious people do not ackowlege many things that are fact, some say the Dinosaurs was created by Man by that they just sculptures, and that indeed Man has never been on the Moon and will never ever be able to leave Earths Orbit. Period because the Bible says so ;)[/quote] BigDave, I may have misunderstood your post- but I have to ask if you've ever opened a Bible. There is nothing in it that in any way comes close to what you said. If you are in fact claiming the Bible speaks of man creating dinosaurs and such, then I advise you to verify the information. The term "religious" has nothing to do with God. People who believe only in evolution are part of a religion, just as much as those who believe in God. While there are scientific facts spread thinly over the THEORY of evolution, it is not and can never be proven 100% until we figure a way to travel in time at the very least. Belief in evolution requires just as much faith as a belief in God. Both have reasonable facts to fit the theory, but neither can be absolutely proven. I for one believe in God, and have my own reasons to back up my faith. I also have no problem at all if others don't. You have yours, and I have mine. Just don't try to tell me I'm wrong about what I believe, and I will do the same for you. I can tell you however, that I have no problem with much of what the scientific community says- with a few exceptions. As Ridley Scott himself has said, regardless of which side of the fence (science or spiritual) you are on, at some point you must at least have an open mind for the possibility of the other. We simply can't answer all the questions with only one. Obviously I am paraphrasing, but what he says is clear.

[quote]Dont forget some Religious people do not ackowlege many things that are fact, some say the Dinosaurs was created by Man by that they just sculptures, and that indeed Man has never been on the Moon and will never ever be able to leave Earths Orbit. Period because the Bible says so ;)[/quote] Big Dave, I would pay good money to have you show me where exactly in the Bible you pulled this information. As someone who has actually read it, I can tell you I've never seen such a silly remark in any text of the Bible- Old or New Testament. If I have misunderstood your post, I do in fact apologize.

Zedwardson.....I happen to be one of those people..... Agreed aintnozeno