Does Alien Covenant have the right to support symbolism, while knowing that symbolism isn't spiritual?

Yes- it all depends on your own interpretation. That is what's cool about art- visual, literary, musical or whatever.

Alien: Covenant doesn't support symbolism, it uses it; there is a difference.

Gavin What do you mean?

Where does that assertion come from anyway? "symbolism isn't spiitual". I guess you mean that the symbolism in "Alien Covenant" is not spiritual. Well, I guess in that case you are correct, the film's symbolism does not intend to convey a spiritual truth as such, even though Scott has tip toed around the theme of "faith". It just uses religious symbolism to evoke an alternate version of the human genesis, its search of answers and ultimate fate. In any case, the biblical references channeled through "Paradise Lost" have a premonitory value, which is suggested by the story's recasting of several characters from the Bible as synthetics, futuristic tycoons, hapless science officers, etc. There is a deliberate intention to be "blasphemous", and rightfully so. Some of the best sci-fi is like that. I would recommend an anthology called "Dangerous Visions" where you get plenty of this type of edgy sci-fi.

The nice thing about this series is the symbolism can be seen if one seeks it but is also enjoyable if one just wants a good sci fi movie.

joylitt  Spirituality is a detachment, which becomes a trouble if symbolism is also a detachment. Separating the two though means either having to expose spirituality as destructive or as self-deceptive. Therefore, it feels right that Alien Covenant is a means for spirituality to be real yet not insincere as the result of proving that symbolism doesn't exist and that it's okay to support its false reality