This previously appeared in my blog (2017).
What can Star Trek teach us about our own humanity? Occasionally sci-fi makes some astute observations about human nature.
In the movie First Contact (1996), the antagonists are the Borg. The Borg is not a race of aliens as such, but a collective. As they travel the universe they assimilate whatever races they encounter. Once assimilated, the person and the technology that race possesses become part of the Borg collective.
The Borg are by far the creepiest of Star Trek’s villains. But what makes them so creepy? The answer to that question has to do with the nature of true humanness.
Humans are unique creatures, made in God’s image. Although there are various theories about what the image of God is, I believe that it is best understood in terms of relationship. God is who he is because of relationships and so are we. Let’s start with the Trinity.
The doctrine of the Trinity states most basically that God is three persons in one God or one God in three persons. The unity of God cannot be dislodged; God is one. However, he exists as a communion of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Communion is another way of saying that Father, Son and Spirit are in intimate relationship. But relationships are only possible if the persons are distinct from one another. The Father cannot relate to the Son if they are the same person. So it is important to understand that the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Spirit. Each is distinct. The New Testament makes it clear that only the Son of God has a body. The Holy Spirit is unique because he comes to dwell in the church.
Humans are like God because they are in relationship with other humans. The most basic distinction between humans is sex; humans are male and female. However, each person is unique and different from each other person in other ways as well. Human relationships depend on the uniqueness of each person. You are not me and I am not you. This is part of what makes us human beings. Without these distinctions we would cease to be relational and thus cease to be like God. Our ability to relate to others as unique persons is a major part of being in God’s image.
But this is precisely why the Borg are such creepy villains. There are no individuals among the Borg; each is a part of the collective and no one has a separate consciousness. All individuality is lost when someone is assimilated. As humans made for relationship, we fear the loss of our individuality. Without this we cease to be human. Without distinctions and uniqueness we cease to be the image of God.