Thinking & Writing

Alien Gods:

Does Dead Space Demonize Scientology?

                If you want to approach this question as strictly as possible, the answer is “No”. Nowhere in the Dead Space franchise is the Church of Scientology mentioned let alone accused of unleashing an alien menace that corrupts and reanimates necrotic flesh. However, the fictional Church of Unitology plays a huge antagonistic role in the Dead Space narrative, and fans and critics alike have acknowledged some stunning similarities between the suffix sharing organizations.

                Aside from the glaringly obvious “-ology”; roots of an extraterrestrial human origin, ascending levels of Church rank, and great sums of money required from members are widely recognized characteristics shared by the actual Church of Scientology and the quite fictional Church of Unitology (Kuchera). Keeping in mind that the aforementioned characteristics may be rumors or exaggerations of actual church practices, it remains a publically held perception that such similarities are indicative of Scientological beliefs. So is Dead Space demonizing the Church of Scientology through parody? MTV journalist Russ Frushtick had the same question.

                In an interview with the creative director of Dead Space 2 Wright Bagwell, Frushtick inquired about the assumed connections between Scientology and Dead Space’s Untiology. “For us, Unitology’s purpose in the story represents people’s illogical thinking about things they don’t understand. It was never really intended to be a jab at any particular religion.” There you have it, no harm done, but this doesn’t explain the uncanny resemblances between Scientology and Unitology. Frushtick pressed the question once more, this time specifically asking if these “similarities” were purposeful. Bagwell responded by saying no similarities were intended and that much of the inspiration behind Unitology derived from a book written in 1995 by Carl Sagan called The Demon-Haunted World (Frushtick). For the layman, Sagan’s book focuses on explaining critical and skeptical thinking to the average man and woman, very much along the lines of Bagwell’s first statement concerning “people’s illogical thinking about things they don’t understand”(Demon).

                So Unitology doesn’t draw its inspiration from Scientology directly, but the rather popular notion that some religious peoples often substitute hard answers for fluffy ambiguities? That’s fair, but Bagwell’s dodge doesn’t address the heart of the question, these presumed similarities are too close to dispel by the merit of generalities. Anyone having played these games with even peripheral knowledge of Scientology could see the resemblance.   It appears Dead Space uses a church modeled after Scientology to relate an idea popular amongst most religions, but calling Unitology an imitation of Scientology alone is far from the truth. Three or four characteristics connecting Scientology and Unitology don’t exactly make a watertight case, in fact, a further study of Dead Space’s new religion reveal inspiration drawn from several different faiths.  

                Take for example The Marker. The Marker is alien artifact resembling a tightly bound helix of stone culminating to pincer like points at one end. This Marker, first found on earth, is evidence of extraterrestrial contact in Earth’s history. Oh yeah, and it also drives people insane and forces evolutionary processes like the necromorph epidemic (Black). In the Dead Space universe, Unitologists worship and revere this artifact as a conduit of the creative powers that bring about rebirth and eternal life (Unitology). Take as an example the basic concept of worshiping religiously significant artifacts, does your mind jump to Scientology before — let’s say —Catholicism? How about the Unitological practice of adorning rooms and shrines with symbols resembling the helix shape of The Marker, a tradition very similar to how many Christians treat the Cross. Unitology may dress a little like Scientology but it really draws inspiration from many traditions and faiths.

                It is all well and good that Unitology is more of an amalgam of religious concepts than a direct parody of any one faith in particular, but can any individual really claim the right to say who can be offended and who can’t? After all, it’s ultimately up to Scientologists to decide if they want to be upset. But here’s the kicker, no one got angry. There’s maybe an article or two online addressing this topic, but no statements from the Church of Scientology, no picketing, and no protests (Kuchera). Either Scientologists are unaware of their assumed relation to Unitology or perhaps the Church isn’t acknowledging the “similarities” because there aren’t any. Maybe Scientologists are keenly aware of the uncanny resemblance but refuse to make a fuss over something they view as trivial, in that case, wouldn’t their Church further distance themselves from Unitology by acting less like the religious order that unleashes alien viruses on people?

                L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology and chief author of most of the religion’s canonical texts, once wrote about what he called the First Dynamic Principle of Existence. This first principle of SELF and the seven principles that followed would become the fundamental structure of Scientology. The principle of SELF or perhaps better understood as the principle of survival, outlines the basic human instinct to preserve one’s own life, identity, and sanity (Hubbard). In a weird sort of respect, Dead Space; a text book model of the survival-horror genre pays homage to this principle by creating a game with the sole intent of delivering the protagonist from mortal danger and spectral hallucinations. It’s an odd parallel that unites Dead Space and Scientology in a way that seems far less condemning and perhaps even commending.

                Dead Space isn’t demonizing Scientology or Christianity or any other faith for that matter. The designers simply organized Unitology from existing religious concepts and throughout the course of the game’s narrative the church demonizes itself. Unitology becomes a separate entity from any faith including those from which it drew principle inspiration. It remains to be seen whether or not clerics and pastors will be calling for the discontinuation of the Dead Space franchise, but if you ask this writer, there are more important things to do when an alien outbreak threatens the very survival of mankind.      

Works Cited

"Black Marker." Dead Space Wiki. Wikia, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.                <http://deadspace.wikia.com/wiki/Black_Marker>.

Frushtick, Russ. "Dead Space 2′ Creative Director On The Unitology Vs. Scientology Debate." MTV NEWS.              MTV, n.d. Web. <http://www.mtv.com/news/2462602/dead-space-2-creative-director-on-the-   unitology-vs-scientology-debate/>.

Hubbard, L. Ron. "Eight Dynamics of Life, Dianetics, Improving Life Harmony: Official Church of   Scientology Video." Eight Dynamics of Life, Dianetics, Improving Life Harmony: Official Church of Scientology Video. Scientology, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016. <http://www.scientology.org/what-is-      scientology/basic-principles-of-scientology/eight-dynamics.html>.

Kuchera, Ben. "L. Ron Altman: Why Dead Space 2 Is a Direct Attack on Scientology." L. Ron Altman: Why                Dead Space 2 Is a Direct Attack on Scientology. Arstechnica, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2016. <http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/02/l-ron-altman-why-dead-space-2-is-a-direct-attack-on-     scientology/>.

"The Demon-Haunted World." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.                 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World>.

"Unitology." Dead Space Wiki. Wikia, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.       <http://deadspace.wikia.com/wiki/Unitology>.