Science and Religion
Matt, a physics graduate student, establishes himself as an atheist very early on in the novel, through sarcastic references to God and by referring to himself as an “Ex-Reform Jew atheist (95),” and an “atheist non-practicing Jew”. The strongest representation of this theme takes place in the theocratic society Matt visits on his fourth jaunt through time. It is in this time period that Matt meets Martha, a graduate assistant, at a future MIT where the "T" stands for Theosophy rather than Technology.
When Matt first encounters Martha, she devoutly believes in God, though as she and Matt travel through time, she becomes less and less sure of her beliefs, saying, when introduced to sex, “I’m not sure I anymore, either (233)". Near the end of his time in the theocratic time period, Matt meets a version of Jesus that only appears in holographic form. Later in the novel, a “holy land” is mentioned as being cordoned off by killer satellites called “Avenging Angels". This can be read as a criticism of the radical measures a repressive religious society will take to control its citizens and maintain its beliefs.
Read more about this topic: The Accidental Time Machine, Themes
Famous quotes containing the words science and/or religion:
“There are two kinds of truth; the truth that lights the way and the truth that warms the heart. The first of these is science, and the second is art.... Without art science would be as useless as a pair of high forceps in the hands of a plumber. Without science art would become a crude mess of folklore and emotional quackery.”
—Raymond Chandler (1888–1959)
“Existentialism is about being a saint without God; being your own hero, without all the sanction and support of religion or society.”
—Anita Brookner (b. 1938)