World, Writing, Wealth discussion

-:)
Aren't monks best suited to become astronauts?
Think about it: solitude, no gals, limited supplies of booze shouldn't be a problem for them.
And if someobe believes God is 'above' wouldn't space bring you much closer?
And as the astronauts/cosmonauts/taikonauts are our first barrier in front of the aliens, wouldn't it be wise to have morally superior men out there?
-:)

Que? Morally superior?

(Shakes head, face palms...)

Well, it's a fun folder. But - yeah, they are probably deemed as such -:)

Best played for laughs.

Send in monks and could end up with Necromongers?

Good save, Mr Tim. I didn't wanna have to take you out back.

[note the serious face]

*smiles sweetly*

Annie wrote: "Good save, Mr Tim. I didn't wanna have to take you out back.

[note the serious face]

*smiles sweetly*"

Quite right, Annie. Don't want any bad habits on this thread.

Hey, Mr Ian? Is that a clever play on words?

Monk...nun...habit...yeah? Or am I crazy? Don't answer that.

I do have a monk (the Buddhist persuasion) in one of my books but he's quite worldly, and in one scene he settles down to drink Carlsberg Special Brew while watching Dynamo Kyiv on Sky Sports. So I don't think he'd fancy a long trip to Mars really.

Tim wrote: "Oooh! Promises, promises... X :D"

*eye rolls at Mr Tim on behalf of all womankind* ^_~

Tim wrote: "Mike wrote: I do have a monk (the Buddhist persuasion) in one of my books but he's quite worldly, and in one scene he settles down to drink Carlsberg Special Brew while watching Dynamo Kyiv on Sky ..."

Nope. Not unless you want to be an insect in your next life.

Well, I don't. Being a cockroach was dead boring. Fortunately I acquired merit and was promoted.

This IS a very fertile concept. And I think space travel and exploration is likely to create some wonderful opportunities for spiritual wanderers, nomads, and truth seekers. I've actually been trying to work on a concept like this, where a religious order sets up shop on a distant planet to try and find the consensus and truth that underlies all human beliefs systems. It remains, to this day, a WIP.

Hi Matthew,

Good luck with that.

Dangit, I thought "Monks In Space" was your new book's title.

Pronounced "Monks in Spaaaaaccccceeee."

Graeme wrote: "Pronounced "Monks in Spaaaaaccccceeee.""

LOL! Another Muppets fan, perchance?

Annie wrote: "Hey, Mr Ian? Is that a clever play on words?

Monk...nun...habit...yeah? Or am I crazy? Don't answer that."

Just for you, Annie, let's stick with the play on words alternative :) Especially seeing as you wield a rather sharp sword.

Mike wrote: "I do have a monk (the Buddhist persuasion) in one of my books but he's quite worldly, and in one scene he settles down to drink Carlsberg Special Brew while watching Dynamo Kyiv on Sky Sports. So I..."

Now you mention it, I have monks in my first book too. They turn out to be a rather corrupt bunch, not above fleecing naive visitors to their temple.

Hi Ian,

On reflection, I think that is precisely where I got that from.

(without realising it).

Ian wrote: "Now you mention it, I have monks in my first book too. They turn out to be a rather corrupt bunch, not above fleecing naive visitors to their temple. "

When I visited the temples in Cambodia, I heard that the way you tell the real monks from the fake ones is the real ones were not allowed to touch money.

Ian wrote: "Graeme wrote: "Pronounced "Monks in Spaaaaaccccceeee.""

LOL! Another Muppets fan, perchance?"

See, now I have an image of Dr Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker and Gonzo dressed as space faring Buddhist monks in my head. For some reason, Beaker is holding a broom.

Monks in space could go either way. Being the first point of contact, a benign alien civilisation might be encouraged by humanity's apparent enlightenment and harmony, whereas a more aggressive alien nation might mistake humanity for a load of spiritual wuss-bags and immediately descend on us in a blaze of photon fire and explosive whup-assery.

Of course, that could form the basis of some cunning trap.

On another note, how would a cassock work in zero-g?

Mike wrote: "... watching Dynamo Kyiv on Sky Sports...."

Haha, if that what he does, I bet he's already post-space, licking wounds after some open space trauma -:) Sky Sports - exactly!

Marie wrote: "When I visited the temples in Cambodia, I heard that the way you tell real monks from the fake ones..."

Ha, this reminds me the solution for telling lady-boys from genuine gals in Thailand, which is .... but you know what, I'll let you figure it out yourself. Err.... and it's not your first thought -:)

Matt wrote: "Ian wrote: "Graeme wrote: "Pronounced "Monks in Spaaaaaccccceeee.""

LOL! Another Muppets fan, perchance?"

See, now I have an image of Dr Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker and Gonzo dressed as space faring ..."

Shall we position special-ops then somewhere nearby? -:)

Nik wrote: "Shall we position special-ops then somewhere nearby?."

Or equip the monks with bazookoids.
Maybe they could hide them up their cassocks. :)

Matt wrote: "See, now I have an image of Dr Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker and Gonzo dressed as space faring Buddhist monks in my head. For some reason, Beaker is holding a broom."

LOL, now there's a picture to prey on innocent minds :) However, if anyone is lost as to the comment that started this little sidebar, the Muppets ran a series of sketches called "Pigs in Space" (pronounced "Pigs in Spaaaaaccccceeee") with First Mate Miss Piggy, Captain Hogthrob, and Dr. Julius Strangepork on board the good ship the Swinetrek.

They already have superior men in space! If it's not broken, don't fix it. :-)

It's never late for a relocation.. Upward mobility it's called -:)

Tim wrote: "M.L. wrote: They already have superior men in space! If it's not broken, don't fix it. :-)

But I was born on Earth, honest... :)"

Yes, by the grace of the Theropods, subject to recall.

Thanks Ian,

Great spot.

Obi Wan Kenobi kinda looks like a monk.

Can you see monks as best suited for space missions?

Nik wrote: "-:)
Aren't monks best suited to become astronauts?
Think about it: solitude, no gals, limited supplies of booze shouldn't be a problem for them.
And if someobe believes God is 'above' wouldn't spac..."

Well here it is..the dumbest thing I've read all day. Just kidding lol. It is an outrageous thought but I suppose there could be some qualities to it. I've been thinking about writing a story about Steampunk monks so I can't say anything about them becoming astronauts.

Don't you think a space monastery orbiting this blue planet on a low or high orbit would be a cool place for achieving spiritual excellence?
I guess a foundation for this purpose may attract some handsome donations.
And finally equipping them with a laser or two may give them some defense/attack capability.

Nik wrote: "Don't you think a space monastery orbiting this blue planet on a low or high orbit would be a cool place for achieving spiritual excellence?
I guess a foundation for this purpose may attract some ..."


I think a monastic order dedicated to preserving human knowledge would be a very worthy idea. Such a place could begin as a space habitat orbiting Earth, then be moved to one of the Lagrange Points where it could be expanded. And then, someday, turn it into a generation ship that will eventually land on an exoplanet and make a home there.

Okay, that sounds like an idea! Off to add it to my queue :)

Robes wouldn't be the ideal space garb.

Matthew wrote: "I think a monastic order dedicated to preserving human knowledge would be very worthy idea. Such a place could begin as a space habitat orbiting Earth, then be moved to one of the Lagrange Points where it could be expanded. And then, someday, turn it into a generation ship that will eventually land on an exoplanet and make a home there...."

Doesn't monasticism imply single sex celibacy? A bit of a downer for a generation ship - just saying...

They've already taken the vows, they knew what they were in for ;)

How about nuns in space? Equipped with a laser or two:-)

Steady on. Next they'll be invoking the force!

With emancipation and feminism sometimes developing into anti-men stance, hope laser equipped nuns and monks don't deteriorate into a space gender war for greater good, out of boredom or in the absence of other worthy rivals there -:)

This somehow makes me think of both a Whoopi Goldberg movie meshed with a Jonathan Lynn comedy and a twinkle of the Schwartz...

Space Nuns on the Run

And of course, the much-anticipated sequel:

Space Nuns on the Run II: The Vatican Strikes Back

I'll go recite 10 Hail Marys now, for obvious reasons.

Scout wrote: "How about nuns in space? Equipped with a laser or two:-)"

That would be the Bene Gesserit, sans the lasers. But they don't need them, they have the Voice.

Matthew wrote: "That would be the Bene Gesserit, sans the lasers. But they don't need them, they have the Voice. ."

And bad-ass violence.

Graeme wrote: "Matthew wrote: "That would be the Bene Gesserit, sans the lasers. But they don't need them, they have the Voice. ."

And bad-ass violence."

That's right, I forgot about the Weirding Way. Funky name for such a badass martial art!

Plus they are masters of sexual attraction...

Nuns?!

The Bene Gesserit were all of that, nuns, sexual masters, and bad-ass martial artists.

Nice order

I'm not sure about that, it was pretty much 'my way or the highway,' with them.