Just read “The Messiah”. I’m beginning to realize that Ray has written a number of stories about priests. Fun stuff. Over the years I’ve debated clergy—butted heads you might say—about various subjects, one of which was stewardship and security. I would quote “scripture”, life and Victor Hugo, but would always loose. Now I see that in “The Messiah” Ray says, “Why lock churches?” Thank you Ray! Finally someone who agrees with me.

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Chapter 31:

I plead dummy on ths one. Maybe forgetful dummy, but exactly where is that story 'Messiah'? I never got a copy of "Burnt out Priests etc.." Is it there? Clue me in. With Ray being in cahoots of sorts with the Unitarians, I haven't noticed much change in his secular ideas about God.

Thanks for the info about the story location...!

You do yourself a disservice in your first sentence. I could only find it in one location, “Bradbury Stories”, the second doorstop. – Best.

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I left the word “The” out of the title of “The Messiah” in my original posting. I’ve gone back and corrected it. Sorry.

It's in "Long After Midnight" and a coffee table art book entitled "The Ghosts of Forever." One of the "lost" Martian stories (not in "The Martian Chronicles.")

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
...One of the "lost" Martian stories (not in "The Martian Chronicles.")

But I think they filmed it for the TV series of Martian Chronicles.(Either that or my memory is playing tricks on me.)

You could be thinking of "The Fire Balloons" or a "Ray Bradbury Theater" episode.

I could be, but I distinctly remember a Christ figure in the Martian Chronicles (and IMDB.com has Jon Finch listed as "Christ"). Has anyone got the Martian Chronicles DVD to check this out?

philnic:

Yes, there is a Christ figure, a Martian taking on the form of Christ, in 'The Martian Chronicles'. But darn if I could locate it after glancing thru my first paperback printing of 'The Martian Chronicles' several times. It's probably a part of a larger story. I'll have to look later when I have more time..

But... while glancing thru this early copy, I noticed something interesting. In the Chapter titled, 'September, 2005, The Martian', (now where have I heard that date before?) ... the last page of that chapter is an obvious rip off by 'The Twilight Zone'. Read it! It's the episode where the man "Tom" is killed and multiple faces appear to replace his face, of all the resemblances he took on of so many people....and now all the faces appear in his death.

The other interesting note was in the chapter, 'April, 2000, The Third Expedition'. Since Ray was born in Illinois in 1920, I thought it interesting read. This, from p. 38. Captain Black speaking:
"Hinkston, Lustig, I could be either of your fathers. I'm just eighty years old. Born in 1920 in Illinois, and through the grace of God and a science that, in the last fifty years, knows how to make some old men young again, here I am on Mars, not any more tired than the rest of you, but infinitely more suspicious. This town out here looks vbery peaceful and cool, and so much like Green Bluff, Illinois, that it frightens me. It's too much like Green Bluff..."

Nard,

thanks for at least confirming that I wasn't imagining it. Now all I need is for someone to compare that section of the TV version of MC to the short story "The Messiah". Anyone?

I think the Twilight Zone you are alluding to is the one called "The Four of Us are Dying". This was scripted by Rod Serling, based on a story by George Clayton Johnson. Johnson also wrote a very Bradbury-like Twilight Zone episode featuring an old woman who defied death. He also co-wrote the screenplay for the animated film version of Icarus Monfgolfier Wright. What do we reckon, homage or plagiarism?

That quote from Martian Chronicles is excellent! Captain Black is Ray Bradbury! Incidentally, I have often wondered why Black hails from Green Bluff rather than Green Town.

Hi All, I only just found this board! I have quite a few Bradbury books. But as a child into teenager, I sometimes didn't get what he was writing but it's as an adult, especially last eight years (I'm now 50), which is down to becoming a father, I now appreciate his work much more than I ever did.

Anyway, re the adaptation of The Messiah in the excellent Martian Chronicles TV series, Richard Matheson did adapt The Messiah into part of The Martian segment of the series, using the character of Father Peregrine from The Fire Balloons. Originally, the filmmakers wanted to use Robert Powell as Jesus from Jesus of Nazareth.

I am a man of Christian faith and again since becoming a parent, my faith has increased even more, though I've always had that faith. I enjoy that Ray featured faith so much in his stories, he was one of the only SF authors who used faith as a positive, rather than an attack against it.

Welcome to the board! Thanks for your great insights!