Dune.

The Dune series is grossly misunderstood.

It is not a prophetic vision of the future.

It is a biting critique of religion and prophesy itself.

Frank Herbert's thesis was that prophesies of the Chosen One are dangerous and they create ego-maniacs who oppress and kill millions.

This is borne out by the sequel in which Paul Atreides' (the original Chosen One) son Leto accepts the sacrifice his father had rejected and turns himself into a sandworm.

This is a parody of Christian Churches' requirement to abase yourself before God.

"I am a worm."  Psalm 22:6 (NRSV)

"You worm Jacob, you insect Israel."  Isaiah 41;14 (NRSV)

And so we should not look at Dune as a prophesy of the future at all.

It is anti-religious satire.

And it should be treated as such.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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