As a Star Trek fan, the image of Isaac Asimov shall, for me, always be associated with the story of Gene Roddenberry's initial screening of the first episode of his program at a sci-fi convention. As the film started to roll, the story goes, a man was holding court before a small group in the audience, laughing loudly and distracting from the viewing. Roddenberry, incensed, came forward and rudely asked the man to be quiet; the man quieted down and Roddenberry went back to his place satisfied. Moments later a convention official congratulated Roddenberry -- he had just told off Isaac Asimov.

Roddenberry survived that event, of course (the men became friends), and now, as I make my own effort to tell Asimov to "cool it", there won't be any reply, because Asimov is no longer with us, of course. Not that there might be a reply anyway, or even a desire for it. I am writing about Asimov upon suggestion only. Asimov said little that concerns typical Tekton subject areas; the only work he did on the Bible was a voluminous (1250+ pages!) commentary called, naturally, Asimov's Guide to the Bible. We might observe that as a physicist, Asimov had no more business writing such a book than he did writing a guide to Shakespeare (which he also did), but there is no need, for Asimov himself admitted as much: "I can't pretend that in writing this book, I am making any significant original contribution to Biblical scholarship; indeed, I am not competent to do so." [9] And this does show: Asimov's guide is little more than summary comments of geographical and historical nature (of little or no controversy), and simple acceptance of the standard liberal line from Biblical scholarship -- not that one is bashed upon the head with this. The stance against the authorship of the Pastorals by Paul is typical: It is only said, in essence, "if there were written by Paul, which some doubt" -- no list of arguments, no critiques of conservative dating, just words and phrases of uncertainty. Asimov was neither judgmental nor critical in his approach to the Bible -- he obviously respected it as a work held dear by many.

Asimov's naivete in his Guide is almost charming. And thus the real rogues here are perhaps those who misuse his work as an authoritative source when far better works are available. I get the idea that Asimov himself would not be too thrilled with seeing his work given the credence of one written by Ben Witherington. Grandpa Rogue, would that more Rogues would be like you!