Every Sunday morning, Reverend Neil Hook makes his way to his church in the tiny Welsh village of Trellong to preach to the local congregation. But his are sermons with a difference. He's more likely to use stories from Doctor Who or Star Trek to illustrate his message than tales from the Bible. "I use science fiction stories because they open up the gospel in a way that nothing else could. You may think there's no relationship between Star Trek and our faith, yet both comment on the way we interact with society around us."
Reverend Hook is not alone in his passion. Today many composers, architects, writers, medical practitioners and technology specialists are all happy to confess a deep love of science fiction.
For the past three months BBC Four has invited contributions to its website My Science Fiction Life from people across the UK, asking them to write about how science fiction has influenced, shaped and enriched their lives. This film tells their remarkable stories. In addition to the Reverend Hook we feature Ann Thomas from Cambridgeshire who dresses as a Klingon, Tony Alleyne from Leeds who has designed his house to resemble the bridge from the Starship Enterprise, and Professor Kevin Warwick from Reading who has tried to turn himself into a living cyborg.
We also paint a picture of how science fiction has influenced our world more widely and shaped the way we all live. From mobile phones to advances in medical science, to our transport systems, our architecture, and the labour-saving devices we use in our homes - many revolutionary ideas were first depicted in the great works of science fiction.
Just what is it about science fiction that engages people with such passion?
You will need RealPlayer to access the clips featured on this page.
Visit WebWise for help downloading RealPlayer