Robotology
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Robotology is a fictional religion in the animated TV series Futurama. It is principly practiced by robots and is not considered a mainstream religion like Voodoo or Oprahism. It has a strong evangelical Christian flavor, with fire and brimstone sermons, prayer before meals (conducted partially in spoken binary), and baptismal ceremonies to induct new adherents. New believers are baptized in high viscosity baptismal oil, and the symbol of Robotology is welded to their case. This symbol, a vertical zigzag line with a circle on each end, is the 20th century electrical symbol for a resistor. It is more than a symbol, however, it is also a signalling device of some kind, summoning the robot devil when removed, and/or perhaps when the wearer sins.
Another symbol of Robotology is an altered Christian fish symbol with the word "ROBOT" inside it, and an antenna added to the fish.
The holy text of Robotology is an electronic text file, currently The Good Book 3.0. A possible author or contributor may be the prophet Jerematic.
Among the beliefs of Robotology are that robots should abstain from wicked and immoral behaviors such as smoking, pornography, stealing, abusing electricity, and drinking. Consuming alcohol is usually necessary to power a robot's fuel cells, but apparently mineral oil is an acceptable substitute, if less fun to imbibe. Like in Christian theology, sinners are punished by condemnation to Robot Hell, while the virtuous or believing are rewarded with Robot Heaven. However, literal-minded robots, not content with the metaphysical conception of Hell, have constructed an actual Robot Hell in South Jersey, under a thousand year old abandoned amusement park. Robot Hell has at least five levels, and as it is a real, physical place, it is possible to escape it.
Robot Hell is ruled by the robot devil, Beelzebot, who takes delight in thinking up ironic tortures for his victims, not least of which is the introductory up-beat singing and dancing that greets truly major sinners like Bender. The robot devil is assisted by many lesser robot demons, some of which can fly. Beelzebot is bound by the Fairness In Hell Act of 2275, requiring that anyone who can defeat him in a fiddle contest wins a solid gold fiddle and may go free. (See "The Devil Went Down to Georgia.") Losers only get a smaller silver fiddle, and the robot devil may kill them at his discretion. The date of the act implies that Robotology may have existed for some 800 years by the time of the show, the year 3000.
It is unknown if Robotology has also constructed a similar robot heaven, or robot angels, although this is hinted at strongly on the DVD commentary.
Robotology, while primarily a robot religion, apparently has no problem performing marriage ceremonies for non-robots or non-believers, as Lionel Preacherbot, a Robotologist reverend of New New York City, has conducted several wedding ceremonies for various couples during the course of the show:
- Cyclops Turanga Leela and Alkazar ("A Bicyclops Built For Two")
- Humans Philip J. Fry and Leela ("Time Keeps on Slippin'")
- Robots Calculon and Coilette ("Bend Her")
Robotology should not to be confused with robot Judaism, as seen in the "Future Stock" episode (March 31, 2002). Robot Jews believe that Robot Jesus was built, and that He was a very well-programmed robot, but not their messiah. Template:Futurama