The Gravity of Grace

In a zero-morality culture, the church must pump up the atmosphere with the gravity of grace.

One of the most basic skills astronauts must learn to master is how to function in an environment of zero gravity. While it may be a thrill to find your body suddenly capable of flying and free-floating anywhere in the cabin, an absence of gravity can also increase the difficulty of completing a host of tasks.

For instance, just how do you get the toothpaste to stay on your toothbrush? Everything has to be nailed down, self-contained, and sealed tight or it will simply drift away. Such a basic item as the pen had to be redesigned so that it didn't depend on gravity to deliver ink to its tip. Astronauts have to relearn both how to practice the specialized skills of their profession and how to complete basic, ordinary chores we all do every day. The world of zero gravity is a place where nothing can be taken for granted.

More and more people, especially among the unfolding generations, are expected to be astronauts-in-training, forced to learn how to live in a culture that operates...