Quote Originally Posted by Taevyr View Post
This, essentially. If the Force were treated more like, for example, biotics in Mass Effect, there'd be a lot fewer people seeing it as straight "magic", and star wars'd feel less fantasy-like as a result, I believe: sure, mechanically both are essentially magic, but one's treated as a mystical Force and the other as a fully scientific, quantified, known effect. In the end, it's indeed mainly the semantics of how the "magic" is explained as I doubt many people think of Mass Effect as science fantasy, despite having a fully female race of telekineticists that can live for a millenium with the ability to mind meld with people.

Not that I mean the Force should be treated that way: I enjoy the mystical, religious aspects of it and wouldn't want to see that focus change, though it'd be interesting to see someone explore it scientifically, whether they believe the religious aspects or not. But having it consistently be treated that way is, in my view, the main reason Star Wars is often seen as "science-fantasy".
Quote Originally Posted by Gez View Post
Religion is perfectly compatible with sci-fi, just look at Dune. (Okay, so it's Space-Lawrence of Space-Arabia, but it's still sci-fi.)
Characters in Dune are religious, but the setting itself is not. The supernatural elements are all framed as "natural" within this universe.

On the other hand, the Force in Star Wars defies explanation. It cannot be quantified or measured.