Heinlein's work achieved instant cult status. It was embraced enthusiastically by the frontrunners of the sexual revolution who saw it as something of a manifesto, and it contributed to the "flower child" phenomenon of the Vietnam years much as J. D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye had influenced the post-WW II generation in its discovery of universal adult "phoniness." If today Stranger in a Strange Land seems a bit silly, even irresponsible, it has much to do with our awareness of the tragic consequences of that sexual revolution and our consequent disillusionment with a gospel that promised unprecedented freedom and joy. However, Heinlein's landmark book, despite its overwriting and its self-conscious style, remains an important part of both the history of science fiction and the history of cult literature.

In Stranger in a Strange Land, Valentine Michael Smith, as a Martian, is totally alienated from life on Earth. Even when he learns the customs of the planet, he remains essentially alienated by virtue of his incredible mental powers. And when he becomes the leader of his own religious movement, he assumes the roles of teacher and prophet, and ultimately scapegoat. The possibility of the existence of someone so totally different, so wonderfully unique, encourages cult followers to see alienation as a sign of superiority and thus an attitude to be adopted.

Valentine Michael Smith's discovery of sex as a means to the full realization of brotherhood and understanding helped make Stranger in a Strange Land a cult favorite. Just as Demian gives permission to indulge in drinking and drugs, Heinlein's book gives the green light to sexual indulgence and promiscuity on one condition. The book places no restrictions on the varieties of sexual experience permissible as long as the participants are what Heinlein calls "water brothers." Water brothers are those who possess full understanding of themselves, each other, and the universe. They "grok," as Smith puts it. "God groks," he says, and adds, "All that groks is God." The upshot of this syllogism is "Thou art God." Being God puts any "water brother" (i.e., cult follower) above the law.

Believing this, cult followers are free to behave according to their own rules. It is easy to see how such thinking could lead to the anarchy that reverberated through the sixties. Modification of behavior according to the lifestyle advocated in Stranger in a Strange Land found its most extreme expression in the Charles Manson cult, where sexual license was rampant, regard for law nonexistent, and murder not only condoned but exalted.

Because he is culture-free, Smith is able to explore unorthodox sensuality and sexuality free of the inhibition and guilt that plague ordinary mortals. The joy of his discoveries is also powerful enough to free others from their hang-ups (even his mentor, Jubal Harshaw), so they create a mystical new religion. But Heinlein undermines his myth with the mocking cynicism of the Reverend Foster, a fraudulent evangelist given to saying, "Certainly 'Thou art God'--but who isn't?" The creed of the new religion is nothing special in the cosmic scheme of things. This self-mockery comes a little late to counter Mike's simplistic message of free love and the power to dispel all earthly problems simply by correct comprehension, but to cult readers Foster is the self-mocking voice of the establishment, a figure whose cynicism is seen as sour grapes. . .