I haven't read Childhood's End, so this is based on second-hand information but, given that the messianic aliens in the novel are depicted as devil-like, is Clarke not validating the Christian narrative there as well? It may be an alternative take on the Christian narrative, but it nonetheless validates it as "correct." Same with Phillip Pullman.

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Wikipedia: A MMORPG for self-denialists.

It's gotten to the point where careful investigation is needed just to tell parody from reality. I think that means reality is broken.- Noclevername.