Basically, a well-written story can impart new thinking on persons who would otherwise avoid that type of ideal on their own, basically stating, if you hide the morality lesson it has a better chance of taking root as opposed to forcing the ideal on someone who seems adverse to it.

guests kept mentioning, that science fiction can bypass people’s normal partisan filters.”

Ah,that's not even worth mentioning in my way of thinking. It goes way beyond petty politics and makes people more empathetic towards "the other" by putting you into the head of "the other" That's one of the reasons I enjoy sf so much. I want to get a feel of what is like to be an alien, visit other worlds,etc. I'm not sure I'd call reading sf a religious experience,since I only had one during deep meditation years ago and am not even religious. In fact,I hate church and quit going at 13. I've enjoyed sf since i was a child and it's my preferred reading material. .