STAR WARS: more than just a movie?

Rebel4Dios · Oct 9, 2004

Alright, its me again, zealot, asking about a subject nobody really knows to much about: Star Wars. The other day I decided to rent a video game for my XBOX entertainment system. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I heard it was ok, but the only reason I rented it was so I could carry around a lightsaber. As the game went on I noticed a lot of mention of darkness, metaphysical meditation apart from God, and a god-like entity known as "the force" The game got a little to weird for me so I sent it back early. This is what I think. Maybe this Star Wars is quietly setting an occultic theme for the next generation. Used to in the Star Wars movies, we would see nothing more than a few lasers and something blowing up. A Blockbuster Hit! Now, however we see it becoming more spiritual and even more disturbing. Is Star Wars just a movie? If not, what influence is it having on the next generation?

EdmundBlackadderTheThird · Oct 9, 2004

To paraphrase Freud: Sometimes a movie is just a movie.

It is quite common in sci-fi for the authors to create a mythos for their world. This much like the mythos in the Chronicles of Narnia, it's not real, it is entirely fiction. A lot of sci-fi writers base their mythos on pieces of existing religions so that a larger number of readers can relate. In the star wars case, the mythos has been around since the first movie and any storyline involving the Jedi would have to be steeped in that mythos. A movie is what you make it, as are video games.

Patristic · Oct 9, 2004

George Lucas based his Star Wars series, of which I am a huge fan, on a conglomeration of mythical and religions elements. The Force is derived from the Chinese concept of Chi or life energy. I studied Chinese martial arts for most of my life so I am familiar with this concept. The idea behind Chinese martial arts like Gung-fu or Wushu is to harness this life energy and channel it at will to create power or to accomplish a task. In Star Wars the Jedi Knights do a similar thing when they harness the Force in battle. Furthermore, the concept of the light side/dark side of the Force goes back to the Chinese idea of the Yin/Yang. The entire storyline around Anakin as the chosen one in the PT is so blatantly derived from Christian doctrine since Anakin was conceived without a father by some supernatural force, that it really doesn't need to be explained. If you want more answers or have any specific questions feel free to ask. I think watching the movies or playing the games is fine, just as long as you don't become influenced by what you are seeing.

Svt4Him · Oct 9, 2004

I studied Star Wars in Bible college, and it's very Buddhist in it's teaching. But if you expect any non-Christian movie to give you a clear message, you're in for a surprise.

Rebel4Dios · Oct 10, 2004

Dont you think its rather odd how in episode iv, they always refer to the force as 'that ancient religion?' It seems pretty suspecious to me. Think there's an aleterior motive?

Tranquillity · Oct 10, 2004

I definitely believe Star Wars has an ulterior motive. I happen to be a big fan of the movies and games, but I'm very aware of the swaying power they can have. A lot of people actually "worship" star wars, with their extreme devotion to the SW Universe. The Force is like witchcraft and wizardry. Jedi coming back as ghosts after they are killed suggests an afterlife that goes against what the Bible says. The Sith act very much like Satanists...they hate, and kill whoever is in their way to achieve a higher status in the religion.

EdmundBlackadderTheThird · Oct 10, 2004

Doug Quaid said:
I definitely believe Star Wars has an ulterior motive. I happen to be a big fan of the movies and games, but I'm very aware of the swaying power they can have. A lot of people actually "worship" star wars, with their extreme devotion to the SW Universe. The Force is like witchcraft and wizardry. Jedi coming back as ghosts after they are killed suggests an afterlife that goes against what the Bible says. The Sith act very much like Satanists...they hate, and kill whoever is in their way to achieve a higher status in the religion.

Star Wars has not more ulterior motive than any other sci-fi series. The M.Y.T.H. series by Robert Asprin has a mythos, Steven King's Dark Tower series has a mythos, and so on. There are motives attached to these, and they are generally in this order: 1. Make money 2. Entertain readers so they buy more books so that motive 1 can happen again. Movies are the same way. If the motive was indoctrination into Buddism or Hinduism it has failed miserably. Some SW geeks have Jedi registered as a religion but I don't think even they take it seriously. I am a pretty big geek, lots of friends that are SW fans and not a one has made any strange conversions, even the guy who talks like Yoda in public! Star Wars is just like anything else, it is what you personally make of it and nothing more.

Tranquillity · Oct 10, 2004

flesh99 said:
Star Wars has not more ulterior motive than any other sci-fi series.

Well how does that justify Star Wars? Most sci-fi movies go against the Bible.

EdmundBlackadderTheThird · Oct 10, 2004

Doug Quaid said:
Well how does that justify Star Wars? Most sci-fi movies go against the Bible.

I am stating that there is not an ulterior motive. Those not saved are incapable of speaking truth, therefore their productions and even the simplest words from their lips go against the Bible. None is worse than any other. If you watch the local news and your anchor is not saved then you are watching someone speak lies against the Bible. Are we to insulate ourselves completely because the world around is false? I think not. Entertainment is just that and nothing more. What matters are your own motives and not those of others. I am in fact quite certain that a good number of the books on my shelf were written for the express purpose of teachign the occult to further it's stronghold in ours and English speakign nations. But the books themselves are ink on paper and nothing more. If I use the knowledge to combat the spread of the occult by being able to soundly debunk their doctrine due to my knowledge of it then I have done God's work. If another person reads the same books and begins building an altar to a false god then they have done evil. It was not the ink on paper that caused them to do evil, and it was not the ink on paper that caused me to do good, it was what is each man's heart that caused him to what he did. This applies to entertainment as well.

savvy · Oct 10, 2004

Okay, you know that it's called science fiction, right? FICTION. They're great movies with a good message, and that's all. There are freaks out there who can and will read anything into a movie, even if there really are no ulterior motives. I loved Star Wars when I was a kid and I pretended I was a Jedi for a long time, but that's all it was...pretend.

Rebel4Dios · Oct 10, 2004

maybe doug has a point. if you really look at it, the force does sound kind of occlutic. i dont know but every time i would play knights of the old republic, i would get this strange, kind of weird feeling, like something wasnt right. Anyone feel the same thing?

Tranquillity · Oct 10, 2004

I didn't get any weird feelings playing the game.

I think the people that dismiss the dangers of things like Star Wars could be the first ones sucked in by their dangerous intentions. I'm not saying anyone here is, but I'm saying there is a big danger with people who don't acknowledge danger.

Rebel4Dios · Oct 10, 2004

Doug Quaid said:
I didn't get any weird feelings playing the game.

I think the people that dismiss the dangers of things like Star Wars could be the first ones sucked in by their dangerous intentions. I'm not saying anyone here is, but I'm saying there is a big danger with people who don't acknowledge danger.

I agree.

EdmundBlackadderTheThird · Oct 10, 2004

Doug Quaid said:
I didn't get any weird feelings playing the game.

I think the people that dismiss the dangers of things like Star Wars could be the first ones sucked in by their dangerous intentions. I'm not saying anyone here is, but I'm saying there is a big danger with people who don't acknowledge danger.

A Christian should not be in any danger, already knowing the truth. Conversely the non-believer is no more in danger than they are doing anything else as they do not have the truth. The Star Wars mythology is so scattered and throw together, even with a Christ modeled figure, that it could not loead anyone into anything they were not inclined to already.

Rebel4Dios · Oct 10, 2004

flesh99 said:
A Christian should not be in any danger, already knowing the truth. Conversely the non-believer is no more in danger than they are doing anything else as they do not have the truth. The Star Wars mythology is so scattered and throw together, even with a Christ modeled figure, that it could not loead anyone into anything they were not inclined to already.

Maybe Star Wars is just a movie, but we as christians should not want to expose ourselves to occultic themes. I disagree when it comes to the theory of 'there is no danger'. All of us as humans are in danger of hell, if it was not for Jesus of Nazareth. Remember that while we are human, that meas that we are also weak to human emotion and temptation. The enemy has set a number of traps for us. Remember 'satan comes as an angle of light.'

Previously an Ape · Oct 11, 2004

Rebel4Dios said:
... what influence is it having on the next generation?

A pretty good one. Have you ever watched the movie with an open mind? It's basically a good vs. evil theme with a buddhist/judeo christian mythos.

Spoilers
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The Good guys win
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End Spoilers

What's wrong with that? Just because it's not christian doesn't make it evil. I'm glad you returned the game early. Now someone who can appreciate it will be able to enjoy it.

Sketcher · Oct 11, 2004

I was exposed to Star Wars when I was six years old. I have never looked into Bhuddism or use of a "force" as my religion, because my parents made darn sure that Christianity was my religion. They read Bible stories to me every night. They prayed with me and for me. They did a good job of following Deuteronomy 6:6-8, and because they brought God into my life, I was able to withstand "the storm". I went trick-or-treating, I knew about Santa Claus, I was read Greek mythology as an additional bedtime story, I watched some TV and movies (there were limits on what I could watch). Bottom line is, raise your kids right, teach them that the Bible is the sole authority from where you get your religion from, impress God's word on their hearts while doing everyday things, and these "threats" are not as serious as some alarmists believe. Yes, Satan throws things at kids, but he does not have to carry the day. Not by a long shot.

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