The Force is a metaphor for Christianity

The force is all science.
It depends on an organism's midi-chlorian count.
What's that got to do with religion?

 

It is unfortunate that Christians think they have claim to all these ancient stories and express their inability to see the forest for the trees.

It is always been our policy to not allow personal comments or attacks in these set of forums, so I will have to ask you to reframe from comments like "their inability to see the forest for the trees" as that does go into the personal realm. I realize it may be OK in the Senate forum (which allows for more latitude because of the forum's nature), but the rest of the movie forums reframes from allowing personal comments.

The question brought up by this thread is a legimate one. I don't necessarily agree with the idea GL took ideas from Christainity, but there's enough there to wonder and thus bring up a discussion like this. Now, it's a good point to counter by pointing out quotes from GL (where he says he didn't base it on one religion), but also did he not at one point say the Jedi philosphy was metaphoric of Eastern believes?

 

Kidding aside,

George Lucas takes his positive messages from all kinds of mythology, ancient legends, and religious stories.

We all know this.

What's there to argue, then? Buddism influnences? Yes. Christian influences? Yes. Taoism? Yes. Paganism? Yes.

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes.

 

Personally, I don't see anything in the force that resembles Christianity that couldn't be better or equally paralleled with an eastern religion which, to me, renders any remote resemblance to be a coincidence. The closest exception could be Anakin being the son of a mortal woman and the supernatural. The same could be said for Hercules, Perseus, Helen, Achilles, Minos, Memnon, Gilgamesh, and a host of other mythic heroes. But the character of Anakin excludes any serious comparison to Jesus Christ though as Christ was the model of perfection and Anakin was anything but. So again, these other heroes (especially Hercules) better match Anakin in character and nature.

 

What's there to argue, then?

You're right about multiple sources, but, well, see Blackpool's post.

 

Everything I have seen and read suggests that GL took themes and ideas from many different religions, legends, and stories. There appears to be many different religious and spiritual ideas through out the saga. I don't however see the force as being a metaphor or influenced by any particular one. Lucas has however discribed Palpatine as the Devil, so he may have drawn some influence there, but him as the Devil is not to be taken literally.

 

I have thought of it that way for some time, yet others just keep thinking it is like Yoga and other religions. As Jedi and Sith have gifts there are the gifts of the Spirit. So yes by all means I do believe it !

 

Ug, why is Xianity brought into everything.
Oh look, the devil is in the cloud of smoke!
Oh look, Jesus is appearing on the wall of the coffee shop! (people claimed that here, really!)

There is more to religion than Xianity.
In fact, it is not even the most practiced religion in the world.
I believe GL has said himself he took things from many diff religions, soooo....

 

as a religious person, we watch and we see things differently similar to the Matrix till the brothers heard what we were talking about and tried to change things up making it more of a budhist substance, yet every movie I watch, I see something very valuable, a lesson that I can learn in order to achieve a better life, to help others by using this movie or that. And yes there is also a time to just sit back and watch too.

 

What the heck is Xianity? Isn't that an Abba song?

 

it is just another christianise word....

 

Umm... what's christianise ?

 

have you sat by a couple christians and listen to them talk and wonder what the heck they were talking about? Well that is where that word comes from. Is it a real word, I have no clue; that is what I use sometimes when there is nothing else to use

 

Well, seeing as the Force is almost exactly unlike Christianity, I'd say no. Primary difference is that with the Force, the light and dark sides are equal. In Christian theology, God is clearly superior to evil to the point that he can even turn the evil intentions of men towards his own purposes if he so desires (Genesis 50:20). Not to mention that Jesus' sacrifice wasn't for the purposes of defeating evil (as if there was ever a contest) or to bring "balance" to his creation, it was to provide a way of reconciliation between God and man.

 

For the record, the "copycat Messiah" theory is utter and indefensible nonsense:

http://www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat.html

 

In Christian theology, God is clearly superior to evil to the point that he can even turn the evil intentions of men towards his own purposes if he so desires (Genesis 50:20). Not to mention that Jesus' sacrifice wasn't for the purposes of defeating evil (as if there was ever a contest) or to bring "balance" to his creation, it was to provide a way of reconciliation between God and man.

Good point, Durwood. The only real link to Christainity in SW is the idea of a savior being born of a virgin, but this is only a loose connection, really. The idea of the Force itself is not really a Christain ideal and more eastern in its philosphical origin.