Full disclosure: I am a big Star Wars fan. But that doesn’t mean one should watch Star Wars or anything else without discernment. All films have a behind-the-scenes agenda.
For example, take George Lucas’ purpose for the Star Wars movies. He wanted to use Star Wars as a platform to introduce Buddhism to America. The “Force” represents the impersonal god of eastern mysticism. You don’t have to avoid Star Wars, but you and your children should be aware of its agenda. You should be able to articulate how using “the force” is different from how the Holy Spirit works in the life of God’s people. The Holy Spirit’s power comes from his membership in the Trinity and is distinct and separate from the power of Satan. They are not both using the same power source.
Lucas’ vision for Star Wars fits with the perspective of eastern mysticism. The “force” is not personal – it is there to be used and manipulated by anyone, Luke or Darth Vader, for good or evil. It fits with the false idea of God being part of everything and not distinct or separate from his creation.
So, Lucas combines the plot line of the old-fashioned Western with good guys and bad guys, mixed in the force, and wrapped it all up in a fun, galactic story-line with killer special effects and gave us Star Wars. The result was the perfect vehicle to make Buddhist thought attractive without being open about it.
In Christian thought God is good, he alone defines goodness. He is wholly distinct and separate from evil. For the Buddhist, the eastern mystic, the force, or impersonal deity, is all around us. Both good and evil use the same power. Thus, there is a dark and light side of the force. Unlike the force, God has no “dark side.” He is only goodness, truth and light; he is personal. He is a person to be worshipped and loved, not a force to be manipulated. Christ and Satan are not each using the same power of an impersonal deity, or “force”, that surrounds all living beings.
Christianity will triumph over evil and defeat it. There is no balance of good and evil coexisting throughout eternity as is the case with eastern mystic belief.
Enjoy Star Wars for the engaging, entertaining saga that it is. But don’t miss the Buddhist agenda. Actually, Star Wars is a great opportunity to spread the gospel. The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is for real. Tell people about it!
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7 thoughts on “Star Wars: An Introduction to Buddhism”
Jay, I appreciate hearing your heart weekly on Shepherd Press and am thankful for your addressing “Star Wars, the Force Awakens.” I just read another review from PluggedIn.com that lacked any Biblical analysis. I wrote the author asking for him to present further Biblical discernment in his analysis.
For those interested, I would offer you to read Peter Jones’, “Star Wars and the Ancient Religion,” as presented by Ligonier Ministries. It’s a fascinating and theological analysis that sheds light on the movie’s philosophical presentation: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/star-wars-ancient-religion/
Thank you for your love for our Savior, His people, and our kids as you so often encourage parents (me) to make disciples of my four daughters and a needy world.
Rich McCoy
Santa Clarita, CA
Rich, thank you for the encouragement and for the reference to Dr. Jones and his excellent work.
Very interesting. I never knew that. I had only watched the original Star Wars movie. My pastor did make an interesting point, though, from 1 of the scenes of one of the subsequent movie releases (although, a point not intended by the writer). He said the scene where Obiwan was fighting the multi-arm robotic machine and was being defeated at first until he gave into the power of the force and let the force control him then he began to defeat the machine was a lot like how we could live victoriously in Christ by giving in to the power of the Spirit instead of trying to accomplish it in our own strength.
The Buddhist angle became really apparent during “Attack Of The Clones”, when Yoda was advising Anakin Skywalker against developing person attachments. He claimed they led to The Dark Side.
I appreciate the article and agree that Christians need to be aware that the agenda of the movie makers (whether Lucas or Disney) is not to edify the saint.
I think Lucas’ purpose for Star Wars was to entertain and make money(he did sell Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 Billion a few years ago). His work was heavily influenced by Joseph Campbell who boiled much of the world’s religion down into themes and archetypal characters.
We as Christians need to remember that NOTHING that comes out of Hollywood is designed to edify the saints. We all need to be very mindful of what we watch and listen to.
Hopefully Christians don’t run away from Star Wars but use it like Paul did in Acts 17:22-34 as a way to move the conversation towards Christ. Some will listen and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, while others will hear and mock us. That’s what I’m trying to do on my blog and in my Bible studies.
The article is based on extensive, lengthy interviews Lucas with Rolling Stone, Bill Moyers, and Charlie Rose from 1977 to 1999. as well as numerous quotes attributed to Lucas from multiple sources. While it is true that Campbell did influence Lucas, Lucas also is quick to reference Buddhism in the above interviews. The primary influence is the impersonal nature of the force which is consistent with eastern mysticism.
Our church used Star Wars theme for Vacation Bible School. All the cardboard cutouts were in the sanctuary, up, front, and those in charge, including the leaders of the church dressed in costume and also used the ‘force.’
Very upsetting, especially when one is told it is part of the culture for the kids.
How do you get people to listen when they think it not a big deal. Young minds need the truth of scripture, not the lies of the world in the church, they get enough of it when in the world.