For Christians, the Dark Side is the side of sin, the realm of Satan, the Devil. It is the opposite of Truth for it is opposed to God. Jesus himself, in debate with a group of Pharisees, spoke these words, which could just as easily have been directed to Darth Vader:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Vader succumbed to a lie, an illusion of greatness and power that could only lead to death and destruction, including his own. In spite of all it's faults, Lucas' "New Age," science fiction spirituality presents the choice between "good" and "evil" as a crucial decision that each of us must make for ourselves. Lucas also offers us the assurance that "good" is ultimately stronger than "evil" and will win in the end.
As Chrstians, we should be very glad that Lucas got this right! And we should not forget to let everyone know that, in the end, it is Jesus who has saved the galaxy...including you and me...from the power of sin, death and the Dark Side.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
"Is that a light saber, or are you just glad to see me?"
2 - Mark Sahm
I know you're trying to make a parallel, but stop milking Star Wars as a vehicle for your religious opinions.
I mean, you don't even spell the main character's name right--- it's Anakin, not Aniken! Do your research next time.
3 - Duane
Lucas also offers us the assurance that "good" is ultimately stronger than "evil" and will win in the end.
Nothing like taking a trite little notion and trivializing it even further by interpreting it in the context of a fluff piece of science fiction. Are you sure you're not working for the Dark Side?
4 - Dimitry
What you don't understand is that Anakin's turn to the dark side was a direct result of mistrust BY the Jedi of Anakin. It was not Anakin's fear that Yoda sensed in episode 1, but the Jedis' fears of Anakin, "the one" they were looking for to balance the force (of others), etc. It is the Jedi (and Yoda's bad advice about how Anakin should deal with his nightmares, in particular) who turned Anakin to the dark side.
5 - Bird of Paradise
Memo to Mark Sahm: Thanks for the spelling correction. My error. I will correct it immeditely. I have never been very good at names. As for your reference to "milking," I have discovered that trying to find something of coherent moral or philosophical substance in Revenge of the Sith has been more like hacking through concrete. "Milking" is far too easy a metaphor for this effort. Still, simple things are useful as illustrations for more complex things. I would have it backwards should I try to use the Christian faith as an illustration to illuminate the theology of Star Wars!
6 - Reader
Great article, thank you very much!
7 - sych
In the end good and evil are concepts of the mortal human mind and are fabrications of the consensus reality of the physical world. good evil
do not exist in the spiritual plane and are barley recognized by higher beings. And whether light or dark all paths lead to enlightenment