Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Thoughts On Anakin, Vader (and me)
** Caution....these thought are still in the process of being formed! **
Ever since watching Episode III last Thursday, I've been pondering some points of the movie. I understand that the movie was not written from any particular religious perspective (as far as I'm aware), but I've always thought that we can always learn from things around us; like when Jesus told parables. He was teaching biblical principles through circumstances that the general person could relate to, and experience in their every day life.
One scene from Ep3 that really stuck in my mind is when Palpatine is speaking to Anakin, confidentially. He begins to plant seeds of doubt in Anakin's mind. He says to Anakin "they (the Jedi Council) don't trust you!...that's why they haven't made you a Master". Palpatine even says to Anakin that if he truly understood the force, even the dark side of the force, that he would be stronger, more powerful, even, than the Master Jedi's. He manages to convince Anakin that the Jedi aren't looking out for him, that they don't have his best interests at heart - that they don't appreciate the Jedi that he is...that in fact they're planning to overthrow the Republic and take control of the parliament.
Does that sound familiar to anyone? I know it sounds familiar to me. What was it that satan said to Adam and Eve in the garden?
Genesis 3
The Man and Woman Sin
1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?"2"Of course we may eat it," the woman told him. 3"It's only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die."
4"You won't die!" the serpent hissed. 5"God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil."
Just like how Palpatine planted seeds of doubt in Anakin's heart, so satan did in the garden of Eden. And, he continues to do that today. We become indecisive, unsure as to which way to go - we become unable to discern between that which is good and that which is not.
The seeds of doubt in our hearts can manifest in even more subtle ways. I know for me, satan constantly attacks me in the area of my identity in Christ. "You're not really that good....who are you to think that about yourself..." These attacks come to undermine our/my confidence in Christ.
Then there's the other side of the coin "Why didn't they pick you for that solo? Don't they realise that you're better than anyone else? You could have done a much better job than the person they picked..." These attacks come to create pride and arrogance in my life.
Satan's desire is that we lose sight of the prize that God has set before us (me!). And, he'll use any method that he can. In destroying our identity in Christ, we're effectively paralysed. We cannot fulfil the purposes of God for our life if we don't even believe that God has our best interests at heart!
How can I (effectively) minister if my heart is full of pride, no matter how hidden it may be? If I'm arrogant, how can I minister out of humility?How can I minister if I don't believe that God has called me, chosen me, annointed me?
I've enlarged and high-lighted verse 4 and 5 above for a reason. It was the reason that Eve took the apple and ate it. It was the reason that Anakin turned to the dark side. To become powerful, to live forever, to know all things.
As I mentioned at the start, this post is really just a stream of consciousness that I've been pondering for the past few days...and I know that I'll continue to think about. I hope it made sense...comments are welcome :)
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