The Force
After the first season of Ahsoka came to a close, I started brushing up on all my Star Wars lore. I’m a geek and have always been a Star Wars fan, but have never dug as into the Star Wars universe as much as I did with Lord of the Rings in my younger years.
Aside from all the interesting and interlocking pieces, a lot of the lore speaks to various philosophies and theologies. The Force is one topic with a lot of parallels to the faith, though like many I did see it as a light versus dark battle making it less applicable. But, this video discusses that the light side IS the Force, and the dark side is when people go against the will of the Force. This sounds far more familiar.
If the Force connects everyone and everything and is pursuing the overall good, then following the will of the Force will align with what we’d consider “good” actions by the Jedi. If using the Force for personal gain and ignoring the connection with others and the overall good, then this will lead to what we’d consider “evil” actions by the Sith or other dark side users.
Faith
I’m currently reading Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth. One of the parts I highlighted and commented on is in the introduction, when the Pope discusses Moses and the idea of a prophet. We all want to see the future and control it, which is what other prophets promise. But Pope Benedict, using Moses notes, “[A prophet’s] task is not to report on the events of tomorrow or the next day in order to satisfy human curiosity or the human need for security. He shows us the face of God, and in so doing, he shows us the path we have to take.”
It reminded me of this topic, following the will of the Force versus our own will. Or in the real world, following the will of God versus what we think we need to control our lives. My goal is (or at least should be) to do the will of God in everything I do. God knows everyone and everything and has a plan for all of time. When I go against the will of God, that is me choosing what I want over the overall good and good will of God. Or sin, as it is called.
Sin is not the yin to God’s yang. It is not some equal and opposite entity in the universe. It is what we do with our free will in defiance of God, when we choose to not follow God’s plan.
What do you think about this take on the Force in Star Wars?
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