New Star Wars Film Will Explore Religious Themes

NEW STAR WARS FILM WILL EXPLORE RELIGIOUS THEMES [Excerpts]

The Star Wars franchise has always carried an element of faith within its narrative, but the upcoming Rogue One looks to expand on this concept like never before. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Gareth Edwards discussed how the newest film with explore heavy religious themes and their place in human history. To do so, he gave readers an inside peek at this highly-anticipated new movie.

The story of Rogue One will actually take place during the events of the original 1977 film, and center on the rebel’s mission to steal the Death Star plans. Doing so will eventually lead them to a world called Jedha, which holds significant meaning to the Star Wars universe. Edwards explains,

“‘The Force is basically in Star Wars like a religion, and they’re losing their faith in the period that we start the movie,’ says Gareth Edwards, director of the story that’s set just prior to the events of 1977’s original Star Wars. We were trying to find a physical location we could go to that would speak to the themes of losing your faith and the choice between letting the Empire win, or evil win, and good prevailing,’ he says. ‘It got embodied in this place we called Jedha.’”

“‘It’s a place where people who believe in the Force would go on a pilgrimage,’ Edwards says. ‘It was essentially taken over by the Empire. It’s an occupied territory… for reasons we probably can’t reveal.’”

Images of an occupied holy land, embattled believers, and a struggle for faith. These ideas practically resonate with a biblical understanding. Currently, the Rouge One is scheduled to release this December, but a new trailer for the film will debut this week during the Olympics. Take a deep breath, it’s going to be an interesting journey.

(Duncan, "New Star Wars Film Will Explore Religious Themes," CrossWalk Online, 8/10/16)

[TBC: Star Wars has always explored religious themes, as the article recognizes. Nevertheless, it will never explore the "the way, the truth, and the life..." without which Jesus said, "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John:14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
See All...). Consequently, it can never “resonate with a biblical understanding…” The "Force" of Star Wars is the antithesis, having both a "dark side," and a "light side," that is, both good and evil. In The Empire Strikes Back, Jedi master Yoda clearly teaches a form of Buddhism. As Dave noted in a past newsletter, "Luke went into the cave to do battle with Darth Vader. When he cut off Vader’s head, the audience cheered. Then came a perfect Zen Buddhist twist: When the severed head was exposed, it was Luke’s own head. As the popular song goes, “I am you, and you are me, and he is she, and all is one.” This is the pantheistic lie of Hinduism, that in fact you are God, you are the universe. That has been experienced on drugs, in yoga or in hypnotic trance by millions, the state of so-called cosmic or unity consciousness."]