Star wars?

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Just was browsing the thread for the new movie. My son absolutely loves these movies and says we were all "lucky" to be in the era of the 70's and 80's as we had the best movies and music of all times!

When I look at the star wars movies, I can't help but to be grieved! "The force" is definately not of God. Sure, it's evil vs good... but it teaches that there is "power" within us that we can utilize to fight evil. According to the scripture the only way we can fight evil is if we have put on the ARMOUR OF GOD (Eph 6).

Am I the only one who feels this way about this movie? I know you all would agree with me on my stance of Harry Potter... So what makes this different?

A concerned Christian.
 
I don't believe that the stories or films of Harry Potter in and of themselves are any worse than, say, the Lord of the Rings, which also contains wizardry. If one continually and faithfully teaches and reminds their children not to mistakenly think that it is applicable to real life in any way, and also biblically explains to them why it is not, I see nothing that would be sinful in the act of viewing those stories and enjoying them as fiction.

I see the same principle applicable to Star Wars, which I think definitely contains a Buddhist undertone in much of its philosophy, as you implied.
 
As a clarification to my last post, obviously there is a place where one must draw the line as well, since we are to set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2). In light of that, I believe the precise application of that line to specific stories, films, music, etc. is a matter of personal Christian judgment in prayerful wisdom.
 
Actually I agree! I have also spoken to my son and Christians alike my concerns about Lord of the Rings series... I did watch some of one of the movies, though not sure which one, and I had to leave my friends house it grieved me so much!

Nothing wrong as long as the parents, as you say, are faithful in teaching thier children about truth. My concerns are that people are watching it with their children but not discussing why it's wrong. On the other hand, doesn't scripture say "whatsover things are true, whatsoever things are pure, think oin these things." We can use all things, news, movies, tv shows as teaching tools. However, if we continue to fill our mind with it, instead of scripture, we WILL be desensitized!

And therein lies the problem!

Oh satan and his workers are ever so clever!
 
I love Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars. They are just movies, contain nothing obscene, and can be enjoyed with the right attitude and discernment.
 
Loriann, these things have no innate power over anyone. They are just things. If the heart is still corrupt then they may breed even more corruption. If you are "in Christ" and seeking first the Kingdom of God then you are being sanctified within and will not be deceived by outward things. The sin is in the person not in things. If the person has the mind of Christ and their eyes are open then the worldly things are just that, worldly things.

You are right that we are to think on whatever is true, lovely, and virtuous. We find these things all over. No one thing in the world is all good or all bad. WE are what is good and bad and in process of sanctification. We look for those good things and reject the bad. We glean the good out of things and leave the bad.

I truly enjoyed the good things in the LOTR movies. Yes there was some bad in them but at least it was called bad. Some movies call bad good, and good bad. I reject those. I would much rather watch or read a good fantasy story than some independent film with and agenda that's trying to be "real."

Just as in Corinthians Paul was aware that people who had idols in the past were sensitive still to that old sin and would not touch anything to do with them. In that case it was meat sacrificed to idols. Paul would have eaten the meat with no problem because he new that those idols were deaf and mute and blocks of wood or stone. But when he was with a brother in Christ who had once worshipped those idols he didn't eat the meat because he knew they were sensitive.

I know some people who have had other "idols" or forms of "idolatry" who when they are saved are still very sensitive to those things whatever they were be it rock music, alcohol, or blocks of wood, so they would stay away from those things. I was sensitive to what I perceived to be "demonic" because of my former life. My mother would not let us have anything to do with anything overtly magic. She thought we were in danger of demonic forces attached to inanimate things. Now I see that the so called magic had and has no "power" only God has true Power. They had the power small "p" to lead someone who is already corrupt into more corruption but that was about it.

I hope I made some sense here. I have seen the Harry Potter movies and read the first book and I remember having knee jerk reactions to it because of my past. As I mature in Christ I am aware that these are just books and stories and they have no power. I have to work out my salvation with fear and trembling of the one and only Power in the universe and I have to avoid sin. If something may cause me to sin I avoid it completely. I do not think that stories like those cause me to sin. They are just entertaining. This might not be the same for all people. We all have different failings.

I hope this is a help to you. And I hope your son is doing well.
 
I do see a distinction between Harry Potter and LOTR in that the former makes little meaningful difference between good and evil, while the latter does so in stark terms. Both can be critiqued Biblically though, the same as all art. I think of Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz and other such movies which use so-called magic in a positive way. Are they entirely Biblical? No. Are they wholesome and edifying. To a great extent, I think so.

Star Wars, Star Trek and most science fiction today are all based on anti-Christian worldviews (evolution, etc.). I know that going in. Discernment between the good and the bad in such storytelling is critical. It may not be everyone's cup of tea to enjoy modern science fiction and that's ok. Personal preference is a significant factor in this discussion. But Biblical art appreciation recognizes, I think, that art can be judged on different levels and discernment can be made between the good and bad in content, technique, etc. This is true of all art forms, I think, not just science fiction movies.

We should not be blind to the worldview of George Lucas and others, but neither should we as Christians limit ourselves to the appreciation only of specifically Reformed Christian art. We may think upon those things in modern art which are edifying and redeemable and I find much that is so in Star Wars, though not everything in those stories.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4.8)
 
Just a quick comment on how i see things,


When I look at the star wars movies, I can't help but to be grieved! "The force" is definately not of God. Sure, it's evil vs good... but it teaches that there is "power" within us that we can utilize to fight evil. According to the scripture the only way we can fight evil is if we have put on the ARMOUR OF GOD (Eph 6).


I don't think there is anything wrong per se in showing power to defeat the physical manifestation of evil. To draw a modern day example, we may be grateful for the armed forces that protect our nation and recognise, appreciate and praise the skills, training and commitment of the soilders as well as the strength of our armies. Naturally, for a christian, or these things are done within the wider context that it is God who grants and makes all these abilities possible.

Anyhow, i think any fiction or entertainment is going to have good and bad points. If you really wanted to be strict about it, then we should only be reading the bible and the bible only because only that contains pure, unblemished truth. Not off course that there's anything wrong with such a view off course, i'am just saying that there are issues with everything in our world. Any form of interaction we have with the world, from sports, newspapers, aquaintences etc will require us to filter out the bad. Whether this process is worthwhile or if we should cut out certain things all togeather is something we have to consider with wisdom and discernment.
 
Hmm...just to clarify my above post...i was talking mainly about adult people. For parents or children i guess they would obviously have to be even more careful.
 
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