Worshipping at the Multi-Plex

The final Star Wars movie is poised to burst on the nation. It might be time to consider, again, the religion of Star Wars. We like Terry Mattingly's concise overview. Link. Excerpt:

The faith in "Star Wars" is hard to label. The Force is defined as "an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us." It contains both good and evil. Jedi master Yoda clearly teaches a form of Buddhism. Yet the Lucas liturgy also proclaims "May the Force be with you," a variation on the Christian phrase "May the Lord be with you." The plot includes other symbols and themes from biblical faith. Lucas has embraced both "passive Oriental philosophies and the Judeo- Christian ethic of responsibility and self-sacrifice," according to Pollock.

For more discussion and links, go to Get Religion.