"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is now making a splash in cinemas worldwide, but many from the evangelical community are wondering - should Christians see the film?
When the first "Star Wars" movie came out, some Christians immediately condemned it as a "satanic conspiracy" that would plant New Age ideas into children's minds. George Lucas was even accused of being a "closet Hindu," since his character Yoda sounds a lot like "yoga" and was a guru who trained his disciple, Luke Skywalker, how to levitate objects using his mind.
But because the first movie was a success, several more sequels came out. J. Lee Grady, director of the charitable organization called The Mordecai Project, was one of the Christians who saw all the films and celebrated them as a triumph. In fact, Grady believes the "Star Wars" franchise contained basic Christian themes such as the battle between good and evil, the virtue of sacrifice, and the power of redemption.
"I like good stories. I especially love stories in which the underdog becomes a hero and fights for justice. I love stories in which the good guys win, the bad guys lose and the worst guy realizes he made a mistake and decides to change," he wrote for Charisma News. "That is the appeal of all the 'Star Wars' movies. They speak to us on a deep level about important themes like forgiveness, courage and virtue. They emphasize faith, hope and love."
But Grady was quick to point out that the "Star Wars" films do not have the correct theology. He explained that the Force - the source of power of the Jedis - are not the same as God's power. However, he believes the "Star Wars" story can definitely help a person understand Christianity.
"That is the job of a wise evangelist — he can use a cultural reference, a myth, a pop song or a film to preach the gospel," he said. "If the apostle Paul were around today, I suspect he would be at the Cineplex watching Star Wars -and collecting material for his next sermon."
