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 Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:11 am
So Christians love to stretch movies and novels to say they fit their religion (such as "Lord of the Rings" which doesnt, "Harry Potter", "The Matrix" etc)...more as propoganda to get new members but I guess to see films that identify with their own beliefs. I actually believe instead of having a lot of Christian values and teachings in it, the Star Wars series in fact has MANY Buddhist beliefs and values in it. Does anyone also see that and have references to certain parts that have Buddhist values or teachings hilighted in it?
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:38 am
"The Force" is modeled after the Tao, and based on Karmic principles.
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Akanishi Makoto Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 7:16 pm
Yoda says, 'fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.' It does sound very Buddhist, but then I'm not familiar enough with the other Eastern religions to say that it actually did come from Buddhism. There is a book written on it, although according to one Buddhist reviewer, some of the connections the author makes are a bit stretched. 
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:02 am
I actually own the book and yes, though some points are a bit stretched, that is how it is with any pop culture applied to a religion kind of book. I mean look at how badly they stretched "Lord of the Rings" or "The Matrix" to say it was Christian. Quite a lot more than the author did in this to the point where it didn't make sense. In the end, this book is a valuable read.
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:04 am
Actually, the Matrix series WAS Christian, at least in partial influence. The Wachowskis themselves have admitted in interviews I've seen to Gnostic Christianity as the source of the idea for part of it, as well as Zen Buddhism, among other sources. 3nodding
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:18 am
Buddhism in the Matrix? Very cool, thanks for the info on that.
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Akanishi Makoto Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:02 pm
Byaggha Actually, the Matrix series WAS Christian, at least in partial influence. The Wachowskis themselves have admitted in interviews I've seen to Gnostic Christianity as the source of the idea for part of it, as well as Zen Buddhism, among other sources. 3nodding I see a whole lot of Plato's Allegory of the Cave, more than Christian scripture. C'mon, the whole concept of the "Matrix" where you see and feel, but it's all an illusion? We call that something - samsara.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:38 am
Akanishi Makoto I see a whole lot of Plato's Allegory of the Cave, more than Christian scripture. Yeah, but you're looking at basic Christian scripture - I'm talking the Gnostic stuff, which believe me, many Christians have tried to disown/murder for being generally heretical and, you know, thinking. They think like us Zennies sometimes, except they're all into earth being created by an evil being (Demiurge, I think it's called, personnified in the first by the machines in general who keep the Matrix running, and specifically by the character of the Archetect in later films), and us being entirely divorced from the true divine. Needing to wake up, as it were, for our souls to go home. You'd probably have to either look them up or talk to Eteponge - he's a Valentinain Gnostic and could likely explain it better than I can. 3nodding Quote: C'mon, the whole concept of the "Matrix" where you see and feel, but it's all an illusion? We call that something - samsara. As my husband said when I told him about this thread - "Do you think that's air you're breathing?" He followed up with the whole "It is not the spoon that bends, that's impossible," thing. I love that kid at Oracle's place.
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Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 8:17 pm
Personally, I see more general Hindu influences in it. There are parts of both Star Wars and the Matrix that remind me of the Ramayana, a Holy Text in Hinduism that relates the life story of Lord Rama.
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:43 pm
I don't see nearly enough of the Ramayana in the Matrix. Where's my vanara?!
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Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:09 pm
Travispatra So Christians love to stretch movies and novels to say they fit their religion (such as "Lord of the Rings" which doesnt, "Harry Potter", "The Matrix" etc)...more as propoganda to get new members but I guess to see films that identify with their own beliefs. We do? I've never done that and neither has any christian I know. Sometimes we think, "Hey, that could also be symbolic for this" in a Lol attitude not a "Hey, we can use this to spread the Gospel" type of attitude. And you are doing the same thing by saying that Star Wars has Buddhist teachings in it. You are saying that in Star Wars the force is kind of like Buddhist Teachings and such, however, George Lucas was not putting it in there as a Buddhist Teaching. We are doing the same thing... NOTE: I am not trying to bash Buddhism at all. I'm just talking. smile I agree with some of Buddhism's moral values and views, in fact.
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Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:43 am
Captain Ardrick We do? I've never done that and neither has any christian I know. Sometimes we think, "Hey, that could also be symbolic for this" in a Lol attitude not a "Hey, we can use this to spread the Gospel" type of attitude. And you are doing the same thing by saying that Star Wars has Buddhist teachings in it. You are saying that in Star Wars the force is kind of like Buddhist Teachings and such, however, George Lucas was not putting it in there as a Buddhist Teaching. We are doing the same thing... Totally true. Humanity likes a pattern, so we tend to latch onto familiar ones, even if they may not be entirely there - like this habit we all have of seeing whatever our practices are in movies and television. smile
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Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:49 pm
Byaggha Captain Ardrick We do? I've never done that and neither has any christian I know. Sometimes we think, "Hey, that could also be symbolic for this" in a Lol attitude not a "Hey, we can use this to spread the Gospel" type of attitude. And you are doing the same thing by saying that Star Wars has Buddhist teachings in it. You are saying that in Star Wars the force is kind of like Buddhist Teachings and such, however, George Lucas was not putting it in there as a Buddhist Teaching. We are doing the same thing... Totally true. Humanity likes a pattern, so we tend to latch onto familiar ones, even if they may not be entirely there - like this habit we all have of seeing whatever our practices are in movies and television. smile Thank you. I'm glad no one thought I was being mean. Sometimes people take me the wrong way. smile And if anyone is thinking about The Chronicles of Narnia, then don't say that Christians try to make it Christian, lol. It IS christian. The author purposely put Christian aspects in it because he was christian, lol.
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:34 am
There are a groups in Christianity that try to use such movies and books to bring people in. I can not tell you that when LOTR was out in theaters, how many pamphlets I received either downtown or on campus preaching "LOTR or Lord of the Kings? Find Jesus" and all that other stuff. It is annoying really. Finding general meaning and relating it to your personal beliefs is great, but trying to push it out as the overall theme of the movie really isn't.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 6:36 am
Travispatra There are a groups in Christianity that try to use such movies and books to bring people in. I can not tell you that when LOTR was out in theaters, how many pamphlets I received either downtown or on campus preaching "LOTR or Lord of the Kings? Find Jesus" and all that other stuff. It is annoying really. Finding general meaning and relating it to your personal beliefs is great, but trying to push it out as the overall theme of the movie really isn't. As I said though, they're not the only ones who do that. Authors who write from many religious perspectives - and philosophical ones - come out with books linking pretty much every major media phenomina to their various topics of choice. The Christian tract minority is just really loud when they do it, and very in your face, because they believe they have to be in order to save you from damnation. In all honesty, they believe they're helping you avoid suffering by giving you an easier way to understand what they believe is the truth. I thanked the last one who gave me a tract downtown because of that.
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