I felt similarly when my children became fans of The Lord of the Rings, not just the movies but also the books. Now we enjoy them together, even discuss them, and refer to them in ordinary conversation. It's great to be able to share a common passion.
Side note, but a lot of the "what should Star Wars be now?" conversations center around how tonally light or dark it should be (Skeleton Crew vs. Andor). But what you've teased out here with the Buddhist/Methodist dichotomy really cuts through all that because what we've ultimately been shown over the past 20+ years is that while the Jedi are heroic, their detachment is their downfall. Their lack of romantic and filial love is their undoing. If fans are bemoaning that the Jedi are no longer pure, white hat heroes, the pieces were there all along.
I am ancient enough to remember the original Star Wars movie back in the 1970s - like no sci-fi movie ever seen before! I have mixed feelings on the 9 movies - and I am one of the very rare fans actually to like the spin-off movie Solo! In the 1970s we discussed the theology of The Force, which as it is both good and evil, seemed more Zoroastrian than Buddhist. It was good for apologetics at the time! But as you say nowadays original movies (as Star Wars was back in the 1970s) are no more.
Great post, thanks for sharing! I wish I could get my kids into the theater to watch ANY movie these days, much less one that meant much to me. As I was reading this, I was taken back to the Walden Books where I worked in college. Across the thoroughfare was a media store, and they played the Episode 1 trailer on loop. Duel of the Fates was the soundtrack to my work life that spring. Even having heard it now 1000 times, it is still a great, nostalgic listen (and watch).
I forgive you for loving these movies, because they were marketed to you as a child and you were taken advantage of. I will never forgive you, however, for making me curious enough to give them another try because maybe there is more there than I thought.
I felt similarly when my children became fans of The Lord of the Rings, not just the movies but also the books. Now we enjoy them together, even discuss them, and refer to them in ordinary conversation. It's great to be able to share a common passion.
Just wanna say that this post is really great. Very thoughtful and fun to read. No insights to add. Only a high-five.
Thanks, Kevin!
Side note, but a lot of the "what should Star Wars be now?" conversations center around how tonally light or dark it should be (Skeleton Crew vs. Andor). But what you've teased out here with the Buddhist/Methodist dichotomy really cuts through all that because what we've ultimately been shown over the past 20+ years is that while the Jedi are heroic, their detachment is their downfall. Their lack of romantic and filial love is their undoing. If fans are bemoaning that the Jedi are no longer pure, white hat heroes, the pieces were there all along.
Good point. Although I do think The Last Jedi goes further than is warranted here, and creates an implausibly cynical Luke.
Yes I agree on Luke! It was bringing back Palpatine that was too much for me! I thought the middle of that trilogy was the best.
I am ancient enough to remember the original Star Wars movie back in the 1970s - like no sci-fi movie ever seen before! I have mixed feelings on the 9 movies - and I am one of the very rare fans actually to like the spin-off movie Solo! In the 1970s we discussed the theology of The Force, which as it is both good and evil, seemed more Zoroastrian than Buddhist. It was good for apologetics at the time! But as you say nowadays original movies (as Star Wars was back in the 1970s) are no more.
Great post, thanks for sharing! I wish I could get my kids into the theater to watch ANY movie these days, much less one that meant much to me. As I was reading this, I was taken back to the Walden Books where I worked in college. Across the thoroughfare was a media store, and they played the Episode 1 trailer on loop. Duel of the Fates was the soundtrack to my work life that spring. Even having heard it now 1000 times, it is still a great, nostalgic listen (and watch).
I forgive you for loving these movies, because they were marketed to you as a child and you were taken advantage of. I will never forgive you, however, for making me curious enough to give them another try because maybe there is more there than I thought.