Orson Scott Card on Darth’s Sad Devotion to that Ancient Religion
I love to read essays written by people who take themselves way too seriously. My favorite wackjob Mormon, Orson Scott Card, disturbed by widespread reports that Star Wars III is a big long anti-Bush sermon with swordfights and cool outfits, argues that we should all be ashamed of ourselves. The Jedi, our so-called heroes, are a bunch of relativistic yet preachy elitist bureaucrats who have the galactic republic in a mystico-socialist stranglehold. The Sith, on the other hand, are refreshing new upstarts with a bold vision and a commitment to R&D. Why aren’t we rooting for Darth? Card also offers a full critique of the Jedi religion, which, he soberly informs us, is catching on as a serious religious faith:
It’s one thing to put your faith in a religion founded by a real person who claimed divine revelation, but it’s something else entirely to have, as the scripture of your religion, a storyline that you know was made up by a very nonprophetic human being.
OK, Orson, point taken. Now what was that thing you mentioned about the golden tablets presented to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni? And why couldn’t the supreme being come up with a better name than “Moroni 2″ for Moroni’s incarnation in human flesh? Sounds like a Lucasfilm production to me.
June 2nd, 2005 09:48
Reminds me of that South Park episode that totally makes fun of Mormanism. All they do is tell the story, the details make the comedy.
June 2nd, 2005 13:49
lol - ah, Orson Scott Card. I actually read some of his books and enjoyed them muchly. I had no idea that he was Mormon, though! While I grew up with many Mormons and liked many of them, I can’t take their faith seriously. Oddly, there church services are run very much like a business meeting! Then again, maybe that was just the service that I was “allowed” to see . . ?
June 2nd, 2005 14:21
Hehe, I love some of his books, they are captivating, but as a person “whackjob” is quite an appropriate expression. I’ve indulged myself occasionally and read his weekly(?) column and usually find myself laughing out loud.