Well, having an article published about Star Wars may mean that my life is now complete. I’m a nerd, and most certainly a Star Wars nerd. I saw the original Star Wars in a theater in Aurora, Colorado, when I was six years old. I am oh so aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the franchise, but for good or ill, it is the mythology of my childhood, along with The Lord of the Rings.
https://thefederalist.com/2017/12/20/heres-one-big-thing-last-jedi-gets-right/
“Unpopular” opinion: I loved TLJ. Porgs and all.
Perhaps it’s my reluctance to dismiss an overall story arc in the middle-third of a trilogy.
Maybe it’s my ever-increasing curmudgeonly tendencies that chafe against a modern audience that frequently revels in their own jaded, cynical ability to fail to be genuinely amazed.
Or it could just be that my own love affair with the Star Wars universe is just about as long as your own, having vivid recollections of seeing A New Hope as a five year-old back in ’77 (sheesh!).
Truth be told, it’s all of these things, and no apology will be forthcoming.
Star Wars has always been my favorite mash-up of sci-fi, western, and philosophy/religion. And it’s a big sandbox to play in; for everything silly or juvenile, there’s something equally serious and/or gravitational. And while this renders it a mess on the cold, objective surface, it nevertheless remains a beautiful one in terms of pathos, wonder, and creativity. Truly, it’s one of those “all ages” franchises where the label fits the garment well. And dismissing it all as mere New Age hokum dressed in a Buddhist cloth in the name of telling fellow Christians why they ought not to bother with it ultimately fails to engage those core values with which it resonates (as you correctly point out), warts and all. Failure to see the ultimately fatal flaws that the Jedi often embody is a failure to register critical thought beyond the archetypical white/black hat mentality.
Would love to discuss in person sometime. My family and I are members of Living Savior in Tualatin, Oregon (shepherded by Pr. Nathan Brandt, whom you may know). If ever you’re in this neck of the galaxy, let’s chat. 🙂
Slainte,
Sean
Well, since Nathan is my wife’s cousin, you never know. Did you ever run into the Nunnink family there? They are members at my place now.