by Sheila Westfall

Created on: August 09, 2008   Last Updated: February 06, 2010

In the 2001 census, 70,000 people in Australia put Jedi as their religion. Fifty three thousand in New Zealand, 20,000 in Canada, 390,127 in England and Wales, and 14,052 in Scotland did the same. For these individuals, Star Wars is not just a Sci-Fi phenomenon but a way of life. It is a philosophy to live by.

The Force, the power that guides the Jedi, is a way of understanding God. "It surrounds us, it penetrates us, and it binds the universe together" (Obi-Wan Kenobi, A New Hope). This interpretation of divinity recognizes the aspect of God that connects us all, that as His creations we each have Him within us. And as its Creator, he holds the universe within His hands, protecting and constantly shaping it. The Jedi Knights are the monks of this religion, fully accepting its precepts and allowing it to guide their lives. The thousands who identify their religion as Jedi have likewise become followers of The Force.

The fact that there are light and dark sides to the Force demonstrates the division between good and evil. The dark side is just as much a way of life as the light and its followers, the Sith, have allowed its philosophy of dominance to guide their actions. Whether they have recognized it or not, those who choose an evil path are the kindred of the Sith. The choice between the two is not just a key moment in ones life, it is a choice that must be made over and over. Luke Skywalker was not safe from the lure of the dark side because he had trained as a Jedi. He could easily have chosen the powerful role of Darth Vader's son and right hand. His decision to adhere to the path of light in the face of possible death teaches us all that the fight for good requires sacrifice.

Luke may be the hero of the films, but he cannot do it alone. In A New Hope, he could not have destroyed the Death Star if Han Solo had not returned to ward of Vader's killing blast. Likewise, the Battle of Endor, fought by Han, Princess Leia, and the Ewoks, disabled the second Death Star's deflector shield enabled the Rebels to fly into the heart of the space station and destroyed it. This drives home the message that battles cannot be fought alone, that in times of trouble one must turn to those around him for support.

Star Wars is an epic battle between good and evil. It demonstrates the difference between the two and shows the consequences of which side one chooses to follow. One can choose to be a Jedi or a Sith, to adhere to the philosophy that each represents. In the end, good triumphs over evil, making it clear which philosophy is the correct one to adopt. And many have chosen to do just that.

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