On Sauron, Sith Lords, and Abortionists

By: American Decency Staff

Browsing the internet recently the chatter surrounding two upcoming movies coaxed me into a moment of contemplation.

The first was a fan theory about the much anticipated “Star Wars Episode VI: The Force Awakens”.

The strangely plausible theory is that the reviled Jar Jar Binks who has been considered by every Star Wars fan to be a klutzy idiot with a heart of gold, included in the film only to make it more attractive to young children, is actually an evil mastermind – possibly even the overarching villain for the whole series. Another theory made popular by National Review Online Contributor Jonathan Last lays out how, in the Star Wars franchise, the Sith, or the “Dark Side,” are really the good guys, and the Jedi are the villains.

If you have any interest in the franchise, read these at DarthJarJar.comand the WeeklyStandard.com. You’re welcome.

The second was a review of the movie, “3801 Lancaster: An American Tragedy,” which is a documentary on infamous and inhumane abortionist (even more so than other abortionists), Kermit Gosnell, who on top of killing babies and keeping their body parts in jars, had several women die as a result of his operations before he was finally arrested.

The writer revealed that Gosnell was seen by many as a nice man, and, even more shockingly, Gosnell believes himself to be a Christian and that he really was helping people.

These got me thinking about how we bent and crooked humans can be so easily confused by appearances or even motivations.

Think about it. Right now there are millions of Americans who are convinced with a conviction matching (or outpacing) our own, that the moral thing to do is to slaughter a baby rather than inconvenience a mother.

There are millions who believe it is the humane thing to do to allow anyone and everyone to enter our country and be treated as citizens without considering what’s best and safest for the actual citizens.

Millions believe that marriage means whatever we in 2015 want it to mean, rather than what it has meant for literally the entirety of its existence.

Millions believe that the right thing to do is to side with the man who-feels-like-a-woman-today and wants to shower in the women’s locker room, rather than on the side of the women for whom the locker room was actually built.

This got me thinking about something I’ve never really noticed before in that oft quoted verse in Judges: “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”

Our cultures narratives usually write evil characters to be pretty obviously villainous. Their goal is to cause chaos, rule the world, or make a coat out of puppies.

So, the Sith wear black cloaks and hoods; Sauron is a burning eye; the Joker is a creepy clown, and Cruella DeVille’s name is Cruella DeVille, but what reality teaches us is that good intentions do not a hero make and, like Gosnell, most villains are not so conveniently labeled.

Hitlerthought he was doing the best for humanity. And he convinced an entire nation to help him do it. But he was doing what was right… in his own eyes.

The moral of the story of Judges is the same moral as that of our own story.

When man does what is right in his own eyes, the world becomes a dangerous and frightening place, but when we run our lives by the rules that God Himself sets forth in His Word, we will find that things will start to go more smoothly. Of course, we could never form a perfect culture this side of Heaven, because human beings are corrupt, but, as my daughter’s Bible story book describes the ten commandments, God’s rules are “how life works best.”

It is with this in mind that Christians must fight for Biblical morality in our culture, as well as spreading the Gospel.

Jeremiah 29:7 instructs the Israelites exiled in Babylon to, “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

Let us take a note from Jeremiah’s playbook. As we seek our nation’s welfare, let us promote the way of life that we are taught will lead to the most human flourishing – indeed, the only path to true joy.

---

 

On another note, please consider this important match challenge request.

This challenge and offer is written by an anonymous donor:

Please prayerfully consider and stand with us as generously as God leads.  Thanks, friend in Christ!

After much prayer and evaluation we have decided to offer a match up to $10,000 for all new givers (someone who hasn’t given since 12/31/13) who give in response to a matching appeal between now and 12/31/15. 

---

 

Visit us at AmericanDecency.org

To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.  

American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

 

---