posted
I just returned “Future on Ice” to the library and thought it was a brilliant collection of stories.
However, Mr. Card’s preface gave me some pause. On the whole, I think his analysis of modern morality and where it comes from was on the mark, but … I found the repeated references to Calvinism confusing.
To be honest, I found Card’s foreword, despite the deprecating references to G. Lucas’s “Calvanism” was more in tune with Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” than just about anything else I’ve ever read.
The only thing I can think of why the Star Wars universe is Calvinist is the fact that Darth Vader was redeemed at the end. Of course, I’ve long thought this universe was morally bankrupt; look at David Brin’s essays for why I think that.
But I was struck by the way Mr. Card’s preface talked about all the things that purport to not be religions, that are defended with a zeal that puts religious folks to shame, while the defenders deny any religion.
Meanwhile, the whole first chunk of “Institutes” is about how people know there is God and then make up stuff to explain the world while giving them license to do what they want.
I’ll reserve comment on predestination until after I’ve read about it. I think in “Institutes” which is 1,500 pages long the predestination stuff comes at about 1,000. Meanwhile, the book smells nice. Of course, Calvin warns the people not to try to interpret God’s will too much. After all, it is God’s will, and not anyone else’s.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
Now, Scott, how am I going to read everything you produce if you keep writing introductions? Maybe you could have an Introductions collection. Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I only recently came to understand what it was about Calvinism that required a belief in predestination.
But I don't quite understand what about Darth Vader's redemption is Calvinistic. It may not have been very developed, but it was not an instant transformation either. Alma, Corianton, Paul, and depending on your reading Moses all were sinners. No one is holy (in Moses 7:59, from the Pearl of Great Price, even Enoch says he accesses the Lord's throne by His grace and "not of myself). The brother of Jared said the imaginations of his heart were evil continually due to the fall.
Is it possible that Darth Vader felt the Jedi were as bad as Moses believed the Egyptians to be? Did the militia who committed the Mountain Meadows massacre kill women and children in the name of the LDS church? Mistakes happen. They can be fatal. Christ is the judge, and his atonement is infinite (according to the Book of Mormon.)
But yeah, I haven't read either the intro or anything by Calvin.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Wow... I can't say I've read the intro to the book yet, but I have read a little bit on Calvinism. Everytime I discuss it with people though, they do well explaining their faith right up UNTIL the predestination part... then they get very cloudy and vague...
However, since we're just being silly here and talking about Darth Vader's redemption then...
1) Assuming that the Star Wars Univers is Calvanistic
2) Assuming that Anakin Skywalker was predestined for "heaven" (since otherwise what would you say to his poor virgin "mommy")
Then Naturally
3) He must turn around and redeem himself in the end because he's almost to "heaven" and you can't let anyone in there while they're STILL being really awful. It's kinda like putting a piece in a puzzle... when you're close to gettin it in it "naturally" is assumed to be right side up.
Posts: 1321 | Registered: Jun 2006
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