The Gospel According to Star Wars

For a variety of reasons, my family is not religious. However, our position has always been that if any of our children demonstrates religious curiosity, we will allow and encourage that exploration.

Our daughter has worshipped with Jewish friends at synagogue and rings bells in a Catholic church’s bell choir. We invited a Muslim friend to Christmas dinner. It’s all fine.

Last summer, when a cheerfully colored sign appeared in the churchyard of the Edgewood Presbyterian Church, our youngest (six at the time) was intrigued. He begged us to go to bible school and we let him.

When asked afterward what he thought of bible school, he explained that there was a song about Jesus loving little children who were red and yellow. He was deeply concerned about these mysterious red and yellow children. The next week, when a friend of his from school invited him to a different bible school, his reaction was, “I wonder if they know about the red and yellow children over there?”

Fast forward to this past Sunday. I sometimes play substitute church music at Jefferson United Methodist Church, where the minister is a friend I’ve known most of my life. As I got ready to leave for the service, our 7-year-old asked if he could come along.

The first thing he noticed about the sanctuary was the words, “I am with you always” carved into the altar. He wanted to know why. “Well,” I said, “It’s because that’s what Jesus said to his friends. He wanted to remind them that part of him would still be with them, even though he knew he was going to die.”

“Oh! Like Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of Star Wars?” he asked.

I guess I never really thought about the religious implications of Star Wars. “May the force be with you,” in a way, could qualify, as could an epic battle between good and evil. And between Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan, you do actually have a father, a son and a ghost. Just sayin’.

Our son behaved very well during church and sat with a boy near his own age. He helped them collect the offering, though he was just visiting. He said that he loved it there.

When we got home, my husband wanted a full report on church.

“Well,” began the boy. “First of all, the minister let me light the candles, and I didn’t even burn the church down! Then, I learned how to make a pray. You fold your hands and look at the floor and tell everybody what you want.”

We think it’s possible to raise children to be people of good character, who have a sense of social responsibility, independent of religion. It’s a philosophy I’m hoping I don’t have to argue with my readers; such arguments are part of the reason for our philosophy. (I am happy for people whose religion is a source of joy, help, and comfort in their lives…as long as they aren’t pushy, condescending,  or mean to us about our choices.)

I did explain to my son what prayer really is, and why people do it. I have enough respect for the people these things matter to, to give my children accurate, but fair, answers to any questions they have about religion. He has declared that he wants to come with me every time I play at that church and I’m fine with that.

I have to thank the folks over at Jefferson Church for being so welcoming and making my son’s visit to their church such a positive experience for him. Had I encountered more experiences like that, perhaps my own religious situation might have gone differently.