[fanfic-lover-girl]

Anakin Skywalker vs Jesus Christ: Experience with Religious Leaders

Third post of the chosen one comparison series. At first, I was just going to compare their experiences as kids but I think I should also do their experiences as adults.

Experience as Children

There an account of 12 year old Jesus where he engages in discussion with temple teachers. They were amazed with Jesus - his understanding and answers (Luke 2:46-47). On the other hand, Anakin is looked down upon by the Jedi council and basically disregarded. Of course, the circumstances are different. Anakin just separated from his mother and his knowledge of the force is non-existent. However, unlike Jesus the council had knowledge of Anakin potentially being the chosen one.

Experience as Adults

You can say that Christianity was born from Judaism. And I have this sentiment because Jesus did not come to abolish the laws that God gave in the Old Testament, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Jesus gave a new perspective to certain ideas like loving your neighbor (your neighbor is not just your loved ones but even your enemy) and changed how we should interact with God and view our salvation (we no longer need human high priests and blood sacrifices like the Jews did). Also, Jesus frequently called out the Jewish teachers and law makers. He was quick to put them in their place and challenge their hypocrisy. These same people eventually played a role in his crucifixion.

I wish Anakin did something like this with the Jedi and the force. Anakin should have been the Jesus figure who shook the Jedi institution and challenged their ways. However, Anakin challenged them on attachments behind their backs when he married Padme in secret and he did his best to fit the mold of the good jedi. However, his authority as the chosen one was severely lacking. Anakin conformed instead of revolutionizing.

Both men had negative interactions with religious leadership. However, there were some who respected Jesus and sought him out like the man who asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter (Mark 5:22-24). However, Anakin's experiences were hardly positive and the council did not seem to respect him much.

[ivolunteeryou]

I wish Anakin did something like this with the Jedi and the force. Anakin should have been the Jesus figure who shook the Jedi institution and challenged their ways. However, Anakin challenged them on attachments behind their backs when he married Padme in secret and he did his best to fit the mold of the good jedi. However, his authority as the chosen one was severely lacking. Anakin conformed instead of revolutionizing.

This. I wish Anakin was merely an extrordinarily talented kid,the Jesus part never went anywhere. Even the "virgin" birth could've been like a magic solar flare or whatever. Besides,the dubious consent re. Shmi's pregnancy is... Something.

While I agree with many of the Jedi Critical points,there was never any point where Anakin set himself apart from their flawed,corrupted ways(at least,in the movies). I mean,we see him going along with all the nonsense the other Jedi get into - including the slave army. It's understandable from an "Anakin is a flawed,traumatized young man who's kinda ordinary outside of talent and power levels"(he's on the same league as Dooku and Obi-Wan,according to the movies) point of view,but not if Anakin is supposed to be Space Jesus. I mean,all of Anakin's loved ones outside Shmi are high-ranking people (Padme and Palpatine are politicians and Obi-Wan is an ambitious social climber who eventually gets a Council seat). Not saying Anakin is a snob,a classist - he's not,those bonds are just a coincidence. However,we never see Anakin going out of his way to defend any downtrodden in AotC and RotS - the most I can say is that he's salty about not being able to do more,but he still doesn't push the boundaries. I can sympathize a lot with Anakin in this,but he's not above the rest of the Jedi in AotC and RotS,IMO.

[caripr94]

Well, considering that Anakin beat Dooku quite quickly in ROTS and he fought Obi-Wan when he was not at his best (malnourished, sleep-deprived, and in the middle of a mental breakdown), I don't think that that's a fair assessment of his power level, especially since he showed tremendous Force power in his meltdown after he learned of Padmé's death.

But other than that, I agree. From how I saw it, he didn't even really bring balance to the Force since, in both canons (as would have been logical), the demise of the Sith only created a power vacuum for other Dark Lords to fill (even if you count out the latter two sequels). While I'm sure that Anakin would have told someone (even if not the Jedi) if his mother had meant that she was raped (and I'm starting to think that she would have clarified it, because how was she supposed to know that Qui-Gon would think her son was a Messiah figure), her lack of memory of his conception makes his status as the Chosen One dubious rather than solidifying. So I would find it more logical to presume that Shmi's memory was tampered with and Anakin's biological father was a powerful, godlike, Force-sensitive humanoid being than Anakin was some kind of "Space Jesus".

[macabre-muses]

it honestly cracks me up when people are like "anakin loved padmé but it was possessive love, not selfless love". less because of what they're saying cause gl also talked about anakin feeling too possessive a love for his loved ones (both padmé and shmi) but more cause this selfless love thing has been completely blown out of proportion and become such a constant in jedi/sw discourse (the discourse is NOT the point of this post tho) that it's almost starting to sound like general therapy speak to me and a buzzword to just throw around to avoid analizing anakin and his relationships further. like yeah no shit the ex child slave who grew up amongst space monks, is getting groomed by a sith lord and had to watch his mother whom he hadn't seen in ten years die a horrible violent death in his arms isn't good at healthy relationships. too bad he's fake and can't go to therapy about it. too bad he's more intresting this was.

[riana-one]

The idea that not wanting someone you love, like your mother or pregnant wife, not to die a painful, but preventable death consists of 'possessive love' never fails to crack me up.

And Anakin does seek other solutions before falling to the Dark Side in despair.

His wanting to be a master was able getting into the Jedi archives to sure for a way to save Padme according to the Stover novelization.

He seeks help from Yoda and get the equivalent of 'life sucks, death happens, suck it up' rather than anything meaningful.

Anakin even initially rejects Palpatine and reports him as a Sith to the Order, but cracks at the eleventh hour when he tries to prevent Mace Windu from killing the seemingly helpless Chancellor who was the only hope to save Padme.

Compare that to Anakin trying to convince Ahsoka to stay in the Order.

He asks her to reconsider and tells her he understands wanting to leave- but he doesn't stop her.

He doesn't pressure her or guilt her or try to stop her physically even though he is very unhappy about losing her.

The next time they see each other, he gives her back her lightsabers that he kept and improved on (his love language is definitely acts of service), but again doesn't pressure her to come back to the Jedi.

The prequels were intended to be a classic tragedy where the possibility of hope can be seen, just never taken.

It is Romeo misses the message about Juilet faking her death, Orpheus looking back just as Eurydice, or Macbeth having second thoughts, Anakin was doomed by the narrative.

What damns him, his deep love for his family, ultimately is what redeems him.

And Star Wars apparently does not have therapy, child protective services, or actual OBGYNs.

[meansofgrace]

[willow-lark]

i’m rewatching tfa for the first time since before the pandemic and there is no fucking way that rey was not there when kylo slaughtered luke’s temple. she witnessed it but kylo couldn’t bring himself to kill his little cousin (the conflict within him etc etc) so he took her dropped her off on some desert planet and claimed she was dead too. tfa is all about rey realizing no one is coming back to jakku for her SHE needs to go out and seek her destiny. and instead of her family coming back for her the movie ends with HER going out and finding luke. rey skywalker daughter of luke i see you i understand the TRUTH.

[caripr94]

Well, the novel Bloodlines indicates that Rey ended up on Jakku long before the Jedi Academy massacre happened, but we could either ignore that or have Luke's family get into trouble earlier and Ben be trusted with Rey, only to betray her, dump her on Jakku, and claim her to be dead.

[unsolicited-opinions]

@AngryLevantine

For any Irish person who wants to understand the Jewish/Israeli perspective... Imagine the British showed up in Ireland and, instead of "merely" occupying and oppressing the locals, they drove most of them into exile. Then, after centuries of persecution in foreign lands, the exiled Irish return to their homeland. The British occupiers attempt genocide against the repatriated natives, resulting in a war that ends in British defeat and restoration of Irish sovereignty. Humiliated and incensed, the British hook up with Soviet KGB and invent a narrative that paints Irish as "foreign settlers" and Ireland as a natural and historic part of Britain. "This land was always part of Britain, in fact. These people who call themselves Irish are just delusional foreigners espousing fairy tales of a history that never happened and, if it did, it was our history anyway - not theirs. We're the REAL Irish people.

That is what Arabs (Palestinians) are doing to Jews. That is what most Irish people are siding with.

[Source]

[geminiagentgreen]

Said it before, will say it again but meaner: if you can say with full confidence that Islam and Christianity are basically the same or are at all alike, you are talking out of your ass.

Christianity is the following of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and only begotten Son of God, the Father. Islam outright denies the deity of Christ, the crucifixion and thus Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection, and also denies the sonship of Jesus AND the fatherhood of God.

Christianity believes in One God who is in three persons, NOT three separate deities; Christianity is not a polytheistic religion, which is what Islam claims it to be. As for the Trinity, Islam also doesn't even know what the heck that is, referring to Mary as the third part of out supposed Trinity and the angel Gabriel in place of the activity of the Holy Spirit.

And how about the morals? For ever complaint about the "cruelty" of God, and for every violation of 21st century sentiment complained about, God is ridiculously merciful. In terms of both salvation, God has freed us from the necessity of works for our eternal salvation while also setting commands for our conduct - men are called to love theirs wives like Christ loved the church, whom He died for, for example. What's more, Christianity is recognized by the New Covenant, which does away with the Old Covenant. If the concern for women is their oppression, can you point out to me their oppression? Christianity cared and cares more about women than the world does.

Islam had none of this. Islam is a works-based religion that really only benefits men. Muhammad was a warlord, a pillager, a rapist, and a killer. He took what he wanted and, as the mouthpiece for Allah, could justify his actions as "righteous". Women were not treated as equals, Muhammed himself thought they were inferior to men in both intelligence and religion, on top of the other demeaning views he had ("your women are your plowed fields" Surah 2:223).

There is SO much more to say about the matter, and I want to; this post should have Bible and Quran verses to make what I am saying easier to find, though I have no problem citing my apologetic resources, all four found on youtube:

Inspiring Philosophy

David Wood

Apostate Prophet

Testify

[geminiagentgreen]

Actually, I'm not done quite just yet:

The hardest aspect of Christianity is submission to God and accepting that we are indeed sinners and responsible for our sins. By the grace of God, we are humbled and through Christ given new lives.

The hardest aspect of Islam is submission to the sword and living under Sharia. "Paradise is found in the shadow of swords", as Muhammad once said.

[greater-than-the-sword]

I think what older generations don't understand is that Zillenials and below are the first generations that didn't choose the smart phone as consumers. They don't have the same relationship with it. They didn't shape its development. Zillenials kind of did, but also their parents bought it for them. For older generations the smartphone is about convenience, progress, and possibility. They accepted its drawbacks for its advantages. For Gen Z, the technological capacity of the phone is a given, with no glamor or sparkle to it, and the societal demands of the phone are their chains from birth. "But you're young! You're supposed to love Phone!" All the advertisers cry.

But just because you can't truly concieve a world without Phone doesn't stop you from resenting Phone. I don't think that anyone from Gen Z actually wants to abolish Phone, but they absolutely want to abolish the chains of the phone. And they are right to say it, too.

[redrikki]

In one of your asks 8 years ago, you said that the theory of Palpatine draining Padmé's life force was the only one that made sense in regards to her death. Do you still believe that, and if so, can you explain in your own words as to why you believe so?

I still believe that, yes. Here's why:

Foreshadowing, baby - Palpatine straight up brags about his cute little trick for cheating death during the opera scene.

What the doctor said - Padme died for no discernible reason. The doctor's couldn't account for it beyond "losing her will to live" and yet she clearly still believed there was good in Anakin and cared about her kids.

The timing - They both die at exactly the same moment, and then Vader's breathing machine kicks in and Anakin is alive despite it all.

In summary, Anakin and Padme were bound by their love and the Force. Palpatine drained Padme to keep Anakin alive through his horrific injuries despite the fact that he literally died from them.

[caripr94]

Reblog by @caripr94 · 1 link

💬 13  🔁 4  ❤️ 17 · Reblog by @iamonhiatus · Yeah, well, the scans done by the medical droids indicated that (besides dying) she was medicall

Yeah, and that doesn't even get into the other reasons why that's the only explanation that makes sense, as mentioned by the post above.

[markantonys]

pablo hidalgo: anakin didn’t really love padme, he only loved her because of what she could do for him. he didn’t care about her herself

me: damn this explains why their relationship was written so horribly and OOC in tcw lmfao

[praetor-canis]

I get why choosing the life of ‘my young and healthy wife’ over that of a couple thousand Jedi could be interpreted as a selfish action, but to say that one selfish act cancels out the authenticity of Anakin’s entire love life is kind of going overboard, don’t you think?

[wingletblackbird]

Yes, I do think. I’m glad I’m not the only one. 

[redrikki]

Ah, yes, Anakin only cared about Padme could do for him. That’s why he risked his life to help her get the part she needed to fix her ship. That’s why he held his tongue and smiled when she publicly dismissed his professional expertise. That’s why he continued to treat her with respect after she said they couldn’t be in a relationship.

Thank goodness Pablo explained that not wanting your loved one to die was a sign that you don’t actually care about them as a person beyond how they make you feel. Otherwise I might have thought that I, myself, was capable of unselfish love.

[redrikki]

this really got me thinking about the picnic scene in aotc. Anakin has never truly seen a fully functioning Democracy that benefits him. Is there such thing as a good dictatorship? Even towards the end of rots. Anakin wants him and Padme to rule together, to make things their way. Padme wouldn’t agree to that but if she did how would that work out?

Ah, the picnic scene. Like you said, Anakin has never lived in a functional democracy which benefits people like him. He’s seen first hand how ineffective the Republic is when it comes to enforcing its own laws and taking care of its citizens. He’s also seen the Jedi system which is exactly what he describes to Padmé. The Council meets to discuss things and then Yoda, the oldest and wisest of them all, makes the final call. Incidentally, this has also been Anakin’s experience of Naboo democracy. The Senate was unable to make a decision, so Queen Amidala made one and saved the day. 

Which brings me to Padmé and her relationship to democracy. She likes it…but only when it works for her. She believes the Senate will come through for her in TPM and, when it doesn’t, she questions whether or not it’s worth the effort and then goes off to do her own thing in direct defiance of their rulings. During the war, she violates the law against consorting with Separatists to personally attempt to negotiate a treaty with her friend Mina Bontari. She gets involved in the Rebellion, or the seeds of it anyway, when the Senate passes a law which places military Moffs in positions of military authority over traditional planetary rulers. 

Padmé believes in democracy because it’s a system that has, for the most part, worked for her, but she’s questioned it before, repeatedly, and done what she thinks is right in direct defiance of democratically made decisions. If Anakin could convince her that she, and only she, could solve the problem, she would go for it because, in her heart, she already believes that she, and only she, knows what’s best. Once she took power, she would be a queen, as great and terrible as the dawn. All would love her and despair. 

[irishironclad]

Do you have a favorite saint? :)

Hard to choose one. I like Saint Brendan the Navigator. He gave communion to a mermaid.

[west-end-lady]

He did what

[irishironclad]

He gave communion to a mermaid.

This is canon.

[forthegothicheroine]

"Fuck you, Hans Christian Anderson" - Saint Brendan the Navigator

[gehayi]

St. Muirgen the Mermaid!

No, seriously, that's her name.

And you can read her story here.

[betterthanideserve]

Yikes, the Catholics are at it again.

[baptistonfire]

That is an impressive level of delusion.

[irishironclad]

Mad cause we're mermaidmaxxing over here

[baptistonfire]

You realize of course that being this smug about blasphemy is something that typically only gays do, right?

[irishironclad]

You realize this isn't blasphemy right?

[baptistonfire]

It's akin to Kim Jong Un's unicorn thing.

[irishironclad]

Well no its not. The difference being that Saint Brendan really did give communion to a mermaid and thats a fact.

[baptistonfire]

You realize of course that Kim Jong Un would say the exact same thing, that the unicorn is a historical fact and the Catholic mermaid is fiction.

They are, of course, both fiction, and statements otherwise are equally untrue no matter who makes them.

It's fascinating, though, that your defense is that "obviously this one is true and that one isn't". If mermaids are real, why not unicorns? How do you know there weren't unicorns in North Korea?

For that matter, you Catholics love preserving and displaying the corpses of your saints. Surely you must have the body of this mermaid saint on display somewhere? Or did she so conveniently dissolve into sea foam on her death?

You know perfectly well that it's disingenuous of you to say that a fairy tale creature is a historical figure in your church, and act as though it's simply self-evident.

[irishironclad]

Yeah except the unicorn isnt real (unicorns are real just not Kim's claims) and the mermaid is and she took communion :)

We don't have most saints bodies actually. Only a relative handful. And St. Muirgen died in the ocean so we couldn't find it.

Its not. Saint Brendan gave communion to a mermaid. Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. Saint George slew a dragon. These are all facts.

[baptistonfire]

And I suppose the dragon was lost at sea, too.

[irishironclad]

This is the same degree of argument atheists use against the entire Christian claim. Have you considered having some whimsy and enjoying the mermaid?

[baptistonfire]

You're the one behaving like an atheist by treating Christianity like a collection of fairy tales that you can write whatever you want in. I will not listen to you demonic ramblings.

We don't believe in Christ because of "whimsy" or an "anything we can make up could totally have happened as long as we have faith in it" attitude. That is what atheists think Christianity is. We believe in Christ because he performed miracles in front of crowds of hundreds of people, many of which were documented by dozens of very wise people who had everything in this world to lose by following Him, yet did so anyway. The testimony of the Bible is thus beyond question. The testimony that this guy totally converted a fish woman to Christianity, we swear, but there's no record that the fish woman ever existed outside the church's official recognition of it, but if you don't believe it you're an atheist, that's much more sketchy.

If a guy claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus, we don't believe it because of whimsy or because atheists would doubt him, we say, no you're not, because the Bible is very clear about things like that.

[caripr94]

Well, if you believe in a 6,000-year-old universe that was created in 6 days (like you seemed to in a reblog of one of my posts), you would believe that dragons were real and were actually dinosaurs. Maybe the tales of merfolk were based on something real, like demons or a misidentified animal or people group? This story sounds like it was embellished at best, but I wouldn't dismiss it as 100% made-up right off the bat.

[marveltaughtmetoread]

I’ve seen several of your post regarding the SW prequels and it seems you have a good understanding of them and what’s wrong with them. As well as what’s wrong with the power at play within them. I’m not sure if you’ve been asked this, but I was wondering what is your opinion on Qui-Gon Jinn? Also the idea that he would have saved Anakin?

I see a lot of back and fourth on the matter and I guess it’s like canon now? (I think that’s what you call that) or at least was confirmed by the SW people. I’m new to the SW world and am rather confused with the either the immense love or great disdain for Qui-Gon. 

To be honest, I don't get it either, I've not seen enough of him to have a strong opinion either, I am presuming he has to get fleshed out in the extended material and that's where people are getting their strong opinion from

But in terms of my opinion on how he would have affected Anakin, based on what little I have seen of him, I can say that he would have been better for him than Obi Wan, bear in mind that does not take a lot

Most of Anakin's issues are rooted in the way the Jedi Council treated him and the issues Jedi doctrine, he was always looked down upon by the Jedi Council, always treated like he was an insurgent and threat to them and Obi Wan was more than willing to go along with this in his effort to be their golden child so someone who was willing to go against the Council and didn't adhere so tightly to the Jedi way as strictly, would have been better for him than Obi Wan Kenobi, who outright abused him in an effort to kiss up to the Jedi Council

However, he couldn't have saved him

Qui-Gon still carries that same Jedi arrogance and aloofness that plagues Obi Wan, that same attitude that leads Jedi to assume they have the right to interfere in the lives of others and that same attitude that makes it easy to treat people as pawns rather than their own independent beings, worthy of respect

And he doesn't actually want to change things, he is quite happy to challenge in small ways, like fighting for Anakin's acceptance into the Order, but he is not about to change the system, the one thing that would have truly saved Anakin, he is complacent and okay with the way things, he lands on Tattoine and doesn't try to free the slaves, he fights to have Anakin entered into the order but he doesn't truly challenge it, he never calls the Council out on what they are doing, probably because he doesn't see the need to

But the biggest issue with Qui-Gon is that he only seems to care about Anakin as the chosen one, once again linking back to the Jedi's aloofness, he doesn't care about Anakin for Anakin, only as a tool in the force

He puts Anakin the Chosen One first, but whose to stay how this would have led him to treat Anakin the boy

In all fairness he might have begun to care about Anakin as a person as he was more exposed to him, because he really didn't get much time to spend with Anakin in the movie, but from what we saw, he very likely would have mistreated him in his own way because of his focus on Anakin's role rather than Anakin himself, but he wouldn't have mistreated Anakin as bad as he was mistreated by Obi Wan

At least Qui-Gon cared more about Anakin then he did the opinions of the messed up Jedi Council

He would never have saved Anakin, he is too much of a Jedi for that, but Anakin would have been better off under him than he was under Obi Wan, not much better off, but better off

Ultimately, the tragedy was always gonna play out so long as the Jedi doctrine remained unchanged, so no Jedi would have been able to save him

Hoped that answered your question

[mariposathebutterflyboy]

we used to be a proper country. once, long ago, we knew how to aim.

[anamericangirl]

I don’t ever want to hear another leftist cry for gun control ever again. They’re just proving that the people who want to take your guns away do not want to protect you they want to kill you.

[gsirvitor]

Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellman's mayonnaise was manufactured in England.

In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12'000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.

This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico.

But, as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York.

The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss.

Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.

[anamericangirl]

[cowboysanddragons23]

Pro Jedi multitude: The Jedi gave Anakin everything he needed. He wanted to have everything, he is a fascist monster because he killed the Tusken, with Padme enabling him.

Me: If they actually did, then Palpatine would have had a far more difficult job in manipulating him. Just admit that you don't want to admit that the Jedi were horribly flawed and we finish earlier.

[riana-one]

Shmi Skywalker raised Anakin Skywalker.

The Jedi created Darth Vader.

[parkiebearr]

Icons dressing as icons

[nerdyicequeen]

we seriously need to talk about the lack of Zutara X Anidala content. Now if only someone drew Anidala Cosplaying as Zutara. God I bet Anakin would look so damn gorgeous in Zuku's clothes

[caripr94]

For those of you Anidala fans who are also Zutarians and vice versa.

[bellybeansss]

Uncle Iroh can and would fix Anakin Skywalker

[nerdyicequeen]

Yes. YES! He absolutely would have. Anakin I hope you‘re prepared to drink a lot of tea and watch long seasons of pai cho. I can already see it.

Anakin: *sips calming tea while having deep conversations with Iroh*

Obi-Wan: 🤨

Palpatine: 😡🤬

[caripr94]

Bonus points if Anakin develops pyrokinesis related to his Force abilities (which I'm pretty sure that firebending basically is).

And Zuko would be a good bridge between them. I can see him and Anakin bonding over childhood abuse, social awkwardness, their strong sense of justice, a serious and tenacious work ethic, and loving but absent moms.