Sometimes We Sting... Sometimes We Save

In the past on this blog I have referred to a couple of images/anecdotes that look at the different behavioural attitudes we adopt in our relationships with people. What has been on my heart for a little while and what I thought I'd do in this post, is combine all three... and look at them together.

The first is a joke; an amusing anecdote that we are supposed to use to look at life when it gives us one of its occasional knees to the groin. The saying goes like this:

"Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue".

I know its a joke... but I have never felt comfortable with it. What it says to me is that when life drops a bucket load of guano on your head... its okay, because some day you'll be the one depositing the guano on somebody else.

The second is the infamous story (once referenced in Star Trek: Voyager), of a scorpion who wanted to cross a swollen river.  Aware of his shortcomings and knowing that any attempt at swimming would result in certain death, the scorpion attempts to coerce a nearby fox. The fox being cunning and wise points out that its a stupid thing to do because the scorpion will sting him and kill him. The scorpion reasons with him and points out that if he does sting the fox, they will BOTH drown in the river and die... so it isn't in his interests to betray his unlikely ally. The fox can't fault the scorpions logic and allows the arachnid to hop on his back. The couple begin their crossing and all is going well. However, when the fox reaches the deepest part of the river... the scorpion rears up his sting and plunges it into the neck of the fox.  As the neurotoxin begins to take effect and the creatures begin to sink below the waterline, the fox gives one last look over his shoulder, stares forlornly at the scorpion and asks "Why? Why did you do this? Now we'll both die!"

The scorpion answers "I'm sorry... I couldn't help it. It's just my nature."

That story is a constant reminder to me that we all carry an element of the fallen nature inside of us... that even when our intentions are good and honourable, some times we fall prey to the remnants of the sinful nature that lurk deep inside waiting for moments to strike... just like a scorpion's sting.

The last anecdote also contains an equally aquatically challenged scorpion who is in dire peril. This scorpion keeps slipping off a riverbank and falling into a river to his doom. Fortunately for him, two monks are washing bowls in the river nearby. One of the monks spots the scorpion and rescues him. In return for the monk's kindness, the scorpion... yep you guessed it... stings him before scuttling off. However, the scorpion is soon in trouble again and falls straight back into the water. The monk wastes no time in rescuing the scorpion again... and again. Each time he does so, he receives a sting for his trouble. This goes on until the monk's companion asks him "Why do you keep doing that? Don't you know that scorpion will just keep stinging you?  That's its nature!"

"Ah..." replies the other monk "... but it is my nature to save."

Looking at those stories together tells us something quite profound about life. There are going to be times in all our lives when we mess up and hurt the ones around us - the ones who we care about... and who care about us. We can't help it... its in our nature (albeit a nature we need to resist). However if we strive with all our heart to adopt Christ's nature... the one that His Spirit calls us to, we can bear with one another's brokenness and faults with mercy and compassion... encouraging those around us to do likewise by the righteous examples God works through us.

Sometimes we sting, sometimes we save... how we feel about those two facts reveals a lot about our character and our relationships with one another and God. What it is NEVER okay to do is to be the pigeon.  Everyone knows what it feels like to be the statue... everybody knows how bad it feels when someone bombs your life with emotional excrement. We all know what it feels like to be stung... so can we really afford to take a blasé attitude with others, every time we feel an irresistible urge to unfairly offload our rubbish attitudes on those around us?

We can't.

Sometimes we sting.  When this happens (as it does), we need to recognise we are doing it, what is driving it and ask forgiveness in all sincerity for it.

Sometimes we save.  We need to be watchful for those around us who are openly hurting. We need to go the distance and do what we can to help them out, even if it is just praying for them. They may sting you for your trouble, but never forget their value... or the fact that someday you may need a friend to save you in spite of your own stinging.

The Inner Dark

Amongst the films I am most looking forward to this year, one of the firm favourites has got to be Spider-Man 3.

I'm looking forward to it because it is going to cover the "black suit/Venom" storyline. Essentially the story of Venom has always been to me, a tale about recognising and fighting your own dark side. We all have a dark side, something deep within that urges us to do selfish things that hurt or neglect others. I don't know what you choose to call it, but I call it sin. I wonder if anyone reading these words, is concerned over attitudes they see in themselves that they know are wrong... but feel helpless to deal with?

This particular Spider-Man storyline serves as an excellent parable of how the sinful nature infects us and affects our lives and the lives of others. In the story, Spider-Man comes into contact with an alien symbiont that bonds with him and boosts his powers. However, what Peter Parker does not realise is that this being that he has made a Faustian bargain with, eats away at his soul... making him more aggressive and dangerous and isolating him emotionally from those he loves most of all.

As a Christian, I believe that sin entered the world... and our lives in much the same way:

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. - Genesis 3:6-7

Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." - Genesis 3:13

and:

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created - James 1:14-18

The Bible also teaches us that sin crouches at our door and desires to have us... but we must master it. Peter Parker, upon realising what this alien creature is transforming him into, is also faced with this daunting challenge. Either to reject the darkness, or be consumed by it.

In the comics and film, the symbiont is vulnerable to intense sound. Our sinful "symbiont" is vulnerable to one sound... the voice of the God who calls out to us in love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17

We have to choose to accept that voice, to accept the offer of grace and forgiveness that comes through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, if we wish to remove our inner demon's from the throne of our hearts.

The central theme of Spider-Man is that "with great power, must come great responsibility". We have been given the most precious power of all... free will. You can choose to embrace your inner darkness, explore the apparent freedoms it gives you... or you can choose to recognise that darkness for what it is, repent of it and ask God to get rid of it.

Of course Spider-Man's choice to reject the symbiont isn't the end of the story... and it isn't for us either. You see, once you cast out the darkness from your heart... it doesn't like being rejected... and will always try to get back in through any chink in our armour - any upset, any character flaw.

We have to learn to grow closer to Jesus and take on his character if we are to effectively combat sin, for the Bible says of Jesus:

For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. - Hebrews 2:17-18

Go and watch Spider-Man 3, it will probably be a cracking film... but if anything I have said here has made you recognise something about yourself that needs sorting out, I implore you to address it. If you know you need to get right with God, pray with somebody you trust. If that door doesn't appear open to you.... then I am always here and what is said to me, will remain confidential and sacrosanct.

A Harsh and Delicate Balance

"The spirit is willing but the body is weak."

Jesus said it to his apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. It summarises neatly how we feel when we know the way, but are uncomfortable with going the way.

Paul later wrote:

"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."

More or less the same thing, said in a different way.

Why does it have to be this way? It always seems that temptation comes, only when your heart is getting right with God. It is a rhetoric question. I know the answer to this, but I ask anyway... because it is also a heartfelt plea.

The answer is that when you are not following God, when he is not in pole position, you are not an active threat to the enemy's schemes... so why should he waste valuable resources on you? However, knock your idols off the throne and put God back as numero uno... and the story is very different.

Recently I have been inwardly positive, I currently feel that the things that have had a hold on my heart in the past are now not so much of a priority. Yes I want to achieve/receive those things, but I feel a lot more inwardly patient towards them. Yet, shortly after this realisation came, temptation soon followed along in it's wake. It takes various forms... what it can't control on the inside it will distract on the outside. It seems to get more fervent with age as well.

Honestly, that is where I am... it hasn't helped that my bible notes went missing a week or so ago, so I have found it harder to focus on God (that's an excuse, I know... I could always spend the time praying instead, but this is one area in which i benefit from a little discipline). Thankfully they have shown up now, so I hope to be in a better position shortly.

I decided to jot this down in case there are any other people who feel the same way... so that you know that we all have our cross to bear. Jesus knows all about it:

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Hebrews 2:18

If you are willing, you could pray for me... it would be appreciated.

May God bless you and if you are reading this and having struggles, post your name or if anonymous you can type help... and I shall pray for you in yours. OK?

Idols & Idolatry

I've had a blog brewing for some time, but I wasn't quite sure what angle to write from.

Various things have motivated me, ranging from a recent visit to a christian message board that was entirely focused on the policies and performance of the Bush administration, to the fact that a friend of mine has recently revealed his faith has fallen by the wayside, and finally even my own recent struggles with sin.

Quite varied subjects that are seemingly unconnected, I think you'll agree... but they all have one thing in common...

... idolatry.

"Eh? How can that be?" I hear you cry.

Lets take a look at what idolatry really is when you get down to the core of it. Idolatry is not just praising sculptures of strange creature like gods, that is merely one aspect but the true nature of idolatry is a lot bigger.

Idolatry is letting anything... ANYTHING become bigger than God, in our hearts.

The christian message board was committing idolatry because they were looking at a man and letting him become bigger than God.

Whatever you think of George W Bush... he is still just a man. Or as I put it on the message board:

"George W. Bush is nothing... but Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING!"

People on that board had stopped encouraging and building one another up... and had begun tearing strips off one another over their politics. This was not constructive, it sent out the wrong message to non-believers and it was potentially damaging to people young in their faith because it drew their gaze away from Christ and into the worries and concerns of this world.

My friend has grown cynical because he works for a nominally Christian company. He feels that his boss takes advantage of him, but more than this... it is the company's Christian customers who are the worst for haggling - they use their mutual faith as a bargaining chip... and so dishonour the God they follow. In both cases, idolatry is at work. My friend has let his view of men and their flaws become bigger in his heart become larger than his view of God... to the point that he can't see past the darkness to experience the light. The Christians who haggle have let money become more important and should careful lest God call it to account.

As to my recent struggles with sin... yes indeed I consider sin itself a form of idolatry. When you commit sin, you take your eyes off God... but it's not just that alone. When you have been convicted of a sin, and you repent... you still struggle with that sin, at least for a time. In fact it is possible to become that hooked up on fighting sin, that you don't regain your focus on Christ. The sin has become an idol because you have allowed your perception of it to cloud your relationship with Christ. In my case, I knew I was in the wrong... but for some silly reason I was afraid to pick up the Bible because I was convinced God was going to blat me over the head with it! However, I knew in my heart what the right course of action was. so I turned to my Bible... and do you know what the passage set down in my notes for that day was? It was this:

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

I expected a smack on the head and instead found myself being warmly embraced by the arms of God. I should have known better. That is why grace is there... it bridges the gap that separates us from God in the first place... and enables us to remain on an even keel with him, after we have stumbled. As my friend later put it, God rarely has a problem with you when you know what you are and where you have been. It's when you get ideas above your station and think you are something (compared to God)... when you are nothing at all, that he tends to get angry. you can see that in the parable of the pharisee and tax collector.

So I encourage you to think about your own life at the moment... is there something you are struggling with... something that has become bigger in your perception than God? Be it a person, an object of desire, the behaviour of others.... or a sin you struggle with. I urge you to let God's grace sweep in and draw your gaze back to him.

Blessings

Nick

Conformity

Yesterday's Doctor Who was highly enjoyable. Not only did we have the return of the drone like Cybermen (with a new twist to their name as well), but at last we have a plausible explanation as to why the Doctor is limited to travelling only along our own timeline and not that of parallel dimensions. It had been niggling me... the idea that the idea that the Timelords were all but extinct, when surely there must be Timelords in alternate universes that have not been destroyed. now we know why the Doctor feels so alone - he can't get to the other universes to visit their versions of Gallifrey.

Anyway there were a couple of interesting points in yesterday's episode that could easily be used as allegory for Christian theology.

Firstly you have the "Preachers" led by Ricky (the parallel universe's Mickey), so called because they believe in the Gospel Truth (they don't believe in receiving information and data from bluetooth headsets invented by Cybus Industries, and with good reason for the owner of the company John Lumic is using the technology to further his own agenda of upgrading humanity with his technology and turning them into emotionless automatons trapped in steel bodies - the Cybermen.

Then you have the whole attitude of the Cyberman "race" to the rest of the populous. You must conform or be deleted. This is obviously setting them up with a showdown with the preachers who are the very antithesis of this. True to form the Preachers show up and try to gun down the Cybers with normal ammo - which fails to have any effect (long term Doctor Who aficionados will know that you need gold plated weaponry or ammunition as it messes up the run of the mill cyberman's respiratory equipment).

However the cliffhanger leaves the Doctor, Rose, Mickey and the Preachers surrounded by cybermen who are ready to "delete" them for not being compatable.

That is the world's attitude to Christianity. If you don't conform, you are incompatible and risk deletion. If you do conform, you lose your identity in Christ and become just another face in the crowd. OK, so you might not be trapped in a steel body deprived of all emotion, but you become something less than what you were designed to be, cut off from all the promises and potential that god had set aside just for you.

I'm going to leave you with a few scriptures to ponder and a challenge:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

"For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans 8:13-17

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

and:

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

So what are you going to be? A Cyberman or a Preacher. are you going to be a conforming tin man or a spiritually liberated child of God.

The decision is yours...

N

The Hero's Eternal Struggle

Continuing on yesterday's theme (namely sin), I wanted to share with you an image that has stayed with me all through childhood.

As a kid I was really into the Superman movies (though as an adult I can appreciate that really, only 1 and 2 were of critical worth). An image has stayed with me from the 3rd movie (it's about the only decent bit of the film). It involves a fight in a Metropolis scrapyard. To set the scene, Superman had earlier been exposed to contaminated kryptonite... which instead of making him double up in pain, changed his nature into that of a corrupt selfish individual.

However, after committing various evil deeds, something happens... he gets a nauseating headache and is forced to land in a scrapyard. As he clutches his head, his alter ego Clark Kent emerges from within him. This is the scene that I always remember.

Evil Supes and Clark duke it out and throw junk and stuff at each other (pictured below). Supes is seemingly quicker and more agile (but in reality they are the same person... it's just his TRUE persona is mild mannered). It ends with the evil Supes dumping Clark into a compactor... and you think that's that, as he walks away. Suddenly there is a jolt and Clark pulls himself free. Another fight begins but Clark gets the drop on Supes and strangles him from behind. Supes disappears. The familiar Superman tune fires up and Clark pulls open his shirt He's the TRUE Superman again.

Or again, it is like in The Iron Giant. The robot in the film carries some seriously impressive hardware and weaponry; when he sees his friend hurt... he goes on a rampage and starts disintegrating and melting tanks. When he sees the boy Hogarth is still alive, he snaps out of it. He makes a conscious decision and declares "I am not a gun!" It's a good job he did because there is a nuclear warhead descending on the townsfolk and only The Iron Giant can stop it by sacrificing himself. He flies into it in space and his last words are what he truly wanted in his heart to be - "Superman!" (Don't worry, it does have a happy ending).

That's what we have to do... stop being the gun and start being the Superman that we truly are.

So what does this all have to do with sin?

It reminds me of the struggle we all face within. Some days, if we let our guard slip... our sinful nature breaks free and tries to reassert itself. It basically tries to go on a Superman rampage. However, at some point we get a headache... or should I say soulache. It's at this time that God is calling us to account... and the person he shapes us to be, springs forth in the power of Christ (for that is the only way it can), then comes the titanic struggle. It is a struggle we all face. Paul wrote this in Romans:

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

That can be quite confusing because of all the do's and do not's. What Paul is basically saying is that he's human... like you and me. He struggled with sin just like you and I, and he fought his own personal Superman. Yet he admits he does not have the strength to do it in himself. What is the answer? "What a Wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ his our Lord!"

Jesus is the answer.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I do not write these words to you as a mighty preacher, or wise sage. I am merely a fellow traveller along the road who has had his fair share of struggles... and yes... sometimes struggles even today. I wanted to write this to tell those of you who don't know, how to combat sin in your own life (turn it and temptation over to Christ), and to remind anyone who has forgotten about also.

Be Clark Kent, be the true Superman... not a gun.

Cheapening Things

I've been convicted of a couple of things lately, and I thought it'd be wise to share some of it with you. I may have a faith in God, but I am just a mere human... just as broken as the next person, and in no way6 superior through my own efforts.

I've been thinking of how easily Christian's INCLUDING me... have a tendency to "put things on the tab".

This is wrong... from the smallest error to the greatest crime. We shouldn't live this way. We should be alert and watchful towards our behaviour.

It's a delicate balance... yes the full and total price of our redemption was settled on Good Friday. Christ died once for all!

This does not give us free reign to do whatever the heck we want though, as Paul sums up in these passages:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

and:

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

and:

"What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

So it's pretty clear... and to be honest... you don't really need the Bible to tell you that, as a Christian you should know in your heart that any rebellious act shows disregard for what Jesus did for us. How can we callously do the things we do... and offend God? We know what our sins did... because hundreds of years before Christ died for us Isaiah the prophet inspired by God... wrote these words:

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

We know his pain was for our redemption and the Father's glory. Theologians have argued who was responsible for the death of Christ for centuries. Many blamed the Jews... but the simple truth is that regardless of the "angry mob... regardless of the gentile form of execution, race has nothing to do with it.

Want to know who crucified Christ?

TAKE A GOOD LOOK IN THE MIRROR!

For:

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

... the iniquity of US ALL. The Human Race in total is responsible. You and I. This is why I have included a picture of Christ on the cross from "The Passion of Christ". We as Christian's need to remind ourselves that we WERE bought at a price... and remember just what that price was!


Back to my original point, and the Bible makes it clear we have a responsibility for the way we live our lives after accepting Christ. However, we know that we are not alone in our struggles because as John in his first epistle reassuringly tells us:

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

So we as Christian's still sin... but this is not right... what should we do? Paul writes:

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."

We must allow God full reign in our hearts and allow him to guide us away from the things that tempt us to fall prey to sin. The only way to do this is to trust in Jesus because:

"For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

I pray that God will enable you and I today this today.

N

Alien Relations

You know, it's amazing some of the things you end up talking about at church. Some of the lads were talking about alien characters from science fiction who looked attractive.

This ended up moving onto the subject of, "if a hot alien woman came down from another planet, would it be OK to date and potentially marry?" (Leaving the aside the subject of beliefs clashing).

???????????? How did we get on to that???????????????????

There were two principle arguments. The first being, if they were sentient and had free will... then they could be classed as equal to us in God's eyes. So yeah!

Then there was the counter argument that if they were physiologically different from us, you'd be breaking the Torah. You know, the bit about only breeding each according to it's own kind.

Although it's an entirely apocryphal thing to talk about, I reckon if God was OK with it, he'd not make us that genetically incompatible. Some Christians think it heresy to suggest that there might be life out there. however, I know one theologian who is also an astronomy scholar who would give you 50/50 on it.

The big question for me is, if they exist... are they fallen like us? Or are they still in a state where their direct link to God was never broken? Imagine that.

Wouldn't it be tragic if there were say a few other sentient races out there, who only became sinful because of us. They fell, because mankind fell. That would just be awful.

Or what if God created each sentient species in such a way that they would all fall and require his redemption... this is certainly an idea backed up by some theological thinking, after all there is a thought that the plan for the cross existed before mankind existed.

I still can't believe we were seriously talking about it though. Slightly off topic, I managed to find out the name of the actress who played the blue twilek in episode III. She's Amy Allen. I have left a link to IMDB somewhere on here, so you can check her out for yourself.