“If you strike me down I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!” These

famous scripted words were spoken by Obi Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars. Darth Vader

accepts the gambit, plunging his former friend and mentor into the afterlife, which in the film is a

vague and undefined existence. Kenobi appears to be “at one with the force,” while

simultaneously retaining his individuality and the ability to speak to Luke, appearing in ghost-like

form. Of course, this is just a movie — but the philosophy resembles eastern worldviews that

seek the same goal of “becoming one with the universe.”

I am a huge fan of most all of the Star Wars movies. With nostalgia, I remember seeing that first film like it was yesterday. I remember that extraordinarily powerful and now-so-familiar theme song, Star Wars. Can’t you just hear it…