One wishes that a statement such as “Darth Vader idol at the National Cathedral” was but a joke. Yet, it is all too real. One of the grotesques accompanying a plethora of gargoyles/grotesques perched atop the National Cathedral in Washington DC is none other but the head of Darth Vader. Darth Vader is a character from the Star Wars series of books and movies wherein he is referred to as a sorcerer. He represents the “dark side” of “the force” who seeks to, under the auspices of his master the Sith Lord, a one world universe—as it were. The “Sith” represent the dark side and the “Jedi” represent the good/light side.
Note, as you can see from the video at this link there was a logically embarrassing statement regarding the Sith in one of the Star Wars movies. Also of interest may be that within the mythos; Darth Vader’s birth name is “Anakin Skywalker” (in the original script it was “Anakin Starkiller”). The Sith Dark Lord tells Vader that his son, Luke Skywalker, must not become a Jedi and Vader promises to turn Luke to the dark side.
So Darth Vader is Anakin; note that in the Bible, the Anakim are a tribe of giants who are the descendants of Anak. Anakims (Strong’s #H6062) literally means long-necked, a word derived from Anak meaning neck.
Also of interest may be that Darth Vader’s helmet looks a lot like the Iraqi military helmets dating to between 1995-2003 AD.
So, how and why does Darth Vader end up literally carved into stop and perched atop of the National Cathedral? Well, how and why do gargoyles/grotesques in general end up there and in very many other churches down through history?
Note the statement by St. Bernard of Clairvaux who was a church leader in the 12th century AD:
What are these fantastic monsters doing in the cloisters before the eyes of the brothers as they read? What is the meaning of these unclean monkeys, these strange savage lions, and monsters? To what purpose are here placed these creatures, half beast, half man, or these spotted tigers? I see several bodies with one head and several heads with one body.
Here is a quadruped with a serpent’s head, there a fish with a quadruped’s head, then again an animal half horse, half goat…Surely if we do not blush for such absurdities, we should at least regret what we have spent on them.
The reason for their grotesque monster-like figures is that they are supposed to protect the structure and those people therein by frightening demons or evil forces by any other name. But why the monstrous demonic appearance? Are not evil demonic monsters supposed to look this same way? Why then do we think that their own likeness would scare them off? Biblically, we have no descriptions of fallen angels, demons, etc. except that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2nd Corinthians 11:14). In any case, it requires a vast amount of distance from the Bible’s doctrines to imagine that carved images are to be used to scare off evil demonic monsters—whatever happened to Jesus being present whenever two or more are gathered in His name (see Matthew 18:20)? For related details see:
On the Treatment of Images, part I of II
On the Treatment of Images, part II of II
The official explanation for Darth Vader’s enthronement along with, as the official website puts it, “the whimsical stone gargoyles/grotesques and grotesques that decorate Washington National Cathedral” is:
WHAT DOES DARTH VADER HAVE TO DO WITH THE CATHEDRAL? …Gargoyles carry away excess water via pipes running through their mouths; grotesques deflect rainwater by bouncing it off the top of their heads, noses or other projecting parts, and away from the stone walls. In the 1980s the Cathedral, with National Geographic World magazine, sponsored a competition for children to design decorative sculpture for the Cathedral. The third-place winner…submitted a drawing of this futuristic representation of evil.
Darth Vader was placed on the northwest tower with the other winning designs: a raccoon, a girl with pigtails and braces, and a man with large teeth and an umbrella.
They refer to the Vader statue, really just a bust, as “The fierce head.”
The National Cathedral is Episcopal which seeks to be somewhat of a center of one world religion. Note the following statements and keep in mind, ask yourself, what they may mean by it. There is an extreme difference between inviting peoples of all faith to join together in mutual respect on the one hand and joining them in mutual approval on the other. In other words, inviting peoples of all faith to join together in order to get to know each other is one thing but approving of non-Christian religions is quite another.
The Episcopal church seems to know no such thing as bringing the gospel to the unsaved, to those peoples of all faiths with whom they commune. Of course, this is the same religion who has simply abandoned traditional Biblical Christianity. As an example, note that they have officially approved of an openly homosexual Episcopal Bishop, Gene Robinson, who divorced his wife and broke up his home/family, in order to chase after his own lusts—for details see Gene Robinson at True Freethinker.
From the National Cathedral (NC) website:
Welcoming people of all faiths
The Cathedral is a spiritual resource for our nation…for people of all faiths and perspectives.
…open and welcoming to people of all faiths and perspectives.
Vision Statement. The National Cathedral will be a catalyst for spiritual harmony in our nation, renewal in the churches, reconciliation among faiths, and compassion in our world.
On January 24, 1791, President George Washington commissioned Major Pierre L’Enfant to create a visionary plan for the nation’s capital. It was L’Enfant who first imagined “a great church for national purposes”…[built upon] land on Mount Saint Alban—the most commanding spot in the entire Washington area.
They also practice mystical New Age practices hidden behind Christians terminology. They refer to “interfaith engagements” in the context of “‘repairing the world,’ as the prophet Isaiah.”
Centering Prayer
Open your entire being to God’s presence during this time of silent prayer as you move beyond thoughts, words, and emotions into a quiet communion with the Divine. The Tuesday sessions include a time for teaching and discussion in addition to a time of silence.
The labyrinth is a sacred pattern that leads you on a prescribed path to its center and back out again.
Walking the labyrinth is a way of praying with the body that invites the divine presence into an active.
…the Cathedral as a public embodiment of an intellectually alive, spiritually rich Christian faith—a generous-spirited Christianity, as we have termed it…
Cathedrals are by nature multi-dimensional. They are acts of spiritual, aesthetic, and technological exuberance, expressions of visions that transcend human knowing, meeting places for the spirit, libraries of stories, cornucopias of artistic achievement. And they are places where worship takes place in countless forms…
As the nation’s church we can help to create not a unity or uniformity of religions in our country, but a harmony made up of the complementary gifts the different denominations and religions bring, and a spirit of appreciation and respect. We envision a nation where all religions are respected, where differences are honored and common ground is found, and where there can be a sense of grateful friendship and collaboration in addressing our common challenges…We believe that reconciliation among all faiths is indispensable if there is to be peace in our world. Because of its extraordinary convening power and the widespread conviction that the Cathedral has been described by our interfaith friends as a “safe” place for members of non-Christian faiths to meet, we believe that we are well positioned to bring international faith leaders together for both continuing conversations and especially for cooperation and collaboration in addressing the critical realities that diminish life around the globe…
goal 3
To be a living, Christian community in the Episcopal tradition welcoming people of all faiths.OBJECTIVE 1
Become known for the highest quality of preaching and liturgy that engages people across divisions of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation.
They therefore, have various speaker who are allowed to “preach” whatever they want and go un-challenged, un-debated, un-responded to:
Brian McLaren of the pseudo-Christian “emergent church” (see video here for a full background on the “emergent” movement and see the article here for McLaren in particular).
Deepak Chopra the Eastern mysticism New Age guru (see video here for Chopra gettin’ pwnd).
Bart Ehrman the agnostic anti-Christian (see here for various discrediting of his works).
Misquoting Jesus
“His Holiness” the Dalai Lama (who keeps Tibet oppressed by desiring that it not be oppressed—see here).
Lastly, note that it was in this Cathedral that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney stated the following:
Question: How does faith play a role in your life?
President Obama
“First and foremost, my Christian faith gives me a perspective and security that I don’t think I would have otherwise: That I am loved. That, at the end of the day, God is in control—and my main responsibility is to love God with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. Now, I don’t always live up to that standard, but it is a standard I am always pursuing…”Governor Romney
“Faith is integral to my life. I have served as a lay pastor in my church. I faithfully follow its precepts. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. My father was committed to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s cause of equality, and I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby and in leading national volunteer movements…”
You can read partial comments on the NC website but cannot download interview unless you provide name, e-address and street address. They will send you the magazine, “Cathedral Age” (perhaps, Cathedral New Age is more like it).
What is fascinating is that when Obama and Romney use the terms/words Christian, God, church, etc. they mean vastly different things by them as they adhere to different definitions. Not only do they define these terms/words differently from each other but differently than does the Bible and by extension, traditional Christianity.
Barack Obama, who holds to Black Liberation Theology and Mitt Romney is a Mormon (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Their respective theologies have redefined Christian, God, church, etc.
Note how crafty this can be if you do not ask key and follow up questions as Romney said, “I am often asked about my faith and my beliefs about Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind” (see NC website).
What is not clear, and what unsuspecting, undiscerning and unaware people do not know is that the “Jesus Christ” of Mormonism is not the Jesus Christ of the Bible. In Mormonism being the “Son of God” does not mean what it does in the Bible. The Mormon Jesus is one of many Sons of God and is thus, the “spirit brother” of lucifer. In fact, in Mormonism there is no such thing as “a” (singular) God but there are very many gods. In fact, Mormonism’s dogma holds that human being can also become gods.
Thus, it is not surprising that a National Cathedral would put children’s villains in the driver’s seat and encourage syncretism from those in the nation’s driver’s seat: the chain in the oval office.
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