Glimpses of Humanity

What I like about the Terminator franchise are the ‘end of the world’ apocalyptic themes.  Not that I have much belief in this theology.  In fact, I find it contradicts my sense of a loving and forgiving God. But I do enjoy reflecting on how people see the world coming to some end.  Sometimes it’s some otherworldly presence that comes to invade.  But most of the time humanity plays an integral part in their own demise.  Most frequently we dip into Pandora’s box of technology or biology, foolishly putting ourselves into a creator’s role without the creator’s wisdom or authority.  Other times we just forget how to curb our own temptations toward self-destruction.  But it is interesting how we choose to view that future; and in its place, it’s like a roller coaster of emotion that I enjoy.

What does trouble me about these stories is when I realize that most people who write this way and view these movies are finding some sort of comfort in them; myself included.  I don’t think there is appreciation for a story unless it comes with some satisfying epiphany or process.  We like to learn something.  We like to have some emotional transformation.  We like to have our sense of the world challenged enough that we grow.  So what does it mean that this epiphany comes from stories about how the world will end?  What is it about this truly hopeless circumstance that makes people embrace it?  Do we get an unhealthy sense of righteousness from seeing the sins of ‘others’ end the world?  Could we really find some comfort in that end to our earthly existence?

Maybe it’s because these moments of doom offer glimpses of humanity at our best.  When all seems lost, we are saved by the very things that seemed to have doomed us in the beginning.  Our ability to love heals our wounds, our heart outlasts the evil, etc…  This could be true of the latest Terminator movie, which is where I started this thought.  It’s a good movie with a definite look and feel.  I recommend it to movie fans, especially action movie fans.  The film is well done and the thrills are real.  But what it doesn’t offer is anything new to this conversation about machines taking over the world.  And maybe that’s why it’s not completely satisfying.

-submitted by Pastor Darren