Star Wars and the Christmas story

Whether it is the Melbourne Music Bowl, or the Broken Hill Carols by Candlelight, with an attendance at times one quarterof the town's entire population, the attendance in Australia at such transcendent events is growing, not decreasing. Maybe George Lucas's plan to awaken spiritual hunger through his movies is working. This year perhaps over 5 million Australians will collectively gather in some part of Australia to sing Carols by Candlelight and millions more will watch on TV.

Who is the original franchisor of the Christmas Story?

Jesus Christ, who came as the baby from Bethlehem, born into the midst of the battle between 'Good and Evil'. The battle was so intense that all the babies born in Bethlehem under two years of ago were killed while the Christchild escaped to Egypt with his life. His time had not yet come. The Christmas Story has all the twists and turns of a Hollywood blockbuster and yet as Mark Twain said, "truth is stranger than fiction".

A beautiful illustration of the true open source nature of The Christmas Story arrived in our letterbox. My wife sings at retirement homes as a volunteer. One of those is in the faith based retirement villages of Hammond Care. Interestingly, four out of the top five charities in Australia are faith based.

Steve Judd, CEO of Hammond Care wrote a prescient Christmas message of thanks quoting a verse from the Bible about Jesus Christ:

Who, being in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

While there are many similarities between the story of Star Wars and The Christmas Story, the big difference is between the original franchisors. One was a businessman and one was a servant to all mankind.

George Lucas sold his Star Wars franchise to Disney for just over $4 billion US. The original franchisor of the Christmas story not only gave His story away, but grew up and give His life away as a ransom for many.