Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Resistance is futile

Any Star Trek fans (and yes, I am one) would recognize the phrase: resistance is futile. The Borg, an interesting combo-species of organic and machine, with a composite brain network, have one goal in life... to assimilate. They seek out other life forms and advanced technology and add to their own, improving themselves as they go along.

Not such a bad goal, unless you happen to be human, with a pronounced preference for individuality and free will. In Star Trek, the Borg are the evil villains. They have no understanding that other life forms might prefer not to be assimilated, nor do they care. And anyway, resistance is futile.

Until they meet the human race. Suddenly resistance becomes a viable alternative, as humans struggle to preserve their right to be less-than, flawed, and annoyingly individualistic. Eventually the Borg lose the battle against humankind. We are too stubborn and unpredictable to be conquered by Borg power and logic.

Hauntingly... this story could be told just as easily about our relationship with God. God has yet to succeed in assimilating His creation gone haywire. We are too stubborn and unpredictable. You could argue, of course that God is not the evil villain here, we are. If that's so, how come all this resistance?

I'm thinking a lot about resistance these days (my own to be exact). I'm in the last year of my discernment to this whacky life called religious. What an oxymoron. We are no more religious than anybody. We just have a better sense (sometimes) of our less-than-perfect measuring up. I get that part. I like that part. What don't I like?

I don't like the idea of having to surrender. That's probably it in a nutshell. Obedience (for its own sake) leaves me cold. I don't want to be assimilated. But I also know this about myself: my increased resistance in any given situation is directly proportional to my ability to surrender. I will stay in denial, I will fume, I will rant and rave, and eventually I will embrace whatever it is I'm resisting.

So of course eventually resistance will be futile.

2 comments:

HeyJules said...

"I don't like the idea of having to surrender."

Yeah, neither did I. Now, I see the joy and peace and overwhelming beauty of it. It has been the most life-altering thing I have ever done and I wish with all my heart I had done it twenty years ago.

As for your other blog...woman, you blow me away. That eden series is gorgeous! You really should spend more time with your art. It is simply amazing...

kpjara said...

You always amaze me how you can bring to light what others don't or won't!

I had NEVER thought of this 'calling' being something one would resist...though it is the very core of us all!