Influences

This, for those who do not know, is HR Giger.
He for a large part is a very big influence on my art, and has been for a very long time. He also was the man behind 'Alien", and his painting"Necronom IV" and "Necronom V" convinced director Ridley Scott to hire him as the designer of the xenomorph that indelibly left a major impact on film and cinema goers for the last almost 40 years.
He passed away Monday at the age of 74.

The thing that made people notice his work,  was one of the main reasons that he was also looked at with disdain by some, but it was his trademark: His art was dubbed as 'biomechanical' a fusion of human and technology, often in very sexual way. As I grew in my faith I soon stopped paying attention to his work of late simply because of the nature of his work.

That doesn't change the fact that he is a major influence on my art, as I still find hints of the biomech in my work, and a majority of the artists who also influence me were influenced by him, and so the trickle effect goes one. He, I will still say, was an amazingly gifted person, who had a unique vision, who never let critics take away from that, and he never apologized for it. I still will hold him as an influence, albiet now my own style has evolved from biomech but that still finds ways of sneaking into my work. I do believe, were I to pick up an airbrush right now, my first thing I would do would be in that style, as when in high school (my really big Giger phase of art) that i what i did it with, my like he did. In cinema, he gave very interesting designs for many films, some that never got realized most famously, a film version of "Dune" by Alejandro Jodorowsky that would have starred Salvador Dali.

From all the books I read about him and his art, he had some influences that shaped him from a very early age. He was as a child very fascinated by occult and similar motifs, and explored themes of sexuality as a child and was very interested in the subject as a child, which goes into his work from his early ink drawings to his larger more ambitious airbrush painting. Themes that dealt with fear, childbirth, and isolation were also explored, and death also was a big thing in his work.
What is the point of this, beyond waxing nostalgic about a former artist?
We are all being influenced by people, even if we do not realize it. Therefore, we must be careful about whom we let influence us. If we emulate those who create an atmosphere of anger and hate around them, we too will start to create a similar environment, even it is subconsciously Ergo, were we to emulate someone who is humble and kind, we then will by nature of emulating them, do the same. So, as we go through life, who is influencing you? Is it the father who left your family, is it the teacher who makes condescending remarks to his class, the pop star who uses drugs and sex to ease their pain, your mother who works 2 jobs to keep food ont he table? Look to our Heavenly Father, who has nothing but love for those who are lost in sin, and not the broken people of this world to model your life upon. As for the art styles....well...I won't tell you who you should like. You go and make that choice. Both are yours to make on your own. Just be warned: Who you let speak into your life, will control the way your life goes.

Why is this a "Good" Friday?

It should have been me
With the nails through my hands and feet
Facing the wrath of God
It should have been me
Left to pay for my sin forsaken
But in the blood I stand here
It should have been me
Born to die
He bore the fire of God's holy wrath on his shoulders

What a stage set up in this song by the band For Today. Called 'Crown of Thorns' it describes the incredibly painful act of love that Christ endured for the sake of sinners. Which means everyone. All of us. I'm sure everyone, regardless of their belief, knows what John 3:16 is. But let the reality of that sink in for a minute. Christ, the Lord, died the worst most painful death, for people He never met in person, for people who hated Him, who ridiculed Him. People who were yet to be born, and those who died before He was.
How truly, is this a 'good' Friday?
A man whom is innocent, declared guilty in an illegal trial in the middle of the night, condemned to die, and murdered while a gaggle of spectators cheered on each strike of the hammer. Each strike, which pushed a nail hrough flesh and muscle and tendons, clear through the other side. His legs, broken. His back scourged to the point of exposing inner organs and then after being nailed onto that wood, stained with the blood from its previous host, hoisted upwards, with a slamming thud into the ground. Each breathe forced out and finally after 6 hours, He dies, crying out "My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
He then releases His spirit, and then literally all Hell breaks loose.:  
'At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.  They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.'  Matthew 27:51-53

All of this happened for one reason.
Love.
Love held this man to the cross not nals. He was murderd by man for the saving of man.
So, what makes this a Good Friday? Because that is not the end of the story. Three days pass.
Then He was resurrected.
He got back up.
Death. Died.
No longer do we have to fear death. Its sting is removed (1st Corinthians 15:55) because Jesus didn't stay dead. He got back up, and we have the hope in that happening to us (Hebrews 6:19) that when we die, we too, will rise. We will get out of our coffins, and join our King.  Death has died, and love has won.  That  is why it is "good". If this had not happened we would never be reconciled to God, for we are all fallen and sinful beings by default. Not one person one their best day can stand before the Holy Lord, for even our best is but trash to Him (Isaiah 64:6) so that is why we needed a mediator, one who took it for us. Thaty is why Christ came, to become that which seperated us and kept us from God, so that we could be seen as righteous and holy before Him.
Because of His love, we now can called sons and daughters , as long as we do one thing:
Love Him back.
When someone accepts Christ, and truly repents and lives for His glory, they are transformed into a new person, and the whole mission of God is nothing more: To see those who are in sin to become one with Him.. If you think you can walk with Christ and not live differently than you did before meeting Him you have not met Him. Not that it will be easy but the reward is so much greater than the cost. This weekedn is the biggest deal, because it is the weekend of Easter, with His death on Friday and resurrection on Sunday. Easter Sunday. Its not about eggs and bunnies. Its about the murdered Son of God who promised us life and life more abundantly
If you are one of those who claim yourselves as atheists, let em tell you something: God is stronger than you. He is stronger than your doubts, your disbelief, He loves you, even if you do not love Him. Charles Spurgeon said "If you reject him, he answers you with tears; if you wound him, he bleeds out cleansing; if you kill him, he dies to redeem; if you bury him, he rises again to bring resurrection. Jesus is love made manifest."  So take it from someone who grew up without Him, and found Him at his lowest point of life:
God loves you, and wants nothing but the best for you.
I am doing this as a direct call of Christ. To spread His message of hope. If you do not know him, and want to know Him all you need to do is ask for Him to fill you with His love. He stands at the door of your heart knocking for He is a gentleman. He doesn't come in without being asked. Consequently, He won't come in without being asked...which means...if you were to die today, without knowing Him, when you stand before Him, and He says to depart from Him, for you denied Him on earth and therefore He is denying you before His father (Matthew 10:33). An eternity of despai all on your own doing. One way or the other you will confess He is Lord do it now, for today is the day of salvation!
If you are religious just remember this...
Religion killed Jesus. He got back up and killed religion.
It is not a religion it is a relationship.
If oyu reading this, felt that tug from God, and want to know Him, click here and then, you too will know why this is, truly, a Good Friday.

Crash course with Jesus

Back many years ago I walked into an old building that had been a movie theatre and was now a church. I was a depressed, suicidal pessimist whom had grown tired of life, who hated himself, and didn't think I mattered. There was no Clarence to come and show me how things would be different were I gone, and I certainly was no Jimmy Stewart. I was at the bottom of the barrel, ready to throw in the towel.Then I went into a simple building and walked out later that night as a new person. I must admit, that back when i first walked in, I had no idea that everything in my life had led to this point. I now see how everything worked into this moment, and how God is so amazing, and had a plan for all aspects of my life. It has not been easy. There have been times where I wanted to run away and yet, did not. There have been times where I doubted it, but still believed heart and soul. I have seen prayer answered, I have been apart of things that were life changing for many, and had it not been for that Wednesday night, i would be dead. Dead, separated from God for all eternity I felt it was right to update my story from the last time I posted it, and share it again. Someone may read this, and who knows, it could impact them in ways I will never know. So, here now 6 years later, I present you my crash course with Jesus.

Back in the summer of 2007, I entered a relationship with a girl(who I will not name) and well, I felt the world was my oyster. I had nursed an interest in the occult and read about Alister Crowley and several prominent wiccan and occult leaders, from musing by Anton Lavey and such, to the Necronomicon, and many other things all through high school, and afterwards it grew more intense, and even participated in a ceremony or two. I already amassed a hefty collection of books and whatnot. As it started to grow more serious, I remember telling my closest friend that I felt that was my path. He told me, and I quote:
"Be careful dude. I know someone did the same thing, and bad stuff started happening left and right."
I paid no mind to him. In September of that year, a friend was killed in a car wreck. She was on her way to start college. One month later, my great-uncle. Car wreck. I started to feel like something was wrong. I started having intrusive thoughts, worse than any previously had. My girlfriend lived in another city as she was in college, and I wanted her there, to comfort me, and soon after went up to visit her. When I was there, things happened that I really am not sure why. Things that I don't feel like posting, as they are personal. I came back to find my friend Paul was dead. Car wreck.
I started to feel like life wasn't worth it. I was losing people everywhere it seemed. I started to think that my relationship was deteriorating into something I didn't want. And on top of it all, I could actually feel something in my apartment. Almost like, a dark presence. I bagged all the occult items I had and kept in it a corner of my apartment. By the time December rolled around I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was no longer interested in the girl I was dating, she didn't seem to have any interest given the lack of communication from her. I was drifting, and not really caring about anything. Life was wasted on me, I felt. I really felt that my existence was arbitrary, and really served no purpose. When the new year came, I sure didn't care. I mean, as far as I was concerned, I no longer had any relationship. We officially broke up on the 15th of that month, but as far as I was concerned, it was over in December. I was wondering why I was here. Then, I came to a choice. It was something that stuck out from "The Shawshank Redemption" which is one of my favorite movies.
"Get busy living, or get busy dying."

I decided that I wasn't ready to die. There had to be something else to life. So, I decided to try something.
Religion.
As it happens, the old movie theatre was now a meeting place for a new church, calling themselves Fresh Life. I felt, well, there surely is no harm in that. Why not?
I went in there, and was kind of nervous. I never really believed in God, nor did I truly deny Him. grew up in a scientific mindset, and all through school never would call myself a Christian, didn't attend church went to  a few with some family on my dads side, but never walked it, although not being into partying and drinking I had people tell me they though I was . I always felt, if I can see it touch it, then it is real. I went with a friend we took two seats on the side, and then I went exploring. I met a guy who introduced himself as Erin.
"What is this all about?" I asked him.
"Sit down, and you will see" he said. As the music started, I kinda dug the beat, but really mumbled the words. Then a young man, who looked not much older than me or my friend, got up and started talking. I soon found, for some reason, I was listening intently. And then, something funny happened.
I nudged my pal and asked, "Did he just make a Star Wars reference?"
"Yeah, he did." he replied.
I soon found I couldn't not pay attention. Something in me said, "this is right."
As he ended the message, I felt a very emotional thing happen. With the music, I almost was in tears, and I never felt like that before. To me, when I was in church, it always was some guy saying some words. An old large man, in a suit and tie where you had to dress similar,  monotonous sounding singing, boring as all get out. A lecture somewhat similar to one from a school teacher and almost as lively. This was different. Erin comes down, and asks how I felt about it.
"I..Jus....wha..." I was literally speechless. Any who know me, knows that is very rare indeed. When I tried to talk, only tears came forth, and I asked to meet the pastor. He introduced himself as Levi, and I found myself once again unable to really talk. I stood in the foyer,and asked him "How do you do this Jesus thing?" Levi then told me, it was  simple you say this prayer, mean it in your heart, and live it.
I gave my life to Jesus one minute later.
Returning to my apartment, I went to the corner where that bag was. I got it, and threw it all in the dumpster.
It has been six years since that fateful night. I now live in Billings MT helping with what is the 4th Fresh Life campus. I now serve in the kids ministry which is something I never thought I would do. I am married now, with a wonderful wife who serves alongside me, and pushes me to strive even further with my walk in the faith.  I now see how I do not need religion to be my saviour. My saviour was a man who was also God.. He saved me. Someone so pathetic, but someone. Not nothing, a person.  Do I still make mistakes? Yes. Is life any easier? No.
But I have the most awesome force behind me, to help me up when I fall. To give me strength when I feel weak. To love me unconditionally when everyone else abandons me.
I suggest you meet Him too.

If in reading this, you felt God move on your heart, do not fight Him! he has the best in store for you! Click this link here   and you can meet your maker face to face liek i did, and you will never regret it.

On Phil and Controversy

What does repentance entail? Well, in Robertson’s worldview, America was a country founded upon Christian values (Thou shalt not kill, etc.), and he believes that the gradual removal of Christian symbolism from public spaces has diluted those founding principles. (He and Si take turns going on about why the Ten Commandments ought to be displayed outside courthouses.)

“Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong,” he says. “Sin becomes fine.”
What, in your mind, is sinful?
“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

Read More http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson#ixzz2o2d4TJOo

Read More http://www.gq.com/entertainment/television/201401/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson#ixzz2o2cnY1Dy

If I, being a Christian thought people who are gay were an abomination because they were people, as opposed to their choices, about one fourth of my friends would no longer be as such. I couldn't work with the jobs I have, because in both jobs,  They are awesome people! It saddens me to hear when people kill themselves, and for the reasons why. I don't agree with their lifestyle choices, but that doesn't mean I don;t care about them. I do not tell them that I am above them or better than them, or try to make them feel bad because of their lives, for their lives are just that: Theirs. Not mine to make the call how they ought live. Just as they don't have the means to tell me how I ought live. I do not agree with that lifestyle personally, but I know that people don't agree with my lifestyle either, and so what? I cannot make their choices, as they cannot make mine. I do not have to answer for their lives they do. I want you to know, friends of mine who are living in alternative lifestyles L
YOU ARE LOVED! God loves you, although He does not love your lifestyle, He loves YOU.
Soaked in anger, words can do a lot. However, words can also bring healing, and hope. Trust me when I say this:
I do not agree with the homosexual lifestyle.
I do not hate people who ARE homosexual.
If anyone claiming the name of Christ has treated you with malic eor hate, then they are misrepresentign the name of Christ. He hung out with prostitutes, with scum as they were called and despised people. He only has love, and if you call on Him and turn to Him uinstead of relying on yourself, you will be healed of your anger, hate and forgiven of sin,  as long as you truly do repent, you do not continue in sin, and live to serve the one who died for you. I know people who lived in that lifestyle, who now are some of the strongest Christians I know. It is all up to you.

Turkey and Greed

This time of the year is a difficult one for me, I  have difficulty with the day after Thanksgiving. There is something that just makes me sick in gut. We spend the day 'giving thanks' for all we have, and here in America, we have an abundance of things. Most people seem to try to live beyond their means to impress people. "Oh, look at George, he has that newest pick up." "Oh Susan has the newest iPhone, she is always so tech savvy!"
I am not saying its bad to have nice things. I want nice things, I think we all do. However WHY we want them is the reason. Do we want to show off? Do we want to make our lives a little more comfortable? Do we have an impulsive need to have the best and newest? Why is it we turn from civilized people into a herd of monsters on what has become known as Black Friday? People die on this day. PEOPLE DIE. Every year there is a story about someone who is either assaulted, or trampled underfoot by the masses who NEED that special deal. It sickens me! And how do we respond? We mark it earlier. Now, these deals start on Thanksgiving day, a day that since its inception by President Lincoln has been supposed to be a day of giving thanks. Now It didn't become and official holiday until FDR signed it into effect. but it was celebrated after the Civil War, so its been around a while.
Now, as someone who works in retail, I have had to deal with the madness that it brings a lot. Each year, I get a little more jaded, and I don't like that. We as a culture become more commercial about the holidays. They give a justification to spend money we don't have, and we do. I have been told to not give some Christmas presents so we can not spend money, but I will do it, because I want to give, for I have been given much. I think we need more of that mentality, that we need to understand. In a culture of abundance, we have become a culture of greedy selfish people who need to understand that love  is the greatest gift, and it was love that bore the greatest gift of all: The grace, and salvation from Christ Jesus. God loved us enough, while we live so selfishly, that He gave EVERYTHING for us. He gave His Son, and He poured the wrath we DESERVE  onto His own Son, whom He loved dearly, and He loved us perfectly, and we need to grasp the reality of that.
So this year, really give thanks for what you have. Do you have a roof over your head? Be thankful.
Food to eat today? Be thankful.
Family to spend it with? Be thankful.
Some people would give all they have for one of those things.
And give thanks to God, who has given you this and more. If you do not know God personally as you saviour, call unto Him and give Him thanks for saving us by the blood of His murdered Son.
He will never turn you away.

Baptized In Filth

I went into my job last night at the theatere prepared for  a slow night. During the weekdays we are super slow, where the hours kinda drag a bit, because we do not have a lot of people coming in to watch movies. So I ave time to think, sometimes up to two hours in between groups of people.
Right now, there is not much going on in the cinema. Most of the movies coming out lately are either horribly violent, and depressing, and I mean, it can be a downer to go to movies anymore. Then there is the opposite case...
"
“Don Jon” is the first of its kind: a romantic comedy built around porn. It’s the story of Jon, a good old-fashioned boy who likes women but prefers pornography, and of Barbara, a good old-fashioned girl who is looking for her prince charming. “Where did the story come from,” he asks. “The story comes from how people sometimes treat each other rather like things than like people and how media can contribute to that. That’s why I thought a relationship between a young man who watches too much pornography and a woman who watches too many romantic Hollywood movies would be a funny way of talking about how these fantasies we get from screens change the way we think about the world and love and sex in particular,” says Gordon-Levitt. "
(http://www.euronews.com/2013/10/07/don-jon-porn-addict-meets-princess)

This is what passes as entertainment these days. I had to see a few moments of this film getting theatre checks and such. There was at least a dozen uses of the word f--- at a dinner table conversation, and three graphic pornography clips shown. In the space of a mere two minutes. Being hailed by critics as "stellar", "hilarious" and "confident" by critics, it is a sign of how far this country is going away.  A film, dealing around a man who is addicted to pornography tot he point where he cannot have meaningful relationship with a girl and would eschew human contact for a computer screen,is telling a generation of men that it is ok to objectify women and view them as nothing more than objects. By the end of the film, he finds 'true' love with a n older woman whom he has no intention of marrying but can at least have sex with her without having to watch porn afterward because the act of sex with a woman is not fullfilling enough.  Before i go any further, let me state this: I am an artist. i do not like the idea of censorship, but there sia point where we need to use moral judgement and think about what we take in.  

Now...as a man, I will admit that I feel the tempting lure that pornography has. Men are visually based, we are designed that way. But I would not want to watch this film with people, and that right there tells you what you need to know:
We are living in a culture that is centered around making ourselves feel good. Art reflects life, and therefore films like this are coming out. What infuriates me, is that it such acts are socially acceptable, and the traditional views of what marriage is are looked down on, and even reviled to an extent. Pornography is a big business. It makes more money than the Hollywood machine, and what is the effect? People come to stores and buy someone elses fantasy. They view it thinking it won't harm them, when it warps their perception of what sex is supposed to be, and it becomes lusting behaviour that will never end, going into more and more degrading and shameful acts.

When you look at the popular culture, what is selling, what people listen to and watch, it is filth. This culture is awash in it, baptized in filth this nation is turning away from what it was, and showing the next generation how they are "supposed" to act: Build yourself up, it is all about me. Buy this product, or they will think you aren't cool! Drink this beer and chicks will love you! Drive this truck, because that will let them know you are a real man! Ladies, if you don't dress like this, no man will like you! You can do everything for yourself, you don't need some pastor or a religion telling you what to think or how to act! Make yourself feel good, because that is what life is all about!
This is nothing more than lies spewed from the mouth of the Enemy.
The Devil wants you to buy into this trapping, and forgo such notions as abstinence, and being responsible and just live it up.  If you are a guy, be crass and crude, sleep with as many chicks as you can because thats what makes you a man. If you are a woman, dress as provasctive as possilbe but don't sleep around, because that makes you a whore, and you don't want that stigma. Don't worry if you get pregnant, because you can get that taken care of and shirk the responsibilities of being a parent so you can continue to party it up.
The filth that is spewed forth today comes straight from Hell.
It is said in Matthew that a man who looks at a woman with lust in his eyes has essentially committed adultery. Sin is sin. Pornography is sin. There is no two ways about it. You are watching a man and woman fulfill  a sexual desire, while you do the same, and all the intimacy that is meant to be there is taken away. The act of sex is to be an expression of a couples love and devotion, not something you do willy nilly when you want. But that is how it is. The culture today is all about the self, not that there isn't groups and people who say we need to be focused on the others, but looking at the culture as a whole, we are a culture all about the self, building ourselves up and worshiping ourselves and our things as the cream of the crop in an act of self worship which will only lead to our own self destruction. WAKE UP! If you are having troubles seeing this..
http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/the-porn-path
Listen to this message. You will see that path is nothing but destruction.

Do not let yourself fall into this cycle. Reach out to Jesus, and He will bring you out of this darkness into light. I used to be in that cycle, and it nearly killed me. True joy comes from Christ, and having spent most of my life without Him, I can attest to this personally.  Even if you do not believe in the fact Jesus was the SOn of God, who died for your sins and will save you from an eternity of torment if you call out to Him, you will do it one day. One day you will die, and stand before the Lord. And on that day nothing you bought, or did can save you. There is only one thing that will matter on that day: What did you do with Jesus in your life? Did you put Him aside, and focus on yourself, or did you cry out to Him and follow His decrees? Because if you do not calll Him Lord here on this earthly life, on that day of judgement you will call Him Lord. You will bend the knee and confess that He IS the Lord, as you are cast out. Hint: You don't want that. Call to Christ NOW, while you have the choice to, because if you only do it when you are forced to at the end, you will have no choice but to accpet the result of your actions, and God wants nothing more than to embrace you! He wants you to enjoy all there is to this life, and it is possible to do so! I spent the last almost 6 years as a believer in Christ, and am learning more about Him every day, and cannot believe how I made it this far without Jesus in my life. I want nothing more than to share with you that knowledge: Christ died for your sin, and if you but call on His name, you confess with your tongue that He IS Lord, and beleive , you WILL be saved (Romans 10:9) but only if you do it here in this life.

Let me close on this thought: I know that this is not how the world and culture tell us how to be. It is a counter culture thing for sure. It is not easy in fact it is more difficult. But the payoff is so worth it. If you need help, you ask for it right? So...ask Jesus to help you! Believe me, there is nothing about that choice I made that night to follow Jesus I regret. It was the best thing i have ever done.  I just hope you reading this will see the truth in this post, and be mindful of how this culture is and how to avoid it.

I find your lack fo faith disturbing

So I saw this, and being a huge Star Wars fan, loved it. But it also got me thinking alot about how there are some very good parallels of the character of Darth Vader and the Christian life.
"Oh come on! Those were just some silly space movies made ages ago" and yet they have some very good points to make. Now just go with me here..to a galaxy far, far, away and closer than you think....

The basic story behind Star Wars is very approachable because of that very reason: It is basic.The story was developed by George Lucas with the classic mythical archetype characters
Luke Skywalker (or Starkiller, as was originally written): Naive farmboy who dreams of being somewhere else, who ends up becoming the hero he never knew he could be. Pure of heart, noble, all around good guy.
Han Solo: Smuggler, rouge and pirate. Does bad things (smuggling) for its the only way he can earn a living. Reluctant hero, doesn't want to let others know he really does care about others, and is not just a self centered jerk.
Princess Leia: Royal blood, who has dedicated her life to fighting the worthy and noble battle, wouldn't think twice about the fact that if she would sacrifice herself it would end it. She would do it. Seems unapproachable, testy, but is hiding her true feelings that she doesn't know how to cope with.

You have the aged, wise mentor figure (Obi-Wan in the original trilogy, and to an extent Yoda, especially Yoda in the prequels), even some classic comedic elements in the form of C-3PO and R2-D2. (and unfortunately...Jar Jar Binks.)
Then...then there is Darth Vader.
Until we saw him as a smal child in The Phantom Menace (Episode I) all we knew about Vader was very simple: In Episode IV, we see him as the bad guy, pure evil. We are told that Obi Wan trained him before he turned tot he dark side and betrayed Luke's father. However, in Episode V we learn this: Darth Vader is Luke's father! ( And then a genre cliche was born..) and we learn even more from Obi-Wan in Episode VI.....
"Your father... was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and "became" Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
Here is parallel the first.
We, originally were not meant to be sinful, fallen people. As God originally made us, we knew nothing of evil. When we were tricked into going over to the 'dark side' by eating daring to be like God, we were destroyed. Our good nature was killed and replaced with  a cold, dead heart, almost machine like in its operation of self destruction.
As he later tells Luke when he says that there was still good in him :
 "He's more machine now than man. His mind is twisted and evil."
2nd Parallel:
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it
Vader is, the classic Greek tragedy. However, he also reminds me of a figure from the Bible. There was this fellow by the name of Saul. Now, Saul was all the things they thought a man ought be. Handsome, muscular, a scrapper, a mans man. He was made king of all Israel, and the first one to boot. He was a man who sought the Lord, who wanted to be a good servant and ruler.Yet he soon became corrupted. it is said that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and when you are king, well...is that not absolute power in this world?
Soon, he is going crazy with random spells of madness, where he tries to kill his own son in law David, and hunts him repeatedly throughout a ten year period. He finlly loses his life to his own sword after it being foretold he would die in such fashion.
Vader begins as a small child, who cares deeply for others around him and wants nothing more to help people any way he can. As he grows and trains as a Jedi, his power grows. It is foretold in a prophecy that he is to bring balance to the Force, and he is struggling to control his ambition and his growing feelings for Padme, former Queen of Naboo and now Senator. He succumbs to these feelings, and secretly marries her after losing a part of his arm in battle, and continues to deal with his anger over the fact that he cannot control fate, and soon falls to the tempting offer of Palpatine. He offers him, in exchange for his loyalty to him and his way that he will be given absolute power, and be able to do anything, including keeping those he cares about from dying.
So here, we bring another similarity..Palpatine, is a lot like the Devil. He makes this offer, promising Anakin that which he wants the most, and the cost in nothing practically, just do whaty i want. He then keeps baiting him with this promise, and slowly Anakin destroys all that meant the most to him: He destroys the Jedi Temple that had been his home for almost all his life, turns those he trusted against him and kills them, and then, kills his own wife in a twisted series of events that he feels were not his doing. He then takes on his former master and father figure, who tells him as he lays fallen how he loved him, and that he has abandoned all that he knew was good. Kinda like Adam and Eve he had all that he needed but was tricked into believing he could do things he couldn't and now he lost it all. We had paradise but lost it when sin entered the world. The role Palpatine takes on in place of Obi-Wan becomes that of the temptor, the snake who tricks him into destroying everything that he stood for and loved and then manipulates him further, much like how we fell temptations from the Devil.

Now, we come to the original trilogy, where Anakin is no more, he is now Darth Vader, a former shell of the man he was once, trapped by his own doing in a suit that he cannot function without. Much like sin entangled and binds us, there is nothing he can do about it. Enter Luke, his own son who trains the way of a Jedi, and confronts Vader to find out he is his father. Luke is determiend to redeem him, even at the cost of his own life, and in Episode VI, we see him and Vader have an exchange where Vader acknowledges his former self...and reveals how he no longer identifies with that person.
When we are reborn in Christ, we die to our former selves, and no longer identify that as ourselves, and thus we are new beings.
Perhaps I am reaching way too far, but its just some observations I have, and felt like voicing. The story of Star Wars is drawn from many things, mythical archetypes and much greater stories, and history but there is these connections to the Christian faith at least to me.