The Parallels between Ender's Game/Shadow and Religion

» Last1standing - The Parallels between Card's books and Religion

After reading both Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, I feel impressed to share the parallels I have observed between these books and the direct connection it has with religion.
Here is the following support and explanations:

A. Ender is symbolic of Christ
Ender is a young boy who saves mankind at the expense of his own childhood. He sacrificed himself. Like Christ, there was no other man qualified to carry this burden.
On several occasions, Bean hints at this. "Ender was what Bean only wished to be-- the kind of person whom you could put all your hopes, who could carry all your fears, and he would not let you down, would not betray you."(pg. 284 Ender's Shadow) Is this not the same description one might use for the Savior of the world?

B. Religious lessons fit nicely into the plot
1) "That was what Alai had given him; a gift so sacred that even Ender could not be allowed to understand what it meant." (pg. 58 Ender's Game)
The lesson that is outlined in this quote is that the knowledge of God is not always revealed to his people. Some things are so sacred that it cannot be understood. If there is something which is unclear, it might be that it is too sacred to share.
2) "You can't rule out the impossible, because you never know which of your assumptions about what was possible might turn out, in the real universe, to be false..But the technician let down just the tiniest part of the veil they had covering the truth, and because Bean finally found a way to open his mind to the possibility, he now knew the secret." (pg. 342 Ender's Shadow)
The religious message of this quotation is the fact that religion is possible. To the carnal mind, the idea of a higher power is easily set aside. But in all actuality, once the carnal mind's logic and reasoning is set aside, it is quite possible to know the truths of God.
3) "For some reason what came into Bean's mind was the moment when Poke handed him six peanuts. It was life that she handed to him then. Was it life that Ender gave to Bean? Was it the same thing? No. Poke gave him life. Ender gave it meaning." (pg. 292 Ender's Shadow)
The religious lesson of this quote is stated in the last sentence. Ender, who is often compared to the Savior Jesus Christ, is the meaning of life.
4) " 'Do you know why Satan is so angry all the time? Because whenever he works a particularly clever bit of mischief, God uses it to serve his own righteous purposes.''So God uses wicked people as his tools.' 'God gives us the freedom to do great evil if we choose. Then he uses his own freedom to create goodness out of the evil, for that is what he chooses.' " (pg. 236 Ender's Shadow)
This quotation reveals several lessons of religion. First of all, it brings up the topic of free agency, a man's ability to choose for himself good or evil without the interference of God. Secondly, it shows that God is always in control and will eventually win the battle between good and evil. This, however, does NOT contradict man's free agency. God will persuade the way of his world as he chooses, but he will not persuade a man's actions.

The religious lessons and parallels hidden within the pages of the Card's award-winning books have proved a solid foundation on which many readers can relate to. If anyone else finds any more parallels, please, post them.

-- posted by Last1standing

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