One tough question

Jack has been asking some interesting theological questions:

How big is God? 

Does God have any friends? 

If I climb on the roof and jump will God catch me?

Can I slide down the stairs on a cookie sheet?

Each of these can be answered using either the Bible or Veggie Tales. But there was one that caught me off guard:

What's inner peace?

This wasn't just some random churchy question that I could sing in a children's song, I knew exactly where this came from. These guys:



Kung Fu Panda is one of my favorite movies. I enjoy the humor, the heart, the martial arts, and even some of the darker parts. Part 2 came out on DVD on my birthday last December, which is when Jack first saw it. Do I worry about him trying out the fighting on his sisters? A little. He's actually got all the fights down and now he and Madison do entire scenes from the movie ("You are free to eat." "Am I?!" "Are you?!?!").

The first film does have a very Buddhist message--there is no secret ingredient. It states that there is no external force that can make a person complete. But there are lessons about God in the film, specifically taking Master Oogway's choosing Po as the long-awaited Dragon Warrior. This demonstrates two things: God's own understanding of timing, and that God prepares the ones he chooses, instead of choosing the ones who have prepared themselves, as was the case with the evil snow leopard Tai Lung, one of the greatest students of Kung Fu ever (I think I just sent the geek needle all the way into the red).

But the second movie does deal quite a bit with inner peace, making it more than a subtle message. The quest of first Shifu then Po is to find inner peace, and it becomes essential to the climax of the film. These lovable pandas* had taught my kid about other religions? How dare they!

I racked my brain quickly about how best to answer the question, then gave it, ending with "...and that peace only comes from God." I had my divine revelation, so I expected to see some epiphany light up Jack's face as well.

He said, "Oh, okay," then slid down the stairs on a cookie sheet.


Po is a Giant Panda; Shifu is a Red Panda. Both are native to the far east. Though a bear and a raccoon, the word Panda is not a scientific classification, but a Tibetan word meaning "eater of bamboo." Neither can balance on a stick.