Klaatu, Jesus and Science Fiction Heaven

At first glance, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" could be considered classic science fiction cheese. It's a black and white film with aliens, robots, dramatic music and fantastic weapons that make large items disappear. Throw in a boy scout, an over-the-top mother and an alien resurrection and we pretty much have the greatest drinking game ever. But to those of us who are the fans (and hold our liquor well), we know "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is not your average sci-fi film.

I have to be honest, I didn't fair too well as a contestant on Cinemania. Sure, I know some geek facts about the film but when it came to the game, I left feeling embarrassed. The truth is, I love the film. I have seen it countless times but never tried to memorize the words or watch it three times in a row. While I studied in college, I used to have the film playing in the background. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" simply reminds me of my childhood and gives me the familiarity of growing up.

My father is a minister and all my life I heard about Jesus and how I should live by his example. As a teen, I began to recognized the similarities between Jesus and Klaatu.

1) They both came to earth on a mission of peace.
2) Both men wanted man to change his ways for a better tomorrow.
3) Both die, resurrect and depart from the earth (but only one left in a spaceship).

I found this fascinating and I still do. This film was released many years before "The Passion of the Christ" but ultimately has the same message; Love you neighbor as yourself and live in peace.

Everyone has a different opinion of this film. Personally, it means more to me than a game show or fun facts. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" reminds me of a time when I was trying to figure out who I was, who I wanted to be and mostly importantly, what I wanted to believe (not what was being forced upon me). It sounds basic and simple but now as an adult, I choose to believe in the same message as Klaatu, Jesus and many others who agree that a peaceful world leads to a better life. Sure, maybe I'm looking too deep into the film but there's no way around the message. All of us have the daily choice to practice peace but as Klaatu says "The decision rests with you."