[Mass Effect 2] Blindness and Ignorance

This is Mass Effect March! In honor of the release of Mass Effect 3, this entire month is devoted to digging into this epic trilogy. We’ll explore the different races, themes, and some major story arcs. At the end of the month we’ll cap things off with a week of posts on Mass Effect 3 to see how everything is resolved (or not). Today we’re looking at the reason for Commander Shepard’s resurrection in Mass Effect 2- the inaction of the Council.

Mass Effect 2 gives us a much more intimate look at the pro-human survivalist group Cerberus. Their main goal is to do whatever it takes to ensure the survival and expansion of humankind. Supposedly this doesn’t necessarily mean ruling over all other races, but one does get the sense that if it had to come down to us or them, Cerberus would make sure humans come out on top. They almost give off a KKK vibe in their devotion to the advancement of humanity in the universe.

Any leader who is this creepy cannot be trustworthy.

Cerberus’ leader, The Illusive Man, used his ridiculous wealth and resources to bring Shepard back from death for a specific reason. He felt that those in charge, the Council, weren’t doing their jobs properly in looking after the safety of the universe, particularly humanity. Not to take the side of ole’ Creepy Eyes up there, but the Council did indeed drop the ball this time around. They were your go-to people in Mass Effect 1, but in this game you have to resort to working with Cerberus, the sketchy space militia, to get the job done.

The Council is not the first group of people to suffer from chronic ignorance and a case of the stupids. Jesus had many conflictual run-ins with the terminally blind, and we’re not talking about those who lacked physical sight. Jesus’ main foes were the Pharisees and the Sadducees, generally known as the teachers of the Law. “The Law” being all the books of the Old Testament- the same books that happened to contain many prophecies about a Messiah who would come to save them. Someone like, say…..Jesus.

The very people who should have had the most knowledge and devotion to God were not only blind to Jesus as Messiah, but openly defied him, labeled him as a heretic, and ultimately played a role in his crucifixion. Jesus pulls out one of these prophecies that actually speaks of the blindness of these people, ‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

"Reaper? That wasn't a reaper. That was just an optical illusion. Quit that crazy talk Commander Shepard!"

The Council, like those teachers of the law, had all the relevant information. The pieces of the Reaper ship Sovereign were scattered all over the Citadel, yet they chose to believe that it was all just part of Saren’s plan and since he’s dead now they can forget about the whole thing. They denied the possibility that there may be an entire civilization of Reapers on their way to come and destroy everyone. But why do this? Why would the teaches of the law deny the very Messiah they’d been hoping for? Why cover up or ignore evidence of a potentially lethal threat? The answer can be described in many ways, but the word the Bible uses is unrighteousness. Romans describes how unrighteousness suppresses the truth. When we refuse to submit to God’s truth, we open ourselves up to believing lies and ignoring the dangers in front of us.

The teachers of the law would rather hold on to their long-held traditions than accept the unexpected and radical teachings of the actual Son of God. The Council chose the path of laziness because to acknowledge the Reaper threat would mean that they would have to actually get off their bureaucratic duffs and do something about it. Instead of being open the truth, they closed themselves off and retreated to what was easy and comfortable. Proverbs warns against this mentality, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”

Questions:

Was there a time when you chose not to face a truth that later caused you harm?

Are you currently avoiding a truth that you’re uncomfortable with?

Mass Effect 2 has rich support characters with fascinating stories. The next post will look at some of the recurring themes in the development of these characters.

Portal: The Writing on the Wall

The secret messages that help the player through Portal serve as a comparison for how we are able to move through our own lives.

Chell’s journey through Aperture Science would have been a total disaster had it not been for the messages left behind by the Rat Man. Scattered throughout the game are “Rat Man dens” where there is clear evidence of another human presence who managed at one point to survive outside the main test chambers and away from GLaDOS’s watchful eye.

The Rat Man serves as a pioneer who has gone ahead to provide a way for us through the dangerous testing environment. It is from his incoherent rantings scribbled on the walls that the player receives warnings of imminent doom (“the cake is a lie”) and directions for successfully escaping the test chambers. Jesus, likewise, has gone ahead of us and shown us by his life and example how to live. By taking on human flesh as Jesus, God has experienced our struggle. 1 John 4:9 states that God showed his love for us by coming to live among us. Like the Rat Man, Jesus provides both warnings and directions.

Warnings About Cake

The Rat Man’s wall writings are reminiscent of a story in the Old Testament which comes from Daniel 5. There was an evil king who had taken God’s people captive. He was partying it up and generally enjoying his wealth and depravity, when suddenly a hand appeared out of nowhere and wrote a cryptic message on the wall. After consulting the prophet Daniel, he was told that the message’s interpretation was that he was going to be killed for his wickedness.

When God provides a warning of doom and destruction, it is not uncommon for skeptics to point the finger and use that as evidence that God is just a big bully. But let me submit to you that if God was really just a big bully, he wouldn’t give a warning at all. God communicates these harsh messages so that the hearer may have an opportunity to repent and make a correction. This king didn’t, and so he got the ax.

The Rat Man’s many reminders of the cake being a lie are likewise an opportunity for Chell to “repent” and avoid the incinerator. The messages provided truth in an environment where there was nothing but lies and antagonism. This world will lie to you and it will either bring you down or tell you exactly what you want to hear, just like GLaDOS. Watch for the messages that provide the real truth which will save you from destruction.

Arrows Through the Maze

The Rat Man has so kindly provided arrows and other directions to help Chell find the secret paths outside of GLaDOS’ reach. In the same way, Jesus provides guidance and direction in an otherwise unnavigable maze of dangers. God does not just sit on high and declare what not to do, but through Jesus we have a picture of what to strive towards.

Unfortunately, our world is broken and there are many things that distract us from God’s truth. If you can remember back to the first few minutes of Portal, it is quite unlikely that you would have imagined that by the end you would be outside the sterile testing environment and running for your life. But gradually, piece by piece, you were given hints through messages in hidden rooms that showed you the truth and helped you escape. Ultimately, you can look back on your experience and see how small messages saved you from a very serious threat.

In the same way, we can’t see the big picture well enough to know the right way and so we must rely on God’s direction. God provides us with guidance, but often it’s only just enough to keep us on the right path. Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is “a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The specific wording there is significant. It’s not a floodlight on the road or a spotlight in the sky, it’s a small lamp with just enough light for the next few steps. We are given just enough so that we will learn to rely on God rather than ourselves for our rescue.

Pay attention to life’s little easter eggs, it may mean the difference between escape and fiery doom.

Questions

1. What GLaDOS-like messages are you bombarded by? How does it distort truth for you?

2. Was there a time when you received a good warning that saved you from trouble?

3. When was a time in your life that things didn’t make sense at the time, but you saw a clearer picture after the fact?

Come back next time for one more quick thought from Portal about what lies outside the testing facility.