the Lain. and relations to Christ

[heart havok]

i've reviewed Serial Experiments Lain over 20 times now, and i must say, i've almost 100% figured MY point of view in direction of the story by now. one thing that i've found as a fresh theory for the Series, however, is the idea that Lain portrays Christ.

sure, sure... i know now, many of you just shuddered at this thought and are denying it without even giving me a chance to explain my reasons for believing this direction a possibility, but please... sit back and humour me as i indulge myself within my reason for theory.

the main thing that brought this possibility to my attention was the fact that during LAYER:13 when Lain is presented to her father in her Bear 'Jamas at the table sitting across from her father, i was touched with the idea that her 'Father' {in THAT scene alone} was portraying God. maybe this is implying a theory that God is what you invision God to be. thus perhapse Lain invisions physical God as her Father.

eitherway, this scene gave me a very spiritual feeling indeed, thus i decided to review the series with the stories of Christ in mind. and no, i'm not speaking of the christian nor catholic bibles alone... i am speaking of the kuran and many other various forms of chronicles and journals about Jesus Christ. so... i reviewed it... and i realized.. that Lain moreso portrays Christ rather than any other God or Myth. some of the many ways this is, is the fact that Lain {as also said in the above stated scene} "I... Everyone." Loves Everyone. and what's this? now that she's realized she loves everyone, then she needs not her Bear Suit? interesting. there are many many MANY more reasons for this theory, but i don't feel like typing about it, so i'll let a few of you reply before i add more.. adieu.

[Drizzten]

Lain as Christ because of the scene you mentioned and because she says she loves everyone? I can see where you're coming from, but I'd like to see more of your theory's examples. She certainly embodies the idea of Christ more than anyone else in the series, but I can't recall a scene where she sacrifices herself...unless you count the one near the end where she is alone on the street and everyone is gone. Kind of a social sacrifice if you want.

[Dryden-san]

The parallels are there, no doubt about that. Although Lain didn't have to die a nasty death, she did erase all records an memories of her existence, even from the minds of the people she loved. That absolutely counts as a sacrifice in my book. Remember though that sacrificing yourself for the greater good is hardly an uncommon theme. Neither is a character who supposedly loves everybody. Even Sailor Moon visits those themes once or twice. The scene with her father is food for thought, but she might have chosen that image to speak with simply because he was the only member of her family who ever showed her any kind of warmth.

I think I'm going to need a little more convincing.

[Tenkawa]

The one problem I have with your theory, is that wasn't Lain, alledgely, created to destroy the barrier between reality and the wired world? Or at least that's sort of what she ends up doing.

Plus how would you explain her devilish self?

Dunno, its an interesting thought, but I'm not sure if I totally buy into the parallels.

[Drizzten]

Well, technically, her devilish self could be explained by Jesus' sin. Since Jesus, like all other humans, was born with sin, he had to sacrifice himself to get rid of it. Lain's devilish side would be a manifestation of that sin. I guess.

[Killjoy]

Maybe in the sense of the religion of the Wired, she could be considered to be Christ. After all, she inadvertently destroyed the preexisting religion and almost ended up creating a new one based on it--much as Jesus almost did to Judaism. Maybe she's a Christ for the new world.

[Dryden-san]

I'll say again, that yes, there are similarities between Lain and Christ. But please consider that just becuase there are similarities does not mean they were intended as such. Lain is anime made in Japan for a Japanese audience that is less than 1% Christian. Yasuyuki Ueda, the producer and main creative force behind the series, described it in an interview as an "attack on American values". Under those cirucmstances it seems very unlikely that any relations between Lain and Christ are intentional. Perhaps because the story of Christ visits themes like sacrifice, that are fundamental to many creative works, it is to be expected that you see similarities to Lain. I believe that they are totally coincidental, however. They occur in both works not because one is borrowing from the other, but because they are themes that any creative person might want to explore.

Yes, Lain could be called a Christ-like figure, but do you really think that was how she was described in the production studio? I prefer to think of Lain not as representing any particular religion but symbolic of humanity. Her "dark side" is representative of the darkness that lurks in every human heart.

[heart havok]

first of all, this wasn't meant to be taken TOO seriously seeing as it's only a partial theory of possibility. not neccessarily one of my own beliefs in particular, i have simply made an observation, and i decided to bring it up because i believe that it is atleast a strong enough possibility to simply bring up.

second... there are many other points as in the Prophet and Prophecy, followers and religious believers, cults, wonderers, seekers, Lain all in all represents humanity... Chirst represented what? HUMANITY. i'm not speaking of the Biblical references to Jesus Christ alone... i am speaking of all references and stories... be them in Scrolls, walls, studies, history, the Bible, the Koran, whatever... Christ was the representation of Humanity. he was a single being {whether he was God's son or not is irrelivant} who while was guilty of his own sin, died in resolve to cleanse us of our sins. Lain not only sacrafices herself, but she Physically extracts herself from the memories of others, thus taking herself out of hte Physical Realm.. why? to cleanse others of their Memories. she takes her body...Christ's body was taken. it's a slight representation...nothing more. there is also the ideas that Christ rose from the dead. Lain too returns in the VERY end. i've been thru this alot before, at a time directly after i had REviewed it a couple times in a row and i was telling Zepp all about it. unfortunately it's not as fresh in my head as it was then, but maybe he saved the Chat or remembers some of my other observations of the relations. overall, i'm saying relations... nothing more..........................most likely.

however, anything is possible.

another thing... towards your argument of the creators' meaning behind the series... don't you believe that one of the greatest ways to "attack American values" would be to attack the American "freedom of religion" that forces one to side with society or be considered an "outcast"? then again, most of the American society is Athiest anyways... but that's besides the point.

overall... this thread isn't titled "Yasuyuki Ueda's intentional Lain and relations to Christ." it is simply "the Lain. and relations to Christ."

what i completely agree with you on though, is this...

Dryden-san
They occur in both works not because one is borrowing from the other, but because they are themes that any creative person might want to explore.
most definitely, that was wonderful choice of word usage and everything. i applaud you.

but yeah... this is only ideal on possibility of observation. not ideal on possibility of belief.

[Dryden-san]

Maybe, with a work like Lain, the important thing is not the original intentions of the creator but the message we each derive from it. Everyone gets a different message, of course, but discussing them is what boards like this are for, ne?

[heart havok]

exactly^^ in fact, that's what i find so great about works like Lain and Eva... there's so much that one could possibly find in it! ^_^ and i love discussing it to see what others got from it as well

[DrZepp]

hmm damn, i wish i saved that chat where havok was telling me about this. just let me say it was really good, and i was convinced to the point where i had no doubt in my mind that it was fact.
some things i remember, was when LAIN was tied up in all that technology near the end it was representing christ on the cross. also mika represented the profit, and most of the characters represented some biblical figure which i cant remember.
it sounds really sketchy, damn wish i could remember everything