Frank Herbert spent 20 years writing his six-book, epic science fiction saga Dune, from 1965 to 1985. Something strange about this story–no one has been able to bring it to the screen with the force it deserves since.
David Lynch tried in 1984 and it ended up as a schmaltzy, remedial version of the first two books. There is a documentary about a version of the movie that never happened, called Jodorowsky’s Dune, which is more popular than that ’80s sandbox.
Today, in 2024, the Denis Villeneuve adaptation is crushing the global box office now because the Herbert acolytes can’t believe it’s happening. In 2022, it began. This year, the journey continues. And, in 2026, the trilogy ends. So, why has a nearly 60-year-old book escaped getting its red-carpet moment until now? Maybe someone never understood how attached the journey of Paul Atreides is to Jesus Christ before now.
Taking inspiration from the Bible and the life of Christ isn’t a new thing for the movies. Like, at all.
- E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial (yes, really)
- The Matrix
- The Terminator (think John Connor’s life)
- Star Wars (yeah, duh)
- Cool Hand Luke (think Judas and betrayal)
- The Martian
- Superman, The Movie, or Man of Steel (I mean, Kal-El is 33 in that movie. C’mon!)
Nothing has been like Dune, as it relates to a Messianic figure and his journey. That said, is there something Christians can learn from watching Dune? Are there insights about this science fiction wonderland that can illuminate the Scriptures, even if for a little while?
The Gospel According to Paul (Atreides)
Dune is a story about seven powerful fiefdoms scattered across the universe–two of them are House Atreides (good guys) and House Harkonnen (bad guys). Yet, in both of those empires (and every other) is a group of clandestine cultish women called the Bene Gesserit.
Imagine the Pharisees and Sadducees but with some serious deranged and deified complexes. These women have tried for millennia to manipulate bloodlines (Atreides moms could only have girls and Harkonnen moms could only have boys) among every empire in the universe to do two things:
- Produce a super being, a Messiah, known as the Kwisatz Haderach (pronounced “Quiz-AT Had-er-ACK”).
- If they align people with people to make the “One,” that person would be subject to their whims.
Paul Atreides defies the Bene Gesserit, including his mom who becomes a “Reverend Mother” in the bald clan of girl power. As a child, Paul displays traits and characteristics of the Kwisatz Haderach, and people in that coven, group, and biker gang of women catch word about young Paul. That’s when they got involved.
You see, Paul wasn’t a planned birth. His mom, Lady Jessica, believed she was to have a boy, initially out of love for Duke Leto Atreides, but also, there was a hunch her son could be that guy. Jessica teaches Paul how to cultivate his gifts, say, “of the spirit.” Furthermore, she teaches him to pray. It’s more of a mantra, but it’s about fear is a mind-killer. However, Paul learned a model, much like the Children of Israel learn another model of prayer when Jesus was sitting on a hill or a mount.
Through a confluence of intergalactic events, Paul leaves his hometown, goes to another, leaves that place, and then…finds his people, the Fremen. And it’s among them that Paul discovers the capacity of his calling and the reach of his ministry. Remind you of anyone?
It should be because Jesus evidently reminded Frank Herbert of Paul Atreides.
The Dogma of Dune
There’s a Messianic figure who is the center of the world’s conversation living in the desert. Incidentally, that idea spawned a similar tale about a young Jedi on Tatooine. But those ideas were spawned by a young Nazarene who would rip open the sky with his sacrifice and power of love. Hallelujah!
People love an underdog story. They also love a champion. And when those two avenues cross, there is a magnetic intersection of uncontrollable desire to learn more and become connected to that story–and its central figure. Paul Atreides of Dune is certainly that figure. There are numerous ways he relates to Jesus Christ. It’s not like Frank Herbert was surveying faith as he was writing. He was raised in an orthodox Catholic church, which is why the Bene Gesserit sounds more like sadistic nuns whooping up on the bad kid in class.
Many parallels strike a direct chord with the Bible. Others are Biblical-ish but are steeped in a faith that is required to move forward.
- Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ; Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach
- Paul Atreides’ father is a Duke, a King; Jesus’ Daddy is God Almighty
- Paul led his people to the Promised Land; The Spirit of God inspired his people to do the same
- Both Jesus and Paul are tested incredibly in the desert to prove their walk–one, by Satan, and the other by Shai-Hulud (if you’re interested)
- Also, both walk out their calling to “lead the lost into paradise” by fulfilling numerous prophecies written in a sacred text
Cool, right? Then, there are a couple of other connections that require a little explanation.
Sleeping on the Word
In both the book and David Lynch’s version of Dune, Duke Leto speaks to his son about having something inside of him that requires waking up.
He tells Paul, “I’ll miss the sea, but a person needs new experiences. They jar something deep inside, allowing him to grow. Without change, something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”
Oddly enough, the Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14 NKJV)
Sending to the Desert
In Dune, Paul meets Dr. Liet Kynes, the father of his future love interest and concubine, Chani. Although in the recent film, Dr. Kynes is played by a woman, and the lineage connection isn’t made, we can tell he–and she–is a Fremen leader. Both in the book and the movie, it’s Dr. Kynes who is one of the first to embrace his destiny and sends him deep into the desert.
And then there’s John the Baptist. Before Jesus’ baptism, he proclaimed the coming of the Lord. During the baptism, John acknowledged Jesus’ sovereignty and then sent the Lord on His way through the desert. Also, both Dr. Kynes and John were the last great prophets (Umma in the Fremen language, Chakobsa) neither of them saw before their ministries.
Surrounded by Belief and Unbelief
Throughout the Gospels, we are told the other stories–those of Jesus’ disciples. He selected friends to help Him evangelize the countryside. There are countless connections why Jesus chose each of them culturally that relate to every person since, but we see their humanity to prove it.
- Peter had a temper and attitude
- John was the source of compassion and empathy
- Thomas and his closet of doubts
- Andrew was a man of humility
- And Judas who gave Jesus a kiss of betrayal
Both in the book and the movie, Paul gets the devotion and fear of Fremen, including Chani. Jesus didn’t have a love interest (despite what certain heretical versions of His story state), but some of His closest friends couldn’t come to grips with Jesus being the living Messiah–even after He rose from the dead.
Most people in Paul’s or Jesus’ position would have been like “Whatevs,” but they remained true to the call. They went about it in vastly different ways, but destinies unfolded and prophecies were fulfilled despite the opinions of others.
The Moral of Both Stories
There’s a churchy adage that says, “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.” We all have a purpose and spend our lives determining and fulfilling what that is. If God only called those with special talents, our inspirational leaders would all be athletes and singers (and yes, that’s somewhat the truth today).
In Dune, Duke Leto says something similar to his son, “A great man doesn’t seek to lead. He’s called to it—and he answers.” Paul does. Jesus did. We’re all in life to do the same. There will be times of fear and faith, trials and triumph, loss and life. Yet, as we continue our journey, we need to remember the one thing Dune teaches us all.
You are never alone.
We know something like that already because Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit as a comforter, so how does Dune teach us that? In the book and the movies, Paul struggles with his calling. Whether he is talking to his mother, Chani, other Fremen, or himself, there is always an answer. Think about the last struggle you had. It could have been unemployment, divorce, a child running astray, or strife in your church. Whatever it was, the good bet is you may have felt alone.
“I need help, now! Where are you, Lord?”
Many believers may be too sanctified to admit they say that in times of tribulation, but it’s been said before. By me, if anyone. Paul never dealt with that because he was given a dream, a confirmation, an utterance of prophecy. Even when Paul calls upon his father for vision, he gets the “Sleeper must awaken” line. Often, when we call upon our Father for vision, we get the sound of wind and a few tumbleweeds rolling by.
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Hebrews 10:23 NLT)
If the Lord calls you to a task, He will see you through, without fail. However, that doesn’t mean you have the Holy Spirit on speed dial or Messenger. There will be silence at times, unlike Paul experienced on his home planet Caladan, or his adopted home Arrakis. Paul and Jesus have many similarities. So do the Fremen and the Children of God.
Except one. The world of faith Paul lives in is for show. The inspiration is what’s real — and that’s ours. And unlike the Kwisatz Haderach, God never sleeps on our case. Look…
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber [briefly] nor sleep [soundly]. (Psalm 121:4 AMP)
See there? He promised.
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