Clash of the Titans (2010) ran on TV recently. It’s a remake of the 1981 version. I’ve seen both, although the 1981 version didn’t leave much of a lasting impression.
The 2010 version has some fine actors, and the special effects are obviously far superior. However, it suffers from a weak plot. Basically, it’s a film for boys.
I also can’t say giant computer-generated scorpions are the least bit scary. Indeed, we’ve been subjected to jumbo mutant insects ever since atomic bomb themed B-flicks from the 50s.
The demigods of Greek mythology were among the first superheroes, although they were preceded by Gilgamesh. As a boy I read Greek mythology. Diomedes was my favorite Homeric hero. Comic book superheroes are lineal decedents of the Greek demigods.
The myth of Perseus also has some interesting connections with legend of St. George, as well as Revelation 12, 19-20.
In a sense, Samson is the Biblical counterpart, but that also illustrates the difference. He’s a tragic figure. His physical might can’t save him from his moral weakness. He must lose everything before he can win–achieving in death what he failed to achieve in life.
I think it’s only natural for young boys to identify with superheroes. At the same time, I’m struck by the radical contrast between Greek superheroes and Christian piety.
Christianity is a frank and even desperate admission of our ultimate weakness. Our profound limitations. The things we care most about are the things over which we have the least control. In our helplessness we turn to God in prayer. Even if we had superpowers, we’d be impotent to save ourselves or those we love from what matters most.
It’s fashionable in some fringe circles to claim that Jesus is based on “dying-and-rising savior gods.” And there’s a sense in which Jesus has superhero powers in excelsis.
Yet therein lies the contrast. At the cross, Jesus saves through weakness rather than strength. Surrender rather than combat. Redemption and sanctification can’t be wrought through brute force.
Good thoughts. "Redemption and sanctification can’t be wrought through brute force."
ReplyDeleteThere is a time to whip people out of the temple as our Lord did.
And He could have called 12,000 angels at any time to destroy His enemies.
But His love for His own sheep caused Him to give His blood, for there was no other way for us.
I liked the first Clash of the Titans.
Well, the original did boast Ursula Andress!
ReplyDeleteYou cracked me up. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI thought that whole type of special affects (Jason and the Argonauts, Mysterious Island, etc.) was pretty cool for it's day, and still is really.
As a charismatic, I have an aspect of the "theology of glory" and of triumphalism in my understanding of Christianity (i.e. the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated and is in a sense "now").
ReplyDeleteBut as a Calvinist, I also have a "theology of the cross" in my understanding (i.e. the Kingdom of God is "not yet" fully here). I wish many more charismatics would understand that latter (and foundational) truth.
Michael Horton is right in saying there's some truth in Ted Turner's statement that "Christianity is for losers." Horton also agrees that there is some truth in Friedrich Nietzsche's statement that:
"The Christian movement is a degeneracy movement composed of reject and refuse elements of every kind.... It is therefore not only national, not racially conditioned; it appeals to the disinherited everywhere; it is founded on a rancor against everything well-constituted and dominant: it needs a symbol that represents a curse on the well-constituted and dominant. It also stands in opposition to every spiritual movement, to all philosophy: it takes the side of idiots and utters a curse on the spirit [of man]. Rancor against the gifted, learned, spiritually independent: it detects in them the well-constituted, the masterful.-Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power
Horton explores this in his book: Too Good to Be True: Finding Hope in a World of Hype
also in his sermon:
Good News For Losers (MP3)
Michael Horton - 2006 Oklahoma City Conference on Reformed Theology
More Michael Horton sermons here:http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/bio/michaelhorton.html
BTW, I think the 1981 original is WAYYYYY better than the remake.
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ReplyDeleteI assume most people also know that Turner changed his mind that Christianity is a "religion for losers".
ReplyDeleteSome articles that document this:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-01-317252004_x.htm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1858884,00.html
http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/BibleStudyAndTheology/perspectives/Carey_Ted_Turner.aspx
I do not mean to be disrespectful that that is the very opposite of the "Gospel" I learned in my days as a "Believer". Weakness of any kind for any reason for any length of time was something you dont express. It is just not an option. I never saw Jesus as a superhero, a moral, spiritual, and human failure on my part. I always just saw Him as the Lord our God. Which shows my apostasy, but one thing has been made very clear a true follower of Jesus should never need Him, ever for any reason. I get that part of the religion, in spades. If I can kindly ask a favor, take it for what its worth. Please stop calling it "Good news", its not for the vast majority of all of humanity that has ever existed on this planet, it is not good news. Thanks for that consideration.
ReplyDeletebrian said:
ReplyDelete"I do not mean to be disrespectful that that is the very opposite of the 'Gospel' I learned in my days as a 'Believer'. Weakness of any kind for any reason for any length of time was something you dont express. It is just not an option. I never saw Jesus as a superhero, a moral, spiritual, and human failure on my part. I always just saw Him as the Lord our God. Which shows my apostasy"
Sorry, but it sounds like you learned the wrong gospel.
If so, this would explain why you're no longer a believer but an apostate.
"but one thing has been made very clear a true follower of Jesus should never need Him, ever for any reason. I get that part of the religion, in spades."
Sorry, that's completely and utterly wrong. It's the opposite of the truth. A true follower of Jesus always totally needs him.
"If I can kindly ask a favor, take it for what its worth. Please stop calling it 'Good news', its not for the vast majority of all of humanity that has ever existed on this planet, it is not good news. Thanks for that consideration."
Sorry, but I'll stick with the NT which does call what Christ did for his people good news.
Also, neither you nor I am in a position to know whether "the vast majority of all of humanity that has ever existed on this planet" will believe or disbelieve in Christ. For example, it could be there's another 1000 years of human history, and in that 1000 years, 99% of all humans who ever will exist are born, and God saves the vast majority of them.
As far as you're concerned, however, it sounds like you're uncomfortable and agitated because you've left Christ. Where will you go now that you have rejected the only one who can give you peace and rest?
"It is just not an option."
ReplyDeleteWith some people you're right. But with genuine human sinners, who have a bit of maturity, especially some of our Lord's pastors, there certainly is an option for weakness.
We have to have the whole truth, and then what Steve is saying here is what will encourage our hearts, and even build us up in His love and in His care. Jesus tells His own, through Peter, one of the weakest of all the disciples, "Cast all your anxieties and weakness on Him, because He cares." Jesus cares more than we could ever imagine. So when we are blessed with knowing He cares, that blessing is just the tip of the Iceburg. What a Savior and Friend we do have. And He is Lord as you said.
Turn back to Him, and cry out, and He will hear all who trust in Him.
Steve mentioned Samson. I found Vincent Cheung's book "Samson and His Faith" encouraging when I first read it years ago. I recommend it despite the various problems in Cheung's teaching (e.g. his modified Clarkian Scripturalism).
ReplyDeleteCheung states, "Make no mistake about it – Samson had his weaknesses, and they ultimately cost him his life. The point is that his problems were not what most people think they were, and that overall, the Scripture acknowledges him as a person of faith."
While we're on the topic of superheroes...
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, a modern superhero like Superman or Batman represents (vigilante) justice. We want our superheroes to do what's right when we're helpless or powerless to do what's right. We want them to punish wrong. In fact, we want them to avenge us against the wrongdoers and their wrongdoing.
On the other hand, Superman never kills Lex Luthor and Batman never kills his arch nemesis the Joker despite countless opportunities to do so. I think this is in large part because Batman subscribes to remedial or restorative justice. After all, Batman sends the criminals he captures like the Joker to Arkham Asylum. The assumption is these criminals can be morally rehabilitated.
Doubtless many of Lex Luthor or the Joker's victims (if they survived) or friends and families of his victims (if they didn't survive) would be rightly offended if Lex Luthor or the Joker wasn't punished at all but only rehabilitated. (Although perhaps some may argue there's a punitive aspect to rehabilitation.)
I think ideally both punishment and rehabilitation would be in play against Lex Luthor and the Joker.
Still there's an inconsistency or at least tension in the modern superhero narrative with regard to justice inasmuch as the writers can't make up their mind between the two or how to combine the two. This comes out in instances like when the writers put the strong and sometimes even eschatological sounding language of retribution in the mouths of their characters but then when the supervillain is nabbed the resulting consequences for the supervillain fail to match the rhetoric employed by our superhero. To take an example, the consequence of imprisonment (for an unspecified period of a time) after the murder of scores of people and the destruction of multiple cities is a bit of a letdown in comparison to the calling down of the wrath of God against the supervillain. It's like letting the supervillain off with a slap on the wrist.
Of course, God demonstrates himself to be both just and the justifier in Christ's cross-work. Christ was punished for our sins so that justice is upheld, and forgiveness is offered to all who repent and trust in Christ so that God is still be the merciful and gracious one.
What's more, Christianity has a theology of sanctification. Not only are sinners justified, forgiven, and declared perfectly morally righteous by the highest court of all, i.e. God himself, but sinners are also indwelt by the Holy Spirit and gradually morally improved.
"I think ideally both punishment and rehabilitation would be in play against Lex Luthor and the Joker."
ReplyDeleteAlthough I should add if the just punishment is their execution, then rehabilitation can't be part of the equation, at least as far as I can see. But maybe I'm wrong somehow.