Superheroes
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I believe superheroes are a very good allegory for the relationship between man and God. Let’s start with Spiderman, but only because I probably know his story the best. Think of the radioactive spider has the hand of God and Peter Parker being us—humans. Think about it for a second.
Do you have an idea? Okay, let’s work backwards.
Peter Parker is a big time nerd in the Spiderman series. He studies hard, does his thing in school, and lives a relatively humble life with his aunt and uncle. He gets picked on in school often but he doesn’t retaliate. It can be argued whether or not IF he would have fought back, but that’s not the important point. So one day, Parker is doing his usual nerdy stuff—attending a science convention of sorts involving spiders (boring!). I’m sure he didn’t expect much from the shin-dig, but unbeknownst to him, he would proceed to get bitten by a radioactive spider and gains some sweet powers. Peter Parker didn’t expect to gain super powers, nor either did he want to. He was in no way a power-thirsting teenager. Parker was just doing his thing, and bam! Out of nowhere the god of the marvel universe decides to make Peter Parker a superhero better known as Spiderman.
How does that relate to God’s teachings? How about Psalm 147:6 “The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.” Peter Parker was pretty meek I’d say. And the bible teaches us to be meek, and be humble in life as well. Look at 1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” When Peter Parker became Spiderman didn’t he in a sense became “subject” to New York City? Didn’t he make himself unto the form of a servant? He battles the wicked and evil and all the while he has to hide his identity and still take crap from everybody around him (him and Spiderman, actually). I guess you can think of his superpowers as the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, in a sense.
Parker was given his superpowers, but he still had free will. He didn’t have to do anything with his powers. Or worse, he could have done evil with it. But he didn’t. We’re given the choice to become Christians, and some people chose to. Some people instead choose with their free will to do bad things. Speaking for those people who did choose to become Christians, it’s a big responsibility, isn’t it? We aren’t just defending New York City against evil. That would be too easy. Instead we’re called to proclaim the kingdom of God and live a life that would be glorifying to our Creator. That’s a lot harder than Spiderman’s job.
P.S.-Just because a good allegory can be drawn from the story of Spiderman, by no means does that mean Marvel Comics is justified in biblical terms. Sure, I do WISH Stan Lee was purposely and secretly trying to draw Christian analogies with his comics, but deep down…nah. I deem it unlikely.
Do you have an idea? Okay, let’s work backwards.
Peter Parker is a big time nerd in the Spiderman series. He studies hard, does his thing in school, and lives a relatively humble life with his aunt and uncle. He gets picked on in school often but he doesn’t retaliate. It can be argued whether or not IF he would have fought back, but that’s not the important point. So one day, Parker is doing his usual nerdy stuff—attending a science convention of sorts involving spiders (boring!). I’m sure he didn’t expect much from the shin-dig, but unbeknownst to him, he would proceed to get bitten by a radioactive spider and gains some sweet powers. Peter Parker didn’t expect to gain super powers, nor either did he want to. He was in no way a power-thirsting teenager. Parker was just doing his thing, and bam! Out of nowhere the god of the marvel universe decides to make Peter Parker a superhero better known as Spiderman.
How does that relate to God’s teachings? How about Psalm 147:6 “The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.” Peter Parker was pretty meek I’d say. And the bible teaches us to be meek, and be humble in life as well. Look at 1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” When Peter Parker became Spiderman didn’t he in a sense became “subject” to New York City? Didn’t he make himself unto the form of a servant? He battles the wicked and evil and all the while he has to hide his identity and still take crap from everybody around him (him and Spiderman, actually). I guess you can think of his superpowers as the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, in a sense.
Parker was given his superpowers, but he still had free will. He didn’t have to do anything with his powers. Or worse, he could have done evil with it. But he didn’t. We’re given the choice to become Christians, and some people chose to. Some people instead choose with their free will to do bad things. Speaking for those people who did choose to become Christians, it’s a big responsibility, isn’t it? We aren’t just defending New York City against evil. That would be too easy. Instead we’re called to proclaim the kingdom of God and live a life that would be glorifying to our Creator. That’s a lot harder than Spiderman’s job.
P.S.-Just because a good allegory can be drawn from the story of Spiderman, by no means does that mean Marvel Comics is justified in biblical terms. Sure, I do WISH Stan Lee was purposely and secretly trying to draw Christian analogies with his comics, but deep down…nah. I deem it unlikely.
Well, Stan Lee definitely knows what's up man.
But, there are definitely Marvel Comics that are not exactly glorifying to God. Haha. But i get your analogy man, cool.