PASTOR, AUTHOR CAST NEW LIGHT ON 'DARK KNIGHT'
The gospel according to superheroes
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
Date published: 7/18/2008
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
Billionaire Bruce Wayne drives fast cars, dates sexy women--sometimes in multiples--and spends money lavishly.
At night, his alter ego Batman battles evil in violent fights.
"God digs Batman," said the Rev. Jarvis Bailey of RealLife Community Church in Stafford County. "He continues to do the right thing in spite of the fact that he has issues. He keeps falling short, but he does keep trying."
Batman has returned to theaters in "The Dark Knight," a sequel to "Batman Begins." Some say this superhero film, already slated to be a blockbuster, portrays a darker Batman than the public usually sees.
But that doesn't contradict the caped crusader's original concept, said Ed Sanderson, manager of Old Town Comics on Sophia Street in Fredericksburg.
When Batman debuted in Detective Comics in 1939, he was a dark character who sometimes killed his enemies, Sanderson said. Batman lightened up around the '60s with the appearance of the campy TV show.
In the 80's, comic book writer Frank Miller introduced the Dark Knight, a line of Batman comics which portrayed a brooding, darker hero.
"To aspire to greatness, you have to aspire to the depths of despair," Sanderson said.
Batman's grim nature provides a truer character, Bailey said. Unlike the squeaky clean Superman, whose alter ego seemed to always do the right thing, Batman wrestled with morality.
"Most people are more like Batman than Superman," Bailey said. "Most people want to do good, they want to help their neighbor, but they struggle with stuff."
Batman, and the other superheroes showing up in movie theaters this summer, offer audiences many thrills, a few laughs and a great deal of entertainment. But they also provide something many might not even notice--spiritual insights.
| We all need supporting characters.
All superheroes try to save the world. They just don't do it alone. Iron Man has Pepper Potts. Spider Man has Aunt May and Mary Jane. Batman has Alfred the Butler and Lucius Fox.
That's the most important lesson of "The Hulk," said Ed Sanderson, manager of Old Town Comics in Fredericksburg. Bruce Banner becomes a giant, angry green monster when stressed but learns to control his monster with help from friends.
"What every one of us is afraid of is losing control," Sanderson said. "Whether we turn green or not, stress hits us all, and what systems we put into place to overcome stress make a difference."
|
| We can be in the world but not of the world.
Superheroes offer a compelling example of the New Testament command to be in the world but not of it, said Greg Garrett, author of "Holy Superheroes!"
Their costumes, bat suits, red capes, full-body armor and more obviously set superheroes apart from most people, Garrett said. But so do their actions, which "fly in the face of American individualism." And regular people can take the same actions without dressing up.
"You don't have to run around in a bat suit to be a hero. There are plenty of unassuming people who check your groceries or who bake cookies for you who are trying to live a good life and do good, who do this in regular clothes."
|
| There are two steps to becoming a superhero.
Step One: Realizing you want to live outside yourself. Peter Parker one day wants to use his Spider Sense for something other than making money as a wrestler. Tony Stark (Ironman) sees his wealth isn't making him happy. Batman looks for vengeance, only to find an entire city in need of rescue. "In every heroic life, there's a moment of realization that we're meant for something more," said Garrett.
Step Two: Looking around and seeing what you can do. For a superhero, that could be solving crimes, saving lives. For the rest of us, it's not so dramatic.
Garrett, who also teaches English at Baylor University, just received a letter from a student he encouraged 16 years ago.
"You'd be amazed at how small kindnesses multiply," he said.
|
| The greatest super powers? Compassion, endurance.
An alien who flies, a billionaire who dresses like a bat, a photojournalist with spider powers--these stories don't come close to reality, Sanderson said. But they teach us how to treat each other.
"Each one of has the capability to be good, to do good, to inspire good, and if we don't attempt to, we're cowards," he said.
Superheroes sacrifice to help others, Garrett said. They show a love for their neighbor, part of all major religions. "And what these films show is that you have to be a good guy every day. You don't just defeat temptation, defeat evil and then just sit around all day."
|
| We all need balance.
Sometimes, what you don't see is more important that what you do see.
And balance doesn't appear in many superhero movies. Few superheroes settle down and have a family. Most say that's simply a matter of storytelling. A happily married superhero changing diapers doesn't make a good story.
"Being a superhero is synonymous with caring for someone else, doing your best for someone else," Sanderson said. "Can you do that and be happy and whole? Yes, absolutely."
But Garrett, who is also a lay minister with the Episcopal Church in Texas, said serving others and raising a family can be tricky. "It's always hard to find a balance," he said. "But a healthy life requires a balance."
|
|
Date published: 7/18/2008
|
