This is an awesome Guest Post by Kari Scare from Struggle to Victory.
Kari focuses on encouraging small changes that over time add up to make a huge difference. Because focus determines reality, Struggle to Victory consistently applies biblical principles to everyday life in an effort to help readers focus their lives on the truth of Scripture. Kari lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons. Her passions include reading books, magazines and blogs, pursuing a healthy lifestyle through exercise and diet, spending time with her family, and of course, writing. You can also reach Kari on Twitter @KariScare.
Kari focuses on encouraging small changes that over time add up to make a huge difference. Because focus determines reality, Struggle to Victory consistently applies biblical principles to everyday life in an effort to help readers focus their lives on the truth of Scripture. Kari lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons. Her passions include reading books, magazines and blogs, pursuing a healthy lifestyle through exercise and diet, spending time with her family, and of course, writing. You can also reach Kari on Twitter @KariScare.
Thanks, Kari for taking the time to share this important message with us.
The Reality of Superheroes
“What if?”
My
boys, like many teenage boys, like watching superhero movies. They’re
past the age of cape-wearing and “flying” through the house activity,
most of the time anyway, but they still enjoy discussing “What if…”
scenarios based the movies.
“What if you could choose any super power. What would it be?” (I have to pick just one?)
“What
if you could BE a superhero. Who would you be?” (Jedi Elf… Not
technically a superhero, but that’s my answer. Just think about it for a
minute…)
“What if mutants or super-soldiers were possible?” (Foe or friend? Definitely friend.)
You
get the idea. For the most part, these discussions provide fun bonding
time, a less-frequent activity as my boys get older and busier. They
serve to stimulate the imagination too, not just for my boys but also
for me as a writer.
But
these discussions are just fun and pretend, right? After all,
superpowers, mutants and super soldiers along with much of the
technology and science in these movies aren’t real, are they?
To answer these questions, consider what Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is currently working on:
“Do
you want a soldier that can run faster than Usain Bolt? Do you want a
soldier that won’t need food or sleep for days? Do you want a soldier
that can regrow lost limbs? Do you want a soldier that can outlift
Olympic weightlifters and that can communicate telepathically? Americans
flock to movies about superheroes and mutants, and soon they may
actually have real life “superheroes” and “mutants” fighting their wars
for them.”
That’s
right. What you see in movies like X-Men, Captain America, Avengers,
Spiderman and the Bourne Series actually exemplifies not only what’s
possible, but what IS HAPPENING already!
Christians and Superheroes
As
Christians, we need to know that the movies our kids - or at the very
least their friends - are watching indicate more of our, and especially
their, future than we might like to admit. Even more so, we need to be
ready to talk about the morality issues these movies bring up in a way
that reflects God’s truth.
“But
in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Christians need to know what the Bible says about the issues — issues such as power (Jeremiah 10:12 & 1 Corinthians 15:55-57) and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53-54 & 1 Timothy 6:16)
— portrayed in these movies. And, we need to be prepared to talk with
today’s youth about the reality that science plans to create for them.
You see, they’ll need that wisdom because superhero movies are a bit more realistic than we care to admit. They’ll need it if what futurist Ray Kurzeil, world-renown scientist, says is possible within the next 20 years actually happens.
“I
and many other scientists now believe that in around 20 years we will
have the means to reprogramme our bodies’ stone-age software so we can
halt, then reverse, aging,” he writes in The Sun. “Then nanotechnology
will let us live for ever. Ultimately, nanobots will replace blood cells
and do their work thousands of times more effectively.”
That’s right, he’s talking immortality. He’s saying that scientists are working on technology that allows them to play God.
The
superhero world we see in movies likely depicts what our children’s and
grandchildren’s world will look like more than we realize. And our job
as parents and grandparents is to equip them to live a Godly life in a
corrupt world and at
“…bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)
Superheroes and Faith
I
enjoy watching superhero movies with my boys. Sure, we get a little
crazy with our imaginations at times, but we also get into discussions
on spiritual matters such as whether or not messing with our mortality
is a good idea, and we talk about what Scripture says about these topics
too.
So bring on Captain America: The Winter Solider, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Amazing Spiderman 2 and X-Men (all
new movies in 2014). Bring on watching DVDs of superhero movies with my
boys over and over and over… because not only do I get to spend time
with my teenage boys, I get to be a part of the Holy Spirit using what
peaks their interest to increase their wisdom and draw them closer to
God. And at the same time, my faith and wisdom increase too.
DISCUSSION: How should Christians discuss what’s happening in science and technology with each other and with our kids?
