These days, special interest groups are ready and willing to co-opt just about anything as long as it furthers their agenda. Take pop culture and religion. Ever since The Passion, clergy everywhere have been ready to give Hollywood a warm embrace… whether it's warranted or not.
The latest thing pastors are pushing to take as their own is Superman. Religious clergy everywhere are labeling Superman as a Christ figure, and are no doubt already planning Superman Returns based sermons, probably much like the Aslan themed crowd pleasers performed from pulpits in concert with The Chronicles of Narnia.
Author Steve Skelton, who wrote a book comparing Superman to Jesus (and is thus obviously unbiased) told the Associated Press: "It is so on the nose that anyone who has not caught on that Superman is a Christ figure, you think, 'Who else could it be referring to?"
Everyone wants to use Superman to push their own agenda. A few weeks ago it was gay groups claiming him as their own, now it's the god-pushers. "The allusion to Jesus Christ could hardly be accidental," claims one Christian blogger. "Is this a new Superman for the new Evangelist red state America? Superman as Jesus?" asks another. Think Christian says: "'Sent them my only son?' It’s the voiceover narration from the Superman movie trailer. There are some obvious points at which it doesn’t quite mesh with a Christian message, but that last sentence is about as subtle as a brick."
There's no denying that much of our literature and culture has been massively influenced by religion, and Christianity in specific. America was founded by those wacky religious nut jobs the Puritans after all. But if you want to learn about God, I'd recommend the Bible. What, that's not good enough to get people out of bed on a Sunday? Then your religion may be in trouble. What Christianity really needs is a Christ figure in the NFL. That might do the trick.
But if you buy a ticket expecting to have a relaxing day at the movies watching Superman Returns, don't be surprised if you're jumped by an overzealous Jesus promoter with a fistful of pamphlets. Tom Gilson of Thinking Christian advises: "it could certainly open doors to conversation; so I'm hoping Christians will see this fictional tale as a springboard to telling the true story of Jesus Christ. I'm hoping the movie is conducive to that."
As a role model for kids, Superman is a good one. Trust, justice, and all that stuff. But does he really belong mixed in with the actual teaching of the word of God? It would be ironic to see Superman used in right-wing extremist churches to soft-sell Christianity, in light of the fact that his Return is helmed by an openly homosexual (and also completely brilliant) director. Actually, that would be hilarious. At first I was irritated by the idea of it, now it seems wonderfully insidious. Alright, I'm all for it. Let's have Superman Returns sermons. Go on, steal a pop culture icon as a way to get people worshiping your deity, whoever he or she is. Just remember where your brightly colored Christ-figure's latest movie came from when you're out screaming for a useless amendment to ban gay marriage.
Is Jesus nothing more than Superman for adults? Apparently some Christians are ready to say yes.
