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Superheroes are idols of the world today?

Posted by Montos on March 1, 2011 at 5:47am in FAITH AND CREATIVITY

Could we think of superheroes as an extension of the human idolatry?

If so, Can I make a living of drawing such new idols for the mainstream and feed this way thousands of idolatric minds? Note that I am not giving this as a fact, I just want to hear your opinions about.

Actually, It has to be with an inner struggle...

 

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Replies

  • Steve Crespo July 19, 2012 at 5:52am

       ANYTHING can become an idol.

       Because millions hold Hollywood actors as idols should not keep a Christian from becoming a Hollywood actor.

       Because millions hold musicians as idols should not keep a Christian from becoming a musician.

       Because millions hold wealth as an idol should not keep a Christian from amassing wealth.

       Similarly, because there are some (I cannot believe there are millions) who hold super-heroes as idols should not keep a Christian from creating super-heroes.

       It is the content of one's character, both personal and fictional, that makes all the difference. 

  • Jolene Skvarek July 18, 2012 at 6:37am

    Do you hold them above Christ? If the answer is yes it an Idol.

  • Fermin Gerardo Vega Boyce October 27, 2011 at 3:32am
    Surely you have a great point there, sometimes we pass over the fact that eventually the problem it´s not the tool but the way and the purpose for what we use.

    blessings for all.
  • Andrew Bravo March 13, 2011 at 9:14am

    Agree with the aobve... and add this...

     

    If your superhero displays a narrative that helps others see God more clearly... then the more they love the narrative the more indirectly they are caring about God.

    As for worshiping the messanger rather than God... I think that's an individual struggle, it's like gluttony... you can't say food is bad because it can lead to gluttony. Rather the misuse of it is. The best we can do is be and give examples of who God is. And hope that others learn from it.

    I never said it would be easy... but I'm telling you its worth it.

     

    Sincerely,

     

    Andrew Bravo

  • Kendall Uwaibi March 4, 2011 at 6:32pm

    Lee,

     

    I pray that you became a Daniel in the comicbook industry- that you committed your life (like you already have) to serving God continually. Remember, our bodies is our reasonable sacrifice -not just physical, but philosophical and mental lives. There is no aspect of living life Jeshua doesn't want to be part of. He wants it all. 

     

    Love you bro,

    Be strong

  • Fermin Gerardo Vega Boyce March 4, 2011 at 10:15am
    I really like this topic, because as an artist i should say that i´ve seen myself in the same struggle. I think Lee´s explanation was clever enough, though everybody here has his point, i just want to add, that as long as an artist worked for non-christian writers, with non-christian publisher, about non-christian scripts, he/she is attached to slide off from the christian purposes, or to create a situation like giving a new idol to the readers. Then, it comes to be a matter of choice about what cripts are harmful or not.
  • Montos March 4, 2011 at 5:58am

    I think I agree with Lee in all he has said (Actually, with all the replies above...).
    Lee Weeks said:

    Idolatry is loving/revering something above God -- anything.  It is spiritually equivalent to what adultery is in the natural.  Even Christian things can be (and are) made into idols.  A Christian song or artist -- a building -- a particular teacher -- a ritual -- even the bible itself -- all these things (and more) can be elevated to the status of idol.  It's more about where our hearts are. 

     

    However, some things lend themselves more to being idols as they are designed in a way that invites idolatry -- like certain fictional characters.  And certainly there's a lot of invitation to idolatry found in all forms of entertainment in our culture today -- including comics.  I've a feeling that most of us are not as sensitive to it as we could be, simply because we are so barraged by it day after day that our sensitivities become dulled. 

     

    The last decade has been filled with challenges regarding my working in mainstream comics.  There are many things I used to be willing to draw that I simply cannot (and joyfully refuse to) draw anymore.  It's not always a super clear decision (they are secular comics, after all).  The industry has become so much darker than it used to be -- a continuous progression from earlier, less corrupt times.  I've said 'no' to many jobs (one just this week). 

     

    I have said for a half dozen years that I am ready to move on, but I believe God has me where He wants me and will show me clearly if and when it's time to do the next thing.  Besides, I've had opportunity to share the gospel with many people in the business -- and I always pray for open doors to share when I go to conventions. After dropping out of the convention world altogether the first several years of my walk with Jesus, He led me to return a few years ago.  To make it clear it was His leading, the Lord -- within the first twenty minutes of sitting down -- sent a non-practicing, yet very knowledgeable Jewish man to my table who wanted to discuss religion (my church home for the last seven years has been a Messianic congregation that explores the Jewish roots of the Christian faith).  There was a steady line for the next ninety minutes that heard almost exclusively how Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies in the Tanakh (OT).

     

    If God is calling me to something else, but I resist going because I love my job and don't want to give it up, then my job has become the idol.  I think we have to be always willing for God to show us that the motives of our heart are not exactly where they should or need to be.  Is what I'm pursuing -- even that which is in the name of God -- His idea or mine?  And if my idea, is the choice to pursue it coming at the expense of doing what God is really calling me to do?

     

    I need God to periodically (continually?) show me the true motives of my heart.

     

    In Messiah,

     

    Lee

     

     

  • Lee Weeks March 3, 2011 at 10:47am

    Idolatry is loving/revering something above God -- anything.  It is spiritually equivalent to what adultery is in the natural.  Even Christian things can be (and are) made into idols.  A Christian song or artist -- a building -- a particular teacher -- a ritual -- even the bible itself -- all these things (and more) can be elevated to the status of idol.  It's more about where our hearts are. 

     

    However, some things lend themselves more to being idols as they are designed in a way that invites idolatry -- like certain fictional characters.  And certainly there's a lot of invitation to idolatry found in all forms of entertainment in our culture today -- including comics.  I've a feeling that most of us are not as sensitive to it as we could be, simply because we are so barraged by it day after day that our sensitivities become dulled. 

     

    The last decade has been filled with challenges regarding my working in mainstream comics.  There are many things I used to be willing to draw that I simply cannot (and joyfully refuse to) draw anymore.  It's not always a super clear decision (they are secular comics, after all).  The industry has become so much darker than it used to be -- a continuous progression from earlier, less corrupt times.  I've said 'no' to many jobs (one just this week). 

     

    I have said for a half dozen years that I am ready to move on, but I believe God has me where He wants me and will show me clearly if and when it's time to do the next thing.  Besides, I've had opportunity to share the gospel with many people in the business -- and I always pray for open doors to share when I go to conventions. After dropping out of the convention world altogether the first several years of my walk with Jesus, He led me to return a few years ago.  To make it clear it was His leading, the Lord -- within the first twenty minutes of sitting down -- sent a non-practicing, yet very knowledgeable Jewish man to my table who wanted to discuss religion (my church home for the last seven years has been a Messianic congregation that explores the Jewish roots of the Christian faith).  There was a steady line for the next ninety minutes that heard almost exclusively how Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies in the Tanakh (OT).

     

    If God is calling me to something else, but I resist going because I love my job and don't want to give it up, then my job has become the idol.  I think we have to be always willing for God to show us that the motives of our heart are not exactly where they should or need to be.  Is what I'm pursuing -- even that which is in the name of God -- His idea or mine?  And if my idea, is the choice to pursue it coming at the expense of doing what God is really calling me to do?

     

    I need God to periodically (continually?) show me the true motives of my heart.

     

    In Messiah,

     

    Lee

     

     

  • Montos March 3, 2011 at 5:01am

    I would like to hear it too.

    The thing is how can I work on these secular comics of the mainstream when mostly of their stories  represents morals values or principles directly against God´s?

    Violence and sensuality, for example.

    I mean, shall I be drawing Spawn, wich is a demon preaching violence and spiritual relativity?

    Shall I be drawing Vampirella, Witchblade, or Aphrodite when in 24 pages in the book they are always showing off their butt or her breast to the reader?

    And the list just goes on and on...

     



    Kendall Uwaibi said:

    I think Superheroes idolatry deals with more of the content within the pages whether than the characters themselves. As christians, the content of our books should glorifying God. Although comic books are a visual medium, the content (words) are essential in driving home the message and imagery. As for the mainstream, I would love to hear someone opinion whom is a christian but works on secular comicbooks.

  • Kendall Uwaibi March 2, 2011 at 4:05pm

    I think Superheroes idolatry deals with more of the content within the pages whether than the characters themselves. As christians, the content of our books should glorifying God. Although comic books are a visual medium, the content (words) are essential in driving home the message and imagery. As for the mainstream, I would love to hear someone opinion whom is a christian but works on secular comicbooks.

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