Superman & Salvation

This brings up some very interesting grist for the spiritual/theological mill. Lets put aside for the moment the question of whether or not this is true. I want to reflect on the way this imagery had a kind of existential power within the context of the story as reported. The comic book spoken of is, I believe, Grant Morrison's brilliant ALL-STAR SUPERMAN. In it Morrison explored, perhaps better than any other writer, the way in which Christian messianism has influenced the Superman mythos.

I have written about this numerous times. Here is just one example: http://ljtsg.blogspot.com/2013/04/not-really-off-topic-supermane.html
 I have long believed that comic books and related media express an unconscious desire and or awareness of spiritual realities, that are sublimated in the modern world. Apocalypticism dominates our movies and our television. The idea that we are subject to vast and powerful spiritual forces that require even more powerful spiritual forces if they are to be overcome just permeates everything we watch and read. It is everywhere. The idea that we need something greater than ourselves to believe in us is equally gaining strength thematically. I do not believe this is incidental. I think it speaks to the human condition and the needs of the human heart in the here and now.

This article reminded me of this great scene in the movie SUPERMAN VS THE ELITE (animated), where Superman tells Lois that in order to show the world that there is a 'better way', he is willing to die, proving that there is something truly great out there that loves humanity so much it is willing to die for them. Who can deny that this kind of thinking is only popular because of the Christian spirit that still animates even secular western culture. The world cannot escape Christ even when it tries. Push Him down one place He pops us somewhere else.

I want to suggest to you that, in some strange way, this person was being touched by that spirit. Filtered, yes, unformed, yes, and unrecognized. But this feeling, this experience of salvation that this person could conceivably experience through this character is to me a 'pointing' to the reality that underlies the myth. Mythos is the human reaching out to the divine, I believe Christ is the divine's 'reaching back' and revealing what we have dimly perceived. That continues to happen today. What if this isn't purely fiction, what if no fiction is purely false, but contains within it a deeper truth that can only be apprehended through imaginative language. What if Jesus is God's saying to us, "yes, you can believe."?