Is Batman an example of Calvinist and/or Methodist worldview?

[Marcel_Prix]

Hey guys,
I have been reading and watching a few Batman graphic novels and films. Let's break it down as to why I think this way and you guys can challenge it or suggest other. Bare in mind I only have "notions" of Calvinism and Methodism and not completely understanding hence you guys might know more about this one than me. So feel free to chime in.

Batman: Batman is rich and successful and lives in the "suburbs' aka in a close off mansion away from the Big City. Batman seems like a right wing "Ayn Rand" hero who made himself a millionaire through his own efforts, even though he inherited from his family. Still it seems most films/novels do not stress the fact that Batman is a heir. Rather that he is wealthy and sucessful. We see that Batman is inherently Good. I would say he would be part of the Calvinist and Methodist "Elect." You can't help but think Batman is "gifted" with a high intelligence, athletic aptitude and a business sense.

Joker: In contrast, to Batman, Joker is "All Evil." The title of "Total Depravity" would fit him very well. He's evil, commits random violence and just hurts people. Even though some portrayals have tried to "Humanize" Joker. We can safely conclude that he is mostly evil and the only way to deal with him is to "lock him up" and or put him in a mental asylum. Only "black and white" harsh judgment can be used to punish the joker. There's no middle ground with Joker he's just a bad guy. He's part of the "Damned."

Gotham City: We see that Gotham is "Totally depraved" as well. Or like Martin Luther would say it's full of "Evil and Tentations." The city is filled with "filth." Unlike the countryside/suburbs where Batman lives which is quiet, full of nature, and peaceful. The City has all the evil and vices. First, street is filled with "decadent" people prostitutes, drug dealers, drug users, homeless, drunks, petty criminals. The city itself is very dirty, rotten food, cans, burned cigarettes on the streets and most people seem indifferent to it. Then there's widespread corruption where corrupt business men and police officers, judicial system all work in this system.

What do you guys think? For some reason reading and watching Batman just reminds me a lot of Calvinism, Methodism, Objectivism this "Right wing" philosophies/ways of looking at the world. Where there's Good people, Evil people and a society constantly in collapse.

 

[Brother-Mike]

In John Calvin’s dystopian short story “L'homme chauve-souris de Genève, cité du péché” (1562), everyone is a minion of Joker, Batman’s the righteousness of God out to punish all, and only through an act of his mercy does he forgive some. Only Batman sees the whole picture of what a restored Gotham would look like, and it’s with this vision in mind that he chooses some over others based on his knowledge of their future roles in the clean-up.

Something roughly like that

 

[Tuur]

Batman is a rich man with issues. The Joker is a man desperate to prove himself crazy and that anyone can be crazy in order to absolve himself of his actions. Gotham is just a standard big city.

 

[eleos1954]

Hey guys,
I have been reading and watching a few Batman graphic novels and films. Let's break it down as to why I think this way and you guys can challenge it or suggest other. Bare in mind I only have "notions" of Calvinism and Methodism and not completely understanding hence you guys might know more about this one than me. So feel free to chime in.

Batman: Batman is rich and successful and lives in the "suburbs' aka in a close off mansion away from the Big City. Batman seems like a right wing "Ayn Rand" hero who made himself a millionaire through his own efforts, even though he inherited from his family. Still it seems most films/novels do not stress the fact that Batman is a heir. Rather that he is wealthy and sucessful. We see that Batman is inherently Good. I would say he would be part of the Calvinist and Methodist "Elect." You can't help but think Batman is "gifted" with a high intelligence, athletic aptitude and a business sense.

Joker: In contrast, to Batman, Joker is "All Evil." The title of "Total Depravity" would fit him very well. He's evil, commits random violence and just hurts people. Even though some portrayals have tried to "Humanize" Joker. We can safely conclude that he is mostly evil and the only way to deal with him is to "lock him up" and or put him in a mental asylum. Only "black and white" harsh judgment can be used to punish the joker. There's no middle ground with Joker he's just a bad guy. He's part of the "Damned."

Gotham City: We see that Gotham is "Totally depraved" as well. Or like Martin Luther would say it's full of "Evil and Tentations." The city is filled with "filth." Unlike the countryside/suburbs where Batman lives which is quiet, full of nature, and peaceful. The City has all the evil and vices. First, street is filled with "decadent" people prostitutes, drug dealers, drug users, homeless, drunks, petty criminals. The city itself is very dirty, rotten food, cans, burned cigarettes on the streets and most people seem indifferent to it. Then there's widespread corruption where corrupt business men and police officers, judicial system all work in this system.

What do you guys think? For some reason reading and watching Batman just reminds me a lot of Calvinism, Methodism, Objectivism this "Right wing" philosophies/ways of looking at the world. Where there's Good people, Evil people and a society constantly in collapse.

It's a false narrative overall .... violence used to overpower violence ..... wrong hero, wrong way to go about it .... it's the same thing that we keep doing in the world.

 

[Blade]

Yeah violence and murder, stealing and Batman is right in the mist of all that. The shows have nothing what so ever to do with Christ about Christ. Has no life in it. Does not point to Christ in any way. Say yeah not something I should be watching.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Hey guys,
I have been reading and watching a few Batman graphic novels and films. Let's break it down as to why I think this way and you guys can challenge it or suggest other. Bare in mind I only have "notions" of Calvinism and Methodism and not completely understanding hence you guys might know more about this one than me. So feel free to chime in.

Batman: Batman is rich and successful and lives in the "suburbs' aka in a close off mansion away from the Big City. Batman seems like a right wing "Ayn Rand" hero who made himself a millionaire through his own efforts, even though he inherited from his family. Still it seems most films/novels do not stress the fact that Batman is a heir. Rather that he is wealthy and sucessful. We see that Batman is inherently Good. I would say he would be part of the Calvinist and Methodist "Elect." You can't help but think Batman is "gifted" with a high intelligence, athletic aptitude and a business sense.

Joker: In contrast, to Batman, Joker is "All Evil." The title of "Total Depravity" would fit him very well. He's evil, commits random violence and just hurts people. Even though some portrayals have tried to "Humanize" Joker. We can safely conclude that he is mostly evil and the only way to deal with him is to "lock him up" and or put him in a mental asylum. Only "black and white" harsh judgment can be used to punish the joker. There's no middle ground with Joker he's just a bad guy. He's part of the "Damned."

Gotham City: We see that Gotham is "Totally depraved" as well. Or like Martin Luther would say it's full of "Evil and Tentations." The city is filled with "filth." Unlike the countryside/suburbs where Batman lives which is quiet, full of nature, and peaceful. The City has all the evil and vices. First, street is filled with "decadent" people prostitutes, drug dealers, drug users, homeless, drunks, petty criminals. The city itself is very dirty, rotten food, cans, burned cigarettes on the streets and most people seem indifferent to it. Then there's widespread corruption where corrupt business men and police officers, judicial system all work in this system.

What do you guys think? For some reason reading and watching Batman just reminds me a lot of Calvinism, Methodism, Objectivism this "Right wing" philosophies/ways of looking at the world. Where there's Good people, Evil people and a society constantly in collapse.

Everyone, including the Elect, are Totally Depraved, unless and until God regenerates them. Furthermore, not all the Elect display as so different, even after Regeneration (I guess that's what you mean by successful and wealthy —not necessarily in actual recognizable deeds and virtues.

 

[J_B_]

It's easy to read into a story what you want to see in it. I could probably make Batman look like a good Catholic, a good Hindu, take your pick. I would say Batman is typical of superheroes, and in that sense fits right in with the American monomyth.

 

[TruthInLight]

Batman falls under idol worship and the worshipping of "other gods". The people writing the stories of Batman and other comic book characters have an influence in the Anti-Christ agenda.