Superman

[butterfoot]

There is no difference between a super hero's powers and harry potter's powers... except in regards to JK Rowlings fanciful escapist stories she uses the taboo word magic to describe them.

Maybe not a difference in powers but they way they use their powers is the difference in being a super hero and just some witch. (I know Harry Potter fans flame away). But tell me this How does Harry Potter use his powers to help the world.

Note : I have not and probably wont read Harry Potter.

SUPERHEROhenomenon in American comic culture - strangely popular mutants and freaks, usually wearing thights and some highly uncomfortable costumes. Occupation - saving the world and (pseudo)destroiyng other similar creatures.

 

[peepnklown]

Like others have said, it depends on the super hero... for instance superman has far more values that would be closer to the CHristian ideal than the punisher.

But, the Punisher gets the job done, while at times Superman’s so-called morals get in the way.

 

[Charlie V]

I don't recall anything in the Bible about, "Thou shalt not read comic books."

I'm a huge lifelong comics fan, one of the few that loves both DC and Marvel.

Jack Kirby Fantastic Fours, Steve Ditko Spider-mans.
Neal Adams Batmans, Curt Swan Supermans.

These are classics.

Charlie

 

[Charlie V]

But, the Punisher gets the job done, while at times Superman’s so-called morals get in the way.

I was a comic collector in the 1970s, when Punisher was a second-rate Spider-man villian. I always liked Mysterio better.

Charlie

PS Superman's morals never prevented him from getting the job done. Then again, these are fictional characters. The only person who can allow--or prevent--the bad guy from going to jail is the writer of the story.

 

[levi501]

Maybe not a difference in powers but they way they use their powers is the difference in being a super hero and just some witch. (I know Harry Potter fans flame away). But tell me this How does Harry Potter use his powers to help the world.

Harry absolutely uses his powers to help the world. He combats a strong murderous wizard that craves power and threatens all of society. He also defends the people that he loves(as superman does with lois) and fights the evil that killed his parents(same with batman).

Note : I have not and probably wont read Harry Potter.

probably help to learn about things before rendering an opinion on it.

I've read CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia also and I fail to see the difference between the two except Lewis's book overtly suggest that one of the fanciful creatures is actually christ. I guess Harry celebrating the xmas holidays and upholding social as well xian mores isn't enough for some. Perhaps if Rowling just had Dumbledore(head benevolent wizard/mentor to harry) declare himself jesus, it would put the stories on the same level of acceptance as Lewis's.

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

Harry absolutely uses his powers to help the world. He combats a strong murderous wizard that craves power and threatens all of society. He also defends the people that he loves(as superman does with lois) and fights the evil that killed his parents(same with batman).


probably help to learn about things before rendering an opinion on it.

I've read CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia also and I fail to see the difference between the two except Lewis's book overtly suggest that one of the fanciful creatures is actually christ. I guess Harry celebrating the xmas holidays and upholding social as well xian mores isn't enough for some. Perhaps if Rowling just had Dumbledore(head benevolent wizard/mentor to harry) declare himself jesus, it would put the stories on the same level of acceptance as Lewis's.

I have read the first book and am under the impression what Harry does only effects the "witch" world. Lots of people celebrate Christmas that are not celebrating Christ. Harry does magic which is not a Christian moral. With that said I don't see a difference other that Lewis was a Christian himself.

 

[Blackmarch]

But, the Punisher gets the job done, while at times Superman’s so-called morals get in the way.

LoL that is the drawback of morals no?


But if the punisher makes a mistake, then it will be very hard for him to fix it...

 

[Fuzzy]

I was a comic collector in the 1970s, when Punisher was a second-rate Spider-man villian. I always liked Mysterio better.

Funny you mentioned him. IIRC, Mysterio developed cancer from various chemicals he'd used over the years, and decided to go out with a "bang."
But, rather than fighting the guy who consistently beat him (Spider-Man), he decided to take down Daredevil and used Christian imagery, including the concept of the Anti-Christ, to do it. He didn't succeed.

 

[levi501]

I have read the first book and am under the impression what Harry does only effects the "witch" world. Lots of people celebrate Christmas that are not celebrating Christ. Harry does magic which is not a Christian moral. With that said I don't see a difference other that Lewis was a Christian himself.

You have the wrong impression then.
Because what the evil wizard does affects non-wizard society as well. He kills non-wizards indiscriminately also. It's to such a point that they notify the non-wizard prime miniter of his actions. This supreme evil is set on total power and domination.
And as far as "magic" not being a xian moral, it seems to me you're merely objecting to the term Rowling gives for powers. For instance, would calling supermans powers "magic" all of a sudden make his acts of protection and kindness unchristian?

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

Speaking of Superman I just watched Kill Bill Vol. 2. There is a speach in the movie about superheros and their alter-egos/identities and they talk about how Superman "wakes up" Superman and puts on his mask of Klark Kent. It went on to talk about how Klark Kent is what Superman feels about society. It was an interesting interchange.

 

[Fuzzy]

I have read the first book and am under the impression what Harry does only effects the "witch" world.

Having read all the books thus far, there are events in the "witch" world that do affect events in the "normal" world, in a similar line to the movie Men In Black - wierd things happen and people rationalize it away, or agents rationalize it for them. Also, Sirius Black's escape (the Prisoner of Azkaban) was made known to the general public as "an escaped murderer," and in Book 6, the British Prime Minister is regularly given information by the Ministry of Magic.

On the other hand, if what you meant was "Harry only does magic in the magical society," well, yeah, you've got it there.

 

[Charlie V]

YFor instance, would calling supermans powers "magic" all of a sudden make his acts of protection and kindness unchristian?

Of course not.

But technically, Superman's powers aren't magic. He's an alien life form, and his powers are scientific, based on Earth's gravity and the yellow sun.

He fights Mr. Mxyzptlk, whose powers are magic.

Batman had no powers but a keen mind and fighting skills.

Flash's powers were scientific, I'm not sure about Green Lantern or Wonder Woman.

Captain Marvel's powers are magic. (The original Captain Marvel created for Fawcett by CC Beck, more popularly known today as "Shazam" because DC owns the character but Marvel owns the right to the name "Captain Marvel.)

Then, off the top of my head, there's Zatanna and Zatarra whose powers are magic. Dr. Strange's powers are magic; he's even called the Sorcerer Supreme.

Most Marvel characters have scientific powers--either mutations (the X-Men,) gamma radiation (the Hulk,) cosmic rays (the Fantastic Four) or whatever that radioactive thing was that fell off a truck and gave Daredevil his powers.

Spider-man's powers aren't magic, being bitten by a radioactive spider, but I'm not so sure about his Aunt May, who has been in her 90s since 1962. I think she may be dead these days, but she may be alive. She's died at least a few times.

Silver Surfer's battles with Mephisto were pure good vs. pure evil.

Then there's Thor.. he opens a whole different can of worms. As does DC's New Gods.

Now, if you really want to question whether Christians can read comics, we can't forget to drop by Riverdale High. I mean, you have one unmarried teenager, Archie, who dates two woman simultaneously and another, Jughead, whose sexual preference is entirely questionable.

Even more frightening are the Satanic and ghostly references of Casper and Hot Stuff, to say nothing of the idolatry and greed in Richie Rich Dollars.

Charlie

PS I dare not mention the Vault of Horror, Crime Suspenstories or Tales From the Crypt!

There was a guy named Frederic Wertham back in the 1950s who, especially because of those comics, not only considered them not Christian, but pretty much did for comics what Senetor McCarthy did for communists.

 

[levi501]

oh ok... so if Rowling through in some scientific bs about mitichlorins in harry that would be his loophole out of the occult?

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

You have the wrong impression then.
Because what the evil wizard does affects non-wizard society as well. He kills non-wizards indiscriminately also. It's to such a point that they notify the non-wizard prime miniter of his actions. This supreme evil is set on total power and domination.
And as far as "magic" not being a xian moral, it seems to me you're merely objecting to the term Rowling gives for powers. For instance, would calling supermans powers "magic" all of a sudden make his acts of protection and kindness unchristian?

Supermans powers are genetic. He was born that way. Spiderman is the result of genetics. Yes. Magic is unChristian. That is why many Christian's have a problem with Harry Potter. I personally don't have issue with it. Fantasy is fantasy and my children will be explained the difference. I'm not going to go on about how Harry is representing Christian values though.

 

[Charlie V]

Supermans powers are genetic. He was born that way. Spiderman is the result of genetics.

No, no, no. Spider-man was bitten by a radioactive spider.

Superman's powers are an effect of the Earth's yellow sun on his Kryptonian physiology.

Yes. Magic is unChristian.

I don't think so. The magi were pretty positively represented in the Christ birth story.

Charlie

 

[levi501]

I'm not going to go on about how Harry is representing Christian values though.

just as I'm sure you wouldn't do with other fanciful heros.

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

No, no, no. Spider-man was bitten by a radioactive spider.

Superman's powers are an effect of the Earth's yellow sun on his Kryptonian physiology.

I don't think so. The magi were pretty positively represented in the Christ birth story.

Charlie

Spiderman's bite changed his DNA. Superman was affected by our sun. It's still genetics. That may be buy there have been many posts on magic and the Bible and where Christ stands an that. That still has nothing to do with literature.

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

just as I'm sure you wouldn't do with other fanciful heros.

Your right. Fantasy is fantasy.

 

[Charlie V]

Spiderman's bite changed his DNA. Superman was affected by our sun. It's still genetics.

Well, I suppose it depends on who's writing the story. I don't think they mentioned DNA in the early years of Spider-man.

There was even a period of time when Marvel proudly proclaimed on the cover of every Spider-man, "The non-mutant super hero!"

Ultimatly, I'm just having fun here. None of these characters are affected by the sun, or by radiation, or by genetics, or even by magic. These characters are fiction! They exist only as drawings and stories.

That's why I can't see them as non-Christian. I don't recall a single word in the Bible saying you can't read about fictional characters who do this or that.

Arguably, a statue of George Washington may be less Christian than Harry Potter or Superman. I recall a passage in the Bible that says not to create an image of anything on the Earth or under the Earth, but nothing about creating images of things that have never existed. Harry Potter and Superman never existed, so they fall in that catagory.

Charlie

PS. Okay, so I'm a wacky comic book purist. But I'll point it out anyway.
As a matter of convention, Spider-man is spelled with hyphen, Superman is spelled without a hyphen, and Batman is the same. Unless you're talking about the very early Batman from 1939, in which case he's The Bat Man.

 

[Fuzzy]

I'm not sure about Green Lantern or Wonder Woman.

GL is advanced alien technology (the ring) and willpower.

Wonder Woman was either a well trained and equipped human (Golden Age), or a being enhanced by Greek dieties, depending on the era.