Superman. Superstar. The Yearning For A Savior

Undated (Probably 1979)
Lakeland
Naples

Superman. Superstar. The Yearning For A Savior

As the Christian Easter season approaches, Christians will be reminded with song, sermon, scripture, pageant, and ancient rituals that humankind cannot save itself. Because God assumed the human form of Jesus, the believer is assured that Jesus, who is God, paid the penalty of Adam’s original sin, which all human creatures inherited and carry the inherited trait. Then, because of Jesus’ resurrection, there was triumph over the grave. According to Christian theology, these miracles are impossible for humans to accomplish. A supernatural savior was needed. Jesus is a superstar savior.

Do men and women need a supernatural savior? Is our human condition so corrupt that we cannot save ourselves? Not only would millions of Christian believers assure us that we do [need a savior], but Hollywood seems to be pushing the same message in bizarre forms.

A few weeks ago I saw the movie, Superman. Supposedly one of the two or three most expensive movies ever made, there are spectacular photographic effects, the story is episodic and choppy, the ending is a sure lead-in to a sequel, which will probably be titled Superman II – but without too much stretching, that sequel might be called “Jesus Christ Comes Again” or “The Second Coming of Christ.”

Viewing the movie, I was fascinated by the use of Christian salvation concepts only slightly disguised. (Quotes come from Sojourners, March 1979). In the beginning, the planet Krypton is nearing its end. Superman is a baby and his parents wrap him in swaddling clothes of red, white, and blue. His father Jar-El played by Marlon Brando is a distinguished [-looking] enough to look like a deity (El is one of the Hebrew words for God). [He] sends Superman to Earth in an amazing capsule (cradle) [CJW note: star-shaped manger] with the words, “all that I have, I bequeath to you, my son. You’ll carry me inside you all your life. You will see my life through yours and yours through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father, the son. [CJW note: not a bad paraphrase of the Council of Nicea]

Superman arrives on Earth, [and] is found and raised by a farm family. His super-powers unknown, [CJW note: except to his earthly father and mother] except on a couple occasions when he outraces a railroad train and kicks a football out of sight.

About the age of 18 he goes through experiences which combines a likeness to Jesus in the temple, the baptismal experience and the sojourn in the wilderness. He spends 12 years of study in a magic ice temple and then at the age of 30 [CJW note: corresponds to silent years of Jesus], his father Jar-El, who miraculously materializes, prepares his son for his mission on earth, saying “they only need the light to show them the way. For this reason, I have sent you, my only son.”

From there on, Superman becomes the comic-book character winning over despicable, powerful villains and thieves, Superman says he has come to earth to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. [CJW note: neat combination of Jewish prophecy and the American dream]

At the end of the picture, Superman changes the course of history. The Christian believer would testify that Jesus changed the course of history saving humanity from the hell from which [it] could not save itself. Superman raises Lois Lane from the dead by reversing time, thus enabling him to resurrect her from the dead, even as Jesus raised Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus from the dead, according to the Christian gospels.

And although Superman seems romantically attracted to Lois Lane, and she to him, he seems to lead a celibate life. This is his choice, not hers. Again, seemingly a pointed parallel with the life of Jesus.

Is Superman touching on a need that most people have for a Savior who has powers beyond the powers of this world? Do we yearn for a savior? There seem to be other examples in the world of entertainment – the T.V., the comics, as well as in the movies.

For example, the Bionic Woman, the 6 Million Dollar Man, the Hulk, the Phantom, all save people from themselves by powers not given to us ordinary humans. All these seem to resonate with ancient and continuing hungers within us that long for miracles to solve problems and heal ills which we cannot do for ourselves.

Much of religious lore, myth, ritual in many cultures reflect this: the location for miracles at Lourdes and St. Anne Beaupre, the powers of voodoo possessed by African and Haitian doctors, the hand of God in Egypt enabling the Children of Israel to escape from Pharaoh and his soldiers, the many cultures which have Gods siring human children – one could go on.

Much of this yearning for a savior is born in the nature of human experience. Always there have been tragedies and ills which defy explanation, personal and in society. So many have known the numbing impact of personal failure (e.g., disillusion with behavior of persons who had been trusted), discouraging events, frustration, death of hope, devastation of war, social conflict, ... physical world – tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, killing thousands somewhere in the world almost every year.

So many persons in all times have not received a fair share of liberty, rights, justice, food, shelter, care on this earth. Look anywhere – this has always been true. One can understand the dream of a heaven where there is reward, compensation, bliss. There are millions, living and dead, who like the Psalmist have prayed in their agony, “out of the depths have I cried out to Thee, O God.”

But for good or ill, there are those of us who see “salvation” or better, wholeness, improvement, justice, as a task for us in this world, in spite of limits on our power, knowledge, and strength. Think of the concluding verses in the collection of sayings attributed to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7 – 24/26):

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand....”

[CJW notes: each built his house. God did not build – nor prevent rains and floods. The ... & resp was human... it would be true no matter who said it]

This has truth not because Jesus said it but because it is true in human experience. The way we build, the way we live, has more to do with the qualities and gratifications of this mystery of life than Superman or Jesus Christ Superstar.

One of the historic statements of Unitarians is “salvation by character.” Character is what we are and what we do. John Murray Atwood used to tell the story (from a Quaker source) about the little boy who was smeared with dirt as he happily made mud-pies. A lady said to him, “come with me and we will wash you up and tell you how to get to be an angel in heaven.” The little boy answered, “I don’t want to be an angel in heaven, I want to be an angel here in the mud.”

Regardless of what may await us in worlds beyond our experience, character involves what we are and what we do in this world. The English educator L.P. Jacks once asked, “What should we know of goodness if we only heard it talked about and never seen a good man or a good woman?”

One thing more about Hollywood and comic book saviors. With all their super-powers, they do not seem to address or suggest solutions to the big problems. They do well with devilishly clever thieves, con-men, and perpetrators of individual crimes. But if I lived near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I might be tempted to shout, “Superman, where are you, now that we need you!”

A supernatural savior won’t save us from nuclear power failures. The remedy resides in our acquiring the consciousness that with radiation technology we may be like unto the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. We turned something on that we can’t turn off. There could well be more such failures and the cure is not going to come from outer space and the planet Krypton. If we are willing to trade-off such danger, and possibly, devastation, in order to satisfy our needs for energy fuel, then let’s say so. But if not, let’s not listen only to the nuclear industry but concerned scientists. [CJW notes: Pres – “stable + improv.” Today – possibility of “explosion – wider ... actuation....]

This is one of many issues where it will be difficult to target an individual sinner for key social problems. I wonder how many of the 22,000 employees of the Department of Energy with its $10-$12 billion budget know whether the citizenry just want energy or whether we want safe energy. [CJW note: We probably don’t know ourselves. But high time we asked, “what are the tradeoffs?”]

That is of course just one issue – possibility of war will be stronger if we fail to reach an arms limitation with the Soviet Union. On and on.

Do we need a Savior? Yes, but the only one I see or understand combines us all in a saving process, an effort to be informed, to focus on human values, and to never permit our decision-makers to forget what we want for this family of humankind to be and to become. William James once wrote, “habit is the great flywheel of our social life.”

I cherish the hope that I and others will make a habit of advocacy of human values wherever and whenever we can.