Superman Returns (starring Brandon Routh)

The movie Superman Returns made me realize that popular superheroes are modeled after what we imagine God to be.

In Superman Returns, Superman hovers out in space listening to the everything at once until he detects someone is more distress than they can handle, at which points he swoops in to save the day. This is how many of us imagine God listening to our prayers: He waits until we need something really bad, then He swoops in just in time to save us. But this is a limited idea of God. It is true that God saves us from serious situations, but He is also involved in our everyday, mundane activities. Everything we do affects who we are in relation to God.

The character of Superman is similar to the character we superimpose on God. He super-strong compared to an average man. He is calm under pressure, on the verge of being emotionally distant though still caring. He’s handsome, almost gentle looking, but he can take a bullet to the eyeball without blinking.

Superman demonstrates his Christ-likeness toward the end of Superman Returns by sacrificing his life for humanity’s sake. He also rose from the dead (though probably to open the door for a sequel). Interestingly, he was also stabbed in the side with the one thing that could kill him after he was beat down by the same people he would have saved if given the chance. Of course, it was also raining, mixing blood with water.

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