The Pool Party

The Pool Party
Jim, Megan, Eli, Esther, Eden and Olive

11 August 2008

Jesus' Popularity

So Megan and I went to see The Dark Knight this past Saturday night. It was Megan's idea. I thought it was pretty good, though I was a little underwhelmed. I actually thought Batman Begins was darker. Anyway, as I left the movie I got to thinking about how we like our heroes to be complicated. Superman, Spiderman, Batman - all have come to have these complicated sides. A darker side. It makes them seem more human, perhaps, more accessible. We even like this in our Presidents and other leading figures. Not too much, of course, but enough to make them seem not fundamentally different from us.

It makes me wonder about Jesus. Maybe this is why Jesus is unpopular with some people. He isn't particularly complicated. He doesn't ever have a dark side. With Jesus, what you see is what you get. I happen to see this as refreshing. And I think it is what many people long for, even if they hope to bring down their (other) heroes with a more complicated character.

2 comments:

ferndalekimballs said...

I wonder if some people are waiting for the other shoe to drop as well. Maybe they assume Jesus has a dark side, but doesn't show it until you get close. Just additional food for thought.

Jim said...

I think this is a good thought. I bet you're right. Probably, though, most of this is sub-conscious, or not fully thought through.