I know where I'll be at least a few times this summer: waiting in line outside my local movie theater. Summer movie season means one thing to me: lots and lots of comic book superheroes. I love them. But simply seeing comic book heroes in the flesh and blood (and cool suits) isn't the main reason I buy my ticket. I keep coming back again and again because of the stories. You see, I've noticed something pretty cool. Almost every time I leave a superhero movie, I say the same thing to myself: "I can't believe how many biblical themes are in that movie!" Here are four big ideas from the Bible that are common in superhero flicks:

Choice
Spidey has big fights with Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2, but really, the movie is more about the battle inside Peter Parker. Being a superhero isn't easy. He can't pay his bills, the girl he loves falls for another guy, and he can't even find time to study. He just wants a normal life. And so, he chooses to walk away from being Spider-Man.

As Peter Parker discovered, it's hard to do what's right. Jesus described choosing the right thing as the "narrow" path—not many people choose it. He said, "The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it" (Matthew 7:13-14, CEV).

	THE WORLD NEEDS HEROES: COURAGEOUS, SELF-SACRIFICING PEOPLE WHO SET EXAMPLES FOR ALL OF US.

So why would superheroes, like Spider-Man, ever choose the hard way when they could just be happy? Peter's Aunt May explains it in a speech that inspires him to go back to his hero life. She says, "The world needs heroes: courageous, self-sacrificing people [who] set examples for all of us. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams."

Aunt May's lesson reflects what the Bible teaches. In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus says anyone who comes to him must deny their own life. That means, as Aunt May says, giving up some things we want for something greater (1 Corinthians 7:24).

Weakness
Superman can fly, outrun trains and stop bullets, but he still has a weakness: Kryptonite. It makes him weak and vulnerable. In a way, I have kryptonite in my life too—things that weaken me or damage my ability to use my gifts for God.

The Daredevil (Matt Murdock) is blind, but other strengths help him excel as a superhero. We, too, aren't strong in every way, but are given certain gifts and abilities by God (Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:7-13). Being weak in some areas allows us to rely on God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Our weaknesses also show us we need to lean on the strengths of others. In Romans, Paul describes the church as a body, where each part performs a different duty (12:4-5). Groups of superheroes like The X-Men, The Incredibles, or the Fantastic Four are like this too. Each person has different strengths. Together, they make a fully working body.

Sometimes, like with kryptonite, our weakness seems just too strong. But there's still hope. Having faith in a God who's there for us can enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (NIV).

That verse is so empowering! In fact, it kind of means God gives us superpowers. We aren't relying on just what we can do. We have help. Jesus told the disciples: "If you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask" (John 14: 12-14, CEV).

Temptation
In X2, something sets teenage mutant John Allerdyce—or Pyro as he's called—apart from the other X-Men. While they try to only use their powers when necessary, Pyro flexes his abilities whenever he can. And in big ways. When a cop tries to apprehend Pyro, he says, "You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about in the news? I'm the worst one." He then shoots fire at the police and destroys two squad cars.

It's obvious Pyro is tempted by a desire for power and pride. He's not alone. Many superheroes are tempted by their emotions and wants. Hulk wrestles with anger, Batman with revenge, and others fight fear or greed. James 1:14 says, "We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us" (CEV).

Pyro's desires do drag him away. Magneto, the X-Men's arch-enemy, fuels Pyro's hunger for power by saying, "You are a god among insects, never let anyone tell you different."

Temptation can easily lead us down a dangerous path, too. You see, superhero movies aren't far off when they suggest a world full of supernatural fights of good versus evil. There is a war between the forces of good and of evil. And Satan will do all he can to use our inner desires to pull us to his side, just like Magneto recruited Pyro for the bad guys. That's why the Bible says this: "Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's deceptions. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world" (Ephesians 6:11-12, CEV).

Mercy
At the end of X-Men, Professor Xavier visits prison to see Magneto. Magneto asks Professor X why he would visit him. After all, Magneto tried to kill Professor X and all the X-Men! The professor explains that he still has hope for Magneto. In spite of everything Magneto did to the X-Men, Xavier continues to love him.This kind of mercy and compassion is exactly what Jesus talked about in Matthew 5. He said, "You have heard people say, 'Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.' But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 133; If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that?" (CEV).

X-Men hero Nightcrawler is another example of this. In X2, Storm is bitter and angry about the way some humans treat mutants. Nightcrawler tells her: "Most people are afraid of me. But I don't hate them. I pity them. Do you know why? Because most people will never know anything beyond what they see with their own two eyes." This reaction is similar to how Jesus approached life. He had an eternal perspective and could always see that there was more to this life than what the world had to offer. He knew that when the things of this world were gone, the great gift of love would still be around (1 Corinthians 13:13).

So What Does This Mean?
These are just some of the ways in which we see that faith in God—and the strength, mercy and armor that come from him—kind of make us superheroes. When a new heroic film comes to a theater (or a DVD player) near you, there are some questions you can ask to help think through what the movie is saying—and to talk to friends about your faith.

• What does the movie say about mercy, temptation, choice and weakness? How else does the movie support or conflict with the Bible?



• What is it about the superhero that makes people look up to him or her? Is it a superpower or something else? Is it a quality that anyone could have?



• What choices does the hero make? When have you made a decision comparable to this or felt the emotions of the hero? What did you do?

Peter Parker's Aunt May was right when she talked about heroes. She said: "People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer." I learned that lesson from Christ and I'll continue to wait in line to see superheroes who give me a glimpse of him and what he taught.

Read more from 'Faith & Values'

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