Dear one:
“Ant-Man?” I asked. “Who is Ant-Man?”
“Well, he becomes small like an insect … like an ant …”
“Oh? And then what?”
“He then forms an army of ants and fights against evil powers. He’s associated with Captain Marvel.”
“So, he’s one of the Super Heroes?”
“Yah. So, would you like to see it? ‘Ant-Man’?”
Thus, our grandsons helped further our education: we enjoyed watching “Ant-Man,” so much so, that we then watched the sequel: “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” We found the first more entertaining than the sequel, but after viewing each, I offered: “I know this genre, for there are strong hints of James Bond, Superman, Mission Impossible, Star Wars, Mighty Mouse—even in terms of music—all of which have shaped me and continue to date.”
Of course, this observation is not neuroscience; nonetheless, I found myself pondering: this genre is marked by a hero, heroine, or band of heroes, who eventually save the world—until the next evil person or force seeks to inflict villainous treachery upon an unsuspecting world (and until the next money-making sequel.) But as I thought further, I recognized: these movies do reflect our world. Regularly my reading diet directs me to Hitler or Stalin and their ilk (e.g., Idi Amin, Mao, Nero, Vespasian, and/or Herod). Moreover, I recognized that the saving power, both within the Ant-Man genre and within historical realities, is often a more skillful, technologically advanced, and “just” use of power, even if it is nothing other than “fighting fire with fire,” whereby destruction occurs, and lives are lost.
To these two observations, I recognized and added a third: as the audience, we are satisfied, when “those in white” prevail over “those in black,” (although admittedly, storm troopers are encased in white); and yet, as a viewing audience, somewhere within us we cannot fail to register: something is horribly wrong within our world and we want just revenge.
Ah, but then I thought of Jesus: He is heralded as “savior,” and yet His saving power is so unlike Genghis Khan, Lenin, or even Luke Skywalker. Rather, His power is characterized by a “self-giving or -sacrifice” (Philippians 2:7); characterized by “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). However, many will protest: “How are these traits—how is love a realistic power?” A good question, but equally we might ask: “How well has the power of revenge overcome the power of evil embedded in our world—embedded in the hearts of those who seek to be gods?”
I choose the power of His love.
Stan