Superman Returns

"Even though you've been raised as a human being you're not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all -- their capacity for good -- I have sent them you, my only son."

Obviously, that's Superman's dad speaking in the trailer for the new Superman Returns movie. When I first heard it the other day, I was shocked. At least in The Matrix or Spiderman, the Christian allusion was more subtle, but this is pretty conspicuous. Regardless, I'm beginning to realize the amazing consistency of Christian elements appearing in all classic stories, from Homer's all the way to the Wachowski Brothers'. It certainly makes you wonder why the Greatest Story Ever Told, even if only bits and pieces of it, appeal to all people at all times, including those who've never heard of Him. Perhaps the answer is because it's true. It reminds me of C.S. Lewis' own joyful "surprise" that the greatest myth -- the myth of God becoming man to save mankind -- is actually true; that it happened on Christmas Day in the small town of Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod.

And with that, I'll leave you with some more thoughts by Francis Schaeffer on why Christianity, among all the world views out there, seems the most realistic and rationally satisfying:

Christianity is realistic because it says that if there is no truth, there is also no hope; and there can be no truth if there is no adequate base. It is prepared to face the consequences of being proved false and say with Paul: If you find the body of Christ, the discussion is finished; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. It leaves absolutely no room for a romantic answer. For example, in the realm of morals, Christianity does not look over this tired and burdened world and say that it is slightly flawed, a little chipped, but easily mended. Christianity is realistic and says the world is marked with evil and man is truly guilty all along the line. Christianity refuses to say that you can be hopeful for the future if you are basing your hope on evidence of change for the better in mankind. The Christian agrees with the people in genuine despair that the world must be looked at realistically, whether in the area of Being or in morals.

Christianity is poles apart from any form of optimistic humanism. But it also differs from nihilism, for nihilism, though it is correctly realistic, nevertheless can give neither a proper diagnosis nor the proper treatment for its own ills. Christianity has a diagnosis and then a solid foundation for an answer. The difference between Christian realism and nihilism is not that the Christian worldview is romantic. We should be pleased that the romanticism of yesterday has been destroyed. In many ways this makes our task of presenting Christianity to modern man easier than it was for our forefathers.

Paradise Lost

For anyone who's never read Paradise Lost, read it! It's an epic poem (already sounds cool right?) with all the ingredients for entertainment and edification: the gallant Devil rebelling against all-mighty God; colossal battles in heaven among the angels (they start throwing mountains at each other); sublime story-telling in the creation of Adam and Eve; unfallen romance and love between the first husband and wife; and of course the tragic temptation and Fall of mankind. (Don't worry, there's a happy ending in his sequel Paradise Regained).

Here be some quotes to whet your appetite:

God praising Abdiel for standing up to the Devil...

Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintaind
Against revolted multitudes the Cause
Of Truth, in word mightier then they in Armes;
And for the testimonie of Truth hast born
Universal reproach, far worse to beare
Then violence: for this was all thy care
To stand approv'd in sight of God, though Worlds
Judg'd thee perverse:
(VI.29)

And one of Satan's many laments...

While they adore me on the Throne of Hell,
With Diadem and Scepter high advanc'd
The lower still I fall, onely Supream
In miserie; such joy Ambition findes.
(IV.90)

How cool is that? You've just heard God and the Devil speak. You know you want more...

Parachutes

I would've fallen from the sky
Til you
Parachutes have opened now

Pearl Jam on July 7th! I really hope Eddie sings this song at the concert...

Can we get along?

People use certain tactics to see if they'll get along with certain other people. For example, they'll talk about their hobbies or passions or tastes in literature; if they match, it's a lock, and they'll get all excited having found someone to share their core with. In fact, the other morning, I had carpooled with a recent acquaintance to the library. The minute she stepped into my car, she began leafing through my music collection to "see if we could get along." Sad to say I failed her test; I put in some hip-hop (courtesy of Benheezy's hip-hop mix) and her response was quick: "ewww!"

Haha. I actually think the most accurate test involves humor. If he/she can laugh at your jokes, and vice versa, you guys will get along just fine, laughing all the way to the grave. So all you peeps out there, if you don't laugh at the following joke, I guess it wasn't meant to be.

There were two muffins sitting in an oven.
One muffin says, "Hey man, we're really bakin' in here."
The other muffin, a little stunned, says, "What the crap! A talking muffin!"

Beginnings

Wow, never thought this day would come, but here's my first blog to...whomever stumbles across. Anyway, so I thought the quote below would be fitting for my initiation.

There is no logical impossibility in the hypothesis that the world sprang into being five minutes ago, exactly as it then was, with a population that "remembered" a wholly unreal past. There is no logically necessary connection between events at different times; therefore nothing that is happening now or will happen in the future can disprove the hypothesis that the world began five minutes ago.
— Bertrand Russell

Even though Bert is spewing craziness, it's still kinda neat thinking that each present minute really could be a new beginning with an irrelevant past. Wishful thinking, I know, but a good way to look at the world--at least sometimes. So for whatever reasons I had to not blog, see ya! And let's see what craziness the 5-minute-old Albert brings.

Craziness #1: I have finals next week. Why did I choose to start blogging now?