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culture, DC comics, faith, IB, opinion, Second Comings, Stone the Heretic
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Bleeding Cool is the name of the website that first told this tale, one that has been jumped on by some major media outlets and more than a few bloggers. It is about DC comics doing a series called “the Second Coming” that really does seem kind of blasphemous. For those who wonder, being “kind of blasphemous” is probably a bit like being “kind of pregnant.”
I actually don’t want to throw blasphemy stones today nor do I want to weave a good defense of this guy and his Christian storyline, but I genuinely believe I could probably go in either direction and still make a valid point.
I have an exceeding dislike for knee jerk reactionary responses, hyperbole, and condemnation, before a book or article is even written. But this is 2019, we’ve gotten very good at taking offense and hurling accusations, before we’ve even read something. Do we want to know the truth or are we just delighting in the chance to have a target in which to vent our frustration? To drink in all that delicious offense? To right all the wrongs of the world by slaying the dragons of opinion?
No condemnation over here, I wouldn’t know any of these things myself if I didn’t sometimes resist the urge and sometimes indulge in it.
So blasphemous or not, and the jury is still out on that, but, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
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We should glean some pearls of wisdom from this tale and unfortunately that can be a wee bit uncomfortable, a touch convicting. I would much prefer to just issue a strongly worded accusatory tweet in 144 characters or less. The truth is often uncomfortable, it calls us to accountability, not finger-pointing or tweet shaming.
So, there are so, so many Christians today waiting for the Second Coming, almost as if the first Coming never happened. My generation was just inundated with the “Left Behind” series, with preppers and doomsday cults, with mutters of ‘come quickly Lord Jesus,’ and with every possible nutty prophecy predicting His imminent return.
The premise behind the DC comics storyline basically suggests, Jesus didn’t get it right the first time so He has to come back. Well, harsh truth here, but so many of us seem to be walking with that very same mindset and attitude.
A sweet brother in Christ has pointed me to 2 Peter 3, where it says, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
We people often do act, think, and behave as if Jesus came and yet nothing really changed, as if “all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” We’re still walking in the fall, separated from God, trapped in sin, and waiting for redemption to finally arrive. Why??
And by “we people,” I mean “we Christian people.” There are plenty of atheist scoffers saying, Jesus changed nothing. But those of us who claim His name are actually the ones called to share the good news, to demonstrate how Jesus changed everything and continues to change everything to this day.
Sometimes our attitudes, words, and belief systems do not reflect that and while I’m sure there is great mercy there and we are forgiven for our doubts and confusions, often WE are the scoffers.
If you read this blog, you may notice quite often I say things like, He is risen indeed. He is now seated in victory at the right hand of the Father. It is finished. Jesus came. Those are all responses to this Second Coming culture I find myself marinating in, the one that so often causes me to say, wait a minute, hold up, didn’t Jesus already come? Isn’t He here now? Doesn’t He invite us into His presence?
Didn’t He get it right the first time?
Of course He did, God is God. It’s not like He has to keep trying until He finally figures it out. It’s not like He has to practice. It’s not like He needs a “do over.” It’s not like Jesus is saying, hmmm, well let me go try that again, the first visit didn’t really seem to make much of an impact, it didn’t really “take.”
Don’t you make me come back down there!
Yes, most likely Jesus’ return is imminent. “imminent” in scientific terms means some time period between thousands of millions of years and a few hours from now. Yes, you should get right with the Lord, right now, and be ready, and there really is some prophetic goodness to be found in the bible about the end of days. Those things are true enough.
However, there are two mindsets that often happen. One calls us to accountability, to step into our full authority and power in the here and now. Jesus came and redeemed us, and handed us the keys to the kingdom. You have been reconciled with God, set back down in paradise as an adopted son. So if you ain’t walking around like you own the place and are seated in victory in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father in Jesus’s name, that’s your problem now.
The other mindset says, oh, come quickly Lord Jesus and set all that is wrong right, because we have made an epic mess of things. Also, I want to see the world brought to justice, especially my enemies. Just wait until Jesus returns, it’s going to involve spam and ammo and underground bunkers, and the Road Warriors from Beyond the Thunderdome….
All in good humor here, but I empathize deeply with that second mindset. However, it tends to imply we are still waiting, that Jesus didn’t get it right the first time, and that we aren’t required to step into His full power and authority right now because He hasn’t fixed things yet.
He fixed everything. His coming rocked the whole world. He is here now. Don’t wait for some obscure day in the future to set things right. Get in His presence, in the present. Step into His full authority and walk as if you have it, because you do.
Art has a way of imitating life. And often the stone we are prepared to throw at others, are our very own stones. The attitude, beliefs, and mentality that we Christians have created in the world, what I call a Second Coming culture, really is tainted with some subtle, but blasphemist ideas, like Jesus didn’t quite get it right the first time, so He needs a do over.
And trying to slay a comic book writer and “stone the heretic” is probably not going to cure what so often lurks in our very own hearts…..
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See, there's this thing called biology... 
Excellent, my friend. I was wondering why the Lord would suddenly turn my attention to a deeper understanding of end time prophetic events and what you wrote helped clarify things. I am so tired of the doom and gloom, conspiracy approach to understanding prophecy. We are told to be anxious for nothing and to walk in a peace which passes understanding. Jesus is coming back. Absolutely! However, He is not coming back to right the wrongs of His first coming. He is coming back to kick devil booty and set up His never ending kingdom.
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You make some very good points. Among them is the point that Jesus got it right the first time and doesn’t need to try again.
I’ve made this point before, but the Parousia should not be interpreted as a second coming, but rather as an appearing. Jesus has not left us; he is with us always, especially when two or three gather in his name. When he is seen in the clouds, it will be for the purpose of raising the dead, announcing his verdict on all people, welcoming the faithful saints into the fullness of his kingdom, and making everything new. That’s all good stuff, nothing to fear for the people who trust his promises. J.
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Yes! I love how you put this.
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Beautifully put
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I just posted in my blog a series of 5 on not being left behind.
I did all that writing on G+…posted on my blog.
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Thank you, I’ll put it on the reading list. 🙂
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Great treatment of this as a subject, IB, and food for thought for all of us. Let’s take this in another direction, as long as we are stepping out of the box a bit. I absolutely agree that this entire storyline is blasphemous; of that, there is no doubt. On the other hand, why would we get upset about the heathens acting like heathens? Didn’t we act like heathens when we were? Don’t we act like heathens sometimes even if we aren’t? So, anyway, stone the heretic is not really applicable since technically the writer is probably not a heretic, but just a simple heathen. His actions sort of really prove the point of this post I suppose. If we want the heathens to not write garbage like this, then we ought to get busy.
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Thanks, Wally. I like your perspective very much. Sometimes I imagine us complaining to Jesus, “But there’s these heathens…and they act like heathens!” Bit funny, because whose job do we think it is to show them a better way??
I have not researched this DC Comics author, but I can’t say he’s not a Christian. Obviously I have no idea what his finished product is going to look like. I’m reminded of Philippians, “….But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” It could turn out to be a good thing, could spark some critical thinking.
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Hmm. Maybe, on that last sentence. I suppose that depends on us. Are we ready to discuss this in a way that could make an effective witness? Now, when dealing with the topic with folks who claim to be one of us? I’d likely respond a lot different with them. The lost just need to understand Grace, but the saved ought to have moved foward from that and have some discernment. I’m still gonna stick with my blasphemy call and say that overall my thoughts about it are seriously negative.
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Ha! That’s a great subject, Wally, and also opening a real can worms. The saved “ought to have moved forward.” I expect more from my own kids and I think the Lord expects more from His own, too.
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Well, of course, I agree with you IB. We do expect our kids to become fully functional adults; it is our job to make them into that. It is also our heavenly Father’s job to do that with us. The parallels are actually quite amazing. To go back to the original post LOL, I do agree that this, like ANY mention of God, is at least a chance for a door to be opened. What we do with it makes a huge difference, and the answer we give to this won’t be the same with every person. That’s part of our problem, is we approach the world and people with a cookie cutter approach, when all people and all situations are not the same. Paul taught us against this:
1 Corinthians 9:22 “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
If a nonbeliever comes to us talking about this book and we immediately start railing against the poor theology and even possible blasphemy in it, then we will lose them. Theology is meaningless to a heathen. We can certainly take the opportunity to tell them about the REAL Jesus, though. Likewise, if a “believer” comes telling us what great theology he or she has discovered in this comic, and they have changed their view of Jesus over it, I think a swat upside the head is quite appropriate, metaphorically speaking of course.
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LOL! Yep. Well said, Wally.
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Have a blessed Lord’s Day IB.
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This comic is designed to insult Christians, as were the author’s other books about the Bible. The premise is that Christ would be offended not at abortion, pedophilia, the march of Islam, atheism, neopaganism, witchcraft, satanism, the removal of Christianity from public, or the extermination of the faithful from the Middle East, but at *what Christians have done in his name.* Sorry, I’m not giving this guy the benefit of the doubt.
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Did you read his, “God is disappointed in you” book? I realize I’m being quite philosophical here and perhaps way too generous, but his irreverence and mockery is not necessarily designed just to insult Christians. Many of the things he touches on are not biblical ideas at all, but they really are the very same false teachings often promoted by Christian culture.
It is quite likely I am being far too optimistic here, but I think this is a great opportunity to do some ministry, to correct some misconceptions.
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I haven’t read it but it looks geared towards people who don’t like Christians, or at least think we’re all silly for believing in the Bible.
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Neither this book, nor his others, have been designed to insult Christians. Have you read any of them?
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So even though every plot point of this comic insults fundamental tenets of Christianity, it’s not designed to insult Christians. I don’t buy it.
I don’t know why it’s an issue, or why there’s this rush to deny it. We’re the one religion it’s still cool to insult. Might as well have at it. Probably become a selling point.
My entire point is, is that it’s mighty strange the reverence and kid’s glove approach taken with other religions isn’t taken with Christians. I’d just like to see the same standard applied across the board and see a comic maybe depicting Moses or Mohammed as hapless failures aghast at what their followers have done for these few thousand years.
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