Is Marvel Cinema accidentally painting a picture of the Church? Beware, this is a trip down the spiritual rabbit hole. I have for a long long time said the Marvel Hero movies are a good modern day parable of the Church. Over the years I have been amazed at the parallels. This rabbit hole actually started when I wrote the previous article last Sunday, and I said: “Infinity War has begun!” Infinity is another word for “eternity”. So… Eternity War has begun! (there may be a few “small” spoilers in here. A big one at the end, but there is a warning preceding it.)
For the next how many articles we devote to this rabbit hole, we will not be leaving our subject matter of “The Seven Deadly Sins”, or our scripture verses of “Romans 13: 8-14”, which we began to open last article. “Six Living Verses” to fight the “Seven Deadly Sins”. Check them out. This will all relate as the articles build.
But there is much to unravel to understand the insane world down this huge and dark hole, of which most of us have become accustomed to like a frog in boiling water. We have not identified the change that has occurred, like Captain America was slow to see and accept, but once he did, he made some serious change! The man who had devoted his life as a symbol of loyalty to an American “system”, finally realized something had gone wrong with the “system”, and found himself facing a fork in the road. The critical choice of whether to turn a blind-eye and stay in his comfort zone, or continue to be a man of “honor”, and take the high road, the hard path, and everything that would go with it, no matter what others would say or think.
What choice did a man like Steve Rogers have really? But I find many in the Church today who do not realize the system has changed, or…they simply are not willing to leave the comfort zone. Are you aware there has been a change? Do you realize Captain America has gone the route of Nomad? He who was so faithful, having to turn his back on the system he defended with his life. And what does that mean? Do you see how similar Cap’s choice is to anyone who leaves the Church system to be the Nomad?
You see, I feel like I’ve faced this same fork in the road, and perhaps that is why it is so obvious to me. I had a life long friend in the Church I left. Things have not been the same between us since. He just doesn’t see it. Or at least he says he doesn’t, but it is so easy to turn a blind eye when you don’t “want” to see something. And when you don’t want to face hard changes. He won’t even read this blog site, not one article, and we’re talking best friend.
Something has changed in our Government pleasing Church. I went all the way back to our early Church fathers to find the answers, but it’s amazing how few of my friends are interested in what I found. I tell them what I have researched but they ask no questions. They are not the least bit interested. Not willing to make the slightest effort. Wow, how disappointing.
As technology continues to enrapture a fresh generation, most of the Church seem to be more interested in Ironman’s path, that of an Armor Bearer, (an amazing coincidence), than the one of NOMAD, for it is a nomad’s path indeed. You become the outcast, the spiritual rebel, the one refusing the cookie-cutter system Church has become. Wow…did I say that? And so a divide, a spiritual civil war is underway. Captain America actually fighting Ironman? And yet we are family.
There is a split taking place. A sort of Church civil war. It has been slowly growing for many years now. I see the Church being attacked on two fronts, but the second attack has not yet started. The first front is a popularity with our government, much like in the days of Roman Emperor Constantine. Previous Emperors had attacked the Church blatantly. An in your face attack, no bones about it. Easy to see. But the Church actually excelled in those times. Thanos is an in your face attack, like the Antichrist would be.
However, when Constantine came along, and he and the Church were all buddy buddies. He did untold damage that has lasted centuries, as he was working from the inside. His was not a blatant attack. He probably even thought he was doing good, but he did not understand spiritual things, and he did more damage to the Church than can ever be estimated. Are we not back in bed with our government, as we hang on to our precious tax exemptions? We even have a President now who is considered a friend to the Church. Will Trump prove to be a Constantine?
So we see a Church Civil War of sorts, as the Government pleasing Churches divide from the God pleasing Churches, (GPC verses GPC), (Avengers versing Avengers), and as a result house Churches are springing up left and right. In the movie, I could not believe the parallel of stupidity! When Nomad shows up with help to fight the biggest baddest dude yet, all the government could think of was arrest them! I loved Nomad’s answer, “I’m way past asking permission.” (those days are over.) This is the stupidity of following man-made ways. Nomad realizes the king has no clothes.
So which camp do we fit into? Are we with Ironman where the old Captain America fit into, or have we become the Nomad? I’ve lost friends over this fork in the road, and also picked up some new ones who see the change that has occurred.
There was a very strong teaching that went through the Church at one time, and even now would be considered a sacred cow. I mentioned it earlier. Dare I touch another sacred cow? Thanos told Thor, who came within inches of defeating him, that he should have gone for the head. Jesus crushed the “head” of the devil. I’m learning we can’t be afraid to crush heads in this war.
The teaching of the “Armor Bearer”. I’ll only say a few things. First of all, once again it is an Old Testament teaching. Which puts it in a time in which the average person did not have a personal leading of the Holy Spirit. Once again, the modern Church teaching O.T. stuff? Jesus offers us a higher level. Why live in the lower steps of where the O.T. was taking us?
Secondly, it puts the poor Armor Bearer following a “man”, not the Holy Spirit! Pastors are failing every day in our current spiritual climate! Men make mistakes, and lots of them. Why didn’t Jonathon follow David! He had even told David he was to be the next to sit on the throne of Israel! Jonathon understood all this! And yet chose to follow his prideful, power hungry, greedy, and people-fearing, people-favoring father! (Sounds like the Church today?) And so there goes the poor Armor Bearer to give his life for King Saul instead of King David! What a shame! But that was O.T. times.
Okay, I probably said too much, and probably should have been more nice about it, but Nomad is way past asking permission anymore. The king has no clothes and people are starting to wake up to that. We’ve been sold a “king theology” in the name of the One who lived his life as a servant to all. That boat just don’t float.
Big spoiler warning here. Do not read if you care. But by the end of the movie we are back to the original 6 Avengers. The others who fought in this particular battle have been neutralized, so to speak. But of those 6, only Ironman has chosen the path of loyalty to the system. (I think I’m right on that. Check for yourself.) The remaining 5 would all be with Nomad.
So this article has been a story of choosing the high road no matter what the cost, or the hardships it may bring. In the movie this has especially played out between Ironman, Captain America, and Winter Soldier, who appears to have a new name of “White Wolf”. Healing has come to the Winter Soldier, and so…a new name. It’s a good thing Captain America chose his friend over the system. Cap/Nomad is just that kind of guy.
Stay tuned. Much more to come.
Signed: Grandpa White Feather.
Path Without End 