As promised earlier in the week, here’s the Godzilla-Jesus movie poster. I had a lot of fun making the laser eyes.
Doing this makes me realize how often I want Godzilla-Jesus instead of the real Jesus. Shoot this problem down for me, Jesus! Turn on your laser beard and melt the greedy evils of Wall Street!
It’s not surprising really.
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The United States doesn’t have a king. (Say what you will about our President, we can replace him every four years.) So when I try to think of Jesus as a king, he gets twisted into something else. A super hero. A superstar. A celebrity. A media mogul. A CEO.
I suspect these metaphors are not any less accurate than the king metaphor. He is bigger than any human institution we can force him into.
After all, he never really accepted the Kingdom metaphor without turning it upside down and comparing God’s Kingdom to mustard seeds, lost coins, and lost sons.
As Christians, it is too easy to want a Godzilla Jesus. Some Christian presses want to zap the secular presses. Stomp on them. Destroy them. I’ve heard Christian movie producers talk about fighting the battle to take over Hollywood.
Of course, there is biblical precedent for the war metaphor too. Put on the armor of God and all that.
What do you all think? Do you feel like too many Christians want a Godzilla-Jesus? Do you want a Godzilla-Jesus?
{ 8 comments }
I was stunned to see battle/warfare metaphors EVERYWHERE at ICRS. It bothered me to no end.
Perhaps we each want this… but the “battle” weapons Jesus used… were they not completely disarming?
Oh, and I forgot to compliment your raw talent. Photoshop will never be the same.
Hey, Marcus, check this out:
http://www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/archives/2004archives/11.1.04-11.30.04.htm#nov1204
Mary, I agree. I know war metaphors are in the Bible, it just seems potentially insensitive to focus on them right now. Why confuse the Gospel with a metaphor that has current political baggage?
L.L., your comment made me wonder how often Jesus used war metaphors. Off hand, I remember the one about getting swords in Luke 22. Then Jesus says, “Two will be enough, guys. Thanks.” I can just imagine him adding, “It was a metaphor, people.” But probably I shouldn’t project my own sarcastic nature onto Jesus.
Mark, is that true? Your son prayed “Thank you, Jesus, that I could see the Godzilla movie today!” Hilarious! It reminds me of the first time I saw Martian Chronicles as a kid. Apparently, that night, I thanked God for Mars so we could have a planet to go to if we accidentally blew up earth in a nuclear war.
haha. yeah.
I think this is so true. The real Jesus is just completely different from the solution the world has to offer, or even what we would so often like. It involoves a complete renovation, and really more than that, a complete remake of who we are, into completely new persons in Jesus, living in a new way. Yet still grappling with the old ways that have been so much a part of us and are deeply rooted in us.
And I do believe that Christians are called to make this Jesus a light and standard for the world, more than just a savior of individual souls, as important as that is.
It is easy to remember that humans are fallen and need a Savior – because we have to interact with them every day – a little hard to miss!
It’s harder to remember that creation fell as well and also needs healing.
While healing often requires radical surgery, sometimes what it really needs is a complete reformation of the lifestyle.
This is the oddest Christian metaphor I ever remember seeing or hearing. It reminds me of an old Christian comedy routine called “God Views” where the comedian depicts God as a cosmic butler, sheriff, etc. I hope the picture doesn’t anger the copyright gods… or the other one.
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