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Can Batman Teach Spiritual Truth?

What is it about Superhero films, like the current blockbuster The Dark Knight, that create such box office success?  We know from industry reports that word of mouth is the main difference between a lackluster theatrical run and a smash hit.  So the real question is this: why do superhero films engage our culture so much that viewers encourage their peers to also spend their hard-earned cash at the local Cineplex? 

If all the top screenwriting gurus are correct, and stories are meant to help us learn how to live, what life lessons are resonating at the subconscious level of a film like the # 1 weekend opener, The Dark Knight, and the previous record holder Spider-Man 3?  Can we really learn how to live by watching a Superhero film?

Films, like all stories, are built around themes; some call it the Moral Premise or the Big Question.  Well then, let’s examine what questions drive Superhero films.  You may be surprised to learn that God has asked the same questions since He began His revelation to us.

What will we do with our hidden power?
Will you use your great gifts to help others or help yourself to money and power?  In The Dark Knight, Batman and Gotham’s Mob Bosses each chose the opposite answer to this all-important question.  But this question is not just for these fictional characters; this question confronts you every day.  Will you lie, cheat and manipulate your way to becoming rich or will you work hard and trust the Lord for your prosperity?  God challenges us to trust in Him to make our paths straight.  He may not make a straight path into the vault of Gotham Bank, but He will create a life full of relationships and meaning.

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