Adam KummerStaff Writer
For much of my childhood, I did not realize that, in the Bible, the ability to walk on water does not count as a superpower.I was about three years old when I first learned about Christianity. My mom came from a school where the teachers were nuns and disobedience was punished with a ruler to the knuckles, but she had since all but rejected her conservative upbringing in exchange for a more moderate belief system and lifestyle. She enrolled me in a Lutheran preschool, so I was taught the most basic of Bible Literature. What I was not formally taught she informed me of herself. I thought it was all pretty dull, until I started learning about Jesus. I have always had quite a severe case of selective hearing which was only made worse by my three-year-old attention span, and so naturally I incorrectly interpreted just about every lesson. When I was told of the fantastic miracles Jesus had performed, as well as his death and resurrection I was naturally amazed. The idea that a person with incredible powers would use them to aid the less fortunate had a profound impact on me, something that would play a role in my reading material of choice in the coming years.I will always remember my advancement to kindergarten as being the time I made the leap and picked up Ultimate Spiderman: Volume 1, therefore kindling my addiction to the comics medium. I read everything I could get my hands on for a while, but gradually narrowed my pallet to a few titles: Batman, Spiderman, Bone, Bleach (among other occasional Mangas) and, of course, Superman. Though I did read the comic books fairly regularly, I never really considered Superman to be my favorite superhero; that place was reserved for Batman. Though he was certainly not my favorite, I could not help my sense of wonder as I read of his incredible strength, spectacular speed and limitless flight. However, the trait I most admired was his infallible moral compass. His ability to find the best solution to the problems he faced always impressed me more than his heat vision.By first grade I had started reading older comics. I had grown tired of waiting for new issues to come out every couple of weeks, so I had taken to reading issues from the 1980’s and 90’s. During this time, many comics titles were including gratuitous violence and irritating monologues in their desperate attempt to be “new” or “gritty” or “edgy", more often than not failing miserably. However, there was a fair amount that proved to be enjoyable reads, so I plowed on. I distinctly remember going to my local public library and seeing Death of Superman on the shelf, with nothing but a large bloody version of his “S” symbol. Though I suspected this may be an advertising ploy of the nature I mentioned earlier, I had no choice but to check it out. I got home and began to read. Before long I was nothing short of devouring the book, unable to turn the pages fast enough. Tales were flashing before me: a hideous creature from another world, a hero desperate to save his city. I saw a man, fallen while saving those both less able and less fortunate, dying for the crimes of others, and at once I had made up my mind. Jesus was a superhero.It was the only logical explanation. His incredible powers and willingness to protect the innocent made him a perfect fit for the world of comic books. Of course, I did not realize that the comic I was holding in my hands was written nearly 2000 years after the life of Jesus Christ, and well as likelihood that storylines of the Death of Superman (and eventual resurrection) were based on the stories of Christ. I thought I had it all figured out. I went on through second, third and a portion of fourth grade with this general mindset. Through this time, my misunderstanding of biblical figures often led to confusion, especially when people uttered phrases like “Jesus!” and “Christ almighty!” or even “Jesus Christ!” I had never heard anyone proclaim “Green Lantern!” or “Captain America almighty!” in such a way, but I did not take much notice. My revelation had sparked my interest in Christianity and the church. A mass of people reading stories about and showing their appreciation for the world’s first real-life super hero? Now this was something I could get behind.Alas, this idea could not last forever. As I matured and learned more about the Bible, I realized what a ludicrous idea Jesus being a superhero was, and scoffed at my former visions. I realized that I disagreed with much of the Bible and the teachings of most religions, and have since proclaimed myself a devout atheist. However, I now suspect that my original interpretation of Christ may have been the correct way to go after all. Putting aside all of the religious dogma and thinking of him as someone who just wanted to do good may be the most pure and – dare I say it – Christian way to think of such a key figure in religious texts. Perhaps that is what he was, a man hastily putting on a steamless robe and sandals in a phone booth in his mission to do good, and maybe even cure some lepers on the way.akummer@thesamohi.com
