I like your Bible Study discussion about SM3. I would like to use it, or at least parts of it, with credit given to you, for our upcoming youth retreat this fall, if I may. I believe that modern literature or film, or literature in general, is a barometer of our society and it’s spiritual quest. No, not all films are Godly, but we can use them as illustrations to points of scripture. The basis of a good Bible study is inclusion of the Word of God with references that the youth can take home with them and consider.

Blessings to you,
Bryon
Mountain Park Youth, Abbotsford, BC

I’m sorry I didn’t see your very nice post from a month ago about about the S3 study. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You actually read the study and interacted with it! Excellent!

And you had nice words to say, which is always a boost for me! :: grin ::

I agree, I probably could have used the Pharisee’s prayer as an illustration for the scene in the church with Eddie praying for vengeance. But the reason I went the direction I did is because I was thinking more about the new believer or seeker than the developed Christian when I wrote that particular question. Of course I say that, but I must admit the Pharisaical angle never occurred to me. I just felt, in my gut, that the most dangerous conclusion to walk away from that scene with is a view that God answers those kinds of prayers. One of the tenants of modern “spirituality” is that “prayer works.” And it does, but it also matters who you pray to, and your relationship with the one you pray to, and your attitude.

I could have also tied in Jame’s caution about prayer: “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3) That also dovetails with your take on the scene.

I haven’t pasted the other study covering S1 and S2 into the blog yet, but you can still get them off my site, here.

It’d a PDF file. If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat installed (or if you hate it, like I do) try the free Foxit Reader. It’s very nice. Don’t be distracted by the “buy now” links, the reader itself is free.

Thanks, again, for the nice comments.

Rich
BlogRodent

(spoiler alert) (I’m discussing relevant points of the film that may reveal plot points, etc.) (/spoiler alert)

I wish I had more time to post about your discussion guide/bible study based on SM3. I will say that I thought it was very well done, and had some excellent probing questions, and certainly gave me some new viewpoints on a couple of scenes. (i.e. it never occurred to me that someone might misconstrue the symbiote bonding to Eddie as an “answer” to his prayer until you gave it as a question).

I believe if you’re catching flack from others concerning this, then they’ve probably not read what you wrote, or they’re simply opposed to the idea right out of the gate and would not be swayed anyway. Obviously any film has to be judged against the truth of Scripture, and I think you’ve done an excellent job of illuminating the worldview of SM3 with the Word of God. There are elements that reflect that truth, and there are elements that contradict or skew that truth.

To step back to the scene in the church, I do think you missed an excellent opportunity to compare Eddie and Peter to the Pharisee and tax collector in the parable found in Luke 18. Perhaps the reason it never occurred to me that the scene could look like the symbiote was an answer to Eddie’s prayer is because I recognized Eddie’s prayer as a “false” one, much like the Pharisee. He stated that he was humbled and humiliated, but his next request made it perfectly clear that humble was certainly NOT his heart condition. (Perhaps I recognized it so easily because I’ve certainly done the same foolish thing in my prayers before, displaying a false humility to a God who knows my heart.) He saw no wrong in his own actions, placing the responsibility squarely on Peter’s shoulders, and much like the Pharisee justified himself before God. (Perhaps it more resembles Romans 1:24 in that Eddie was given up to the lust of his heart to the impurity of the symbiote). Meanwhile, Peter had fled to the same church fully disgusted by what he had become, and what he had done, and was truly humbled in that regard. Just some thoughts.

On a side note, I’ve always been a fan of the Spider-man comics, ever since I was a kid, and I’ve always felt that with just the slightest amount of tweaking he could be turned into a truly Christian character. I remember reading a few years ago that Stan Lee based the theme “With great power comes great responsibility” off of a Bible verse he had read, namely Luke 12:48 where Jesus stated that “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required…”. When the character has been handled by the writers who kept him close to his origin, then he’s always been a classic example of Paul’s conflicted person in Romans 7 – knowing what he should do, but finding it so hard to actually do it. I think that’s why the character resonates so deeply with people.

I believe I’ve rambled on quite enough.

God Bless,

Adam

Just a comment on the scene with Aunt May, where she advises Peter to forgive himself…

It wasn’t what I was expecting her to say, because for most people, the “hardest thing” is to ask for and to give forgiveness to others. But for Peter Parker, that is not the case.

Anyone who knows the character knows that he owns mistakes (even those he’s not responsible for) says I’m sorry and is often driven by guilt. In fact, guilt was his prime motivation for becoming Spider-Man. So it made sense that she would advise him to forgive himself… which to me was just another way of saying, after you have received forgiveness, don’t continue to condemn yourself.

But it would have been better for her to have SAID what was assumed (or may have been cut). He should “make it right” (ask for MJs forgiveness) first, and then do the hardest thing (for him)… which was to stop wallowing in guilt and self-remorse… the thing that had him immobilized in that scene.