#FreeWillyFriday: Freedom in Heaven

So...

I can't remember if this was based simply on the rhyme or if I was perhaps feeling some young United Methodist guilt about basing the previous poster on a movie with “Hell” in the title. Both? Neither?

Hell seems to appear a lot more in pop culture than Heaven, and the devil and demons seem to be depicted more often than angels.

Is it because it's more comfortable for people to pit characters, and by extension ourselves, against evil than to see how they and we measure up to a higher standard? Is it because of some hostility toward Christianity? Is it because some creators are worried about blowback if it's perceived they misinterpreted someone's deeply held beliefs, but figure no one's going to get mad if they crack jokes about or have characters kick the butt of the devil?

(EDIT: Or, as my brother pointed out, creators may not want to appear to align with a particular set of beliefs for fear of potentially alienating some readers or viewers.)

Even as a kid raised in church, I sometimes felt uncomfortable reading about religious themes outside that setting. As I got older, I started to appreciate how what I learned there and from scripture applied throughout all of life.

I'll write more in-depth about my favorite portrayal of Christianity in a secular movie at a future date (it's been a while since I've watched, and I want to see how it holds up). My favorite in comics came in the final arc of Grant Morrison's legendary “JLA” run.

In “JLA” #41, League member and honest-to-goodness angel Zauriel returns to Heaven after his earthly body was blown up inside the Watchtower a few issues earlier. He finds his fellow angels preparing for a new creation, since the apocalyptic threat Mageddon is about to destroy this one.

The angels don't appear to have been instructed by God to do this, and Zauriel is convinced it's the wrong approach.

“In the name of Him who gave His life for humanity: Will none of you take on mortal flesh and stand with me in their greatest hour of need?” he says.

One by one, his fellow angels agree to stand by his side.

It's a great moment that speaks to Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us. Though I understand Morrison is not a Christian, I appreciate that he respected my beliefs, rather than dismissing or mocking them, which it sometimes feels like the entertainment industry is more than willing to do.

This may be a little more than you expected from that one-of-a-kind “Free Willy” drawing up there. But if you'd like to read more about God through a comic book lens, “Superheroes Can't Save You” by Todd Miles is an excellent read by a theology professor and comic book fan. It uses our favorite heroes to explain who Christ isn't and ultimately is.

As for ridiculous Willy posters, there are more to come. Just because Willy has shuffled off this mortal coil doesn't mean we're done.