Inherent worth...and Spiderman 3 (moral, scrutiny, salvation, grace, choices)

[applewuud]

On other threads, we've been discussing Unitarian Universalist values as they relate to the treatment of people labeled as "offenders" in our congregations and in society as a whole, balancing their need for being accepted back into society somehow with the need for safety and justice. This is a "spinoff" of those discussions, on a lighter note.

Originally Posted by lilithu

Someone is actually reading my posts?

Well then how about this one? (which may or may not contradict the one you mention)
http://www.wizdum.net/?q=node/147
.

The idea in your post (about our actions shaping our future propensity for similar actions) is a main plot line behind "Spiderman 3". In the end it redeems its villains, or at least presents them as human, instead of simply destroying them with comicbook violence (though there's plenty of that). It also shows what happens when a "hero" (in an analogy for the U.S. in Iraq, I suspect) gets corrupted by his own dark desire for revenge and violence, that it changes him into what he thought he was fighting.

I've been concerned that the most popular mass media, especially action movies and video games, present violence as the "real" solution to problems. While SP3 isn't a great movie, I give them credit for trying to inject a more complex morality into the genre. I won't give away the plot (until people have seen it), but essentially Peter Parker flirts with (or is taken over by) Spiderman's "dark side". Another character with a minor moral flaw goes over completely to the "dark side", and that shocks Spiderman to an awareness of the ultimate effects of the "justice" he's trying to enforce. I'm reminded of Carl Jung and the "shadow self". If we're not aware of our own "dark side" and push it out of our awareness, it will "leak out" and manifest in unpredictable ways.

In any case, I wasn't expecting the principle of "the inherent worth and dignity of every person" to be displayed in a Spiderman movie, but there it is.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by applewuud

On other threads, we've been discussing Unitarian Universalist values as they relate to the treatment of people labeled as "offenders" in our congregations and in society as a whole, balancing their need for being accepted back into society somehow with the need for safety and justice. This is a "spinoff" of those discussions, on a lighter note.

The idea in your post (about our actions shaping our future propensity for similar actions) is a main plot line behind "Spiderman 3". In the end it redeems its villains, or at least presents them as human, instead of simply destroying them with comicbook violence (though there's plenty of that). It also shows what happens when a "hero" (in an analogy for the U.S. in Iraq, I suspect) gets corrupted by his own dark desire for revenge and violence, that it changes him into what he thought he was fighting.

I've been concerned that the most popular mass media, especially action movies and video games, present violence as the "real" solution to problems. While SP3 isn't a great movie, I give them credit for trying to inject a more complex morality into the genre. I won't give away the plot (until people have seen it), but essentially Peter Parker flirts with (or is taken over by) Spiderman's "dark side". Another character with a minor moral flaw goes over completely to the "dark side", and that shocks Spiderman to an awareness of the ultimate effects of the "justice" he's trying to enforce. I'm reminded of Carl Jung and the "shadow self". If we're not aware of our own "dark side" and push it out of our awareness, it will "leak out" and manifest in unpredictable ways.

In any case, I wasn't expecting the principle of "the inherent worth and dignity of every person" to be displayed in a Spiderman movie, but there it is.

I reeeally didn't like Spiderman 3.

But that's because I thought the first two were so much better. This one had a lot more action/violence and I thought the story was less nuanced. But I do agree with you that both redemption and the consequences of our choices are major themes in this movie. Actually, I think that these themes have run through all the Spiderman movies. In the first one, Peter is confronted with the fact that his apathy - his not stopping a crime at the time when he could have - led directly to his uncle's death. And in the second, he has to come clean with Aunt May about that, which was extremely powerful imo.

Redemption is a theme that is played out in a lot of pop culture movies. I find it fascinating. The original Star Wars trilogy started with one of the scariest villains of all time. Darth Vader oozed evil; he could choke someone from across the room. (Btw, Luke is tempted by the dark side in that trilogy as well, and as a consequence loses his hand.) And yet in the end, the villain Vader is redeemed. Lest there be any doubt of his salvation, we see Anakin in the end with Obi Wan and Yoda, smiling and happy. All those DECADES where he did great evil, and yet in the end one act of kindness towards his own son redeems him. If that isn't universal salvation I don't know what is.

I have noticed this same theme in other movies. It seems to be a very compelling idea for us. Yes, we are responsible for our actions. Yes, what we do affects us and makes us more likely to do the same in the future. And yet, it is never too late to turn it around.

I've heard people complain that Christianity gives people an "out" where they can sin all they want and then be forgiven for their sins. They claim that this isn't "justice." And certainly it seems there is something not quite "fair" about that. Certainly accountability is important. But otoh, if held completely accountable for every wrong we've ever done, who among us could withstand that kind of scrutiny? I know I couldn't. There needs to be some mechanism for forgiveness.

I'm kinda rambling, but my main point is that the Unitarian belief of inherent worth and the Universalist belief of universal salvation are intertwined, and that perhaps our worth is inextricably tied to the ability to forgive - to grace (for those who do not fear such language). I would tie it directly back to the movie but am afraid doing so would give away the plot line.