Monday, July 02, 2007

Transformers, Robots in Disguise?

I just read the above article. Interesting, however, I don't remember myself or any of my friends worshipping Optimus Prime. He was definitely a very masculine hero versus the weak liberal heroes we so often see. His morality, fortitude and passion towards serving the benefit of others was admittedly refreshing. Good and yet very strong, unlike our earthly fathers who, like us, were born into sin.

Would we really have done any better in their place? It's too easy to blame our fathers, society, toys, cartoons, movies, etc.. for our problems when it's our own sin which is the real issue. If we would just look more to the very real truly masculine solid foundation for good and right, that is Jesus Christ. Where fictional hero's like Optimus Prime worked for good in a cartoon world, Jesus Christ performed a significantly more substantial, very real and very personal work for good. In reality we should take the time to understand why a cartoon or a celebrity means more to our culture than Jesus Christ.

Amway, a robot who turns into a Mack truck. What normal young boy wouldn't like this? Still I believe the fascination with Transformers had more to do with metal robots little boys could change into guns, trucks, cars and planes (the very things most young boys love to dream about), then their need for a father figure or a savior. Quite simply the Transformers were very cool and sometimes, as Sigmund Freud once said, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

Perhaps our time, as believers, is better spent asking why the church doesn't proclaim Christ more, especially in public, than discussing cartoon? Perhaps we would do better to ask why prayer isn't taught more in our churches and how this effects our inability to win over others through our conduct?