Superman is dead

[Son of a Preacher Man]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (jarschqua @ Jan. 31 2003,3:11)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]the role of pastor or preacher is not reserved to one or two superheros at the front of an auditorium that we pay to do our good works, to be the official active Christians of the group...
we are all the priests.[/quote]
I agree.  

Superman has his kryptonite and the people of Metropolis need to get off their duff and start a neighborhood watch... although, it takes a Superman to fight a Lex Luthor, don't ya' think? :D  

The problem with the people of Metropolis seems to be that they want Superman to do EVERYTHING.  It's nice to have Superman around to fight against the super villians but even Superman can't be two places at once and there is just soooooooo much crime.

Even Superman has to protect the woman he loves and his family.  Even Superman has to earn a living because being a super hero don't pay the bills.  It seems he worked at the Daily Planet.

Superman did have really cool hair when he came back from the dead... oh, to grow hair again!  Spinning pop-culture is fun!:cool:

I'm gonna decline to debate the paid preachers & such this go around.  My tiny little brain is fried.  Ya'll have fun.  I'll be reading and thinking and studying and...  frying my brain some more.
:crackup:

[James Rondon]

I think that this song also goes well with the topic at hand:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Superman (aka Land of Confusion)

:music:
I must've dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street.

Now did you read the news today
They say the danger's gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
There burning into the night.

There's too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is a land of confusion.

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in.

Ooh Superman where are you now
When everything's gone wrong somehow
The men of steel, the men of power
Are losing control by the hour.

This is the time
This is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go round
Tell me why, this is a land of confusion.

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in.

I remember long ago -
Ooh when the sun was shining
Yes and the stars were bright
All through the night
And the sound of your laughter
As I held you tight
So long ago -

I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know, we'll never keep.

Too many men
There's too many people
Making too many problems
And not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is a land of confusion.

Now this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for.

This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to.
:music:
[/quote]

I could draw so many parallels here...

But I'll leave that up to your imaginations.



[!--EDIT|James Rondon|Jan. 31 2003,7:14--]

[Son of a Preacher Man]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (James Rondon @ Feb. 01 2003,2:16)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]If he visits me any time soon, I just might be tempted to serve him a big bowl of Kryptonite cereal![/quote]
Will you be serving red Kryptonite?  Or green?

[Son of a Preacher Man]

Well...

James, it certainly will give you a variety of options.  I would vote against green.  Maybe you could score some Red like they used on the TV show that made Superman apathetic.  That would certainly force others to step-up, don't you think?

:D

[Barb1957]

Good one, James!
Hey, this is off topic (which of course I never do, lol), but did you know that the letters in \"James Rondon\" can be rearranged to spell \"Send no major\" (or \"Send major on!\")? You are anagrammable!

[Barb1957]

kept getting letters left over, finally came up with this:

James Edgar Rondon = darn groomed jeans  (or: groom darned jeans)

I mean the domestic, sewing type of darn, not the mild cussing kind of darn, which I'm not sure would be permitted on this board. ha ha I think one only darns socks, right? I think darning involves yarn.  Do you think Ma Kent darned Clark's socks? I bet she did. I doubt she darned his jeans (unless they were made of yarn, and I've never heard of that), but I bet he was always well-groomed when he wore his jeans.

[Barb1957]

[Son of a Preacher Man]

er... uh...

Wasn't that Spidey?  ;)

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when Superman we seek to leave. [/i]:D

Superman was recently under a dellusion of sorts and began creating a slew of robots crafted in his image.  I pondered this over the weekend in my own Fortress of Solitude and realized that so much of the problem is that one Superman often tries to mold all the citizens into his image.

Unfortunately, whenever this happens, the product is seldom as \"super\" as the original and result is something more akin to Bizzaro Superman--inferior in every way.

SoaPMan

[janine]

Did she pick it out with her own little superfingers?

[Son of a Preacher Man]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (janine @ Feb. 24 2003,10:28)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Did she pick it out with her own little superfingers?[/quote]
why, yes she did.

[jarschqua]

i read an article by a david hopkins on another site. i hope i don't get sued for copying part of it here, but his point is so good it's probably worth it...

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]The pastor stands as the Church's superman. We require him to jump tall buildings, to be stronger than a locomotive, and deflect bullets. We expect pastors to help the poor, cloth the naked, visit the imprisoned, and pray for the sick on our behalf. After all, our parent's generation was a busy one-- there wasn't enough time to do religion. We needed a hero-for-hire. Every Sunday, we sat in the plush pew to hear of our pastor's adventures as defender of truth, justice and the American way.[/quote]

maybe this has been discussed on here before, but it just struck me full on today...
[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]1 Peter 2:9
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
[/quote]

the role of pastor or preacher is not reserved to one or two superheros at the front of an auditorium that we pay to do our good works, to be the official active Christians of the group...
we are all the priests. the money collected in the bible was to care for the needy, and maybe for supporting the apostles when they visited... not to hire THE priest of the congregation to do our Christian duty for us... \"the hero-for-hire\"

like perry mentioned on another thread: we were to go into all the world preaching the good news ministering to the world, not to bring people into our building for superman to do the saving... (paraphrased)...

maybe the PPP really should go?

the point is that we have to figure out how to curb this 9-5 \"work life\" and this isolation of a \"spiritual life\" on certain days for certain hours idea, and truly become everyday in every way everything that we expect our ministers to be for us!
josh

:alien:

[jarschqua]

i definitely agree that it's the member's attitudes that are troublesome, not the ppp... i was just imagining how helpless a congregation might be if they couldn't pay someone to do the \"dirty work\" of Christianity... unfortunately some would be pretty bad off... that striving for equality is what we need...
think about all the events your ppp is involved in...
all those one liners in the bulletin about so and so is sick, or such and such convention went well, etc.,etc...
if the members were all visiting the sick, were all doing the depth of study our preacher does for his lessons, were around the church to welcome the needy who stop by and knock on the back door...
then it would be our lives, not someone else's stories to read about, that would be the reflection of Christ in our assemblies...
a joyous day indeed :inlove:

i'd love to hear those points you mentioned in more depth, barb... did you take notes? ;)

[Son of a Preacher Man]

James!  A man after my own heart.

Let us always remember that behind every good man, there is a better woman.  And every Superman has his Kryptonite.  And moments of doubt.  Sometimes they are all one and the same.

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]3 doors down - Kryptonite
:music:
I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
I  left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
I feel there's nothing I can do
I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something to do with you
I really don't mind what happens now and then
As long as you'll be my friend at the end

If I go crazy then would you still call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite

You called me strong, you called me weak
but still your secrets I will keep
You took for granted all the times
I never let you down
You stumbled in and bumped your head
if not for me then you'd be dead
I picked you up and put you back on solid ground

If I go crazy then would you still call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite
:music:
[/quote]

you can draw your own conclusion from there...

SoaPMan

PS  These songs really do follow this thread... just think about them.

[Barb1957]

Amen, Spurly! I totally agree!

[James Rondon]

SoaPman.

The fact that that site exists... amazes me.

But what amazes me more, is the fact that you found it!   :p

[James Rondon]

Hey Barb.

My middle name is Edgar...

How does that work out, anagram-wise?

[Barb1957]

I like Never's \"snore on graded jams\" ...  (actually it'd be \"snore on graded jam\" since we've only one \"s\" to work with) ... I picture someone in a jam factory falling asleep during inspection!

[James Rondon]

Looks like the boy in blue needs to swoop-in and rescue this discussion!  :p

[James Rondon]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Superman (aka Hero)

:music:
I am so high, I can hear heaven
I am so high, I can hear heaven
Whoa, but heaven... no, heaven don't hear me

           Chorus :
                         And they say.....
                         That a hero could save us
                         I'm not gonna stand here and wait
                         I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles
                         Watch as we all fly away

Someone told me love would all save us
But, how can that be look what love gave us
A world full of killing and blood spilling
That world never came

Back to Chorus

Now that the world isn't ending
It's love that I'm sending to you
It isn't the love of a hero
And that's why I fear it won't do

Back to Chorus

And they're watching us
They're watching us
As we all fly away........... ( 3x )
:music:
[/quote]
As we all fly away!



[!--EDIT|James Rondon|Feb. 04 2003,03:12--]

[Son of a Preacher Man]

This \"superman\" is wearing his Superman tie given to him by his Superdaughter on his Superbirthday (last week).  Not even kryptonite can beat that.

Isn't that super?

[Nevertheless]

My dad still wears a tie that I made for him in a jr high sewing class - in 1975!  Fortunately he's more sentimental than fashion conscious!

:D

[spurly]

Yes.  And churches who expert their pastor to be superman will soon find that the entire church is dead as well.

Kevin

[Son of a Preacher Man]

I'm sorry!  I'm just having way too much fun with this Superman analogy.
[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Superman (It's Not Easy)

:music:
I can't stand to fly    I'm not that naïve
I'm just out to find    the better part of me
I'm more than a bird    more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train and it's not easy to be me.

Wish that I could cry   Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie   About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd     But don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed but won't you concede even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me

Up up and away away from me well it's alright
You can all sleep sound tonight  I'm not crazy or anything

I can't stand to fly    I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride with clouds between their knees
I'm only a man in a silly red sheet digging for kryptonite
on a one-way  street
Only a man in a silly red sheet looking for special things inside of me

Inside of me   Inside of me   Inside of me   Inside of me

I'm only a man in a funny red sheet only a man looking for a dream
Only a man in a funny red sheet and it's not easy

It's not easy to be me.
:music:    
[/quote]

More to think about.

[spurly]

I think one of the best things you can do for your church's \"superman\", is let him know that you don't expect him to be your \"superman\" and your \"spiritual hero\".

A professor at Ozark Christian College tells a story that took place while he was a preacher in San Antonio.  He said that there was one gentleman in the church who did not think he had a lot of talents, but he was a great encourager.  When he had the preacher come to his house, he told him that he should feel free to be himself.  He didn't want the preacher to feel like he had to be a \"preacher on parade\".  So he told him, \"If you feel like you want to cuss, cuss all you want.\"  You don't have to put on a show for me.

People like that can really encourage a minister.  When people stop putting the \"superman\" on the pedastool, and put Christ on the pedastool, the whole church will be blessed.

Kevin

[Son of a Preacher Man]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]gold? (will take away superpreacher's powers!) white? keep that one away from the plants!!

Are those types, or red K still around after Crisis?
The hubby would know, but he's not immediately available.
I'm a Superman fan but can't keep all this pre-Crisis, post-Crisis stuff straight.

Was it some kind of kryptonite that gave Streaky powers, or was it something else entirely?[/quote]
I can't either...

But this site tells all: http://www.tvacres.com/metals_kryptonite.htm

[Barb1957]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (Son of a Preacher Man @ Feb. 01 2003,5:42)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]http://www.tvacres.com/metals_kryptonite.htm[/quote]
Coolness! Thanks!  :thumbup:  :wave:

[Son of a Preacher Man]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote (James Rondon @ Feb. 01 2003,11:59)[/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Hey SoaP,

When I initially proposed feeding Mr. Man a bowl of kryptonite cereal, I was leaning toward the gold variety:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Gold Kryptonite exposure permanently removes superpowers from Kryptonians like Superman.[/quote]

This would make him just like every other citizen of Metropolis, and remove their dependence on him.

But after looking at that link on types of Kryptonite, I would say that, instead, every citizen of Metropolis should dive into a bowl of healthy kryptonite X:

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]Kryptonite-X bestows temporary superpowers to Terran lifeforms.  Kryptonite-X, a synthetic variation,  was created by Supergirl as a potential cure for exposure to Green Kryptonite. Kryptonite-X accidentally imbued Linda Lee Danver's pet cat, Streaky with super-powers.[/quote]

This would allow the Metropolitans to be able to do the same things that Superman does, and at the same time, would lessen their dependence on him...

But it seems that such powers have always been available to the citizens of Metropolis. When they began living in the city, they were given a life-long supply of this miracle worker.

Some use it every once in a while... Some don't even realize that it's stored in their pantry. Some spend hours upon hours denouncing the effects of it... And some have concluded that to use it, would be unlawful. All in all, many don't bother with it because they would rather have Superman flying around, handling everything for them.

I took off my blue pajamas a long time ago... I hung-up my cape, and put on my wide rimmed glasses. I realized that there was much for me to do, but the other citizens had been leaving almost everything up to me. Just recently, I remembered that I had some of this X stuff stored on the top of my fridge.

When I was the Man, the power that this stuff gives flowed through my veins... But in the midst of keeping up with the rest of the city, helping the needy, rescuing those in peril... I forgot that this power was available to all of Metropolis.

I still remember what it's like to fly... But I've been keeping my feet on the ground, so as not to attract too much attention... I still do a lot of those same things, but my cape now hangs in the closet. At times I'm tempted to put it back on... but the closet is where I intend it to stay.

But wait... Maybe I could get the others to start eating X, at least in small doses?

Maybe one day, with enough convincing... maybe they'll start gobbling it down? Maybe they'll dump the twinkies and the ho-ho's?...

Maybe one day, it will be a main staple?

Maybe?... One day?...

We can all be Superman!

Maybe... One day...[/quote]
:clap:

kudo's, james :thumbs-up: If only Tim Burton had been such a deep thinker, maybe we'd have a new Superman movie by now.

Kryptonite X, not to be mistaken with Chemical X (the secret ingredient that gave us the Powerpuff Girls), would certainly be in order for all the citizens of Metropolis.  Unfortunately, these citizens aren't too bright--I mean, they are easily duped by a simple pair of glasses.  The issue seems to be this: how do we get them to see their need for Kryptonite X?  

Today being a Sunday and all, Superman is away at the Fortress of Solitude and could not be reached for further comment.  Please stay tuned...

[Nevertheless]

How about

End no major grades?

or

Snore on graded jam?

:crackup:

[Nevertheless]

Hmmmmm . . .

This is getting fun!

My name anagrams to

Ah! Jolly caver boys!

[James Rondon]

(By the way Barb, awesome .gif... Where'd you find it?)

[Barb1957]

James ... found the gif at this page:
http://supermanm3.tripod.com/SupermanM3/id1.html
(Not linking to it at that page though; I grabbed/stole it and uploaded it to some space I use, the server Greg's site is on.)

SoaPMan ... love the Smallville / Metropolis analogy. Thanks!

[Barb1957]

[!--QuoteBegin--][/span][table border=\"0\" align=\"center\" width=\"95%\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\"][tr][td]Quote [/td][/tr][tr][td id=\"QUOTE\"][!--QuoteEBegin--]maybe the PPP really should go?

the point is that we have to figure out how to curb this 9-5 \"work life\" and this isolation of a \"spiritual life\" on certain days for certain hours idea, and truly become everyday in every way everything that we expect our ministers to be for us!
josh[/quote]

Agree with \"the point...\" on but not with the ppp going ... There's nothing wrong with paid preachers. What's wrong are the attitudes of Christians. We need to understand that we're all important and worthwhile in the kingdom of God. Just because some are seen more doesn't mean they're more important. All parts of the body are important. Our \"paid pulpit preacher\" just preached a sermon about this recently. I'm glad I got to hear it!  \"Members of One Another\" -- 1 Cor. 12:12-27. Some points were:
If we are going to be a \"body\" ...
 a. We will emphasize dependency
 b. We will emphasize equality
 c. We will emphasize unity

We love our preacher! We're keeping him!  :D

[Barb1957]

Josh, I could be wrong, but I don't think the majority of the members of my church expect our preacher to \"do it all.\"
I'm sure some do. But I think West End is pretty good at delegating responsibilities among its members and in getting people involved, not expecting \"the preacher\" to be \"superman\".
(BTW, SoaPMan sure knows a lot about Superman, huh?!)

I took notes during the sermon. lol Yep. Couldn't write fast enough, and I missed filling in the blanks on the two points of the second part, but he kinda finished it with some remarks during our fellowship meal that day that wrapped up our ministry fair Sunday. You probably weren't seriously asking, but hey, nothing better to do ... Here's some of my scribblings  ...

The church is the continuing incarnation ...
Jesus came in the flesh - incarnation
His incarnation continues in His church

body membership -- not corporation, not like the PTA or whatever ... if we mean the same as the world means, we have the wrong idea ... in body membership, we have to have relation with other members
[didn't write this down, but he talked about how we shouldn't treat the church like a club, that you can be in a club -- kiwanis, pta, whatever, without building relationships with other people in it; you just pay your dues, etc., and you're part of that club -- sometimes we make the mistake of treating the church like a club, using \"member\" in the wrong sense ... someone might say, \"is so and so a member of that church?\" and someone might reply, \"well, I guess so ... they come to the meetings ... sometimes they drop a check in...\"]

church is not an organization but an organism
we are family, a body, not an institution
knitted together like bricks in a wall

Every part equal .. Parts we don't see important to the body's function. We love independence as Americans, but as Christians we must be dependent on each other.

Unity ... we are one. harmony ... move together as a unit
Most bodies don't die from attack from outside ... most die because something inside stops working

we show people Jesus

and the last points that I didn't fill in: \"What are you going to do to help?\" ... I believe those were: a.) Assess your abilities and b.) Assume some responsibilities.

That's about it! All I jotted down or can remember. Don't have a copy of the tape yet. Tara's getting me one. See?-- I want a copy of a sermon, I don't ask Phil for one; I know to ask Tara or Louise.  :)

[James Rondon]

By the way, due to the fact that most people view their preacher/pastor/whatever as Superman, and depend on him to save the day...

If he visits me any time soon, I just might be tempted to serve him a big bowl of Kryptonite cereal!

That way, those hapless citizens of Metropolis can learn to stop sitting back, and do things for themselves...

Maybe then they won't be so hapless!

[Barb1957]

gold? (will take away superpreacher's powers!) white? keep that one away from the plants!!

Are those types, or red K still around after Crisis?
The hubby would know, but he's not immediately available.
I'm a Superman fan but can't keep all this pre-Crisis, post-Crisis stuff straight.

Was it some kind of kryptonite that gave Streaky powers, or was it something else entirely?