Providence Points: The Gospel of Action Figures

[shawn...@gmail.com]

Providence Points:
Biblical, Devotional & Informational
December, 17, 2007
Vol. 2, No. 20

The Gospel of Action-Figures

I grew up with action figures. I spent many an afternoon imagining
great military battles and ingenious military tactics with my action
figures, vehicles and equipment. And although I did join the
military, I never experienced a "bloodlust" because of these toys.

These toys simply represented a relaxation time in which my
imagination could be utilized for things other than short story essays
in my fifth-grade class. Yet, it also represented a value-system that
accepted military might and lauded military prowess. It capitalized on
such moral virtues as bravery, shrewdness, and perseverance. Within a
pagan culture, these virtues are ends in themselves, without reference
to God or His Law. Thus, they are the roots of militarism and a
military state.

Within a Christian context these virtues are not ends in themselves
but attributes defined by the Law of God. Within this context, these
toys, specifically, the virtues they highlighted, were used for God's
glory because they reinforced God's Word. The Bible lauds such
character traits as bravery, shrewdness and perseverance--remember
Christ exhorted the disciples to be as cunning as serpents. However,
God does not smile upon the use of stupid bravery, sinful cunning, and
prideful perseverance. So, already, one sees how a toy reflects a
culture behind it and thus a gospel. For cultures are religions
externalized.

Now, what can one make of the new Jesus Christ action figure? (Yes,
you read that correctly!)

For starters, is one even allowed to make action figures of Christ?
At least, that is the first question our Puritan forefathers would
have asked. Remember those men we easily laud as great founders of
America--we'd like to have their moral superiority but not their
morals. And one of their morals was the Second Commandment: not to
make any image of God. Christ is God. Therefore, no image of Christ
is allowed.

Secondly, one could write a plethora of pages on the obvious religious-
cultural implication involved in a Jesus "action-figure" (I hate even
writing that word). We create gods in our own image...need I say
more!?

This so-called god of modern commercialism readily fits into the
Humanistic god of Americana: he is pliable to the whims of his
creator. As the child manipulates the figurine into "action
poses" (like dying on the cross?), he merely mimics the theology of
his nurturing: a passive god who tries to appease the desires of
mankind. Whether this obvious critique maps to the Christmas demigod,
Santa, or to the god of the average Christian in America, it does not
matter. The metaphor is powerful and ripe, ready to for any energetic
pastor to pick and throw at the nearest lackadaisical Christian's
heart.

My toys imbibed on action and heroism. This toy imbibes on pure
paganism: man's sovereignty over God. Instead of imbibing this refuse,
try giving your children something more uplifting, like a G.I. Joe or
a Book...with Exodus 20:4 earmarked.

SDG