Monday, August 23, 2004
And now I will muse on a selected quote from the song: "Waitin for a Superman" by the Flaming Lips
Cause it's gettin heavy
well I thought it was already as heavy as can be
Tell everybodyWaitin' for Superman
That they should try to hold on the Best they can
He hasn't dropped them, Forgot them Or anything
It's just too heavy for Superman to lift
This song hits me hard on a couple of different levels.
First of all, I think of the song in terms of my dad. I think a lot of boys sort of think of their dad as "Superman" and there comes a point growing up when you realize that your dad is mortal and it sucks. You realize that he's not perfect, he can't do anything, he's probably going to die before you do - and in fact you might have to take care of him before the end of it. It's a sobering thing and for me it's the number one thing that makes me face my own mortality.
The second way I think of this song is very similar and it revolves around a loose theory I've been kicking around for a few years. Please don't shoot me when I explain the theory - nothing is in stone for me yet, I've just been kicking it around.
The theory I have is that despite all we have been led to believe, God can't actually do anything he wants. OR - if he CAN do anything he wants, the theory is that the God's favorite of all possible worlds is one in which there is a small amount of imperfection mixed in with the perfection.
Here's why: First of all, God created everything - and we can reasonably believe that God created everything and designed the nature of everything in such a way that he would be as happy as possible. If God is happiest in a creation where he receives the most possible glory, then the creation we live in is the one in which he receives the most possible glory. Ok stick with me.
The way God created the nature of everything, it turned out that He had to suffer through the shameful death of His own Son. I don't think that anyone who believes in my God would deny the fact that God suffered because of the crucifixion of Jesus.
So God makes the nature of everything in such a way that He must endure suffering. This leads me logically to one of two conclusions:
1. God is NOT able to create a world in which he is the happiest that he can possibly be without inflicting some amount of suffering upon himself.
2. God IS able to create a world in which he is as happy as he can possibly be - and it turns out that God is as happy as he can possibly be when a small amount of suffering is mixed in. Or to say it another way, according to the Oasis lyrics that have always haunted me "True perfection has to be imperfect."
I can't decide which of these two conclusions is correct, but that song by the Flaming Lips really makes me think about it. Are there things that God just CAN'T do? Is there a point when "He hasn't dropped us, forgotten us or anything - it's just too heavy for God to lift."
My personal opinion is that God enjoys being tricky and that he likes to plant examples of His nature all around us, and I can't help but look at my own father and wonder if God planted a hint of His nature there. The way I always thought of my dad as able to do anything until I got old enough to realize it wasn't true. Is God leaving me a clue to His nature? Am I supposed to realize "Actually, your Father can't do EVERYTHING."
I just don't know. I hope I layed out my theory in a logical way. Please let me know if you can see holes in my logic.
Cause it's gettin heavy
well I thought it was already as heavy as can be
Tell everybodyWaitin' for Superman
That they should try to hold on the Best they can
He hasn't dropped them, Forgot them Or anything
It's just too heavy for Superman to lift
This song hits me hard on a couple of different levels.
First of all, I think of the song in terms of my dad. I think a lot of boys sort of think of their dad as "Superman" and there comes a point growing up when you realize that your dad is mortal and it sucks. You realize that he's not perfect, he can't do anything, he's probably going to die before you do - and in fact you might have to take care of him before the end of it. It's a sobering thing and for me it's the number one thing that makes me face my own mortality.
The second way I think of this song is very similar and it revolves around a loose theory I've been kicking around for a few years. Please don't shoot me when I explain the theory - nothing is in stone for me yet, I've just been kicking it around.
The theory I have is that despite all we have been led to believe, God can't actually do anything he wants. OR - if he CAN do anything he wants, the theory is that the God's favorite of all possible worlds is one in which there is a small amount of imperfection mixed in with the perfection.
Here's why: First of all, God created everything - and we can reasonably believe that God created everything and designed the nature of everything in such a way that he would be as happy as possible. If God is happiest in a creation where he receives the most possible glory, then the creation we live in is the one in which he receives the most possible glory. Ok stick with me.
The way God created the nature of everything, it turned out that He had to suffer through the shameful death of His own Son. I don't think that anyone who believes in my God would deny the fact that God suffered because of the crucifixion of Jesus.
So God makes the nature of everything in such a way that He must endure suffering. This leads me logically to one of two conclusions:
1. God is NOT able to create a world in which he is the happiest that he can possibly be without inflicting some amount of suffering upon himself.
2. God IS able to create a world in which he is as happy as he can possibly be - and it turns out that God is as happy as he can possibly be when a small amount of suffering is mixed in. Or to say it another way, according to the Oasis lyrics that have always haunted me "True perfection has to be imperfect."
I can't decide which of these two conclusions is correct, but that song by the Flaming Lips really makes me think about it. Are there things that God just CAN'T do? Is there a point when "He hasn't dropped us, forgotten us or anything - it's just too heavy for God to lift."
My personal opinion is that God enjoys being tricky and that he likes to plant examples of His nature all around us, and I can't help but look at my own father and wonder if God planted a hint of His nature there. The way I always thought of my dad as able to do anything until I got old enough to realize it wasn't true. Is God leaving me a clue to His nature? Am I supposed to realize "Actually, your Father can't do EVERYTHING."
I just don't know. I hope I layed out my theory in a logical way. Please let me know if you can see holes in my logic.
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