Which is why I like the 'old' Capt so much. He knows what's right and what's wrong; with him good is good, evil can't be good and vice versa. What's black is black, what's white remains white. No shades of grey. So using the most sophisticated technological advances in profiling DNA to identify 'potential' enemies of the state (read those who don't agree with you) and then simply 'neutralize' (read kill) them all off with 1 single simultaneous zap all over the world is simply wrong, not even on the ostensibly justifiable ground of counter-terrorism. To quote the hero, "This isn't freedom, this is fear."
But quite aside from all the adrenaline rush of eye-popping action scenes, it was the rather muted relationship of the hero and his best friend-turned-enemy that tugged at my heart-strings. Saved from death and transformed into a killing machine with all memory of his previous life wiped out, Bucky the Winter Soldier has been programmed to hunt down and destroy Capt A. As the 2 super warriors slug it out in the final battle, the hero heroically (what else) refuses to fight in self-defence and even though he has the upper hand, lets himself be pummelled instead; hoping that his mad antagonist will 'wake up' and realize who he really is. Seemingly it's in vain as Bucky is hell-bent on his mission to kill, and so sends the hero plunging down into a watery grave. But there is a glimmer of hope ....for his final words "I will always be with you, right to the end" or something to that effect did trigger off a faint memory in Bucky's brain, enough for him to rescue the hero and let him live another day whilst he walks away alone....Still no sweet reunions or happily-ever-after .....maybe that's for the sequel...
Which got me thinking...that's how mankind behave with God. Some set their minds on 'killing' God off, as if He is a sworn enemy. To quote famous atheist Friedrich Nietzsche in his Parable of the Madman, "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"
Well, at least he's honest. And he's right too.... it's so much better, easier and nicer to worship ourselves than some Being somewhere up there, who asks us to give up control of our lives. Indeed we can invent all sorts of perfectly logical sensible reasons to deny His existence altogether. Certainly it's simpler to just shrug and walk away from God. With this kind of reception, it would be perfectly understandable for God to give up on mankind, as we give up on Him. After all, why bother with a bunch of ungrateful, unappreciative and depraved species who are determined to go their own way and do their own thing? Why doesn't God just wipe humankind off the face of the earth and stick to playing with animals instead? I am sure animals would be so much more obedient, fun and lovable.
Actually God did destroy the earth...once, but He didn't finish the job; He let live a family of 8 humans, headed by a man who was found righteous in His sight - Noah - together with pairs of creatures big and small. I hear Hollywood has released the movie version, which apparently is unbiblical in its portrayal anyway. The Biblical version says God promised never to destroy the world again by flood, "even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood" (Genesis 8:21). What is it about man that God should exercise such restraint? According to His standards, surely we are totally unworthy of any compassion.
Yet as much as Capt A doggedly refused to kill off Bucky when he had the chance to, because of a past love between them that he considered precious, by the same token, God remembers He created us out of His love, so that we in turn can love and enjoy Him , bound together in a relationship that's supposed to last forever. And just as somewhere along the line, Bucky 'forgot' what his relationship with his childhood friend was all about, we too intentionally or unintentionally forget, ignore, or disregard where we came from and what our existence in relationship to God is all about.
But Capt A never forgot; likewise God never forgets. Bucky chose to walk away from his best friend who loved him; God chose to come down for the very ones who reject Him. The super-hero gave up his power to defend himself against attack, preferring to die at the hands of his friend-turned-enemy. Likewise, Jesus did exactly that... dying on the cross, murdered by mankind, the very ones He came to save. Why is it we can be touched by a Hollywood movie about the love between fictional characters, but we can be so blase about the real, abiding eternal love of God that Jesus proved in the sacrifice of His own life for us?
Especially if we would appreciate the crucial difference between the comic book fable and the Bible's truth. Anyone can understand why Capt A would want to die for his friend Bucky. But we aren't God's friends; in fact we are His enemies. To die for a friend is noble, but to die for an enemy.... is plain crazy. Still that's what Jesus did, as Apostle Paul puts it, "...God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). We can hate God; He continues to love us. We can reject and ignore Him; He continues to pursue us. What kind of God is this? A God full of mercy who doesn't wish us to end up in hell as we deserve. A God full of grace who wants instead to give us what we don't deserve - abundant life now and in eternity. A God so in love with us, the crown jewels of His creation, He would do anything, (yes, even die a very human death; going through what all humans go through) to bring us back to Himself.
The way Bucky left the scene after rescuing Capt A despite everything between them that had gone sour leaves room for hope - and a definite sequel of course. I too find hope, that someday all who have walked away from God will choose to turn around and be embraced by a Love that refuses to give anyone up. After all once upon a time I was like Bucky, the Winter Soldier, ploughing through life......hardened, cold, unresponsive to God. My husband was worse; downright antagonistic and hostile. But when we allowed His love to thaw our hearts, life and death has never been the same again; for those who choose to believe Jesus know what we have received from the generous hands and loving heart of a God who treasures each human as uniquely made in His own image, destined for greater things than we can ever imagine, ask or hope for.
"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, Your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both man and beast. How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house; You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light."...Psalm 36:5-9
brave new world of subterfuge and intrigue,
Read more at http://collider.com/tag/captain-america-2/#M6S0l4bZU33MYLtA.99
Read more at http://collider.com/tag/captain-america-2/#M6S0l4bZU33MYLtA.99
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