The Dark Knight… The greatest story ever told?

(this is an old facebook note i decided to transfer for the sake of ease)


Everything in the movie was spectacular. The Dark Knight might be the best movie I’ve ever seen, and easily top five. The special effects were breathtaking. The Bat-cycle was BA. The acting was superb, and Ledger left his mark by producing probably the best villain performance ever. I said it, ever. Character development, which I’m a fan of, was spot on too. Then there is the plot, which was by far the best quality of the movie. 
I got really emotional at the end, the part in which Batman becomes the sacrifice by taking the blame to redeem Gotham city. He does so by taking the punishment (being hunted, hated, pain) of a criminal when he clearly doesn’t deserve it. Batman, at the end of the movie, is a savior. There is another story of a savior that closely mirrors the plot of The Dark Knight, and that is the narrative of the bible (or vice versa in my opinion).
Check this out. In the beginning of the bible narrative there is God (Batman in the form of Bruce Wayne), then the fall of Satan (the Joker). Satan is the embodiment of evil. His prideful self seeks rule over the universe. He seeks pain and destruction of whatever brings God satisfaction. God is most satisfied with his relationships with people (Burce’s relationship with Rachel Dawes). The first action against Satan was the construction of a chosen nation/people (Harvey Dent). The disease of sin, facilitated by Satan and a selfish will, causes this to fail. In this time of failure, we still see God as faithful and often interceding (Bruce hiding Harvey from the Joker during the party, Bruce’s financial funding, Batman grabbing the coin to stop Two Face from shooting). Nevertheless, time after time, the chosen people forsake God, and tricked by Satan, they turn from God and pursue matters other than redeeming the world. (Harvey Dent’s transformation to Two-Face) Now God, filled with love, decides to take matters into His own hands, he changes forms in order to interact with the world (Bruce to Batman). He came to this world as Jesus. Just like there are laws governing nature, such as physics, the bible puts forth spiritual laws. A major paradigm is the notion of justice. The bible explains that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It also explains that because of these sins, we’re unable to have a relationship with God (think Bruce can’t have a relationship with Rachel Dawes not necessarily because of Batman’s existence, but because of the evil that is surrounding them).
Out of God’s mercy, he creates a way in which to get rid of these sins (Batman fighting evil). Within the spiritual laws, and upholding justice, God finds everyone guilty, but in a wonderful act of love, he takes upon the punishment Himself. God makes a relationship with him possible by taking a sinners death on the cross while he did not deserve it. (Batman taking the blame for things he did not do, if Rachel Dawes didn’t die in the explosion, a relationship would have been possible between Bruce and her; hey, it is not a perfect analogy). In this act, Satan was defeated, but not destroyed. (Joker’s plan in releasing all of the mob by discrediting is foiled by Batman taking the blame; justice is served by treating Batman as a criminal, as he is running in pain from the police at the end). This is when the Biblical narrative overlaps with the current times.
(this was originally an old note on facebook.  I thought I'd compile everything on one site)



Christians, I would define, are people who believe in Jesus as their lord and savior. Savior means that they believe that Jesus was sinless and perfect and paid for their punishment. Lord means that they follow Jesus’ instructions and try to emulate his life. Christians are also commanded to tell others the news of Jesus. In line of the analogy, Christians would be the people who know and believe that Batman did not have to take the blame, but did so to save everyone. Christians would be the people following Batman, and doing all that they could to further his cause. (think Gordon and his selflessness). Christians would be the ones who would explain to everyone that Joker’s plan has been defeated by the loving act of Batman. Christians would be the ones in opposition to those who follow the Joker.
Now the biblical narrative continues into the future, but states that we currently live in a time of great patience. The bible states that God, “is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 
It states that there is an end, a promise. A promise in which evil and Satan will be gone and all will be perfect. It states that those opposed to the Kingdom of God, opposition of His lordship and His outstretched hand of salvation, will be banished and destroyed forever. In line with the analogy, Batman chooses to use less than lethal force because he doesn’t want people to perish. He wants people to know that he has made a way for people to have a relationship with Bruce/Batman and to live with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He wants people to follow his ways. But there will be a day when Batman decides to use lethal force and kill the Joker and those who follow him, as he has proven that he has the ability…

Sanctification

Farewell false love, the oracle of lies, 
A mortal foe and enemy to rest, 
An envious boy, from whom all cares arise, 
A bastard vile, a beast with rage possessed, 
A way of error, a temple full of treason, 
In all effects contrary unto reason. 

A poisoned serpent covered all with flowers, 
Mother of sighs, and murderer of repose, 
A sea of sorrows whence are drawn such showers 
As moisture lend to every grief that grows; 
A school of guile, a net of deep deceit, 
A gilded hook that holds a poisoned bait. 

A fortress foiled, which reason did defend, 
A siren song, a fever of the mind, 
A maze where affection finds no end, 
A raging cloud that runs before the wind, 
A substance like the shadow of the sun, 
A goal of grief for which the wisest run. 

A quenchless fire, a nurse of trembling fear, 
A path that leads to peril and mishap, 
A true retreat of sorrow and despair, 
An idle boy that sleeps in pleasure's lap, 
A deep mistrust of that which certain seems, 
A hope of that which reason doubtful deems. 

then my my younger years betrayed; since 
And for my faith ingratitude I find; 
And since repentance hath my wrongs betrayed; revealed 
Whose course was ever contrary to kind; nature 
False love, desire, and beauty frail, adieu. 
Dead is the root whence all these fancies grew.

Life without the sun

Jagged petals and shattered stars,
why should I worry where you are?

Broken vows and frozen smiles
the hollowed lies that linger for awhile.

Staring eyes and shattered heart;
However did we drift so far apart?

Why should I care, why can't I shed a tear;
why can't I forget the embrace you my dear.

Hands empty and life no longer bright;
fallen down on knees I'm such a sorry sight.

Scabbed knees and unkempt hair;
Just another day, pain everywhere.

Walking lonely and I'm finally done;
My new journey is to find the sun.

I hold it all when I hold You

I've fallen on hard times
This isn't the ideal 
I'm a life away from my true home, 
doing the best that I can
I can't do this without You
I wont do this without You
So take heart,
because You know that You have mine

Live for today, I'll dream tomorrow 
I've got big plans in sight 
I'll escape this city to seek You out, and by nightfall 
the orange lights are calling 
Everything is not going my way 
Everything is just as You planned
“This is the future for you,don't toss it away.
Trust Me. Remember the cross? 
And I've still got your hand”

When my strength fades, it will be You
who I will bide 
When time and confusion collide
I will sing “I hold it all when I hold You,”
When beloveds walk other ways, we've got each other 
I hold it all when I hold, I hold it all when I hold You

bike poem

9 in the morning Saturday came 
moms in the kitchen cleaning the sink
and dad got up early to work hard outside
today was the day he would teach me to ride

i rush to the kitchen to eat up the meal
dad waltzing in with a smile that was real
he knew i was watching he knew i was there
ready to chase all the birds in the air

dad takes my hand we walk out the door
he's ready to show me just how to soar 
he took off the trainers and placed me ontop
held on the back as he gave me the talk
i kept on moving and once he let go
i did as he told me which is all i know
i went down the driveway straight to the street 
pedling down the segmented concrete

traveling faster and racing the wind
all is alive and the sky has a grin
while it welcomes me right here
i have no limits and no need to cry
free like an eagle high in the sky 
what could stop these wings when they fly

i pay no attention to the road all around
a rock stops the wheel as i plunge to the ground
i cant move a muscle and the ride is deformed 
i'm more then just helpless in these clothes that are torn
but off in the distance a man starts to run 
it was my dad saving his son
and the more that i cried 
the more he embraced
so i rolled onto his shoulders and flying back home
we raced

traveling faster and racing the wind
all is alive and the sky has a grin
while it welcomes me right here
i have no limits and no need to cry
free like an eagle high in the sky

The “m” word

The idea that “being in love” is the only reason for remaining married really leaves no room for marriage as a contract or promise at all. If love is the whole thing, then the promise can add nothing; and if it adds nothing, then it should not be made. Marriage demands that lovers should take seriously something which their passion of itself impels them to do.

This covenant, made when I am in love and because I am in love, to be true to the beloved as long as I live, commits me to being true even if I cease to be in love. A promise must be about things that I can do, about actions: no one can promise to go on feeling in a certain way. He might as well promise to always  feel hungry, or to never have a headache. But that just seems cruel – keeping two people together if the are no longer in love? There are several sound, social reasons; mostly revolving around the best situation for the children, and protecting the woman (by getting married she has probably sacrificed her own career) from being left whenever the man finds something else. There is, however, another reason of which I am sure, though in the medium of conversations – I find it hard to explain.

It is hard because so many people cannot be brought to see that when “B” is better that “C”, “A” may be even better that “B”. I've been in a situation where a friend asked about the Christian perspective of fighting; such as a bar fight that we had just witnessed. I've replied that it is far better to forgive a man that to fight with him, but that even a violent fist fight might be better than a lifelong enmity which expresses itself in secret efforts to “screw him over”. The conversation ended in complaints that I would not and could not give a straight answer. I hope no one will make this misunderstanding with the following point.

Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling, No feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last, principles can last; but feelings come and go. Yes, 'being in love' helps to make us generous and courageous, and being in love is far better than either common sensuality or cold self-centredness. But as I've grown older and a little wiser, I've seen the wickedness of my nature – the core of my embodiment, I, myself, Timothy James Jang am evil. C.S. Lewis has stated, “the most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of our own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs,” and while I've yet to unpack this statement (probably another blog entry another day), even at first glance, it rings true to what I observe in the world.

But, of course, ceasing to be “in love” doesn't mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense – love as distinct from “being in love” – is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity – a connection if you will, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God (in Christian marriages). As Lewis states, “They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be “in love” with someone else.” “Being in love” first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the covenant. Love is the great conqueror of lust.  It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.