Obama and Batman

I arrived back in Berlin on 27th December 2008 full of trepidation and hope, off to a camp with the Germans in a place I had no idea how to get to and I had no idea who I was going to be spending my time with. It was a bit of a risk - especially as I had to miss some quality parties back in the UK - but it turned out to be totally worth it. Not only did I meet some fantastic people but I learnt wonderful wonderful things. The camp was a mix of talks, seminars and free time and centred around a study of the book of Revelation. I knew not much about it before - having tried to read it and only got as far as a few chapters in because I was thoroughly confused by what seemed to be nonsensical visions with no relevance to my life now. But now it seems so alive, so relevant, so necessary. And I just love it when the Bible comes alive in new ways to me time and again.

As I write this I am listening to Obama's inauguration speech. Don't get me wrong, I think he's great, but it is eerily interesting quite how people react to him over here. The day after he won, I came into school and on every blackboard the children had drawn pictures of him, the American flag and his name in huge letters. He spoke in the Tiergarten - and his stand had to be moved so it didn't lie on top of the very place Hitler used to speak from - but it seems somehow that the view of Obama as the Messiah, someone who is here to save the world from the oppression and mistakes of the decadent capitalist past, is a little worrying. Yes he does deserve respect, recognition and support, but the hero worship that seems to be springing up is somewhat quite disturbing when seen through German glasses. Should we be more careful when we put so much hope and longing on the leadership of one man?

Last night we had a film night of the new Batman. It was L-O-N-G -- exactly how I remembered it to be -- but we had some fantastic discussions afterwards with the people there about chance and morality and whether we are in essence selfish and whether this world is in need of a Batman ... or indeed someone who is a hero although he doesn't seem like the one we want - he is a hero who gives up his reputation and position to save that of others - the comparisons with Jesus can only go so far but it was very interesting all the same.

Such rhetoric and emphasis from Obama is certainly hard to write against. And I suppose I should be listening to how Obama tells us that "this is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny" - as I do so it makes me wonder whether Obama and Batman might indeed be saying the same thing about humanity.