Why the World Needs SuperHeroes

Seraphim —

The world needs more super heroes. In an age where we are at war in many corners of the globe and we have been taught that there is a perceived threat at every shore, there has never been a better time than now to believe in super heroes.
It seems that so many of our wars are waged because of ideological differences. Many of our global political problems stem from religious and spiritual disconnections. In a time where it is not safe to speak out about what you choose to believe in, maybe we can find some common ground using the language of super heroes.

As a child, like many, I became familiar with the cultural icons of Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and the list goes on. As I got older I learned that super heroes weren't real and they became more of a fanciful idea to me. In the last several years as I've watched the social and political decay that is creeping the entire way around the world, I began to think back to the days when I believed in super heroes. I find myself wishing now more than ever before that they were real.

Perhaps there are super heroes out there and perhaps they live next door. Can we be super heroes for each other? What if just one person stood up and said that this was not the way things are supposed to be and we need to change before it's too late? Would we listen to that person? Would we just laugh him or her? I'm waiting for that person and I believe there are millions of people out there who are waiting with me.

If your kid tells you that she or he wants to be a super hero please encourage them as much as possible. I see too many children these days that have messed up goals and aspirations just like their parents. We value our pop stars and sports icons like never before even if they're alcoholics or drug adicts while the people who fill our brains with education and those who save our lives with medicine are ignored.

Be proud if your child loves super heroes; this means that she or he values integrity and helping people. We need super heroes in today's world and you could be raising a future one. All they need is to believe that it is possible.

Maybe someday the world will be full of super heroes. What a wonderful thing to ponder. We may have amazing people in our midst and if we can overcome our tendency to applaud the strong and mighty while putting down the meek and modest, we may end up saving ourselves.

And that day my friends, draws nearer and nearer.

Forum

Naz — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 - 23:50

I got this crazy idea about becoming a Superman on Eid. I was telling my sisters this and they were in hysterics and think I’ve finally lost the plot. Anyway on Eid you always got the usual happening on Wilmslow road, a small minority of the Muslim population giving Islam a bad name. Every year you put on the news after Eid and there they are with their rented out/pimped cars and their paki flags making fools out of themselves. Happens year after year and frankly its just getting embarrassing So I was thinking why not get there early park my car in the middle of Wilmslow road, stand on top of the car with my megaphone and spread the word of God. Most of the ppl will be stuck in traffic and therefore will have no choice but to listen. I probably wont get taken seriously but hey it’s worth a try. Maybe just maybe I can get some ppl to see sense. If anyone wants to join me feel free lol. What do you say M4k4v3l1? After all most of them do tend to be Oldhamers. 😂

idi — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 00:01

nooooooo itz oryt i have no intention of dyin at this age
bt thanks for the offer
n it takes about 5 hourz 2 get 2 the middle on eid evn if u go in the morning
and 5 hourz of sittin in the same car as u........
ad die b4 i get 2 start ur stupid idea

Naz — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 00:18

I think its a brillant idea. I can get us there 40 min tops im a fast driver 😉
[size=7]I see your ashamed of your own kind, dont worry i wont tell[/size] 😃

idi — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 00:27

oryttt den pik me up on eid yh, al b stood outside ma house(which iz in oldham) w8in 4 u, wid a bulletproof vest on

You — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 00:49

I don't like the concept of superheroes. People with more power or something than everyone else will obviously stand out.

What is more interesting is when an ordinary person does something extraordinary.

Or the age old question: What would you rather have?

1. X-ray vision (incl all types of other special vision.)
2. Super strength?

MuslimBro — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 01:24

[quote="You"]Or the age old question: What would you rather have?

[b]1. X-ray vision[/b] (incl all types of other special vision.)
2. Super strength?[/quote]
Naughty boy :twisted:

I'd rather have super strength.

Naz — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 01:30

[quote="Joie de Vivre"]Super-strength is good for doing some damage[b] but with x-ray vision you could be a real hero.[/b]

Trust me on this one. :lol:[/quote]

How? with x ray vision all you can do is see what colour underwear someone is wearing 😂

You — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 01:34

*SPOILER FOR MY QUESTION. DO NOT READ FURTHER TIL YOU HAVE REPLIED WITH AN ANSWER*

[size=9][color=white]I read somewhere a while ago that guys in general go for x-ray vision, girls for super strength.[/color][/size]

I was just testing out that assumption as it was pretty surprising to me. Though on the other hand it is obvious as MuslimBro suggested.

Joie de Vivre — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 01:54

[quote="Naz"][quote="Joie de Vivre"]Super-strength is good for doing some damage[b] but with x-ray vision you could be a real hero.[/b]

Trust me on this one. :lol:[/quote]

How? with x ray vision all you can do is see what colour underwear someone is wearing :lol:[/quote]

Not true, you could find stolen goods or weapons and see all kinds of concealed activity. I'm, er, assuming you can switch it off for underwear.

Naz — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 02:01

[quote="Joie de Vivre"][quote="Naz"][quote="Joie de Vivre"]Super-strength is good for doing some damage[b] but with x-ray vision you could be a real hero.[/b]

Trust me on this one. :lol:[/quote]

How? with x ray vision all you can do is see what colour underwear someone is wearing :lol:[/quote]

Not true, you could find stolen goods or weapons and see all kinds of concealed activity. I'm, er, assuming you can switch it off for underwear.[/quote]

thats just boring. Right imagine that you found these stolen goods and just as your about to leave, the ppl who stole them (say theres about 4 of them) walk in and catch you either contacting the police or leaving with the goods what then? They just gonna beat you to a pulp. Now if you had super powers you could beat them all to a pulp. 😃

Joie de Vivre — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 02:07

That's if you caught them. But with x-ray vision you could catch them and see a big cosh under the counter.

As for assuming x-ray vision is for perving, it's like saying Super-strength is just for mindless violence.

Whatever you choose, use your powers wisely.

Naz — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 02:17

Having x ray vision doesn’t really make you a super hero all your doing is looking through walls and then getting other ppl such as the cops to do the hard bit ie arresting the perpetrator or getting mr/mrs/miss/ms super strength person to apprehend those involved in the crime until the cops come.

Joie de Vivre — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 02:23

But that's the uniquely useful part, and you can be humble with it rather than walking around like some kind of circus freak. People staring, whispering...

Ya'qub — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 09:42

i've always wanted to fly.

When I was a little kid I went to a 'wishing well' with my dad and my sister. I put 5p in and made my wish to my self, privately.

My sister told me "I BET U WISHED THAT YOU COULD BE ABLE TO FLY!"

"NO!" I protested, because I was scared that if people knew what I had wished for then it wouldn't come true.

I then proceeded to run on ahead of them (flapping my arms).

8)

Seraphim — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 09:44

lol, not quite what I was getting at when I started this thread.

Im not sure if standing ontop of your car with a megaphone will stop people. Infact you'll probably get arrested. Wimmy Road is crawling with police on Eid day, the last thing they will want is some1 blocking the road. Even if it is to tell the other people off.

Admin, im surprised at you. Your post echos a monologue worthy of Lex Luther. But you dont have to have "Super-Powers" to be a superhero. Look at Batman or Ironman. They're normal people who've developed their abilities through training (Batman) or throught an advanced technology (Ironman). But thats still not what a superhero IS.

A superhero is the embodyment of virtue, ethics a sense of right or wrong and above all Justice. People continue to relate to them because they need to believe that there are people out there that are like them but heroic and selfless. Spiderman being a perfect example. One of the reasons he's so popular is because he was a teenager with the same problems every teenager has. Anyone who has ever been bullied can understand Batmans sense of Justice. And who has not once wished they were Superman; a man above all men.

And in the end is it NOT muslims who are supposed to live by such virtues and such ethics? Does Islam not give you such a sense of right or wrong? You dont need superpowers or fancy costumes when a superhero is nothing without his sense of good and evil. And above all the courage to make a difference no matter the odds against him.

PS: I would totally choose super-strength all the way. But to quote a favourite line from Spiderman: [b][i]With great power comes great responsibility.[/i][/b]

Ya'qub — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 09:56

[quote="Seraphim"]lol, not quite what I was getting at when I started this thread.

Im not sure if standing ontop of your car with a megaphone will stop people. Infact you'll probably get arrested. Wimmy Road is crawling with police on Eid day, the last thing they will want is some1 blocking the road. Even if it is to tell the other people off.

Admin, im surprised at you. Your post echos a monologue worthy of Lex Luther. But you dont have to have "Super-Powers" to be a superhero. Look at Batman or Ironman. They're normal people who've developed their abilities through training (Batman) or throught an advanced technology (Ironman). But thats still not what a superhero IS.

A superhero is the embodyment of virtue, ethics a sense of right or wrong and above all Justice. People continue to relate to them because they need to believe that there are people out there that are like them but heroic and selfless. Spiderman being a perfect example. One of the reasons he's so popular is because he was a teenager with the same problems every teenager has. Anyone who has ever been bullied can understand Batmans sense of Justice. And who has not once wished they were Superman; a man above all men.

And in the end is it NOT muslims who are supposed to live by such virtues and such ethics? Does Islam not give you such a sense of right or wrong? You dont need superpowers or fancy costumes when a superhero is nothing without his sense of good and evil. And above all the courage to make a difference no matter the odds against him.

PS: I would totally choose super-strength all the way. But to quote a favourite line from Spiderman: [b][i]With great power comes great responsibility.[/i][/b][/quote]

some Muslims like to dress up in special outfits too :twisted:

MuslimBro — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 - 19:57

With x-ray vision you could work with Customs & Excise and catch people who try to smuggle in drugs/weapons and also people, it would make their job much easier.

Seraphim — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 - 10:43

I was wondering...

How people would feel if we "created" a muslim superhero... for the magazine? Since we lack real muslim hero's .... that can relate to days world and todays people. Why not create one?

Not so much as a comic strip but a page or two of story telling/creative writing with an Islamic element.

Do we have any aspiring fiction writers among us? [size=7](besides myself)[/size]

Naz — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 00:46

I could see this turning into an argument. If the superhero is a guy then all the girls will be "oh why does it have to be a guy" and if its a girl then they guys will moan. If you take it in turns, girl, guy, girl, guy then it could work out.

Ya'qub — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 00:48

[quote="Naz"]I could see this turning into an argument. If the superhero is a guy then all the girls will be "oh why does it have to be a guy" and if its a girl then they guys will moan. If you take it in turns, girl, guy, girl, guy then it could work out.[/quote]

girl superheroes are RUBBISH!!!

Seraphim — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 08:58

Why does everything have to be an arguement with you people?

It will start of as a guy (and depending on how it does) we can always later introduce a female super later on. Hhmm
I can see im going to be the only person writing this aswell as drawing them. [size=7]Sounds like alot of work... maybe i shouldnt hav said anything...[/size]

[quote="Ya'qub"]girl superheroes are RUBBISH!!![/quote]

Not true. In the comics when superman went bad, it was only Supergirl who could fight him. And lets not forget the phoenix from X-Men.

On a side note, if anyone wants to suggest an evil dasdardly plan for the villian i'll consider it. Mine may be... alittle too controversial for our audience.

Naz — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 19:25

why does it have to be a guy first? Let me guess because your drawing it. What if the male superhero isnt successful would you ditch the idea or try out the female superhero?

Seraphim — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 19:59

[quote="Naz"]why does it have to be a guy first? Let me guess because your drawing it. What if the male superhero isnt successful would you ditch the idea or try out the female superhero?[/quote]

The same reason god created Adam before Eve.

The same reason all prophets of god were men.

Naz — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 - 20:07

[quote="Seraphim"][quote="Naz"]why does it have to be a guy first? Let me guess because your drawing it. What if the male superhero isnt successful would you ditch the idea or try out the female superhero?[/quote]

The same reason god created Adam before Eve.

The same reason all prophets of god were men.[/quote]

Just because man was made first it does not make him superior. We are ALL equal in the eys of Allah (swt)!