Are heroes born or made?

In the wake of Japan's earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear failures, we're seeing that every culture and age has its heroes. It raises the question of how societies produce heroes. Are heroes the product of some genetic anomaly or is heroism something that is taught?

Heroism and compassion are not genetic traits, says sociologist Christine Carter.
As part of her online parenting class at raisinghappiness.org, Carter teaches parents how to raise children to become heroes.
“Kids are more likely to intervene in a situation if they believe their parents expect them to help,” Carter says. “Speaking out when someone is cheating or being bullied in the schoolyard — these are situations when someone decides not to be a bystander. That’s part of the heroic imagination, teaching children there is often a time when they know something bad is going to happen before it happens,” Carter says.

NYC spared from car bomb attack in Times Square

It took two tries for terrorists to take down the Twin Towers, so it should be no shock to learn they are not yet done terrorizing the city that never sleeps. Overnight, a car bomb was found in an SUV in Times Square. Due to the vigilance of a Vietnam War veteran and the NYPD, the bomb was found and defused before anyone was hurt. It is a grim reminder that the War On Terror is not over, as much as we'd like it to be.

Inside the vehicle, police found three propane tanks, two filled five-gallon gas containers, two clocks with batteries, consumer-grade fireworks and a locked metal box that resembled a gun locker.
The wiring around the device "was nothing that looked amateurish," Bloomberg said...The shutdown began Saturday when the T-shirt vendor, a Vietnam veteran, saw smoke coming from a box inside a vehicle with Connecticut plates on 45th Street near 7th Avenue. The vendor notified a New York police officer on horseback, who smelled gunpowder from the vehicle.

There are many who argue with the victory in Iraq, that we should declare the War On Terror won and go back to the way things were on 9/10/2001. But the fact is that no war is over until both sides agree it is. And the terrorists are nowhere near ready to surrender or walk away.

"Fixing" Heroes

Much is being made online of this EW article on how to save the TV show HEROES. HEROES is struggling to regain audience after a lackluster second season and a writers strike which left us with something like 8 months with no episodes. The article has some decent ideas, but I think it misses the central need of the show.

BRING BACK HOPE AND JOY. The first season was not only special for its cliff-hanger endings, mysterious backstory, and strong ensemble. It was also special in being one of the few shows out there that really centered on a Hopeful vision with Joyous characters. Sure, there was plenty of darkness. But amidst that darkness, we had Hiro basking in the joy of newfound abilities and significance. We had Peter showing boundless optimism as he sought his place in the wold. We saw Claire move from hating her abilities to seeing them as a real beacon of hope for others. We even saw the bad guy - HRG, now named Noah Bennett - find hope in his love for his daughter, despite his darker nature.

This season seems to have lost that thread. Hiro fears his powers, and is driven by boredom. Peter is bitter and cynical after being used by both of his parents. Claire is alienated by her abilities and loss of a sense of normality. And HRG/Noah is embracing his darker instincts in the pursuit of Sylar (who is the ONLY character showing hope and joy these days).

The fix is simple. Forget the "Dark Knight" and the fear of the moment in the economy and the world. Instead, give us hope, show us glimpses of joy, and remind us that in the darkest moment there is always hope for redemption and triumph of our best selves.

Deep Thought of the Day: Human Idols and Heroes

Recently, a man in our church has been in the papers and charged with acts that shed serious doubt on his good standing. This man was an Elder of the church, a former pastor, and currently the head of a major charitable organization. The papers have certainly exaggerated the charges, bringing out rumors as well as facts, but it appears at least some of the charges are true.

It has reminded me of the importance of NOT trusting in human idols or heroes.

As children - and even as adults - we are all tempted to pick heroes whom we attempt to model our lives after. For some, it is a great historical figure like George Washington or Teddy Roosevelt. For some, it is a family member - Mom or Dad or a grandparent. For others, it is a mentor - a pastor, a teacher, a counsellor. We look up to these people, and pattern ourselves after them.

But the reality is that very few humans can stand up to the pressure of this kind of idealization. Historians have an obsession with taking heroes off of their pedestals - as seen more recently in the obsession with Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. And even the best men have feet of clay and weak moments. Martin Luther - who stood strong against the Catholic Church under the threat of execution - was an ardent anti-semite. We now know that Mother Theresa often had deep doubts about the existence of God.

Remember, only God can stand up to the intensity of human expectations. One of the reasons He gave us Jesus was so that we could see one perfect human. For all the others, be kind when judging their frailties. Be just, but also be kind.