Hardline Calvinist Michael Jeshurun has posted online an essay condemning sports as idolatry that I am formulating a reply to.
However, of additional interest is a meme that he is using as a cover photo for his social media profile.
The illustration reads, “Smashing Arminian lies and everything else that opposes the absolute sovereignty of mighty Jehovah.”
While that is a controversial statement worthy of note, that is not even the reason that the image is being mentioned.
For in one corner is depicted a figure adorned in what is essentially Thor's costume from the Marvel Cinematic Universe holding aloft a battle hammer with “KJV” emblazoned across it.
The face of the character is obscured, no doubt in the attempt to avoid copyright infringement.
Does Jeshurun not realize that the Thor superhero is essentially a pagan Nordic deity depicted as a transdimensional lifeform?
Therefore, if we are to avoid things that hint of paganism or idolatry, why is he invoking the imagery of Thor?
Instead of Thor, why doesn't he instead depict Zeus with a lightening bolt in hand?
Secondly, if it is morally wrong to patronize sports, isn't it wrong to patronize popular movies if you are going to be that strict about things?
I regularly go to the movies myself.
But in comparison, considering only the form of entertainment alone, aren't the movies more likely to expose you to a wider variety of more alluring sins than sports ever really will?
The power of worldview analysis is that, once you know what an individual believes regarding certain foundational topics, you can often predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy what an individual believes regarding other issues and subjects.
For example, if a particular theologian construes reality through an explicitly Calvinist lens bordering upon the hostile towards those articulating an alternative soteriology and also condemns sports as a form of idolatry, it is usually safe to assume that the thinker also opposes traditional Christian celebrations such as Christmas on nearly the same grounds.
Sure enough, Jeshurun has composed an analysis that not only is Christmas pagan but that insinuates that should the accouterments of the holiday be found adorning your domicile at the moment of the Second Advent you will likely not hear Christ say to you “well done good and faithful servant” but rather “depart from me I never knew you.”
Mind you, these holiday symbols have been Christianized for centuries and disimbued of their pagan origins.
As entertaining as Thor might be with the Van Daniken chariot of the gods spin put on the character, that narrative has not been sufficiently removed from its original context for it to be overlooked from a standpoint of blissful unawareness on the part of someone supposedly skilled in detecting errors at variance with the most rigorous orthodoxy.
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.
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