Percy Jackson

Nancy and I were able to go on a date tonight thanks to Ms. Mike's volunteering to hang out with Becca for the evening. We had a wonderful night together going out to eat, seeing a movie, and even getting dessert afterwards. It was so nice to have a few hours to ourselves and to be able to spend some "couple time" together.

We saw Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. The youth group had gone to see it a couple of Sundays ago and everyone I talked to said it was good, so we thought we would give it a shot. We both enjoyed it. Now, it won't win any Academy Awards for acting, directing, or writing, but it was a fun film.

The basic premise is that Percy Jackson, a present-day teenager, is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and a human mother, making him a demi-god. He is not alone as a demi-god, but there are many others in the world along with various mythical creatures. Someone has stolen the lightning from Zeus, and Percy is accused, so he sets out on a quest to get to the bottom of the mystery and save his kidnapped mother and the world in the process.

One of the elements of ancient Greek and Roman mythology that gets highlighted in the film is the selfish and petty nature of the gods. They get angry and fight with one another not caring what consequences this may bring for the world, they accuse others of wrongdoing, they make rules to spite one another, and they have multiple intimate relationships and neglect their children. In other words, they act very human.

I am struck by the different picture that the Bible paints of God. Sure, there are times when God acts much like we would in the Bible, but there are also many times where it is clear that being God sets God apart from human selfishness and fallenness. God is defined by love, mercy, justice, righteousness, and grace. How many of us truly embody those virtues? I know I don't, but I am thankful that I worship and serve a God who does - a God who isn't as much like me as the gods and goddesses of ancient mythology were.