Is Superman A Christian?

I saw an interesting photo-shopped version of a well-known painting of Jesus, where the photo-shopper inserted Superman into the picture so that Jesus was hugging him and welcoming him to heaven. So, is Superman a believer in Christ?

Well, let's start out by saying this is a pretty dumb question. Superman is obviously fictional. Jesus didn't die to pay for Superman's sins. Jesus doesn't love Superman either. Superman is fictional.

But through the years, even in the hands of various writers, Clark Kent was clearly raised in a "Christian" environment. (For one example you can read the trade paperback "A Superman For All Seasons".) And although the issue number doesn't come to mind, I distinctly remember Martha Kent commenting that she and Jonathan had raised Clark using the Bible as a moral center-point.

But more than any of that, I'll tell you what I liked about that picture. We think of Superman as being the ultimate representation of ourselves. Morally upright, self-sacrificing and most of all... powerful. An invincible man that can level mountains. And while this alteration of another painting may have been done as a joke, I look at it and as a hugely geeky Christian think, "If Superman WERE a real person, even HE would be relieved to be supported and welcomed by the INFINITELY powerful and loving arms of Jesus." No matter how strong anyone may be, in the end we ALL need Jesus.