Superhero University: The Ultimate Superhero Training Manual

By Harbinger Ektoutheou

Are superheroes real? Superheroes are not only real, but anyone can become one! With Superhero University’s Ultimate Superhero Training Manual, you can earn a degree in Superheroism and become an official superhero in only forty-three lessons! Many are called, but few are qualified. Do you have what it takes to be a superhero? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Mar 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781643459936

Book preview

Preface

I wrote this book for all superhero enthusiasts—especially for those who desire to be superheroes. There are only two types of superheroes: (1) those who believe in the Lord and realize they live by the Law, or (2) those who don’t currently believe in the Lord yet they still live by the Law, not realizing they are living for the Lord. But no one can be a superhero unless he/she lives by the Lord’s Law. Some superheroes recognize their calling, yet they don’t know the Creator who created them and called them to service. If you don’t yet know the Creator, this book will introduce you to the Supreme Superhero and help you understand why you do what you do. But if you already know the Savior, this book will help you stay on track and also grow into a stronger superhero. Regardless of your current beliefs, I want you to know that you are loved; further, I am inviting you to join us in loving others. Hatred is never the way of the superhero—only love!

Does this textbook discuss the existence of GOD? Yes. But is this textbook 100 percent about how to be a real superhero? Yes. If you consider yourself to be a loving and tolerant person, I ask that you approach this textbook with an open mind and a loving heart. This book was written with the presupposition of GOD’s existence. This book is not intended to be a philosophical argument on the existence of GOD, nor is it an exhaustive defense of Christianity as a whole. At the end of this book, I will provide a list of helpful books that deal in detail with those subject matters. Also, the reader should know in advance that I am not the Author of Truth; I am merely a messenger for the One who speaks Truth. And because I am a collector and composer, much of what is written in this book is merely a collection of accepted truths that I’ve arranged in a specific order with the intent of painting a particular picture. Throughout my many years of filtering lies and gathering Truth, I didn’t always remember to cite the source of information. And though this may bother some scholars in the academic field, it doesn’t bother me at all. For even if I neglect to quote a specific philosopher who spoke a particular Truth, that great philosopher only spoke the Truth that GOD created and revealed to him. Thus, GOD is the Author of Truth and the Supreme Source. Truth comes from GOD, and lies come from the father of all lies, the Devil (John 8:44–47; 14:6). So whether Aristotle spoke a specific Truth or Abraham Lincoln actually said it, it makes little difference to me so long as what was said is actually true and corresponds to objective reality. All cited sources of ancient Truth ultimately point back to the Ancient of Days, who is the Eternal One. Does it matter if I quote my first grade teacher while asserting that 3+4=7? No. It wasn’t her Truth to begin with. Does it matter if anyone ever quotes me? No—I’m not the Author of Truth. What matters is that Truth is taught and the reader understands that all Truth ultimately comes from the mouth of GOD. Nevertheless, I will cite sources when I believe it’s necessary for the reader to better understand the message I hope to convey.

The picture I intend to paint with this book is that Jesus is the One and only true Superhero; in addition, no superhero comics or movies would ever have come into existence without GOD because the concept of a superhero was taken from the reality of the Relentless Rescuer. Christ Jesus is the Supreme Superhero because He is the One and only Savior. And even though my name is written on this book as its author, the true author of this book is the Holy Spirit, not me. I merely listened to the Holy Spirit and acted in obedience by composing what I have collected. Thus, this ultimate training manual on how to be a superhero came from the Superhero, through me, and to you. I am an ambassador of the Supreme Superhero and am considered to be a superhero myself; however, ultimately, I am merely a scribe and a sidekick to the Supreme Superhero. If you want to be like the greatest Superhero of all time, then you must learn from the greatest Superhero! Thankfully, the Supreme Superhero gave to us His written Word and Helper to guide us. It is my prayer that through this ultimate training manual, you may become the greatest superhero in the name of the Savior!

Introduction:

Are Superheroes Real?

Awoman’s piercing scream echoes through the darkness, slicing through the silence of the night sky. The scream is immediately followed by a cry for help. As if supernaturally summoned to service by the scream, someone steps out from the shadows. While standing in an area illuminated by a nearby street lamp, it is evident this being is not an average citizen. Disguised in an unusual outfit and mask, the mysterious man runs toward the location from where the scream seems to have originated.

When the mysterious man arrives, he sees a woman crumpled on the ground, crying and pleading for her life to a menacing man standing over her.

The mysterious man, now aware of the presence of evil, shouts, Stop, you evildoer!

The evildoer quickly spins around, his attention turning from the frightened woman to the mysterious man. Without hesitation or warning, the evildoer stabs the mysterious man in the stomach with a knife.

The mysterious man stumbles back in both shock and pain. He wasn’t ready for that.

The evildoer, seeing the mysterious man in a moment of weakness, seizes the opportunity to launch another attack and thrusts another jab; however, this time his attack is thwarted by the mysterious man’s skillful counterattack.

With only two punches and in a matter of only a few seconds, the evildoer falls to the ground, unconscious.

The woman, no longer frightened, looks at the mysterious man with awe and gratitude. In that moment, through the woman’s smile, the mysterious man recognizes the confirmation of his calling.

By the time the police arrive at the scene of the crime, the mysterious man has wrapped the evildoer up in duct tape, preventing him from doing any more demonic deeds. The police officer, stepping out of his patrol car, says in amazement, "Phoenix Jones? You stopped a crime!"

Who is Phoenix Jones? And why was the police officer shocked to learn that Phoenix Jones stopped a crime? The story you just read is a true story based on real events.¹ Phoenix Jones is actually a man named Ben Fodor. Phoenix is the superhero name Ben chose to use for fighting crime in the streets of Seattle, Washington. The police officer was shocked that Phoenix had stopped a crime because he had once rescued Phoenix from an undesirable situation. Ben, outfitted as Phoenix, tried to use a net gun on a criminal but ended up getting trapped in his own net, with his face in a puddle of water. The police officer was shocked because up until that moment, Phoenix Jones was considered to be a wacko dressed up in a ridiculous costume and a failure as a crime fighter.

My name is Harbinger Ektoutheou. I am a superhero in the name of the Savior, but I hadn’t always been a superhero. Ever since I was a little boy, I have been fascinated by superheroes. And like many other kids, I wore Superman and/or Batman pajamas with an attached cape. I played with my action figures and used my imagination to create different scenarios for which the superheroes would be needed in order to save the day. And to help me feel like an official superhero, I had even created my own mask out of a paper plate in order to complete my costume. Eventually, however, life redirected my attention to other matters such as sports, girls, jobs, bills, etc. But in recent years, Marvel has released many superhero movies. And as an adult, those movies spoke to my inner child and inspired me to once again think about superheroes. While watching the 2012 movie The Avengers, I thought, It would be so awesome to be a real superhero!

Almost as soon as that thought fluttered away, my mind produced another: Because it would be awesome to be a real superhero, I bet there are people who have attempted to fight crime while wearing ridiculous outfits.

I then went home and researched news articles that might have mentioned such people. And as I expected, there have been grown adults who attempted to fight crime while wearing ridiculous costumes! One such example was in Seattle, Washington—a man by the name of Phoenix Jones (aka Ben Fodor). In fact, during the time Ben had been active in that city, he was the leader of the Rain City Superheroes—a group of ten crime-fighters.

Truthfully, Ben Fodor inspired me. But while I admired Fodor’s passion to patrol the city and keep it safe, I also recognized that real superheroes possess more than mere enthusiasm. I pondered, What if superheroes were real? What would they actually look like? Would they even bother wearing a costume? They definitely wouldn’t wear capes! Edna was right in the 2004 movie The Incredibles: no capes! Too dangerous! But are superheroes actually possible? Do superheroes exist? Is Ben Fodor a real superhero?

After much contemplation, I came to the realization that superheroes are not only possible, but they are real! Their appearances don’t usually match our expectations, but superheroes do exist.

Heroes are not specific species born into existence, nor are they genetically modified or engineered and enhanced beings; rather, they are average humans who become above-average people due to the decisions they make out from their free will. How a person freely responds to the challenges and difficulties of life will determine if he/she is a hero. An example of a hero would be a man who risks getting injured by pulling a woman out of a burning vehicle in order to save her life. That would be a heroic act; therefore, we can recognize that man as a hero. But how will that man choose to live the remaining time of his life after the initial heroic moment? Will that incident puff up his pride and cause him to glorify himself? Will he continue to respond in a consistent heroic manner in the future? Will he be a one-hit wonder? Will he later decide that taking risks for other people is too dangerous and that he’s no longer willing to sacrifice on behalf of someone else? It’s worth thinking about. Anyone can become a hero by simply doing one noteworthy act. Just one outstanding act can bump someone up from average status to above-average status. But should we set our standards so low?

A typical superhero is not a Superman who comes to earth from outer space wielding supernatural powers; rather, a typical superhero is merely a hero with super status due to his/her decision to go above and beyond the call of duty through sacrificial love on a consistent basis. An example of a superhero would be Mother Teresa—she went above and beyond by sacrificing nearly everything in order to dedicate her life to loving the unloved. What’s more, she proved that a woman can be a superHERo.

Superheroes should be common, but sadly, they are not. In a world inundated with evil, people are often selfish and cause others much pain and suffering. And because of this sad truth, you would think that superheroes shine and stand out against the backdrop of the darkness in this world. Unfortunately, superheroes often go unnoticed unless the spotlight of fame happens to highlight them. Mother Teresa was one of the superheroes who ended up in the spotlight. But there are many superheroes who work in the background, blend in, and go unnoticed. People are usually distracted with entertainment, celebrities, and their own problems, and so the background superheroes go unrecognized. But there’s another reason why superheroes often go unnoticed: they don’t need the recognition. Typical superheroes are not superheroes because they get recognized as being such; rather, they are superheroes whether anyone recognizes them or not simply because of what they do and who they are. Typical superheroes do not live for the praise of humanity. They’re not in it for the audience applause; they’re merely doing it for the cause. They don’t seek to please people; rather, they desire to pursue people with a loving purpose.

In reality, superheroes don’t typically wear ridiculous costumes. So how can we recognize these superheroes working in the background who go unnoticed? In order to find these superheroes, you need only to find the people who possesses the character qualities of these superheroes. So find a person who possesses these character qualities, and you’ll find a superhero. But what are these qualities? I have dedicated the lessons in this training manual to expounding upon these qualities so that we may discover the depth beyond the surface of superheroes.

Are superheroes real? Yes! And you just might be one of them! Do you want to be a superhero? Do you have what it takes to be a superhero? Many are called, but few are qualified. If you possess all the qualities listed in this training manual, you can be a superhero! If, by the end of this training course, you are in alignment with the Savior’s will and you possess the qualities of a superhero, you will earn your degree of Superheroism from Superhero University and become a certified superhero!

Lesson 1:

What about Evil?

Everyone knows that superheroes fight against evil villains. But how could superheroes fight against evil if they are unable to recognize evil? Superheroes recognize evil because they realize there is an absolute standard of goodness by which all evil can be known (the Supreme Superhero is the standard for all that is good).

But if the Supreme Superhero and Source of goodness exists, what about evil? We know evil is real because as we will learn in Lesson 24, Truth is correspondent with objective reality and evil is evident in reality. Evil is real. But as we will learn in the next lesson (Lesson 2), there must be an objective moral standard; in addition, the Moral Lawgiver must be absolutely good.

Ponder: evil in the world presupposes a perfect standard of goodness. For if anyone insists there is real imperfection in the world, then there must be a perfect standard by which this is known. Think about it. C. S. Lewis was once an atheist who believed that evil disproved GOD. However, upon deeper reflection, he changed his mind:

My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing the universe with when I called it unjust?

—C. S. Lewis

The existence of evil ends up being an argument for the existence of GOD. But if GOD exists, GOD must be either evil or good. However, if GOD is all-good, all-knowing, all-powerful, and created everything and everyone, where did evil come from? How could an absolutely good GOD create evil? Wouldn’t GOD want to end evil? Is there a contradiction in the conception of GOD and the reality of evil? According to Richard Dawkins, here is what you can expect from the naturalistic account of reality:

In a universe of blind physical forces and genetic replication some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at the bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no other good. Nothing but blind pitiless indifference. DNA neither knows nor cares. DNA just is. And we dance to its music.

—Richard Dawkins

If DNA neither knows nor cares, then why is it that I do care and know that I care? In fact, all superheroes care. According to Christianity, GOD is not silent. GOD humbled Himself and lowered Himself in the incarnation of Jesus, who is the Supreme Superhero. GOD is not indifferent to our suffering. The Lord absorbed the sin from us so that we will experience joyful salvation with Him. At the cross, the reality of evil and sin was made known when Jesus allowed death to overcome His body; however, in the resurrection, there came the beginning of the absorption for restoration. The Bible is clear: evil will not win; the Savior will have the final Word, and GOD’s beloved children will be rescued, redeemed, and then restored (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17; 21:4). Therefore, GOD is absolutely good.

I have collected and composed the argument of evil from multiple philosophers. So although I did not create this argument, I believe it to be true. It can be summarized as follows:

GOD is absolutely perfect.

GOD created only perfect creatures (because GOD is incapable of making mistakes).

One of the perfections GOD gave some of His creatures was the power of free will.

Some of these creatures freely chose to do evil by rejecting the absolute standard.

Therefore, a perfect creature caused evil, thereby choosing to be imperfect, no longer in alignment with the perfect design.

In GOD’s absolute perfect love, GOD gave humans free will. With the gift of free will, some humans chose evil. But what caused the first creature to choose evil? There are three basic views of the nature of choice:

determinism

indeterminism

self-determinism

In determinism, a free act is caused by another; in indeterminism, it is uncaused; and in self-determinism, it is caused by oneself. Determinism would eliminate human responsibility since another caused the action, not ourselves. Indeterminism is irrational since a fundamental rule of reason is that every action has a cause. It follows, then, that every free choice must be self-caused (this will be explained in greater detail in Lesson 41). Hence, GOD is responsible for making evil possible, but free creatures are responsible for making evil actual.

What Is Evil?

Evil is real, but what is evil? Evil is not a thing or substance; rather, it is a lack or privation of a good thing that GOD made. Privation is the loss or absence of a quality or attribute that is normally present. With that in mind, evil can be explained. There is no such thing as something that is totally evil. If it were totally deprived of all good, it would be nothing. Rust is the privation of metal. Rot is the privation of wood. Evil is like moth holes in a garment. A totally moth-eaten garment would be only a hanger in a closet; the garment wouldn’t exist. Cold is the privation of heat. Darkness is the privation of light. Evil is the privation of GOD (objective moral standard). When a human rejects or refuses the objective moral standard (GOD), evil will be evident and seen as the corruption of what is good.

A classic argument against GOD is the persistence of evil. Many skeptics argue that if GOD is all-powerful, He could destroy evil; if GOD is absolutely good, He would destroy evil. However, evil is not destroyed and still exists and persists; therefore, there is no such GOD.

But is it possible to destroy evil? The accepted philosophical argument is as follows:

GOD cannot do what is actually impossible.

It is actually impossible to destroy evil without also destroying free will.

But free will is necessary to a moral universe.

Therefore, GOD cannot destroy evil without also destroying this good moral universe.

It is impossible for GOD to do what is contradictory because GOD will not contradict Himself. GOD cannot make an affirmation to be true and false at the same time. GOD cannot stand for Truth while opposing and objecting Truth. GOD cannot make a square circle or a stone so heavy, He cannot lift it. It is not possible to force people to freely choose the good. Forced freedom is oxymoronic and is not freedom at all. Therefore, GOD cannot literally destroy all evil without annihilating free will. Unless hate is possible, love is not possible. Unless evil is possible, good cannot be freely chosen.

What then, is the purpose of evil? If GOD does not create evil but does permit evil to happen, why does GOD permit evil to happen? Is there any other reason that GOD permits evil to exist other than the gift of free will? Many people argue that an all-good GOD must have a good purpose for everything. Some people argue that there is no good purpose for some suffering; therefore, there cannot be an all-good GOD.

Pain Serves a Purpose

The ability to have pain has a good purpose. Pain helps us to know we are alive, and it also helps guide us in the right direction. If one were to put his/her hand in fire, the pain would help that person to realize his/her limitations and to stay within boundaries that are beneficial to health and prosperity. Likewise, much pain we experience in life are warnings and provide us with opportunities to correct ourselves. With free will comes opportunities to learn from mistakes.

Evil is sometimes a by-product of a good purpose. Plants and animals die so that humans may have food to live. GOD had a good purpose for creating water (to sustain life); however, this makes it possible for someone to drown. It is good to have sexual intercourse (within the confines of marriage) for procreation and enjoyment; however, this makes it possible for someone to get raped. It also makes it possible for a woman to abort her baby.

It is evident that much good has been produced from the evil acts that have been experienced. Although the lives of trees are taken, a house can be built. Sawdust is an unintended by-product of making lumber, but it can be salvaged to make paper. Consider the example of MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving). MADD was founded on September 5, 1980, by Candace Lightner, after her thirteen-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunk driver. But now there is at least one MADD office in every state of the United States and at least one in each province of Canada. These offices offer victim services and many resources involving alcohol safety. MADD has shown that drunk driving has been reduced by half since its founding. The death of a thirteen-year-old girl was due to another human’s free will; some human chose to get drunk and then operate a vehicle, consequently killing Cari. However, since the death of a thirteen-year-old girl in 1980, MADD has saved an estimated three hundred thousand lives (and counting).

Consider the example of America’s Most Wanted. In 1981, John Walsh’s six-year-old son, Adam, was abducted from a mall. Two weeks after Adam’s disappearance, his severed head was discovered in a canal 120 miles away from the mall. Truly, evil is real. The devastation led Walsh to dedicate himself to catching fugitives and seeking justice for crime victims. The FBI credits America’s Most Wanted for leading to the capture of seventeen of the fugitives who have appeared on the agency’s Ten Most Wanted list. Walsh says an estimated 1,200 suspects have been caught as a result of the show (and these statistics are even old and outdated because it is now 2020). John Walsh is also a cofounder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Before Adam Walsh’s kidnapping and death, there was no national database on missing children. Law enforcement officers could enter information on stolen cars, stolen guns, and stolen jewelry—but there was no central place to keep information on missing children. So John Walsh and his wife pushed Congress to pass the Missing Children Act, which led to the creation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. According to its website (www.missingkids.com), the center has helped law enforcement find almost two hundred thousand missing children since it was founded in 1984. The death of a six-year-old boy was due to another human’s free will; some human chose to disregard the absolute moral standard and abduct and murder Adam. However, since the death of a six-year-old boy in 1981, thousands of suspects have been captured, and thousands of missing children have been found.

What about suffering? Why does GOD permit evil if people suffer? First and foremost, much of the suffering in the world is due to free will. Some suffering is brought on directly by free will. Some suffering is brought on indirectly by free will. The choice to be lazy can result in poverty. Some people suffer directly from free will, as in the case of spouse or child abuse. Some people suffer indirectly from free will. Alcoholism can lead to poverty of one’s children. Also, some suffering may be a necessary condition of a greater moral good. Just as diamonds are formed under great pressure, our character is also formed under pressure and suffering (this will be discussed in greater detail in Lesson 17).

What about Natural Disasters?

Free will might explain the vast majority of evil, but what about natural disasters? Moral evil is explained by free will. But some natural evil does not result from free will. Natural evil cannot always be explained by free will of creatures. Hence, it is argued that GOD must be responsible for natural evil. But natural evils cause innocent suffering and death. Hence, it is argued that GOD is responsible for innocent suffering and death; therefore, GOD can be all-good yet not all-powerful, or GOD can be all-powerful yet not all-good. But is this true?

We cannot assume that earthly deaths of natural disasters are evil. Death may seem evil to us mortals in a self-seeking state in a temporal mind-set, but that doesn’t mean that earthly death itself is evil. If those who died might be joyful in the presence of the Lord, then it is possible that they received a shortcut, or fast pass, into a blessing. We must also consider displacement from natural disasters. If people get shifted around and go to different locations, some people might meet their future spouse in the process. I personally met a couple where that was the case. Because of Hurricane Katrina of 2005, the man fled to a different location; it was in that new location he met the woman who later became his wife. And who knows—from that person’s lineage may be the next scientist, inventor, or leader.

Natural disasters also give communities a chance to improve infrastructure and reprioritize community needs. Researchers from Duke University’s School of Environment and Earth Sciences assert that hurricanes and tropical storms help spread about environmental necessities; furthermore, without hurricanes, barrier islands on coastlines and their ecosystems would not survive.

Fires can eliminate unwanted invasive plants from certain ecosystems (but can also help spread them), enrich soils with fresh nutrients, and encourage greater plant diversity. Some plants are even dependent upon fire for their seeds to sprout in the long-term. Also, animals are sometimes attracted to the new growth in areas recovering from fire.

The only logical conclusion I can find is that the Supreme Superhero produces a lot of good out of what humans consider to be evil acts of nature. Just as MADD and America’s Most Wanted produced a lot of good from initial evil, the Savior is also able to produce a lot of good from natural disasters. In addition, we have no earthly way of knowing just how far the effects of natural disasters can extend. We simply do not know enough information about natural disasters to assume their purposes. Many people can claim that a volcanic eruption is bad, but what if it creates a new island and provides opportunity for life in the future? At one point, the formation of the Hawaiian Islands could have been viewed as a bad or evil eruptive force; however, the people who now live on the Hawaiian islands would tell you that much good has come from some initially destructive eruptions.

Conclusion

The vast majority of all evil exists due to free will and the privation of what is good. Free will is a loving gift to humanity. The majority of all evil exists because humans refuse to abide by the objective moral standard (discussed in the next lesson). Only some of the evil we experience is due to natural disasters. However, many people have come to GOD through suffering. Although we know that evil exists, we also know that much good has come from much evil. Simply because finite minds cannot conceive of a good purpose for some evil does not mean that there is none. Also, the existence of evil acts does not mean that GOD condones evil acts but merely permits them to happen. As C. S. Lewis rightly noted, pain is GOD’s megaphone to warn a morally deaf world. And if we, as finite beings, know a good purpose for much evil, then surely an infinite Mind can know a good purpose for the rest; after all, GOD’s thoughts and ways are much higher and deeper than our own (Isa. 55:8–9). So long as humans possess free will, it will always be possible that someone will refuse to do what is good and right. I believe that what we view to be worst-case scenarios in our limited perception of this physical life will turn out to be an awesome story that will help us connect the dots and remain humble and grateful in the restored life with the Savior. After all, you must keep in mind that after all is said and done, the Supreme Superhero is going to restore people, wipe away every tear, and ensure that His children will live in eternal joy and peace (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17; 21–22).

Using logic and reasoning, I have concluded that if evil is not permitted, then it cannot be defeated; the only way to overcome evil is to allow it to be permitted. I believe that GOD permitted evil in order to overcome it. I believe this physical life on earth is merely a boot camp training ground. Just as filters are used to purify our drinking water, I believe GOD uses this life to filter bad from good. Just as dross is removed from gold, I believe GOD uses this life to filter bad from good. Just as wheat is threshed and winnowed to remove chaff, I believe GOD uses this life to separate bad from good.

Think about it: On Judgement Day, people will only be separated into two classes. Darkness will be separated from the light, the common from the Holy, unclean from the clean, impurities from the pure, curse from the blessing, the bad from the good, evil and lawless from the righteous, and the sinner from the saint. At Harvest Time, the weeds will be gathered and thrown into the fire. (Gen. 1:4; Lev. 10:10; Deut. 11:26–28, 30:19; Job 14:4; Ezek. 44:23; Matt. 7:13–14, 21–23; 10:32–33; 12:30, 33–37; 13:18–23, 37–43, 47–50; Luke 13:23–30; Rev. 3:15–16)

I believe this life is a mere accumulation of evidence (through our free will) that will serve to either testify for us on our behalf to proclaim our righteousness or the choices we make will condemn us as being wicked. Evidence is brought into a courtroom in order to declare an innocent or guilty verdict upon someone. I believe our entire lifespan will amount to the evidence that will speak for itself. Everything we do or do not do is creating our own case. An entire life span of evidence will not be discredited or denied and declared inadmissible. When it comes time for Judgment Day, we will have no excuses that will be able to counter the amount of evidence for or against us.

Reflection

You who love the Lord, hate evil!

(Ps. 97:10, NLT)

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

(Prov. 8:13, NLT)

Do what is good and run from evil… Hate evil and love what is good…

(Amos 5:14–15, NLT)

Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good.

(Rom. 12:9, GNT)

So ask yourself, why do you believe evil exists? From where did you get this concept of evil? And if you oppose evil, why do you think that is? All superheroes recognize evil as being bad because they understand that evil is not the right design and is a privation of what is good. If you hate evil, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero, and you just might be one someday!

Lesson 1 Quiz

Superheroes do not lie, cheat, or steal; integrity is of utmost importance. After you fill in the blanks, you may check your answers with the right answers found at the end of this training manual in the Quiz Answers section. All answers are taken directly from the lesson. This quiz is for personal growth only; it will not be graded by an ambassador nor will it be a determining factor in whether you graduate or not. Earning your degree in Superheroism will be determined only by the superhero character qualities as defined in the Checklist section at the end of this training manual.

The Supreme Superhero and Source is responsible for making evil _____________, but free creatures are responsible for making evil _____________.

Privation is the ________________ of a quality or attribute that is normally present.

Unless __________ is possible, __________ is not possible. Unless __________ is possible, __________ cannot be freely chosen.

____________ was founded on September 5, 1980, by Candace Lightner, after her thirteen-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunk driver.

John Walsh and his wife pushed Congress to pass the _________________, which led to the creation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The vast majority of all evil exists due to __________ __________ and the _______________ of what is good.

If evil is not_______________, then it cannot be _______________; the only way to overcome evil is to allow it to be permitted.

Lesson 2:

What about Morality?

Superheroes recognize what is wrong because they realize there is an absolute moral standard of right by which all wrong can be known (and GOD is the standard of all that is right).

A person—even a scientist—might be able to tell you if an action may hurt someone; however, no mere human is able to tell you whether you ought to do something without appealing to an absolute standard of good. Logic cannot obtain "ought" from mere descriptions of "is," that is, of the way things are.

Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will find the same man going back on this a moment later. He may break his promise to you, but if you try breaking one to him he will be complaining It’s not fair before you can say Jack Robinson. A nation may say treatises do not matter; but then, next minute, they spoil their case by saying that the particular treaty they want to break was an unfair one. But if treaties do not matter, and if there is no such things as Right and Wrong—in other words, if there is no Law of Nature—what is the difference between a fair treaty and an unfair one? Have they not let the cat out of the bag and shown that, whatever they say, they really know the Law of Nature just like anyone else?

—C. S. Lewis

Even evolution doesn’t explain what it’s meant to explain because it only accounts for preprogrammed behavior, not moral choices. Morality dictates what future behavior ought to be. Darwinism can only attempt to describe why humans acted in a certain way in the past. Unless we are nihilists and we assume the universe is irrational, there must be an objective moral law and, thereby, an objective Moral Lawgiver. Again, I have collected and composed the argument for an absolute moral standard from multiple philosophers. Though I did not create this argument, it stands to reason of it being true:

There must be a universal moral law, or else,

Moral disagreements would make no sense (as we all assume they do).

All moral criticisms would be meaningless (e.g., The Nazis were wrong.).

It is unnecessary to keep promises or treaties (as we all assume that it is).

We would not make excuses for breaking the moral law (as we all do).

But a universal moral law requires a universal Moral Lawgiver since the Source of it,

gives moral commands (as lawgivers do),

is interested in our behavior (as moral persons are).

Further, this universal Moral Lawgiver must be absolutely good:

Otherwise all moral effort would be futile in the long run since we could be sacrificing our lives for what is not ultimately right.

The source of all good must be absolutely good since the standard of all good must be completely good.

Therefore, there must be an absolutely good Moral Lawgiver.

If the Moral Law were mere herd instinct, then instincts would always be right, but they are not. Neither can Moral Law be mere social convention because not everything learned through society is based on social convention. For example, math and logic are not. In addition, the same basic moral laws can be found in virtually every society, past and present. Even a cannibal will try to convince you not to eat him, that he should be exempt from being eaten. Moral Law is not mere human preference. All value judgements would be meaningless, including such statements as Hate is wrong and Racism is wrong. Moral objectivity is a rationally necessary postulate because something cannot be judged as better or worse unless there is an objective standard to use for comparison. Moral disagreements demand an objective standard because opposites cannot both be right. If a man declares that raping a woman is acceptable, but the woman disagrees, there must be an objective standard of right by which to measure the action. The only way the world could possibly be imperfect is if there is an absolutely perfect standard by which it can be judged to be imperfect. For injustice makes sense only if there is a standard of justice by which something is known to be unjust. One cannot call something crooked unless the standard of straight has been established. Evil in the world presupposes a perfect standard of goodness. For if anyone insists there is real imperfection in the world, then there must be a perfect standard by which this is known. When atheists or secular humanists proclaim that they can be moral or good, they are appealing to the absolute standard of good. Without the absolute moral standard by which all actions are to be compared, good is relative, and any claim to be good would be futile.

Conclusion

Moral relativism is absolutely absurd and is self-defeating.

Reflection

You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.

(Gen. 4:7, NLT)

Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don’t turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

(Prov. 4:25–27, NCV)

For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.

(Rom. 2:13, NLT)

Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning.

(James 4:17, NCV)

Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

(1 John 3:4–10, NLT)

Love is the purpose of my command. Love comes from a pure heart. It comes from a good sense of what is right and wrong. It comes from faith that is honest and true.

(1 Tim. 1:5, NIRV)

You are doing right if you obey this law from the highest authority: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

(James 2:8, GW)

So ask yourself, why do you believe some things are wrong? From where did you get this concept of right/wrong? And if you oppose what is wrong, why do you think that is? All superheroes recognize wrong behavior as being bad because they understand that wrong actions are not the right design and is a privation of what is good. If you believe some actions to be wrong and you desire to do what is right, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero and you just might be one someday!

Lesson 2 Quiz

Superheroes do not lie, cheat, or steal; integrity is of utmost importance. After you fill in the blanks, you may check your answers with the right answers found at the end of this training manual in the Quiz Answers section. All answers are taken directly from the lesson. This quiz is for personal growth only; it will not be graded by an ambassador nor will it be a determining factor in whether you graduate or not. Earning your degree in Superheroism will be determined only by the superhero character qualities as defined in the Checklist section at the end of this training manual.

A person—even a scientist—might be able to tell you __________ an action may hurt someone; however, no mere human is able to tell you whether you __________ to do something without appealing to an absolute standard of good. Logic cannot obtain __________ from mere descriptions of __________, that is, of the way things are.

If the Moral Law were mere __________ __________, then instincts would always be right, but they are not.

Moral objectivity is a rationally necessary postulate because something cannot be judged as __________ or __________ unless there is an objective standard to use for comparison.

The only way the world could possibly be _____________ is if there is an absolutely ___________ standard by which it can be judged to be imperfect.

One cannot call something ___________ unless the standard of ___________ has been established.

Lesson 3:

What Is Love?

Superheroes, having the correct understanding of what is good and right, are full of love, and they are compelled to act out from love. This is the only reason we can distinguish the hero from the villain. Spider-Man doesn’t save a falling person from splatting on the ground because he hates the person he saves, right? The superhero saves someone from danger/death because he/she has love for the person he/she is saving. In stark contrast, the villain performs acts of evil, not love. Again, evil is merely a privation of what is good; hatred is a privation or lack of love. It is written in James 2:8 that we are doing right by living a life of love toward others. But what is love?

Love is not something we can have or hold like materialists would like us to believe. Not everything in life can be boiled down to materialism. Think about it: Can you describe the physical features of love or even the thought about love? How much does love weigh? Of what is the love molecule comprised? There is no infinity stone of love we can possess that can be contained in a gauntlet. In fact, of all the infinity stones Thanos (from the Avengers) had been able to collect that provided him with seemingly unlimited power and ability, it is evident that he lacked love, and that is why he had no qualms about murdering half of the created creatures in the universe—including his own daughter! In fact, Thanos had to sacrifice love in order to be able to obtain one of the infinity stones. Ultimately, Thanos traded love for power because he could not possess both.

But what is love? And why do humans possess the capability to love? If love is not a material that can be weighed, or measured, how are humans able to possess love? How do we even know that love exists? Does love exist? We know that love exists—not because humans have defined the term—but because the Creator provided the definition of love and humans live by that defined divine design.

Think about this: Oxygen—the air we breathe—exists whether humanity believes in it or not. In fact, oxygen exists even if humans call it something else. Humanity never created or invented oxygen; we merely discovered it. Likewise, love exists whether humanity believes love exists or not. Love exists even if humans call it something else. In fact, the definition of love is so confused by many humans because they believe it to be something it is not. Many people misuse the word love when they are actually referring to something else that love is not. And this is why it is important that the word love be clearly defined.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

(1 John 4:7–8, NLT)

We love because he first loved us.

(1 John 4:19, ESV)

Scripture makes sense. If GOD is love, then we would love because GOD first loved us because GOD created us. We are able to love because GOD is love and we are from GOD. If love is GOD, then we must know who GOD is so we can better understand what love is. So who is GOD? We will examine that in detail in Lesson 32, but for now suffice it to say that GOD is love and the absolute moral standard and therefore provides the definition of love (which we will soon examine and define). But we can also better understand love by examining what love is not.

Love Is Not An Emotion

Many people in the world claim that love is an emotion, but that simply isn’t true. Love affects our emotions and even causes us to produce emotions within us, but love is not an emotion in and of itself. You may claim that you can feel as if someone loves you, but love is not a feeling.

Love Is Not Sexual Intercourse

It is unwise to confuse sex for love and love for sex. Sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; however, love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. A person can have sex with another person simply for the pleasure all while possessing no love for that individual. Examples of this, of course, is prostitution or rape. Such acts of sexual intercourse are meaningless because there is no love in the act of sex. That kind of sex serves a selfish purpose, but has no ultimate meaning. And of course, sex isn’t necessary for love to exist, to be relevant and be meaningful (I will expound upon this later when I define love). Now sex may be found in one of the definitions of love (Eros—I’ll get to this soon), but Eros is within the definition of love; love is ultimately selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. A distorted desire is often misconstrued, mistaken as love. It is unwise to confuse lust for love.

Even if love is not an emotion, a feeling, or even the act of sexual intercourse, does it matter if love can be clearly defined? If so, why does it matter? Consider what is written:

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."

(1 Corin. 13:1–3, NLT)

The definition of love matters because GOD is love and GOD created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). For without GOD, love would not matter because life would ultimately be meaningless and purposeless. And if we are to be loving beings, it is important that we understand the definition of love.

What Is Love?

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

(1 Corin. 13:4–8, NLT)

Love Is an Action

Though it is not specifically and solely the act of sexual intercourse, love is definitely an action; it is something we do. Read verses 4–7 again and take notice of the fourteen different active descriptions the Holy Spirit (via Paul) uses to define love (patience, kindness, etc.). It’s important to note that this is not Paul’s definition of love, but the definition of love written by Paul while he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Love Is a Choice

The fourteen active descriptions are actions that we choose to do or not to do. There’s a nonsensical saying that states, You can’t help who you love. But yes—you can! We get to decide if we love and who we will love if we decide to love. And this is because we have free will (discussed in Lesson 41).

Also, there’s a saying that states, I fell in love. It sounds so romantic, but this is also nonsense. Love is not a hole or trapdoor we can fall in. You don’t fall in love any more than you fall out of love. Love is a choice. You choose to love. You choose not to love. People do not fall in love; people decide to love. People do, however, fall into the trapdoor of lust. When people talk about love at first sight, what they really mean is lust at first sight. Now is it possible to possess love for someone at first sight? General love? Yes. Complete love? No. Love in the sense that you want the best for someone? Yes. Love in the sense that you desire the best for someone despite all his/her flaws and mistakes? No. It’s not possible to love someone so deeply at first sight because you wouldn’t know the flaws and mistakes associated with the person. And how is it possible to truly love someone unless you love despite the flaws and mistakes?

Love, in a nutshell, is the good you will show toward someone and/or others. It’s treating someone else with the qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Take the Supreme Superhero (Jesus) as an example (after all, the Savior is the definition of love and the ultimate example of love):

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

(John 15:12–13, NLT)

However, the Supreme Superhero goes even further by commanding us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43–48). And then the Savior