Siri, can God defeat Ultron?
My kids and I were venturing through sunny San Jose yesterday. Just a typical 30-minute commute to get to the other side of the city to the ultimate destination- the park. Usually our drives involve calling out airplanes, playing “I Spy”, or violently singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to calm Liam. This ride was quiet; quiet and peaceful until I heard a question from the back. It was my almost five-year-old son. “Mom, do you think God can defeat Ultron?”
My son, Camden, is incredibly curious. He wants to know what things are, how they work, and why they work that way. He’s my artist and engineer. He’s a calm, wise soul trapped in the skin and bones of a little boy. While I love his curiosity, I sometimes find it difficult to answer his questions. Not because I don’t know the answers (most of the time anyways) but because I struggle in explaining it in a way that a five-year-old would understand. Questions about God – not something I was planning on answering this early in the morning. Give me mountain lions; give me excavator motors; I’m not ready for the “real” stuff.
Maybe he didn’t really understand what he was asking. Maybe he doesn’t really need an answer but instead just wanted to break the peace and quiet that has so kindly taken over the vehicle. Am I religious? I’m not entirely sure anymore. We don’t go to church every weekend, but I still consider myself a person of faith. It just may be a little different than what I learned in Catholic school. How do I set this up for my little boy?
Me: “What did you say Cam?”
Cam: “God. We talked about him before. You said he created our world.” (I wish you all knew Cam’s sweet voice and random southern drawl to accurately read the word ‘world’.)
Me: “He did. He is powerful. He created our world and helps take care of us.”
Cam: “So is he more powerful than the superhero’s? Can he beat the bad guys? Even Ultron?”
Me: “Yea, I guess he could defeat the bad guys. Maybe he works together with the superheros to keep everyone safe. Maybe he helps tell the superheros what to do to help protect us.”
Cam: “Is God real?”
Me: “I believe that he’s real. I believe that he created our world. I believe that he made you. I believe that he helps us when we are sad or need to make good choices. What do you think?”
Cam: “I think he’s real. I think he is super powerful to even defeat Thanos!” (I apologize for the non-superhero readers out there. Until about a year ago, I lived in your comfy shoes. Now I buy Spiderman underwear.)
Me: “I bet he can! Do you have any other questions about God?”
Cam: “How do I see God?”
Me: “You can’t actually see him. You can talk to him. You can pray to him whenever you want. You can talk to him if you are in trouble, if you’re sad, or if you’re happy. God will not answer you but he can help you be a good boy.”
Cam: “Do you think if bad guys come, God would come save us like Captain America? Do you think God would fight them like Hulk? I wonder if God wears a cape too. Maybe he turns green and rips his shirt off!” This is when I’m dying inside. But knowing that to him, these are serious questions, needing serious answers.
Me: “I don’t think God could come to our house but I’m sure he would send other people to help us. Maybe superheros. Maybe police officers.”
Cam: “That’s good. I’m sure God is busy helping all the people. Do you think God gets mad if we ruin this world? If he created it and we ruin it, he would probably get mad.”
Me: Wow- welcome to climate change and the 2020 election my boy. “Maybe. That’s why it’s important to keep the world nice and clean. God gave it to us and we need to take care of it.”
Cam: “Yea or he will destroy it!”
Me: “Um, well, I’m not sure. Maybe. Just take good care of it.” Hello horror films. Hello Day After Tomorrow. Hello natural disasters. Hello mom’s anxiety.
Cam: “I think I’ll have peanut butter and jelly for lunch.” Hallelujah.
Me: “Excellent choice.”
For future reference, my little man is smarter than I could have ever believed. He understands and can process things that I would have otherwise thought were way out of his league. Specifically, I’ve learned that when having conversation regarding God, ask questions, don’t answer. Let the little person decide for themselves what they think is right and what they’re ready for. They’re going to decide what they want eventually, right? This goes for small humans and large humans alike. If we all asked a few more questions and accepted differences instead of applying the pressure of our own beliefs, maybe there would be a little more harmony in our world. Who am I to tell what’s right and what’s wrong? Who am I to preach who God is and what he can do? Maybe he is green or shoots webs from his wrists. I can share the information that was taught to me if Cam wants me to. I can take him to church. I can pray with him. Ultimately, he will decide for himself what he wants to believe and I’m ok with that.
Most importantly, Can God defeat Ultron? Cam says yes, yes he can.