[Bill,
May 16, 2007]
And now for something a little lighter ...
A friend of mine and I were discussing superheroes one day (he likes the show, "Heroes") and he points out something I've never noticed.
"For the life of me," he says. "I can't figure out how Superman is supposed to fly."
"Superhero powers," he said.
Even given that, he said, what's moving him around? He explained if Superman's just jumping in a very powerful way, then he should have some kind of arc, he should be committed to the physics of his jump. But he's moving all around, here and there, in the air like he's some kind of jet. But there's no jet — it's just him.
"Is he farting himself around?" he asked.
"Hmm," I responded. I admit I was stumped.
Simply put: Superman can't really fly. They're making it up.
"For the life of me," he says. "I can't figure out how Superman is supposed to fly."
"Superhero powers," he said.
Even given that, he said, what's moving him around? He explained if Superman's just jumping in a very powerful way, then he should have some kind of arc, he should be committed to the physics of his jump. But he's moving all around, here and there, in the air like he's some kind of jet. But there's no jet — it's just him.
"Is he farting himself around?" he asked.
"Hmm," I responded. I admit I was stumped.
Simply put: Superman can't really fly. They're making it up.
And I always assumed Superman was redirecting the molecules around his body in a way that pushed him along, something like the way Paramecia move, but without the cilia - which wouldn't explain how he could fly through space.
Of course, Jesus could fly, according to Acts. So perhaps the answer, in your words, to why Superman can fly is: Because Jesus wants in that way.