messianic complex

You ever notice in so many posts, responses, stories, incidents, people feel the need to tell others how to think or how to be saved?

You ever notice say in the armegeddon posts how many people write in to say why the world will end or in some of the other sections people write in telling us they are aliens and have knowledge they will save the world.

Or you ever notice people who tell us they have found the truth and now want to teach it to us and tell us they are a master or expert or have been revealed knowledge they now wish to share with us?

For me, I question anyone who tells me they know the truth and wish to share it with me, especially when they claim the truth through their personal knowledge of religion or other knowledge.

From a psychological perspective, there is a behaviour called the messianic complex which I believe explains a lot of the above behaviour.

In that phenomena, a human posses the desire to save others.

Psychologists say a messianic complex is not just the general wish to save the world but to become personally the redeemer of the world.

This is why I prefer to find truth out for myself and question all religions and people who claim to be in the know or claim to know the truth. I question their personal attachment ot need to be the actual saviour often more then what they are actually saying.

For me the quest for truth and learning begins and ends on an individual level not a collective level or based on what someone tells me to think.

Da Vinci Code-The Debate as to Divinity

Originally Posted by roswell1947
Don't plan to read the book or see the film. It contradicts everything that the Bible has told us and the Bible is the truth. And while it is a work of fiction, there are those who can sometimes take fiction and use it to start questioning a lot and soon they start to believe what fiction tells them. (trust me I know, I've been there)

The above comment is a typical reaction of many to the Da Vinci Code a novel which contains references to theories as to the origins of Christianity.

The book uses as part of its story line references to a theory that Jesus may not have been divine and the Church may be involved in a cover up to hide this from the masses.

In fact the above theory is not new but for people who do not read history or mythology or who follow Christianity literally and do not feel the concept of divinity can be questioned, this may seem threatening and therefore in need of censorship.

However it is important people keep an open mind and understand that any dialogue as to the origins of Christianity and the role the Church may be playing does not mean people are trying to put down the religion.

The choice to believe in Jesus as divine and the Bible as being a literal translation is your choice.

However information should be discussed as to where this literal version of Christianity originated and why many Christian and non Christian scholars alike question the origins of Christianity.

To start with the concept of a son of God being born to perform miracles is not unique to Christianity nor did it begin with Christianity.

Krishna (India), Wittoba, Osiris (Egypt), Attis, Indra,
Promietheus, Mithra (Persia), Dionysius (Greece), Heras, Aesculapius, adonis, Apollonius and Tyana
are all belief systems promulgated long before Christianity using this theme. Then of course there is the use of Moses in Judaism and Muhammed in Islam as humans with superior powers and enlightenment to save people falling just short of divinity.

The contravery over the origins of Christianity has arisen since the religion itself began and one only need to look at the Dead Sea Scrolls (which I had the fortune to see in Ottawa) to see the huge difference in Christianity when it started, as to what it evolved to as we know it today.

Indeed most Christians today do not know the original form of their own religion and the fact that it started off as quite "gnostic" in approach viewing the story fo Jesus as only meant to be symbolical and NOT to be taken literally as it is today.

For gnostic Christians the story was simply meant to be a symbol to try help understand the concept that holds that each of us on an individual level, not a singular collective level, can achieve union with God or the larger spiritual entity from which we came from.

In this version of Christianity, we are seen as a spark of energy that originates from God and this is similiar if not identical to the concepts in the Jewish mystical books called the Kabal and similiar to many Eastern disciplines.

It was a believe that celebrated God through the appreciation of nature and saw God as being both female and male, and yes it sounds like Paganism because Paganism predated Christianity and Judaism.

In fact what then happens is a different wing of Christianity develops which wants to view the concept of Jesus being divine as being the literal truth and not to be questioned.

The literal or fundamentalist movement openly challenged the gnostics and thus we see the movement towards the Christianity of today where the Bible is considered the gospel or unquestionable truth.

But what is the gospel?

The four books referred to as the gospel, Mathew, Luke, John and Mark is where all the references of what Christ did, where he was born, lived, come from. They were allegedly written sometime between 70 CE and 140 CE and then first referred to by Irenoeus about 180 CE.

The original manuscripts of these 4 books are not what is in the Bible. In fact these are versions of what may have been originally written and could have been subject to as many as 3,000 different manuscripts of rewrites as to what they said.

The Church saw itself as having the cuty to remake and retell the story of Jesus and so commissioned hundreds of ghost writers to intercept, screen, censor and edit many manuscripts.

In fact these 4 books were originally considered the work of heretics until they were rewritten.

The Church's role was quite clear. It felt for the sake of the religion's well being, it had to flush out any
idea that spirtituality and connection with God is to be practiced on an individual level. The Church used the Bible's preachings and doctrine to establish a monopoly on how Christianity should be prayed.

The Church's role was to establish itself as the central agent of control and it created itself as the
agent to think and represent God on behalf of everyone.

The Church went about censoring and deleting any references by Jesus as to spiritually and the idea of achieving Christ consciousness being something we call can do as individuals.

In fact the Church's version of Christianity is the one that advances the idea that if you do not believe in Jesus as being divine and the only way to reach heaven and believe in God, then you are damned.

It is this literal version of Christianity that then ushers in the thousands of years of bigotry towards Jews, women, and anyone not considered Christian.

This literal version of Christianity introduces the concept of the womb (otherwise celebrated as a beautiful source of lfie) as a dirty thing that must be controlled and repressed. It is this Church that takes the concept of sexual intercourse (otherwise viewed as the union of man and woman and seen as the way to achieve an understanding of God through this unification) as dirty and evil unless simply used to procreate.

Again the last thing the Church wanted is people celebrating life and the beauty of nature on an individual level.

There are many lost manuscripts that historians believe the Christian Church may have destroyed to prevent its followers from finding out the wrong
concepts.

It also appears the Vatican is in possession of 63 manuscripts referring specifically to Jesus in oriental languages and referring to him having lived in India.

Now in the official version of Jesus we have to go to Mathew, Luke, John and Mark, but these books all contradict each other as to when and where he was born, what he did and how he died.

They claim he died at the age of 33 around 29 or 30 DA.

However those 63 manuscripts and many other manuscripts found outside the Christian Bible refer to Jesus having left the Middle East after he suppsedly was crucified and travelling and preaching in Persia, Afghanistan and then settling in Kashmir as a farmer, shepherd and carpenter.

Outside Christianity he is referred to as Issa and Yuz Asaf and it appears he may have lived another 50 years after his alleged death.

One theory is that he did not die and in fact was removed while he was unconscious. He was then nursed back with herbs and salves and after saying his goodbyes moved on.

Some believe he had travelled to India BEFORE the crucifixion and had learned yoga and had the ability to put himself in a trance and lower his heart rate others believed there may have been an arrangement to fake his death and let him go in return for his promising to leave and not come back.

All of this of course flies in the face of the literal translation of the divinity doctrine.

Interestingly in hostory there is no detailed history of events leading up to, during and after Christ's alleged death.

The divinity concepts and literal method of accepting divinity evolve about 400 years after his alleged death.

So to many historians and scholars, Christian and non Christian, the debate as to whether to take Christ's life as told in the Bible as literal or symbolic has been going on since the very beginnings of Christianity.

It only seems like the literal method of interperatingt he Bible is the only one because most Christians do not have access or would not think to look up the origins of their religion.

They also have no idea of the role Emperor Constantine of Rome had.

Constantine of course found himself trying to rule Rome at a time when Pagans and Christians were at logger heads, and where the literal Christrians wished to get rid of the gnostic Christians.

at the Council of Nicoaea around 325 CE he was able to forge an alliance with the literal Christians. To do this he deliberately had the Church incorporate into the bible numerous Pagan rituals such as worshipping mass on SUN day, or celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25, the birth date of other pagan sons of God, and not Christ himself who was probably born at the end of March or sometime in April given the constellation of the Stars at the time of his alleged birth.

The references to Pagan beliefs through-out the Bible are widely known to those who study mythology and symbols.

Now all this talk of the Knights Templar refers to the fact that they may have stumbled across information that Jesus lived and moved to India and have sat on it
for these thousands of years in an effort to either protect the Church or black-mail the Church.

Some say the Masons are Satan worshippers, others say they found out the truth from the Templars and celebrate a gnostic series of rituals celebrating the Sun and that views spiritual attainment something one must achieve individually. So some would argue Masons are really a kind of sect that practices what gnostic Christianity may have looked like had it survived, others, especially devout fundamentalist Christians say its devil worship.

What I say is its ridiculous to try censor the debate. any religion's origins should be questioned.

Even if we take this to its logical extreme and found out for a fact Jesus was not divine, so what? If you are a gnostic Christian it changes nothing. To them it doesn't change a thing he preached to others, all it does is challenge one precept the Church used to justify its own existence as a the way all worship to God must be managed. Challenging divinity would become a political debate as to whether Christians need a Church to pray to God or whether they could
pray as individuals.

If you are a literal Christian this can not be and you either believe Jesus literally is the son of God and you must accept him as your saviour, otherwise down to hell you go.

I personally question all religions including Judaism the exact same way. I can not on an intellectual level take Judaism literally. I question the deeds of Moses as I would the ones of Jesus. Do I believe Moses actually had God part the sea? No. But this does not mean it can not be appreciated as a symbolic story.

All the above is my attempt to add to the debate and not insult anyone or impose my veiws on anyone.

I deeply respect anyone's right to believe in the divinity of Christ and accept the Bible as divine and absolute truth not subject to questioning.

internet chat forums can be dangerous

In 1999 a U.S. government task force estimated at any given time in the US there were 63,000 stalkers using internet chat forums to victimize over 474,000 people.

As you shold be aware sexual molesters, perverts, fraud artists and a wide range of criminals are attracted to chat rooms because they can exploit or taek advantage of the chat room relationship to gain information to then use to lure their victims and either steal things from them or sexually molest them.

Police advise that chat-rooms are dangerous because;

i- you don't know who is on the other side writing the response; .

ii-people make "friends" in chat rooms and share confidences with others you don't know.

Because of the above, we are now learning from more and more convictions and documented cases that chat rooms could beused by people to exploit others.

To put it bluntly they present an excellent opportunity for friminals to find victims.

The motus operandi is pretty much the same whether they are a sexual molester stalking someone to molest or a con man in search of someone's money to steal.

You meet them in the chat room and they come across as sympathetic and understanding and sometimes they will portray themselves in positions of authority like teachers, professors, therapists.

They use their identity to offer you advice and to gain your confidence so they can get inside information about you.

If your relationship remains strictly online its cool IF you're careful not to give out any personal information.

That is precisely why an adult such as myself would never under any circumstance ask a child to go off line or ask a child for personal information.

For that matter you should be very suspisicous if you do not know me and I enter a chat forum and tell you I am a professional looking for clients.

Think about it. An ethical professional would follow a rule of conduct that would define it unethical to engage in a dual relationship with a client. A dual relationship would mean the therapist or professional has a role with the client other then the professional one.

In the case let's say of someone claiming to be a therapist and asking you to be a client through a chat forum, he or she would be placing themselves in a dual role -one where they are a fellow poster supposedly engaged in a mutual anonymous exchange of personal information, and now another where they want to change the relationshop and use the personal information they got anonymously from you for different reasons.

You may wish to look at www.survivorsfirst.org/pedmo.html for a good article on the way a pedophile thinks and how they would try fool or entice people.

All I will say now is please when you use chat forums maintain your anonimity and please if you are young or a woman, take precautions for your safety and security.

Most professional codes of practice now are being drafted to include clauses that forbid professionals from using chat forums as a place to solicit clients.

Hopefully this will help in an on-going battle to keep chat forums safe for us all.

Thanks. Something today compelled me to write this post.

Here's an exerpt from a non profit organization promoting safe internet use by children;

"It can be tempting to get together with someone you meet in a chat room, but remember - people are not always who they seem to be. The basic rules for online safety apply to all areas of the Internet, but they are especially important in chat areas. Never give out personal information, and never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you meet in a chat room without first checking with your parents and taking all of the necessary precautions.

Chat rooms are sometimes organized around topics, so avoid any topic area that makes you feel uncomfortable. But just because a chat room is designed around a particular topic doesn't mean that other topics aren't discussed. Even if the room is "teens only," you have no way of knowing if everyone really is a teenager, so you still have to be on guard.

Be especially careful of chat rooms that get into subjects that might be associated with sex or cults or groups that practice potentially dangerous rituals. It might seem interesting or even fun to discuss actions that you might never consider engaging in, but some people who fantasize about things also like to carry them out.

Be suspicious of anyone who tries to turn you against your parents, teachers, or friends. They may have a hidden agenda.

On some services and web sites you can enter into a private chat area where you can arrange to meet friends. In some cases, those rooms are truly private. But in other cases they may be listed in a directory of rooms. If so, there is nothing to stop others from entering those rooms.

One trick to avoid harassment, especially for women and girls, is to choose a gender-neutral name - like your initials or a word - to use in a chat room. It's fine to be cute or funny with the name you choose, but be sure it doesn't identify you and doesn't have any meaning or implication that might encourage others to bother you.

YOU CAN STILL HAVE FUN - JUST BE AWARE

We are not trying to discourage you from using the internet. The internet is going to play a larger role in society as the years go by. All we are saying is that you should always be aware of the consequences of your actions when on the internet.
We hope you enjoy the internet. It is a wonderful invention and has opened up a world of opportunity for your generation."

y thank u

Well like not that you noticed but I write a lot. See I have adhd and to be able to work I need to do more then one thing at the same time. So while I work, I use this forum as a therapeutic tool that enables me to do somethinge else while I am doing something else. Its enabled me to focus on other things by being able to have this forum as a place to read and respond to while I work on other stuff. So I write a lot and read a lot of your responses and it keeps my brain sane. So on the one hand I pity you all for having to constantly put up with the name Rube on so many posts, but on the other hand I thank y'all for writing and allowing me to use a part of my brain and relieve anxiety and energy and allowing me to be able to focus on other stuff by being able to take you guys in as well and respond to you. I worry I write too much and sound like a know it all but I am just an ordinary shmo having fun responding and really enjoying talking about stuff.. its so damn good for me goll darn it I keep doing it.....also I think its cleared all the pimples from my face. (Ok maybe being 50 has something to do with that too but who asked you) Does this make any sense? I hope so. Anyways all you posters keep writing. It keeps my brain going. And another thing, take it from me, its amazing this forum thing. I mean you start of reading people's posts and then something happens. Like how do I say this, when I read a post from Ben saying his kid is sick, I just want to vomit and I get all friggin nervous and worry for him. Or when I read 22 is gonna adopt a child I am worried for her but happy for her. Or when I read something from A Skeppy I can pick up on his genuine sensitivity towards stuff. Its amazing after awhile you read people and you get to know them and you really admire them and feel a bond with them and its all from their words. I read so many of you so intensely and I am amazed that regardless of your age, culture, sex, gender preference, politics, religious iews, when you guys write, I get to see a part of you that I feel honoured to get a glimpse of. Ok so I will now shaddup. Can you tell I was working late tonight? Ah we adhd people. What would you do without us blabbing on and on! p.s. I will never grow tired of ufo stories, stories of peoples' dreams, cryptology, comspiracy theories, people's end of the world theories, and stories of how people feel about things. Now wherever Ben's son is, I hope he is doing fine and Tutu is a kick-ass mother. That I can guarantee you. Later. By the way I am actually gonna take tomorrow off! Hah! You ever see me try to relax and take a day off-hint- I twitch a lot. Later!

religion of superherores in comics

O.k. want to show how intelligent you are? Simply refer to this handy list when discussing super-heroes at your next funeral, wedding, cock-tail party, business meeting.

For example I bet you didn't know Jimmy Olsen was Lutheran or Superman and Supergirl were both Methodists. Or how about this, what do The Atom, Firestorm, The Minx, Collosal Boy, Dr. Fate, Shadow Cat Kitty Pride and Ben Grimm,a.k.a. the Thing from the Fantastic Four all have in common? They are all Jewish!

Hey my favourite sounding Jewish hero is Bedlam Bermuda Schwartz. Now there's a woman (other than 22 of course) that any guy would want to meet!


Superman Clark Kent/Kal-El JLA * DC Methodist / Kryptonian religion
Supergirl Linda Danvers DC Methodist; Earth-born Angel
Atoman Craig Wallace Seven Sentinels (Top 10) America's Best Methodist
Elektra Elektra Natchios The Hand Marvel Greek Orthodox
Mindsinger Gregor Buhkarov Young Gods Marvel Russian Orthodox
Wolfsbane Rahne Sinclair New Mutants, X-Factor Marvel Presbyterian
Mutator George Mullaney DP7 Marvel (NU *) Presbyterian (non-practicing)
The Beast Hank McCoy X-Men, Avengers Marvel Episcopalian
Phoenix Jean Grey X-Men Marvel Episcopalian
Archangel Warren Worthington III X-Men, Defenders, X-Factor Marvel Episcopalian
Psylocke Betsy Braddock X-Men, Excalibur Marvel Anglican
Captain Britain Brian Braddock Excalibur Marvel Anglican
Scarecrow of Romney Marsh Rev. Dr. Christopher Syn (first pub. in 1915) Nelson, Gold Key Anglican clergyman
Invisible Woman Susan Storm Richards Fantastic Four Marvel Episcopalian; met God
Human Torch Johnny Storm Fantastic Four Marvel Episcopalian; met God
Marvel Girl Rachel Grey (Rachel Summers) X-Men; Excalibur Marvel Episcopalian family background
Batman Bruce Wayne JLA DC Episcopalian / Catholic (lapsed)
The Hound Laurence Lomax Seven Sentinels (Top 10) America's Best Episcopalian / Catholic (lapsed)
Mastodon David Alan Landers DP7 Marvel (NU) raised Lutheran, now atheist
Rogue Anna Marie Raven X-Men Marvel Southern Baptist
Black Lightning Jefferson Pierce JLA, Outsiders DC Northern Baptist (ABC/USA)
Cannonball Sam Guthrie New Mutants, X-Men Marvel Baptist
Husk Paige Guthrie Generation X Marvel Baptist
Icarus Jay Guthrie Xavier Institute Marvel Baptist
Aero Melody Guthrie Xavier Institute Marvel Baptist
Playback Miriam Morse ally of Justice Marvel (NU) Baptist
Voyager Tyrone Jessup Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Baptist
Shock-Headed Peter Peter Cheney Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best Baptist
Captain Canuck Tom Evans P. Martin Assoc. Latter-day Saint
Straight Arrow Nephi Callendar Wild Cards Bantam Latter-day Saint
Johnny Thunder John Tane DC Latter-day Saint
Cypher Doug Ramsey New Mutants Marvel Latter-day Saint
Power Pack Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie Power Power Pack Marvel Latter-day Saints (presumed)
Nightcrawler Kurt Wagner X-Men Marvel Catholic
Firebird Bonita Juarez Avengers Marvel Catholic
Doctor Mid-Nite II Pieter Cross JSA DC Catholic
Anti-Body Randy O'Brien DP7 Marvel (NU) Catholic
Daredevil Matt Murdock Marvel Catholic
Huntress Helena Rosa Bertinelli ally of Batman DC Catholic
Witchblade Sara Pezzini NYPD Image/Top Cow Catholic
Green Lantern II Hal Jordan JLA DC Catholic
Crazy Jane Kay Challis Doom Patrol DC Catholic
Havok Alex Summers X-Men, X-Factor Marvel Catholic
Polaris Lorna Dane X-Men, X-Factor Marvel Catholic
Banshee Sean Cassidy X-Men Marvel Catholic
Siryn Theresa Cassidy X-Force; X-Factor Inv. Marvel Catholic
Blue Devil Dan Cassidy JLA; Shadowpact DC Catholic
Dagger Tandy Bowen Cloak & Dagger Marvel Catholic
Sunspot Roberto Dacosta New Mutants, X-Force Marvel Catholic
Wind Dancer Sofia Mantega New Mutants Marvel Catholic
Skin Angelo Espinosa Generation X Marvel Catholic
Doctor Mid-Nite Charles McNider JSA DC Catholic
Nightshade Eve Eden Suicide Squad Charlton, DC Catholic
Vindicator Heather McNeil Hudson Alpha Flight Marvel Catholic
Aurora Jeanne-Marie Beaubier Alpha Flight Marvel Catholic
Firestar Angelica Jones New Warriors, Avengers Marvel Catholic
Fire Beatriz DaCosta JLA DC Catholic
Firebrand Alejandro "Alex" Sanchez DC Catholic
Victoria Montesi Darkhold Redeemers Marvel Catholic
Monsoon Sgt. Hector Lopez Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best Catholic
Catholic Girl Milestone Catholic
Saint George George Davis Image Catholic
wielder of The Darkness Jackie Estacado Franchetti Family (mafia) Top Cow Catholic
Altar Boy Brian Kinney Confessor's sidekick Image/Homage Catholic
Sea Witch Bridget O'Hare Young Gods Marvel Catholic
Stigmata Vatican Marvel Catholic
El Jefe Minoriteam Cartoon Network Catholic
Shi Ana Ishikawa Crusade Comics Catholic / Sohei
Priest Ivan Isaacs (manhwa series by Min-Woo Hyung) TokyoPop Catholic priest
Priest (3-issue Rob Liefeld series) Maximum Press Catholic priest
Evangeline Catholic Church (Cardinal Szn) Comico; First Comics Catholic nun
Warrior Nun Areala Sister Shannon Masters Warrior Nuns Antarctic Press Catholic nun
Nun of the Above Milestone Catholic nun
The Magdalena Sister Rosalia; Sister Mariella; Patience Catholic Church Top Cow Catholic nuns
Confessor Jeremiah Parrish (Astro City) Image/Homage Catholic (former priest)
Hellstorm Daimon Hellstrom Defenders Marvel Catholic (former priest)
Michael Devlin Knights of the Order of St. George (Shadowline) Marvel/Epic Catholic (former priest)
The Punisher Frank Castle Marvel Catholic (former seminarian)
BattlePope Image Catholic pope
SuperPope (Flash animation) David Rutledge Catholic pope
Constantine John Constantine DC/Vertigo Catholic (film); humanist (comics)
Overtime Lindsey Falmon Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Catholic (non-practicing)
Network Wayne Tucker Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Catholic (non-practicing)
Gambit Remy LeBeau X-Men Marvel Cajun Catholic
Azrael Jean-Paul Valley ally of Batman DC Catholic (non-papal Order of St. Dumas)
Obsidian Todd Rice Infinity Inc., JLA DC Catholic; GLBT
Living Lightning Miguel Santos Avengers Marvel Catholic; GLBT
Northstar Jean-Paul Beaubier Alpha Flight, X-Men Marvel Catholic; GLBT
Karma Xi'an Coy Manh New Mutants Marvel Catholic; GLBT
Green Lantern V Kyle Rayner JLA DC Catholic (lapsed)
The Hulk Bruce Banner Avengers, Defenders, Pantheon Marvel Catholic (lapsed)
Black Widow Natasha Romanova Avengers Marvel Catholic; Communist atheist
Blackhawk Janos Prohaska The Blackhawks DC Catholic (lapsed); became atheist
Spider-Man Peter Parker Marvel Protestant
Captain America Steve Rogers Avengers Timely/Marvel Protestant
Caleb Hammer Old West Marvel former Protestant preacher
Cyclops Scott Summers X-Men Marvel Protestant
Jade Jennie-Lynn Hayden Infinity, Inc. DC Protestant
USAgent John Walker West Coast Avengers, New Invaders Marvel Protestant
Adept Jelene Anderson Strikeforce: Morituri Marvel devout Protestant Christian
Pilot of the Future Dan Dare Eagle Protestant
Noah Crossbreed (Astro City) Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
Daniel Crossbreed Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
Peter Crossbreed Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
Mary Crossbreed Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
David Crossbreed Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
Joshua Crossbreed Image/Homage Protestant Evangelical Christian
Illuminator Andy Prentiss Marvel/Thomas Nelson Protestant Evangelical Christian
Dust Devil Duane Bodine Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best Protestant Christian
Justice John Roger Tensen Marvel (NU) Protestant (non-practicing)
Psi-Stalker; Syphon; Stalker Thomas Boyd Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Protestant (non-practicing)
Mary Marvel Mary Batson Marvel Family; Superbuddies Fawcett; DC devout Christian
Peregrine Lt. Cathy Colby Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best "born-again" Christian
Roadblock Marvin F. Hinton G.I. Joe Marvel devout Christian
Robin/Nightwing Dick Grayson Teen Titans DC Christian
Black Knight Dane Whitman Avengers Marvel Christian
Bible John John Carik ally of Blade Marvel Christian
Jubilee Jubilation Lee X-Men; Generation X Marvel Christian
Thunderbird III Neal Shaara X-Men Marvel Hindu
Karima Shapandar Excalibur (Genosha) Marvel Hindu
Maya Chandi Gupta Justice League DC Hindu
Calculus Jahaharel Patel Young Gods Marvel Hindu
Timeslip Rina Patel New Warriors Marvel Hindu
Nagraj Raj Raj Comics Hindu
Non-Stop Minoriteam Cartoon Network Hindu
Quicksilver Pietro Maximoff Avengers, X-Factor Marvel Roma/Gypsy; ethnic half-Jewish
Scarlet Witch Wanda Maximoff Avengers Marvel Roma/Gypsy; ethnic half-Jewish; magic
Meggan Meggan Braddock Excalibur Marvel Roma/Gypsy
DayTripper, Magik II Jimaine Szardos (a.k.a. Amanda Sefton) Excalibur, X-Men Marvel Roma/Gypsy; sorceress
Master of Kung-fu Shang Chi Marvel Taoist monk
Chinese Human Calculator Dr. Wang Minoriteam Cartoon Network Chinese traditional religion
Sunfire Shiro Yoshida X-Men Marvel Shinto
Michiyo Watanabe Van Helsing's vampire hunters Marvel Shinto princess; Samurai/Bushido
Green Arrow II Connor Hawke JLA DC Zen Buddhist (raised as a monk)
Blindshot Bob Booker Neopolis cabbie (Top 10) America's Best Zen Buddhist
Multiple Man James "Jamie" Madrox X-Factor Marvel Buddhist
Thunderbolt Peter Cannon DC Tibetan Buddhist
Dr. Druid Anthony Druid Avengers, Secret Defenders Marvel Tibetan Buddhism/lamaism; Celtic Druidism
Bulletproof Monk "monk with no name" Flypaper/Image Tibetan Buddhist (monk)
Dalton Alec Dalton Super Soldiers Marvel Buddhist
Swift Shen Li-men Stormwatch, the Authority Wildstorm/DC Buddhist
Jeong Lee Order of St. George Marvel/Epic Buddhist
Harvest Chi Lo Young Gods Marvel Buddhist
Tara Marvel Buddhist
Shockwave Katy Ling Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Buddhist (non-practicing)
Wolverine Logan X-Men Marvel was atheist; has practiced Buddhism; believes in God
King Peacock Det. John Corbeau Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best Yazidi
Dust Sooraya Qadir Hellions at Xavier Institute Marvel Sunni Muslim
Muhammad Nur Harlem Four Brain Tablet Sunni Muslim
Arabian Knight Abdul Qamar Desert Sword Marvel Sunni Muslim (Bedouin)
The 99 (various) The 99 Teshkeel Media Muslim
Sedara Bakut Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Muslim
Black Tiger Abraham Brown; Brillalae; etc. Murkatesh Marvel Muslim
Ali Ali (star of Vimanarama) DC/Vertigo Muslim
Justice Josiah al hajj Saddiq The Crew Marvel Muslim clergyman
Wise Son Hannibal White Blood Syndicate Milestone Black Muslim
Wild Rose Rose Kugel ally of the Punisher Marvel Palestinian (Muslim?)
The Acidic Jew Moshe Chomsky in Common Grounds Image Hasidic Judaism
Ramban Hayoth; ally of Spectre DC Jewish (rabbi)
Shadowcat Kitty Pryde X-Men Marvel Jewish
The Thing Ben Grimm Fantastic Four Marvel Jewish
Songbird Melissa Joan Gold Thunderbolts Marvel Jewish
Doc Samson Dr. Leonard Samson ally of the Hulk Marvel Jewish
Dr. Fate Eric Strauss JSA DC Jewish
Sasquatch Walter Langkowski Alpha Flight Marvel Jewish
Ragman Rory Regan Shadowpact DC Jewish
Colossal Boy/Leviathan Gim Allon Legion of Super Heroes DC Jewish
The Two-Gun Kid Matthew Liebowicz Old West Marvel Jewish
Marvel Boy/Justice Vance Astro New Warriors Marvel Jewish
Sabra Ruth Bat-Seraph Israel Marvel Jewish
Seraph Chaim Lavon Global Guardians DC Jewish
Atom Smasher (a.k.a. Nuklon) Albert Julian Rothstein Infinity Inc., JLA DC Jewish
Pvt. Izzy Cohen Isadore Cohen Sgt. Fury's Howling Commandos Marvel Jewish
Mothman Arthur sidekick to The Tick New England Comics Jewish
Fathom Rebecca Golden Elementals Comico Jewish
Prime Kevin Green Malibu, Marvel Jewish
Achilles Helmut Pantheon (Hulk allies) Marvel Jewish
Masada Deborah Konigsberg Team Youngblood Image Jewish
Golem Jacob Goldstein ally of the Invaders Marvel Jewish
Jewcano Minoriteam Cartoon Network Jewish
American Flagg! Reuben Flagg First Comics Jewish
Nite-Owl II Dan Dreiberg Watchmen DC/Vertigo Jewish
Golem Hayoth DC Jewish
Dybbuk Hayoth DC Jewish
Judith Hayoth DC Jewish
Firestorm Martin Stein JLA DC Jewish
Bedlam Bermuda Schwartz X-Force (1990) Marvel Jewish
Anastasia Inyushin Psi-Force Marvel (NU) Jewish
Dust Devil Moshe Levy Blasters DC Jewish
Temper Aviva Joby Weinberg Relative Heroes DC Jewish
The Annointed One The League DC Jewish
Dominic Fortune David Fortunov Marvel Jewish
Greenberg the Vampire Oscar Greenberg Marvel Jewish
The Minx Anna Schwarz DC/Vertigo Jewish
The Escapist Tom Mayflower League of the Golden Key Dark Horse Jewish
The Hebrew Hammer Mordechai Jefferson Carver (2003 movie) Comedy Central Jewish
Ron Stoppable sidekick to Kim Possible (2002-2005 animated TV series) Disney Channel Jewish
Microchip Linus Lieberman assistant to the Punisher Marvel Jewish
Brightsword Carter Dyam Young Gods Marvel Jewish
Houston Joel Aaron Weinberg Relative Heroes DC Jewish; GLBT
Sublime Rachel Goldman DV8; Gen13 Wildstorm Jewish (lapsed)
The Atom Raymond "Ray" Palmer JLA DC Jewish (lapsed)
Arsenic Gertrude Yorkes The Runaways Marvel Jewish (agnostic)
The Phantom Stranger Sentinels of Magic, Shadowpact DC Jewish (maybe)
Robin Tim Drake ally of Batman; Teen Titans DC Not Jewish... or is he?
Iceman Bobby Drake X-Men Marvel Jewish Catholic
Microchip, Jr. Louis Frohike assistant to the Punisher Marvel Jewish Catholic
The Sandman Wesley Dodds JSA DC Jewish Catholic
The Question Charles Victor Szasz; Vic Sage Justice League (DCAU), L.A.W. DC Objectivist
Mirage Danielle Moonstar New Mutants Marvel Cheyenne Native American & Norse/Teutonic religion
Forge X-Factor, X-Men Marvel Cheyenne Native American spirituality
Snowbird Narya Alpha Flight Marvel Inuit demi-goddess
Moonstalker Kiana Young Gods Marvel Inuit
Speedy/Arsenal Roy Harper Jr. Teen Titans DC Navajo traditional religion
Shaman Michael Twoyoungmen Alpha Flight Marvel Native Canadian shamanism
Talisman Elizabeth Twoyoungmen Alpha Flight Marvel Native Canadian spirituality
Yukon Jack Yukotujakzurjimozoata Alpha Flight Marvel Canadian primal-indigenous religion
Puma Thomas Fireheart Marvel Native American shamanism
Thunderbird John Proudstar X-Men Marvel Native American spirituality
Warpath James Proudstar Hellions, X-Force, X-Corporation Marvel Native American spirituality
Red Wolf Will Talltrees Rangers Marvel Native American spirituality
Coyote Marvel/Epic Native American spirituality
Ripclaw Robert Bearclaw Cyberforce Image, Top Cow Native American spirituality
Rainmaker Sarah Rainmaker Gen 13 Wildstorm Native American spirituality (Apache); GLBT
Manitou Raven Raven JLA DC Native American spirituality
Aztek Uno Q Society; JLA DC Aztec religion
Gateway X-Men Marvel Australian Aboriginal traditional religion
Dreamguard Willie Walkaway Dreamguards Marvel Australian Aboriginal traditional religion
Varua Mira Young Gods Marvel Polynesian traditional religion; priestess
Black Panther T'Challa Avengers Marvel African primal-indigenous religion; leader of the Black Panther Cult
Starchild Harlem Four Brain Tablet Yoruba
Splice Chandra Ku Young Gods Marvel Zulu
Brother Voodoo Jericho Drumm Marvel Vodoun houngan (voodoo priest)
The Zombie Simon William Garth Marvel Vodoun (voodoo)
Empress Anita Fite Young Justice DC Vodoun (voodoo)
Shadowman Jack Bonafice Acclaim Vodoun (voodoo)
Shadowman II Mike Leroi Acclaim Vodoun (voodoo)
The WitchDoctor Dr. Jovan Carrington Griot Enterprises Vodoun (voodoo)
Barbara Oludumare Just-Us League of Africa Brain Tablet Vodoun (voodoo) priestess
Wonder Woman Diana of Themyscira JLA DC Greco-Roman classical religion
Wonder Girl/Troia Donna Troy Teen Titans DC Greco-Roman classical religion
Captain Marvel Billy Batson JLA Fawcett; DC Protestant / Greco-Roman classical religion
Wonder Woman (WWII-era) Queen Hippolyta JSA DC Greco-Roman classical religion
Hercules Hercules/Herecles Avengers Marvel Greco-Roman classical religion
Sun Woman Delia Spyros Seven Sentinels (Top 10) America's Best Greco-Roman classical religion
Sub-Mariner Namor Avengers Marvel Atlantean/Greco-Roman classical religion (Poseidon)
Namorita Namorita "Nita" Prentiss Defenders, New Warriors Marvel Atlantean/Greco-Roman classical religion (Poseidon)
Andromeda Andromeda Attumasen Defenders Marvel Atlantean/Greco-Roman classical religion (Poseidon)
Aquaman Arthur Curry/Orin JLA DC Atlantean/Greco-Roman classical religion (lapsed)
Aqualad/Tempest Garth Teen Titans DC Atlantean/Greco-Roman classical religion; magic
Magma Amara Aquilla New Mutants Marvel Greco-Roman classical religion
Hawkman Carter Hall JSA, JLA DC Egyptian classical religion
Hawkgirl Shiera Sanders Hall JSA * DC Egyptian classical religion
Moon Knight Marc Spector West Coast Avengers Marvel Egyptian classical religion (raised Jewish)
Kemit Kutie Harlem Four Brain Tablet Egyptian classical religion
Thor Thor Avengers Marvel Teutonic paganism ("Norse mythology")
Valkyrie Brunnhilde/Barbara-Denton Norriss Defenders Marvel Norse/Teutonic paganism
Krystalin Ruth Kirsten Porter-Ogada X-Men 2099 Marvel Norse/Teutonic paganism
Promethea Sophie Bangs; Stacia Vanderveer (Alan Moore series) Wildstorm Crowleyite (influences incl. occult, Tarot, Kabbalah)
Doctor Strange Dr. Stephen Strange Defenders Marvel occult
Zatanna Zatanna Zatara JLA; Sentinels of Magic DC occult
Raven Raven Teen Titans DC Azarithian religion; occasionally demonolatry/Church of Blood
Magik Illyana Rasputin New Mutants Marvel Communist atheist; demonolatry; magick/occult
Triathlon Delroy Garrett Jr. Avengers Marvel Triune Understanding (based on Scientology)
Chance Fallen Angels Marvel Glorification Church (raised) (based partially on Unification Church)
Martian Manhunter J'onn J'onzz Justice League DC Martian religion
Silver Surfer Norrin Radd herald of Galactus; Defenders Marvel Zenn-La religion
Starfire Koriand'r Teen Titans; Outsiders DC Tamaranian religion (worships X'Hal)
Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna Super Friends; Extreme Justice Hanna-Barbera; DC Exor religion
Warlock New Mutants; Excalibur Marvel Technarchy religion (worships "the Maker")
Supergirl Kara Zor-El DC Kryptonian religion
Deadpool Jack; Wade Wilson Weapon X Marvel One World Church (lapsed)
Cable Nathan Christopher Charles Summers New Mutants, X-Force, X-Men Marvel Askani
Sersi Sersi Eternals, Avengers Marvel Eternals religion
Crystal Crystalia Amaquelin Maximoff Inhumans Fantastic Four, Avengers Marvel Inhuman religion
Karnak Karnak Inhumans Marvel priest in Inhuman religion
Moondragon Heather Douglas Defenders, Avengers Marvel Titanian priestess
Northwind Norda Cantrell Infinity Inc DC Feitheran high priest
Nemesis Jane Alpha Flight Marvel Children of the Night (former leader)
Ghostmare / The Matriarch Kym / Oosay Force Four Marvel chief Kymellian religious leader
Mister Miracle Scott Free New Gods; Justice League DC Apokolipsian Darkseid worship (lapsed)
Big Barda Barda Free New Gods; Female Furies; JLA DC Apokolipsian Darkseid worship (lapsed)
Lightray Solis New Gods; Justice League DC New Gods of New Genesis
Orion Orion New Gods; Justice League DC New Gods of New Genesis
Gamora Gamora Infinity Watch Marvel Zen Whoberi; raised by nihilist Thanos
Firelord Pyreus Kril herald of Galactus; Nova Corps Marvel Xandarian religion
Smax Jaffs Macksun/Jeff Smax Top 10 (Neopolis P.D.) America's Best fantasy world polytheist
Sleepwalker Rick Sheridan Secret Defenders Marvel Sleepwalker religion
Bishop Lucas Bishop X.S.E.; X-Men; NYPD Marvel X-Men veneration (lapsed)
Dynamite; Salvo Mike Crawley Psi-Force Marvel (NU) White Eventists (temporary)
Animal Man Buddy Baker Forgotten Heroes; Justice League DC animal rights
Ms. Marvel Carol Danvers Avengers; Starjammers Marvel mildly feminist; Alcoholics Anonymous
Dianisis Dian Harrison Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood pro-abortion activist
Spectre Jim Corrigan, etc. JSA DC agent of God's wrath
Zauriel Zauriel JLA DC angel from God
Comet Andrea Martinez/Andy Jones ally of Supergirl DC Earth-born Angel
Avengelyne Maximum/Image angel
Dawn Image Earth goddess
Storm Ororo Munroe X-Men Marvel goddess worship
Mr. Fantastic Reed Richards Fantastic Four Marvel believes in God; possible scientism
Green Lantern I Alan Scott JSA DC religious
Wonder Man Simon Williams Avengers Marvel religious
Puck Eugene Judd Alpha Flight Marvel religious
Windshear Colin Ashworth Hume Alpha Flight Marvel religious
Silhouette Silhouette Chord New Warriors Marvel religious
Professor X Charles Xavier X-Men Marvel religious
Flash I Jay Garrick JSA DC religious
Mr. Terrific Michael Holt JSA DC Atheist
The Savage Dragon Special Operations Strikeforce Image Atheist
The Atheist Antoine Sharpe Image Atheist
Booster Gold Michael Jon Carter Justice League; Super Buddies DC atheist
Mystique Raven Darkholme Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; Freedom Force; X-Factor; X-Men Marvel atheist
Starman Ted Knight JSA DC atheist or deist
Colossus Piotr "Peter" Nikolaievitch Rasputin X-Men Marvel former Communist atheist
Green Arrow Oliver Queen JLA DC agnostic; Liberal Marxist Communist
Mr. Terrific Terry Sloane JSA DC agnostic
Pete Wisdom Peter Wisdom Excalibur, X-Force Marvel agnostic
Flash II Barry Allen JLA DC mostly agnostic; Protestant or Jewish background
Sage Tessa Hellfire Club, X-Men Marvel unknown (born Muslim?)
Longshot Longshot X-Men; Exiles Marvel Mojoworld television worship
Shatterstar Gaveedra Seven X-Force Marvel Mojoworld televised combat culture
L-Ron / Despero II L-Ron Justice League; Justice League Task Force DC Jewish? Scientologist?
Iron Man Tony Stark Avengers Marvel quietly secular and/or agnostic; technologist


Significant Supporting Characters

Name Role Publisher Religious Affiliation
Jimmy Olsen Superman's pal DC Lutheran
Alfred Pennyworth butler for Bruce Wayne/Batman DC Anglican
J. Jonah Jameson Peter Parker's boss; Spider-Man's denouncer Marvel hates Spider-Man
The Watcher Uatu, of The Watchers Marvel monotheist
Bernie Rosenthal former girlfriend of Captain America Marvel Jewish
Michael Schorr sometime boyfriend of Wonder Woman DC Jewish
Morgan Edge Galaxy TV president, featured in Superman comics DC Jewish
Dr. Leslie Thompkins one of Batman's closest friends DC goddess worship
Sylvia Danvers Supergirl's mother; Church assistant studying for the ministry DC Methodist
Lilandra Neramani beloved of Professor Charles Xavier (founder of the X-Men); empress of Shi'ar galactic empire Marvel Shi'ar religion
Jacob Raven police detective in many Spider-Man comics (clone saga) Marvel Latter-day Saint
Mallory Book fellow attorney at the law firm where She-Hulk works Marvel Latter-day Saint
Renee Montoya officer in Gotham Major Crimes Unit DC Catholic (lapsed); GLBT
Father Richard Craemer advisor to Jim Corrigan/The Spectre and the Suicide Squad DC Catholic priest
Hadji Singh best friend of Johnny Quest Hanna-Barbera, Gold Key, Comico Sikh; Yoga (Yogin)
Punjab friend of Little Orphan Annie; assistant to Daddy Warbucks Tribune Media Services Sikh
Omar assistant of the Escapist Dark Horse Sikh
Randu Singh ally of Jason Blood/Demon DC Sikh
Lauren Singh girlfriend of Marvel superhero Gravity Marvel Sikh
Tabu Jaswinder Singh best friend of Thunderbolt/Peter Cannon DC Sikh/Tibetan Buddhism
Death a.k.a., Didi, Teleute; "Sandman" supporting character DC/Vertigo pan-denominational; Mormon
The Presence Regularly mentioned in DC Universe. Servants include: Zauriel (JLA), the Earth-Born Angels (incl. Supergirl, Comet, Blithe), the Spectre, the Word. Heroes drawing from the Presence's power include Seraph, Ramban. DC God
God Fantastic Four # 511 (2004); see also: Supreme: The Return #5; referred to as "One Above All" by the Living Tribunal Marvel God
Jesus Christ in various series, incl. Thor; Marvel Holiday Special; Marvel Comics Presents; Wolfpack; Fantastic Four; Union Jack; Wolverine: Evilution; Daredevil: Ninja