Heroes’ drawbacks

George Washington owned slaves. Abraham Lincoln argued for the emancipated to be forcibly relocated to Belize. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t believe in the virgin birth or other tenets of orthodoxy.

As a result, modernists don’t believe in heroes  — just because nobody’s perfect. Their solution? The anti-hero, the guy who’s only out for himself. Joseph Heller‘s hillarious Catch 22 protagonist exhibits no courage or redeeming characteristic.

Nevertheless, I believe in heroes. My purpose of exposing heroes’ sins is not to discredit them — any more than the Bible discredits David for his adultery, Abraham for his lies or Samson for his unbridled fleshliness.

To the contrary, I mean to encourage YOU to become a major league hero, in spite of your failings and

Dare to be a hero — despite your mistakes!

drawbacks. The dark spots don’t detract from their heroism — they only make them human. And you and I are human! Why do we rule ourselves out of being a hero?

We don’t even attempt to be a hero. Tragically, we instead give reign to the flesh and become anti-heroes. Why? Because we THINK we’re disqualified. I’m glad MLK Jr., G.W. and Honest Abe didn’t disqualify themselves from being heroes.

Soccer’s scarface

When Frank Ribery was two, his dad got into a car accident. Hundreds of stitches patched his face back up. He was lucky to be alive.

At no time did he let discouragements hold him down. He is a topflight footballer, now playing at Bayern Munich. He’s a delight to watch play. His trademark stutter-step and cutting in with the ball at his feet has made him a leader of the French national team. “This is my face; it is the one people know me by. I am happy with my face. Why shouldn’’t I be happy?” he was quoted by the Sun.

He is an example of overcoming difficulties, of moving on after tragedy.