Latest news with #Christ-like
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
The New Superman is less God, more human — and lots of fun
Thirteen years from now, Superman will be 100 years old. Widely considered to be the first-ever comic book superhero, Superman spun out of the imagination of two Jewish immigrant boys: The writer-artist duo of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The story of an alien baby from the planet Krypton who crash lands onto earth, is raised by two humble farmer parents and goes onto become the protector of Earth while also masquerading as a mild mannered journalist resonated with millions in the form of comic strips, radio plays and television shows from 1938 till today. Superman has also made the leap from comic book panels to the silver screen multiple times, often embodying the fantasies and anxieties of the given time periods. Adding to this curious list of films is the newest attempt by director James Gunn and actor David Corenswet, simply titled 'Superman'. Since there was no blueprint of a superhero when Superman was created, his personality and superpowers were more akin to those of gods and prophets from the pages of mythology and religious texts. Initially created as a stand-in for Moses, over the years in popular consciousness and even at the movies, his image morphed into that of a Christ-like figure. A purveyor of morality who would always put himself on the line to protect you. In 1978, when Christopher Reeve donned the blue suit, red trunks, and cape to play the Kryptonian, the United States was reeling from the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, and the masses were looking for a symbol to restore their faith in America. Despite being framed as lighthearted adventures, Superman: The Movie (1978) and Superman II (1980) had underlying themes of nuclear threats, cold war, and an added emphasis on American idealism and patriotism in tune with the country's push towards Reaganism at the time. 47 years later, Reeve remains the gold standard to play the big blue boy scout. His performance balanced heroism with humanity, and myth with vulnerability. James Gunn's Superman preserves the Reeves model but gives it a refreshing spin. He's still kind and gentle but has a bit of an edge to him. 'Being kind is punk rock,' he says at one point in the movie. I guess that's the 2025 version of 'Truth, Justice and the American way'. But perhaps the version of Superman that Gunn's film is in direct conversation with is the Zack Snyder version of the character played by Henry Cavill, whom we first met in 2013's Man of Steel. If Reeves embodied the Christ-like humanity of the character, Cavill personified his torture and pathos. The 'Snyder-verse' portrayed a rather bleak and serious world filled with superheroes who were as worn out by battling their inner demons as they were battling extraterrestrials. The colour scheme of Superman's costume went from bright to dour. The emphasis was on perfect musculature of the physique, and Supes barely cracked a smile. In the recent past, the pop culture landscape has been rife with portrayals of a 'darker' take on Superman. For example, the character of Homelander from The Boys. In Snyder's vision of a post 9/11 world, if people believed in a Superman, they were believing in a false god. Unburdening Superman and, by extension, his audience of this god-like baggage is probably the biggest achievement of the new film. It introduces the idea that 'metahumans' or superpowered beings have been around for centuries. So Superman isn't the most unique being with powers, but rather the best one of them all. He also has a posse of concerned robots that nurse him back to health, and a ferocious but cute pet dog by his side. The film is also a bit overstuffed and tonally shaky, trying to be a lot of things at once. Some real-life parallels are attempted: A tech billionaire who is courting a world leader with flaxen hair, a subplot involving a militarily superior nation invading its neighbouring country, and a scathing joke about online trolls. Despite this, it nails the one aspect that had been missing from the big-screen Superman portrayals of the past few years — it's fun. Gunn may have finally given us a Superman that isn't a cover version of Reeve, like Brandon Routh from Superman Returns (2006), nor a complete reinvention. This Superman takes the best bits from the previous incarnations, adding a dash of his own. But more importantly, we have a Superman who is less of a God, and more of a man. The writer is a podcast producer and stand-up comedian
Fox News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Faith under fire: How Trump's 'beautiful bill' targets Christian education
I may not be on the rooftop anymore, but I haven't stopped watching the horizon and what I see coming out of Washington should concern every American who believes in purpose, service, and religious freedom. It's called the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." Sounds nice, right? But buried beneath that pretty name are policies that threaten to cripple Christian higher education and punish students who choose to live by conviction instead of chasing cash. At first glance, this legislation claims to make education more accountable. But the fine print tells another story. Under this proposal, colleges, especially Christian ones, would be judged by how much their graduates earn compared to high school dropouts. If your calling doesn't come with a big salary, if you're a teacher, a pastor, a social worker, your degree is deemed less valuable. And the school that prepared you? Financially penalized. That's not reform. That's economic discrimination against purpose-driven education. Let's not destroy the very schools that teach integrity, character, and Christ-like service. Let's not choke the pipeline of hope that flows from classrooms to communities across this country. Let me break it down even further. • Christian colleges—the very institutions that train leaders for ministry, mission work, mental health, and community transformation would be slapped with millions in penalties simply because their students go into service instead of sales. • The government would impose loan caps that make it harder for first-generation, low-income students to attend the college of their choice. • They want to eliminate Grad PLUS loans, gut parent aid, and restrict Pell Grant access for part-time students, cutting off lifelines for families who are already scraping by. • Faith-based institutions that aren't tied to a denomination, yet live out biblical values every day could lose key religious exemptions under new tax language. That's an attack on religious liberty, dressed up as tax reform. Let me be clear: I'm not against accountability. I believe in stewardship. But this bill punishes institutions that serve the public by preparing graduates for the trenches, not just the towers. It punishes schools whose alumni become counselors instead of consultants… church planters instead of corporate climbers… healers instead of hustlers. We don't need a country where only profit-driven paths are rewarded. We need a nation where calling still matters. One out of every three students at CCCU schools is a Pell Grant recipient. One in three is a first-generation college student. Over half come from families earning under $50,000 per year. They don't need Congress stacking the deck against them. They need pathways to flourish. So from the South Side of Chicago, I'm calling this what it is: a beautiful-sounding bill that could do ugly damage. Let's not destroy the very schools that teach integrity, character, and Christ-like service. Let's not choke the pipeline of hope that flows from classrooms to communities across this country. Christian colleges are not elite ivory towers. They are lighthouses in some of the darkest corners of our culture. And in a time of moral confusion and public chaos, we'd better think twice before snuffing out the lights.
Associated Press
16-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Do You Have to Be Catholic to Go to a Catholic School in Australia?
06/16/2025, New York City, New York // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // As a parent, you always want to provide the best for your kids, especially when it comes to their education. You're likely looking for a school that not only prioritises academic excellence but also encourages students to make a positive impact in the community. The good news is that such values can be found in Page and Kaleen Primary School, affiliated with the Catholic Church. Given that the institution is rooted in the Catholic faith, many parents who are non-Catholic question whether their kids will get accepted to the school. This blog will cover all the relevant information that will answer your question. Do you need to be Catholic to attend a Catholic school? Catholic schools welcome all students who wish to benefit from their strong educational programs. While students of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, those of the Catholic faith are given priority in the enrolment process. Being Catholic isn't a requirement. What truly matters is your willingness to embrace and support the values that guide the school's approach to education, values rooted in Catholic principles. The school welcomes enthusiastic learners and sees families as active partners in the educational journey. For both Catholic and non-Catholic families, the school is an ideal place to navigate academic challenges, contribute to the community, and be part of an educational culture that values kindness and respect. What benefits will the kids gain from studying in a Catholic school? The teaching doesn't revolve only around sacramental ceremonies, but it is also about guiding children to grow into Christ-like individuals. Therefore, the essential traits of Christ are incorporated into the teaching, such as love, kindness, accountability, and discipline. If you're Catholic, this school offers a nurturing environment where your child can grow both academically and spiritually. Through regular Mass with their peers and daily prayer sessions, they'll have opportunities to deepen their understanding of the faith. Catholic schools are recognised for their strong focus on academic excellence and educational freedom. Unlike public schools, which follow a standardised national curriculum, Catholic institutions offer greater flexibility in how subjects are taught. Students receive a solid foundation in core areas such as literature, social studies, and foreign languages, while also having the opportunity to explore and deepen their interests in subjects they're truly passionate about. Enrolling your kid in a Catholic school increases the chances of them attending a top university because they develop strong study habits and discipline. As a result, the chance of admission to a prestigious institution is higher. The teachers constantly encourage students to improve essential abilities such as innovation, analytical thinking, and problem-solving. These will be a strong foundation for achieving their goal in the future. Catholic schools are known for encouraging community involvement and have integrated programs into the curriculum that teach the value of volunteerism and helping others. This approach helps students to become more compassionate, more aware of those around them, and more likely to take part in meaningful social initiatives. The involvement of parents in their children's school life plays a vital role in their overall development and academic success. When parents take an active interest, students tend to feel more supported and motivated. Research shows that children whose parents are engaged in their education often perform better in class, show improved behaviour, and develop stronger study habits. This partnership between home and school creates a positive learning environment that encourages students to reach their full potential. Nurturing faith through education Religious education is a core part of the Catholic school curriculum. It supports students in developing their spirituality by guiding them in prayer, understanding the sacraments, participating in liturgy, and exploring scripture. Students are also encouraged to reflect on moral and ethical issues through the lens of Catholic teachings, helping them apply faith-based values to real-world situations. A well-rounded Catholic education focuses on shaping character, nurturing a sense of compassion, and encouraging students to demonstrate values that reflect the example of Christ. Will the students struggle at school if they are not Catholic? Although the institution is rooted in the Catholic faith, it places an exceptional value on respect and consideration for others, resulting in a disciplined atmosphere that promotes effective learning. Not only does it create an excellent academic system, but it also fosters a secure, friendly, and supportive community. If they face difficulties during learning or with their peers, they will be strongly advised to communicate this to the professional counsellor at school. The Catholic school creates a strong network of support, bringing together the pastoral care team and teaching staff to ensure that sensitive issues are addressed with care, respect, and understanding. Conclusion Kaleen and Page Primary School rooted in Catholic faith, offers many advantages to children and parents. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school's administration team. They will guide you through what the school offers and how it can support your child's growth. Original Source of the original story >> Do You Have to Be Catholic to Go to a Catholic School in Australia?
The Age
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Predatory, terrifying and unacceptable': The accusations faced by Jared Leto
Even before these latest accusations, there were question marks around the now 53-year-old actor. In 2018, Disney actor Dylan Spouse tagged Jared Leto in a tweet and said: 'Yo @JaredLeto now that you've slid into the dm's of every female model aged 18 - 25, what would you say your success rate is.' In a deleted post, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn added, 'he starts at 18 on the internet?' Leto appears not to have taken Gunn's shade to heart. Twelve months later, in 2019, he was photographed in Croatia, modelling white robes and a Jesus-like beard, surrounded by fans of 30 Seconds To Mars (where his brother Shannon plays drums). They had accompanied him to Central Europe for the latest in a series of 'summer camps', where activities include yoga, cooking classes and – well, there's always a downside – a 30 Seconds To Mars performance. Dressing up was part of the fun at these events – and Leto was the trend-setter with his Christ-like outfit (the camps were discontinued after the pandemic). Just so nobody missed what he was going for, the band's social media wrote: 'Yes, this is a cult #MarsIsland.' Self-styled cult leader Leto may have styled himself as the head of a cult, but his childhood reads closer to a Southern Gothic novel. He was born in impoverished Bossier City, Louisiana, where the major local industry was a trio of riverside casinos. His father, Tony Bryant, abandoned the family when he was an infant. Leto recalled his father's last words as, 'I'll see you, kid, just going to the store to get a carton of milk'. Bryant died when Leto was eight. His mother Constance had by then moved back in with her parents. She later married Carl Leto, Jared's adoptive father. However, there was little stability in Leto's life. By 16, he was taking drugs and paying for his habit with theft. 'There was a moment involving a gun and some cocaine that may have been a turning point for me. I knew it wasn't good,' he would say. He turned himself around, though, and, aged 22, had his big break as Jordan Catalano in the teen drama My So Called Life. 'He went full Joker' It's probably as well Leto and his 30 Seconds To Mars 'Echelon' – as fans call themselves – have a strong bond. Cinema has proven to be a less supportive environment. In 2014, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing a transgender character in Dallas Buyer's Club. However, his campaign to carve out a space in blockbusters came unstuck with his disastrous turn in David Ayer's Suicide Squad in 2016. The problem wasn't Leto on screen – he was perfectly fine as a sleazy Joker (he returned to the character in a new scene filmed for Zack Snyder's four-hour Justice League). The issue was his behaviour off-camera and rumours he had gone too far trying to freak out other cast members. 'He did some bad things, Jared Leto did. He gave some really horrific gifts,' said Suicide Squad star Viola Davis. 'He had a henchman who would come into the rehearsal room, and the henchman came in with a dead pig and plopped it on the table, and then he walked out. And that was our introduction into Jared Leto.' Along with the pigs, Leto was said to have sent used condoms, dead rats and pornographic magazines. Even Will Smith – an actor whom we can now safely say is no stranger to controversy – was weirded out. 'First we found out that Jared wasn't going to be in rehearsals,' said Smith, who played Deadshot. 'And we were like, 'That's messed up! How is he not going to be in rehearsals?' And then there was a bang on the door, and this dude barges in and throws a dead pig on the floor in front of us. We're like, 'OK. Jared has officially set off the Suicide Squad. He went full Joker'.' Going 'full Joker' was nothing new. Throughout his career, he has taken method acting to extremes. In preparation for 2022's superhero film Morbius, Leto met 'doctors and patients who could teach him about living with a rare, incurable blood disease'. To walk with a cane – as Morbius does in the film – he 'studied with real cane users'. 'I remember fearing for this guy's spine,' said co-star Adria Arjona. 'It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple' He'd taken things ever further, appearing opposite Lady Gaga in Ridley Scott's House Of Gucci. 'I did it all,' Leto told i-D magazine. 'I was snorting lines of arrabbiata sauce'. In Blade Runner 2049, in which he played a villainous and blind tech evangelist, he wore special contact lenses that dramatically reduced his vision. 'He was walking with an assistant, very slowly,' director Dennis Villeneuve told the Wall Street Journal. 'It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple. Everybody became super silent, and there was a kind of sacred moment. Everyone was in awe.' Most drastic of all was Dallas Buyer's Club, for which he shed weight by eating nothing but cucumbers. 'I stayed in character the entire shoot. I couldn't imagine doing it another way. I'd gone too far to pick it up and drop it off,' he informed the Guardian. 'I lost around 40lb [almost three stone/18kg] and then I stopped counting. For me, it was about how it made me feel, how it made other people treat me. I got down to something like 114lb [about eight stone], and that was enough to do what I wanted it to do, which was to change everything about me.' He was widely acclaimed for Dallas Buyers Club. Suicide Squad, however, was a mess, and Leto's scenes were cut significantly. He would later deny the grisliest of the rumours and was reportedly outraged when Warner Bros announced it was pivoting to a Joker origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Todd Phillips (for which Phoenix would win an Oscar). 'Leto's frustration that Warner Bros was moving ahead with the Phillips project was so great early on that he tried to throttle the rival Joker in its cradle,' according to a 2019 article in the Hollywood Reporter. 'According to sources familiar with Leto's behaviour, when he learnt of the Phillips project, he not only complained bitterly to his agents at CAA, who also represent Phillips, but asked his music manager, Irving Azoff, to call the leader of Warners's parent company.' Uncertain future And then came his Citizen Kane of terrible films, the Venom spin-off Morbius, in which Leto played a moody vampire – a role described by the Telegraph at the time as a 'cross between Russell Brand and a Barbary macaque'. He went on to star opposite Anne Hathaway in We Crashed, Apple TV+'s underwhelming chronicling of the rise and fall of the We Work startup (ironically – or perhaps appropriately – Leto has reportedly made a $US90 million fortune from early investments in tech companies such as Airbnb and Uber). He has since gone back on the road with 30 Seconds To Mars, albeit with diminishing returns. London's O2 was half empty when the band played there last year – though an ongoing tour of Europe this summer is sold out. But it was on the big screen that his attentions were focused, with Tron: Ares to have been followed by a big screen reboot of Masters of the Universe, with Leto playing sarcastic mega-villain Skeletor. As with so much else in Leto's career, the commercial prospects of these projects are now uncertain. In the case of Tron: Ares it is too late for Disney to flip the ejector switch. The project is essentially done and dusted and Disney has already put out a series of trailers – top heavy with Tron's familiar whizz-bang 'light cycles', along with footage of Leto's co-stars Gillian Anderson, Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges (returning from the original). 'Ready?' says Bridges in the latest promo. 'There's no going back'. Disney may come to regret that line.
Sydney Morning Herald
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Predatory, terrifying and unacceptable': The accusations faced by Jared Leto
Even before these latest accusations, there were question marks around the now 53-year-old actor. In 2018, Disney actor Dylan Spouse tagged Jared Leto in a tweet and said: 'Yo @JaredLeto now that you've slid into the dm's of every female model aged 18 - 25, what would you say your success rate is.' In a deleted post, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn added, 'he starts at 18 on the internet?' Leto appears not to have taken Gunn's shade to heart. Twelve months later, in 2019, he was photographed in Croatia, modelling white robes and a Jesus-like beard, surrounded by fans of 30 Seconds To Mars (where his brother Shannon plays drums). They had accompanied him to Central Europe for the latest in a series of 'summer camps', where activities include yoga, cooking classes and – well, there's always a downside – a 30 Seconds To Mars performance. Dressing up was part of the fun at these events – and Leto was the trend-setter with his Christ-like outfit (the camps were discontinued after the pandemic). Just so nobody missed what he was going for, the band's social media wrote: 'Yes, this is a cult #MarsIsland.' Self-styled cult leader Leto may have styled himself as the head of a cult, but his childhood reads closer to a Southern Gothic novel. He was born in impoverished Bossier City, Louisiana, where the major local industry was a trio of riverside casinos. His father, Tony Bryant, abandoned the family when he was an infant. Leto recalled his father's last words as, 'I'll see you, kid, just going to the store to get a carton of milk'. Bryant died when Leto was eight. His mother Constance had by then moved back in with her parents. She later married Carl Leto, Jared's adoptive father. However, there was little stability in Leto's life. By 16, he was taking drugs and paying for his habit with theft. 'There was a moment involving a gun and some cocaine that may have been a turning point for me. I knew it wasn't good,' he would say. He turned himself around, though, and, aged 22, had his big break as Jordan Catalano in the teen drama My So Called Life. 'He went full Joker' It's probably as well Leto and his 30 Seconds To Mars 'Echelon' – as fans call themselves – have a strong bond. Cinema has proven to be a less supportive environment. In 2014, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing a transgender character in Dallas Buyer's Club. However, his campaign to carve out a space in blockbusters came unstuck with his disastrous turn in David Ayer's Suicide Squad in 2016. The problem wasn't Leto on screen – he was perfectly fine as a sleazy Joker (he returned to the character in a new scene filmed for Zack Snyder's four-hour Justice League). The issue was his behaviour off-camera and rumours he had gone too far trying to freak out other cast members. 'He did some bad things, Jared Leto did. He gave some really horrific gifts,' said Suicide Squad star Viola Davis. 'He had a henchman who would come into the rehearsal room, and the henchman came in with a dead pig and plopped it on the table, and then he walked out. And that was our introduction into Jared Leto.' Along with the pigs, Leto was said to have sent used condoms, dead rats and pornographic magazines. Even Will Smith – an actor whom we can now safely say is no stranger to controversy – was weirded out. 'First we found out that Jared wasn't going to be in rehearsals,' said Smith, who played Deadshot. 'And we were like, 'That's messed up! How is he not going to be in rehearsals?' And then there was a bang on the door, and this dude barges in and throws a dead pig on the floor in front of us. We're like, 'OK. Jared has officially set off the Suicide Squad. He went full Joker'.' Going 'full Joker' was nothing new. Throughout his career, he has taken method acting to extremes. In preparation for 2022's superhero film Morbius, Leto met 'doctors and patients who could teach him about living with a rare, incurable blood disease'. To walk with a cane – as Morbius does in the film – he 'studied with real cane users'. 'I remember fearing for this guy's spine,' said co-star Adria Arjona. 'It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple' He'd taken things ever further, appearing opposite Lady Gaga in Ridley Scott's House Of Gucci. 'I did it all,' Leto told i-D magazine. 'I was snorting lines of arrabbiata sauce'. In Blade Runner 2049, in which he played a villainous and blind tech evangelist, he wore special contact lenses that dramatically reduced his vision. 'He was walking with an assistant, very slowly,' director Dennis Villeneuve told the Wall Street Journal. 'It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple. Everybody became super silent, and there was a kind of sacred moment. Everyone was in awe.' Most drastic of all was Dallas Buyer's Club, for which he shed weight by eating nothing but cucumbers. 'I stayed in character the entire shoot. I couldn't imagine doing it another way. I'd gone too far to pick it up and drop it off,' he informed the Guardian. 'I lost around 40lb [almost three stone/18kg] and then I stopped counting. For me, it was about how it made me feel, how it made other people treat me. I got down to something like 114lb [about eight stone], and that was enough to do what I wanted it to do, which was to change everything about me.' He was widely acclaimed for Dallas Buyers Club. Suicide Squad, however, was a mess, and Leto's scenes were cut significantly. He would later deny the grisliest of the rumours and was reportedly outraged when Warner Bros announced it was pivoting to a Joker origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Todd Phillips (for which Phoenix would win an Oscar). 'Leto's frustration that Warner Bros was moving ahead with the Phillips project was so great early on that he tried to throttle the rival Joker in its cradle,' according to a 2019 article in the Hollywood Reporter. 'According to sources familiar with Leto's behaviour, when he learnt of the Phillips project, he not only complained bitterly to his agents at CAA, who also represent Phillips, but asked his music manager, Irving Azoff, to call the leader of Warners's parent company.' Uncertain future And then came his Citizen Kane of terrible films, the Venom spin-off Morbius, in which Leto played a moody vampire – a role described by the Telegraph at the time as a 'cross between Russell Brand and a Barbary macaque'. He went on to star opposite Anne Hathaway in We Crashed, Apple TV+'s underwhelming chronicling of the rise and fall of the We Work startup (ironically – or perhaps appropriately – Leto has reportedly made a $US90 million fortune from early investments in tech companies such as Airbnb and Uber). He has since gone back on the road with 30 Seconds To Mars, albeit with diminishing returns. London's O2 was half empty when the band played there last year – though an ongoing tour of Europe this summer is sold out. But it was on the big screen that his attentions were focused, with Tron: Ares to have been followed by a big screen reboot of Masters of the Universe, with Leto playing sarcastic mega-villain Skeletor. As with so much else in Leto's career, the commercial prospects of these projects are now uncertain. In the case of Tron: Ares it is too late for Disney to flip the ejector switch. The project is essentially done and dusted and Disney has already put out a series of trailers – top heavy with Tron's familiar whizz-bang 'light cycles', along with footage of Leto's co-stars Gillian Anderson, Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges (returning from the original). 'Ready?' says Bridges in the latest promo. 'There's no going back'. Disney may come to regret that line.
