Home
/
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
/
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and the danger of idolatrous ideology
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and the danger of idolatrous ideology
Mar 16, 2025 6:29 PM

Warning: This article contains a major spoiler about the plot of‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ If you haven’t seen the movie yetand don’t want it to know what happens then PLEASE STOP READING NOW.

Since I was a boy I’ve loved Marvel Comics, and over the past decade I’ve loved almost everything about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). But I don’t love the latest the edition of the MCU,Avengers: Infinity War.

I should love the film because it’s packed with everything I want in a Marvel movie, namely an abundance of superheroes engaged in non-stop action. But inInfinity Warthe main character is not a superhero but a supervillain, Thanos. I hate the character of Thanos. I despise him mostly because, given the opportunity, I fear I would e like him.

Not exactly like him, of course. I certainly wouldn’t use the Infinity Gauntlet to snap my fingers and cause half the population of the universe disappear. But that’s becauseThanos is a neo-Malthusian, while I am not.

Thanos believes that to avoid universe-wide famine and poverty, every intelligent species in the universe must be cut by half. Culling every population is a horrific but necessary process, according to Thanos, because without intervention they will inevitably consume more of the resources than their environment can produce.

Thanos’ Malthusian Agenda

In this view, Thanos echoes Rev. Thomas Robert Malthus. “The power of population,” wrote Malthus in 1798, “is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.” In other words, unless population growth is checked by moral restraint (refraining from having babies) or disaster (disease, famine, war) widespread poverty and degradation inevitably result.

In a 2007 Acton Commentary,Michael Matheson Millerexplained why this Malthusian (and Thanosian) assumption is in error:

The idea that population growth causes es from the ubiquitous zero-sum-game fallacy: the idea that the economy is a pie with only so much to go around. But the economy is not a pie — economies can grow, and population growth can actually help development. A growing population means more labor, which along with land and capital are the main factors of production.

You would think someone intelligent enough to defeat hundreds of alien civilizations, the “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Earth’s mightiest heroes” would be smart enough to see through the Malthusian fallacy. But the belief that population growth leads to extinction has been shared by a broad range of people with high-IQs, including Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking. Perhaps, then, there is something going on other than a mere misunderstanding of environmental economics.

Thanos and the Knowledge Problem

Haveyou ever imagined what you’d do if you were made ruler of the world (or at least a small country)? Your first inclination is likely to be to use your power as a benign dictator to enact positive reforms that would make everyone better off. So why don’t actual rulers do the same? Why don’t they act in a rational ways like we would if we had their power?

A primary reason is because they cannot e what F. A. Hayek called the knowledge problem:

The peculiar character of the problem of a rational economic order is determined precisely by the fact that the knowledge of the circumstances of which we must make use never exists in concentrated or integrated form but solely as the dispersed bits of plete and frequently contradictory knowledge which all the separate individuals possess. The economic problem of society is thus not merely a problem of how to allocate “given” resources—if “given” is taken to mean given to a single mind which deliberately solves the problem set by these “data.” It is rather a problem of how to secure the best use of resources known to any of the members of society, for ends whose relative importance only these individuals know. Or, to put it briefly, it is a problem of the utilization of knowledge which is not given to anyone in its totality.

Those who have political or economic power inevitably forget—or perhaps simply ignore—the reality that knowledge is “not given to anyone in its totality.” Power and humility are rarely found together, since the latter provides too many checks on the former. It can even make the pursuit of power seem an unworthy objective. Why would we bother to acquire great power if we knew we lacked the knowledge to wield it for good?

But power is naturally attractive, so in seeking power we often search for a justification for its acquisition and use. That’s why power es attached to ideology. Ideology can be used to justify anything. For example, if you use your power to indiscriminately kill millions you’ll be labeled a mass murder. But attach your power to an ideology, such munism, and the killing of millions can be justified as necessary for the “progress” of humanity. Like Stalin, Mao, or Che Guevera, ideology can transform a murderer into a global hero.

Thanos as Anti-Christ

Many people believe the antidote to such poisonousideology is to shift toward a better or more pure ideology, whether on the political left or right. But you can’t cure the effects of idolatrous ideology with a different idolatrous ideology. The only solution is to replace idolatrous ideology with authentic Christianity. As Roger E. Olsen says, “True, authentic, Jesus-centered Christianity is anti-ideological belief system.”

“If true, authentic Christianity is an ‘ideology,’ it is an anti-ideological ideology,” adds Olson, “All true ideology is idolatry from a Christian perspective and that is exactly why true, authentic Christianity must exclude and resist all ideologies.”

As a character, Thanos represents an anti-“anti-ideological ideology,” which makes him a form of anti-Christ. What makes him so pelling is that he reveals how we could easily e anti-Christs too. And as history has shown, we don’t need the Infinity Stones to cause death, destruction, and despair, we just need a bad idea, good intentions, and a sufficient amount of power over our fellow humans.

Comments
Welcome to mreligion comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Ephesians 6:1-4   (Read Ephesians 6:1-4)   The great duty of children is, to obey their parents. That obedience includes inward reverence, as well as outward acts, and in every age prosperity has attended those distinguished for obedience to parents. The duty of parents. Be not impatient; use no unreasonable severities. Deal prudently and wisely with...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Matthew 6:25-34   (Read Matthew 6:25-34)   There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. This often insnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich. But there is a carefulness about temporal things which...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Complete Concise   Chapter Contents   Believers are to dedicate themselves to God. (1,2) To be humble, and faithfully to use their spiritual gifts, in their respective stations. (3-8) Exhortations to various duties. (9-16) And to peaceable conduct towards all men, with forbearance and benevolence. (17-21)   Commentary on Romans 12:1-2   (Read Romans 12:1-2)   The apostle having closed the...
  An unexpected error has occurred. We are in the process of fixing the problem. Sorry. ...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on 1 Peter 4:7-11   (Read 1 Peter 4:7-11)   The destruction of the Jewish church and nation, foretold by our Saviour, was very near. And the speedy approach of death and judgment concerns all, to which these words naturally lead our minds. Our approaching end, is a powerful argument to make us sober in all worldly...
Verse of the Day
  Joshua 22:5 In-Context   3 For a long time now-to this very day-you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you.   4 Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Habakkuk 3:1-2   (Read Habakkuk 3:1-2)   The word prayer seems used here for an act of devotion. The Lord would revive his work among the people in the midst of the years of adversity. This may be applied to every season when the church, or believers, suffer under afflictions and trials. Mercy is what we...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Ephesians 5:1-2   (Read Ephesians 5:1-2)   Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be ye followers of God, imitators of God. Resemble him especially in his love and pardoning goodness, as becomes those beloved by their heavenly Father. In Christ's sacrifice his love triumphs, and we are to consider it fully.   Ephesians 5:2...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on 1 Peter 3:8-13   (Read 1 Peter 3:8-13)   Though Christians cannot always be exactly of the same mind, yet they should have compassion one of another, and love as brethren. If any man desires to live comfortably on earth, or to possess eternal life in heaven, he must bridle his tongue from wicked, abusive, or...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Luke 2:8-20   (Read Luke 2:8-20)   Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest...
Related Classification
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.mreligion.com All Rights Reserved