Superman, Man of Steel

I just started my 13^th year of contributing to Hollywood Jesus. HJ has had an impact on me and with the help of greats like David Bruce, I have for years recognized my ability to find seeds of truth in film to plant in ones search for truth regarding spiritual matters. One of the first things I ever read at Hollywood Jesus was from David Bruce. While some point out the fallacies of certain films, like Superman, I have never abandoned my belief in David’s vision, of using film to find seeds of truth to plant in one’s mind regarding their own search for truth. Of course I am unapologetic as to what I believe that truth to be but I have always tried to be respectful, hoping that maybe, just maybe, there is something I will write that will cause one to think deeper about spiritual things and come to the same conclusions I have. For those who are critical of this approach, I am reminded of what the Bible says, “Jesus never taught them anything without first telling them stories. After he told them the stories he would gather together his disciples and explain their meaning.” Movies are a contemporary form of storytelling. This is why I fell in love with the approach used by David Bruce all those years ago.

One of the best examples of this I have seen is David’s review of Superman back in 1998. That review cab be seen at an archived page of the original Hollywood Jesus at: http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/superman.htm. With the viewing of Superman, Man of Steel, I found myself recalling that review. Most of the points David mentions in his original review, which turned heads, are still present in the new movie. There are a few points of interest I want to point out specifically related to Superman, Man of Steel, but before doing so, go back in time and see what David picked up on in his original review in 1998.

Many know the story of Superman but few have likely thought of the spiritual imagery throughout the story. A powerful being from another planet is sent to earth to take on human form to be raised as a human; he is seemingly all powerful and has an immense love for the human species. He has as some would point out a sacrificial love where he is willing to offer himself up for the salvation of all people. He is raised by Jonathan (Joseph) and Martha (Mary) (Again see David’s original review.) Kent. They are fully aware of his powers and origins but raise him with integrity and morals. As Clark grows up he recognizes some things his earthly parents don’t understand. He has an ongoing relationship with his father, now a spirit of sorts who keeps him informed and reminded of his purpose. Clark has a dark and deceitful enemy who would destroy all of humanity, even the son of his nemesis, Jorel, Kalel (Clark Kent’s original name) father. One of the things we see is the value Clark has for people of faith, including a pastor of a church where we see continual shots of either a cross or Jesus as a Shepherd in a conversation between the two. We also see times where Clark looks to the cross or a church for answers to questions he is facing. Clark has rugged experiences of working as a fisherman, a builder and other vocations, while rescuing people. We see a drastic change in his life after a scene that resembles a baptism; he offers himself up for the salvation of others, seemingly cast into the sea where he takes on the position of a crucified savior. He emerges with a new purpose to discover himself.

If Man of Steel is lacking in any area it is in character development.  What we do learn about the characters is largely via flashback sequences; as a result we lose the impact of seeing the characters develop. The special effects, sound and costuming is incredible. I saw the film in 3-D and recommend people not waste their money for 3-D as there just isn’t enough to justify the extra cost. 

While in many ways the story is lacking I suspect there will be those who appreciate the strong spiritual emphasis in the film as much as I did. In some ways this is more obvious than in past Superman films. There are times Henry Cavill looks more like Jesus than Clark Kent, beard and all. I suspect this was done with intent in presenting the savior of the world. Amy Adams does a good job as Lois Lane and Michael Shannon does a very nice job as General Zod. I especially liked Russell Crowe as Kalel’s (Clark Kent’s) Kriptonian father and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. Diane Lane as Martha Kent has not gotten the press, but she was spectacular. The casting was near perfect and I would like to see Cavill back as Superman in other films, even a Justice League film. I would also like to see a little better story though. 

While Superman, Man of Steel is far from perfect, it is a near perfect character (Clark Kent/Superman) that can be used to point people towards the person of Jesus; the one many believe to be the real savior of the world. The associations and similarities may be far more intended than some would admit but for more on that point, see that 1998 review by David Bruce. 

I am giving a higher than expected score for this film which may surprise many, it is due to the enjoyment I had, despite the lack of story. On a scale of 1 – 10, for the number that kind of resembles an S for Superman, especially if doubled, I give an enjoyable, entertaining 8.

The following is a clip from ABC featuring the cast of Man of Steel speaking about the film.  To see it click on the trailer, if the trailer doesn't appear, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxAQiD_DTmk

The Virtual Pew and our other work is supported solely by the kind contributions of others. You can click on the donate button below to give any amount to this work that does so much more than just post articles on the net; I draw no ongoing salary from the church I pastor, Mosaic Wichita which is predominantly a homeless church; I am grateful for any small amount you can contribute to help with this ministry. Believe me there is much more going on than most realize. I will also provide information to verify the ministry and income that comes into this ministry and work. Thanks and feel free to share any material from The Virtual Pew, I only ask that appropriate credit is given and a link to the original site with the material is provided.

Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid

Click here to visit the web page The Virtual Pew 

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click here to visit Mosaic Church where Mike is Pastor

The Keystone Kid/Virtual Pew Message Boards

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information



The Virtual Pew
6441 N. Hydraulic
Park City Kansas, 67219

Email: mike@furches.org

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Blog

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group

MySpace The Virtual Pew Group

The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

The Avengers, In 3D & On The Imax

From the early 1960’s to the early to mid 1970’s my mind was partially molded by comic books. My grandfather was one of the culprits who had his kids and ultimately me reading them. My grandfather was a man with a 3rd grade education but one of the smartest men I ever knew. Later in life he memorized a word a day, but the love of reading all started for me, through him and my uncles, with comic books. Most of them were war and western formats. There were all of the historical television western characters such as; The Rawhide Kid and Ghost Rider. There were soldier characters like Sgt. Rock and Sgt. Fury. They opened doors to other comics, especially at first, the horror genera. Those included at first books like Grimm’s, Eerie and Creepy, but later on others like The Phantom, Spiderman. One of the things I found out was I got more bang for the .12 cents or so I spent with a new book coming out, The Avengers.

The Avengers was a comic by Marvel Comics that incorporated stories of the Marvels Hero cast, all in one book. I could read about my favorites over the years, working together and sometimes against each other, there was especially two of my favorite characters of all time, Captain America and Thor. Later on another favorite, The Black Panther joined the cast and the early work of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby who created the series would go on to live forever, in fact, so much so that one of the best, if not best super hero movies of all time would come out of the creation.

I had the opportunity to see the new movie The Avengers on opening night. I had heard good things about the movie but fully expected it to have a hard time living up to the hype. The story incorporates heroes from recent movies including Ironman (Robert Downy Jr.,) The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo,) Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans.) Included are new characters in the series including a more extensive role for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson,) The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson,) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner.) With every good comic book story you also need a good villain; we have a returning villain here, the brother of Thor, Loki played by Tom Hiddleston. With so many characters, including some rather important ones not mentioned, one would think it rather difficult to make a movie involving all of them with all of the differing story lines and keep the story cohesive and more importantly, enjoyable without the egos and attitudes shining through. That last point helps bring out the real genius of this movie, which is the direction and writing. In 2 words it is quite simple, The Avengers is Freaking Awesome!

I saw The Avengers in 3-D on the IMAX. Many often ask, and for good reason, if it is worth the extra cost. I would say that for 3-D absolutely, and if not getting motion sickness easily, yes as well to the IMAX experience. If having difficulty with motion sickness though, there is so much action that the IMAX experience could be a little difficult; I found the action constant and very enjoyable though. This brings me to another aspect of this film I want to make sure to mention; the excellence in filmmaking.

I was concerned as to the ability of director Joss Whedon’s ability to keep all of the egos in the film satisfied, while at the same time telling a congruent story that had meaning beyond just action sequences. To be quick to the point, it is likely the direction and scripting of The Avengers was the critical point to making this movie so fantastic. No greater sequences show this better than the non verbal, non action sequences of Chris Evans who plays Captain America. The viewer can see and relate to the inward struggle of his character in the acceptance of things that have transpired over the last 70 or so years his character was asleep and frozen in ice. He has lost love, friends and the world is not the same. While this is seen in verbal communications, it is clear and driven home in his non verbal work. It is the type of work by an actor that earns many award nominations. I won’t be surprised if that is the case here. I must also comment on the totality of the movie, from the action, to the CGI effects, they are there as well and along with story everything about this movie is entertaining and has value beyond entertainment value; there is value such as the importance of friendship and the need of many coming together. There truly is strength in numbers, especially when those numbers have direction and a unity.

There are points and times in The Avengers that we see disunity, self consumption and self seeking attitudes that create difficulty. While there are characters which try to bring everyone together from the start, we also see characters that need a change, a transformation if you will. It is only after the death of a respected and liked character that The Avengers realize their need to come together. Just like in real life, it is often only after the sacrifice or death of another that we take life seriously. This is especially true in the important things of life. It is easy for the characters to be self absorbed, after all they are super heroes of sorts, (some are merely human with unique and special skill traits). It is in the humanization of the characters that we can relate to the characters on screen. It is their ability to overcome and ultimately their willingness to sacrifice their lives for others that we learn to respect them and find an appreciation for them.

One of the primary themes of the film is the concept of Loki seeing himself as a God. Now note here I will also designate my view of a god which will refer to a human or lesser god and God (note capital letter G) which refers to a real and true God. Many religious groups may have issue with the sub story of brothers Thor and Loki seeing themselves or being presented as Gods or demigods. I challenge they are presented as gods with limitations and weaknesses, especially Loki, but I think it is clear Thor also realized this about himself. There is a scene, one of my favorites where Natasha and Captain America are talking and Natasha, speaking of Loki, states; “But he is a God!” Captain America responds, “Ma'am, there's only one God, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't look like that.” There is another great and audience applauding moment when this scene plays itself again with Loki and another character, The Hulk. The audience I was with cheered and applauded. In that moment there is a measure of hope for me. Is it possible that people may be more open to the monotheist concept of God than we sometimes give credit for? If so, and I believe these moments give credit to that, one begs to ask the question; which version of God among the many religions? I challenge, it is in the person of Jesus we see this portrayed and seen to perfection like no other.

In looking at the comment from Captain America, “...there is only one God , and I’m sure he doesn’t look like that.”, and looking at The Hulk’s comment later on of Loki being a ‘puny god,’ one has to ask, what is it that makes Jesus unique and worthwhile? For me the simple answer is not just his mighty power, although that exists, but it his perfect love. Many times, Stan Lee, the creator of The Avengers, has been questioned as to his faith as a result of the moral messages that come about from his stories and characters. There is a video titled; The League of Super Churches which is clearly a Christian piece. There is no doubt that at the very least, Stan Lee has taken a position to show morality themes. Many of those, such as Peter Parker AKA Spiderman and here, Captain America, fall into that category. There are obvious attempts to point toward God and an acceptance and awe inspiring appreciation of God.

I loved The Avengers; it is a perfect movie, with a perfect purpose, and a perfectly positive message. I can only hope that any subsequent follow-up will be as good and this one is so good it will be hard to surpass it or equal it. The only possible draw back is that people should really watch the previous stories of, The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. There is so much background in those stories the viewer needs to know, especially from likely the least favorite of the recent movies in the group, Thor. I have mentioned in the past and even coined the term several years ago, you really need to make sure to stay until the end of the movie, meaning wait until the credits are done. This one does something a little different; it has a hepiloguej in the middle of the credits but another at the very end of the credits. Certainly the one in the middle of the credits has more meaning as it keeps the movie close to the original concept presented in the comic book version of The Avengers and opens up the door to the sequel that will follow in some form. While The Avengers can be an enjoyable movie without viewing the previous films and their respective hepiloguejs your viewing experience will be enhanced and you will truly see and appreciate the developed story line.

The Avengers is a movie well worth the cost. I plan on seeing it again, and am even willing to pay the full price if need be. I doubt I will see it in 3-D again as I have had that experience but will certainly see it in Digital format. I expected the film to do good on opening weekend; I didn’t expect it to do as well as it did though. After seeing it, I think it will have some legs that will carry it on with the word of mouth being as good as the hype. The Avengers is a rarity in film and another rarity as to my ratings of theatrical films. On a scale of 1 – 10, for the perfection of story, action, and morality, I give a very rare 10

To see the video posted below, click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear or appears in distorted form, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq2RBj_eMC0

Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click here to visit Mosaic Church where Mike is Pastor

The Keystone Kid/Virtual Pew Message Boards

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew 6441 N. Hydraulic Park City Kansas, 67219

Email: mike@furches.org

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Blog

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group

MySpace The Virtual Pew Group

The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

The Green Hornet, IMAX 3-D

Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee as Kato and Van Williams as Britt Reid and The Green Hornet. There was something about these characters I liked then but I could never really put my finger on it. As I got older I looked back and realized it was a series that resonated in places I didn’t expect. It didn’t have the fluff of the popular Batman show of the time and there was something about the show that seemed real a way I respected. It was a superhero series that presented reality more than many were accustomed to.

I can’t express how surprised and overjoyed I was when I first heard The Green Hornet was being made into a feature film. I can’t tell you how upset I was when I heard that Seth Rogen was the driving force behind the movie. Not only was Rogen to star in it, he was to help produce and write it. While Rogen is a decent comedic actor, he is far from good enough to pull off the role and complexity of Britt Reid/The Green Hornet. Netier was his comedy a style I thought would pay respect to the character and story.

The Warren IMAX just came from having the top rated screen in North America for the release of Tron. Coming to the same theater now was The Green Hornet. I decided to check out our cities newest phenomena, the largest and newest IMAX in America. I was willing to compromise to see the theater, and hopefully enjoy a movie I had low expectations for.

I have attended films in no less than 5-6 different IMAX theaters, and none of them even came close to comparing to the new Warren Theater World Class IMAX here in Wichita. I arrived 45 minutes early, and quickly realized, I should have arrived at least another 30 minutes earlier than that. I thought I had no chance for a good seat, but the massiveness of this theater had me sitting in the general location I always sit in. Thinking about the movie being on the IMAX and in 3-D was something I was also skeptical of. I had seen various 3-D action movies, and in most of them the 3-D was a gimmick to get people into the seats, not worth the extra cost. I quickly realized, some of my expectations were too low. Not was the technical expectations way below what I expected, so was my perspectives of the movie, at least to a point.

When I have to pay extra for 3-D I expect to get what I pay for. I was overwhelmingly surprised and pleased at the quality of the scenes in The Green Hornet. The quality direction provided by Gondry kept this fast-pasted, comic book, action adventure flowing nicely and it was a festive treat for the eyes and senses. This was especially true in the slow motion fight sequences. There were also three unexpected stars in The Green Hornet, the direction of Gondry, Jay Chou as Kato, and the car.

The Green Hornet starts out with Britt Reid as a small boy who has a fascination with superheroes. He has an overpowering father who happens to be a self-made, powerful, independent, newspaper publisher. He drives his young son Britt to be a man. Britt unfortunately grows up being his own man resistant to his father’s wishes. From a young child, to adulthood, Reid becomes a party animal whose character fits into the typical comedy as presented in the past by Rogen.

After the unexpected death of his father, a now 20 or 30 something Reid inherits his fathers, massive wealth. He stumbles on one of his fathers former employees, (Reid has fires many of his father’s former staff without meeting them). Kato makes a tremendous cup of coffee on one hand, and on the other, can create and invent all kinds of wonderful gadgets. The two eventually go in together to present a different kind of superhero, one which will appear to be criminals in order to ultimately get the real bad guys. The chief bad guy is Academy Award Winner, Christoph Waltz from Inglorious Bastards fame. Waltz plays the role of Chudnofsky, a man who seeks to control all of the crime and will not hesitate one second if needing to kill someone.

With The Green Hornet, a fun, action filled adventure takes place, that is actually well written, somewhat faithful to the original Green Hornet, and it is a joy ride for the viewer. There is a good job of character development and we see a legitimate relationship develop between Reid and Kato. While there may be personality traits one doesn’t appreciate we see growth in the characters. Not only does the story and direction help give credence to the development of story, but Jay Chou does a wonderful job as Kato. Chou, a singer musician, gives a credible performance and in many ways, is the glue that holds the story together. There is a terrific soundtrack to the film, with the only gripe being, not a long enough sequence of the original Green Hornet theme song.

One of the things I liked about The Green Hornet was how the film presents friendship, forgiveness, and the trust and respect needed to develop a meaningful relationship. We see a presentation of service and caring for others. It isn’t a perfect illustration but there are concepts that go beyond comic book violence. There are ample deaths in ways that are acceptable in movies like The Punisher, but somewhat surprising in this story, even with some innocent people getting killed as a result of a prideful arrogance. While not expected, I liked what I saw though; there are consequences of arrogance, pride, and ego. The characters eventually see the importance of give and take in a relationship, and the disadvantages of serving self. For real friendships to have a real impact on an individual or society, the characters see the importance of working together, while at the same time, recognizing the skills, talents and contributions of the other. One would think that John Maxwell could use the movie to draw illustrations to help in a new Leadership book for business people or church leaders. Britt Reid comes to realize that while he has the money, he needs a partner, ultimately, he also realizes he needs to have respect for that partner, including giving them credit for what they have done to contribute to the cause, while at the same time, allowing them the freedom to be who they are.

We often see people force themselves on others, or at the very least, expect them to be who we want them to be. The Green Hornet does a good job at showing the importance of encouragement, support, and individual talents. Most will accomplish little without the support of those around them, whether a pastor with their lay people in their congregation, or a corporate head who recognizes the workers who either promote, or build their product, whether in the corporate office, or assembly line of the factories. In The Green Hornet, we see a partnership and relationship develop, which for me reminded me of the instruction given by Jesus and the writers of the New Testament. We are a single body that when coming together, can accomplish many wonderful things.

While I was impressed with the movie and got more than I expected, Seth Rogen, while better than expected is just not talented enough as an actor to pull off the role of The Green Hornet or the dual identity of Britt Reid. He may develop into that role, and hopefully we see that in a follow up. This has the potential to be good series as has Batman, Iron Man and others. Thankfully, there are other things, from the car the Green Hornet drives, to a talented secretary played by Cameron Diaz, to the supporting role of Jay Chou, and Christoph Waltz that pull Rogen along to make the movie enjoyable.

While The Green Hornet is not a perfect movie, it is a good edge of your seat, fun ride. Outside of Rogen and a few other minor flaws I had a great time. For that, minus those minor issues, I give an enjoyable and entertaining 8, especially if on the IMAX and in 3-D

To see the trailer for the film, simply click on the video below, if the video doesn't appear, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uDBVYKganE

Click here to read about, and order the book, The Keystone Kid

Click here to follow The Virtual Pew on Twitter

Mike Furches on Faceboook.

Click here to visit Mosaic Wichita, the Church in Wichita Kansas where Mike is the pastor.

Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

You can also Help The Virtual Pew by shopping on our web site or at Amazon, click here to shop at Amazon and help The Virtual Pew, it won't cost you anything extra, but we get a small percentage of the purchase.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Click to visit Mary Jane Furches' new MySpace Page

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
6441 N. Hydraulic
Park City Kansas, 67219

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Blog

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group

MySpace The Virtual Pew Group

The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page

To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed