Drag is worried about “no gods, no masters”. It fucking slaps, it sounds great. There’s a lot of emotion in it that’s perfectly communicated.
But… Gods being oppressors is a very European view. Do you think Navajo are oppressed by Coyote? Do you think Yindjibarndi view the Rainbow Serpent as a tyrant? What about Maui, is he exacting tithes from the Maori like the Vatican do? Is Anansi hurting the Akan?
Odin and Zeus were pieces of shit, but the idea of gods as tyrants is a view almost exclusive to the areas of the world that had humans as tyrants; the old world. And not even all of it even, the Buddha never ruled over anyone.
Drag worries that “no gods no masters” is pushing an overwhelmingly white stereotype of religion and harming members of religions that don’t have oppressive gods.
The phrase is about hierarchy. Any metaphysical claim can be used to create a “power over” relationship. If a metaphysical belief causes an individual to behave differently a “power over” relationship has been established.
I sense Noble Savage and Orientalism in drags arguments. Why are “power over” relationships stemming from religion only a “white” person problem? Is drag familiar with the Rohingya and their oppressors?
Any metaphysical claim can be used to create a “power over” relationship
But not every metaphysical claim is. There are plenty of metaphysical beings even in European mythology who aren’t tyrants or even leaders of anyone. Jormungandr is terribly powerful, but he doesn’t rule the world, he just eats it. He doesn’t oppress anyone until Ragnarok. And it’s not just because he’s an animal. The Dryads aren’t out here building empires, they just want to be left alone with their trees. Cú Chulainn is a supernaturally good warrior with the Hulk’s superpowers, but he doesn’t oppress anyone. In fact, when he kills Chulainn’s dog, he offers to be the man’s hound until he finds a new one. That’s humility and respect for other people.
The gods were created by people. And people create gods that match what they see in life. Life is good and life is bad. Gods are good and gods are bad. Gods will be worse in a more oppressive culture, and gods will be better in a less hierarchical culture. There’s no doubt that the culture of the people who enslaved the world is worse than the culture of their victims. It’s not “noble savage” thinking to say that. It’s not that people who don’t have kings are better than “normal” people. People who don’t have kings ARE normal people. Living in a feudalistic or capitalist society is weird and bad. Anarcho-communism is the way humans naturally live.
And besides, the Mayans gave the Europeans a run for their money in the “sucking and having authoritarian gods” department.
Well specifically in Stargate the “gods” were literal aliens that actually treated humans as sort of cattle to host their young, mine their ore, serve as their armies. All that said they do end up visiting places with NA indigenous people and they do actually have a good relationship with their “gods” which staying in line with the theme of the show were a different set of advanced aliens.
Drag is worried about “no gods, no masters”. It fucking slaps, it sounds great. There’s a lot of emotion in it that’s perfectly communicated.
But… Gods being oppressors is a very European view. Do you think Navajo are oppressed by Coyote? Do you think Yindjibarndi view the Rainbow Serpent as a tyrant? What about Maui, is he exacting tithes from the Maori like the Vatican do? Is Anansi hurting the Akan?
Odin and Zeus were pieces of shit, but the idea of gods as tyrants is a view almost exclusive to the areas of the world that had humans as tyrants; the old world. And not even all of it even, the Buddha never ruled over anyone.
Drag worries that “no gods no masters” is pushing an overwhelmingly white stereotype of religion and harming members of religions that don’t have oppressive gods.
The phrase is about hierarchy. Any metaphysical claim can be used to create a “power over” relationship. If a metaphysical belief causes an individual to behave differently a “power over” relationship has been established.
I sense Noble Savage and Orientalism in drags arguments. Why are “power over” relationships stemming from religion only a “white” person problem? Is drag familiar with the Rohingya and their oppressors?
But not every metaphysical claim is. There are plenty of metaphysical beings even in European mythology who aren’t tyrants or even leaders of anyone. Jormungandr is terribly powerful, but he doesn’t rule the world, he just eats it. He doesn’t oppress anyone until Ragnarok. And it’s not just because he’s an animal. The Dryads aren’t out here building empires, they just want to be left alone with their trees. Cú Chulainn is a supernaturally good warrior with the Hulk’s superpowers, but he doesn’t oppress anyone. In fact, when he kills Chulainn’s dog, he offers to be the man’s hound until he finds a new one. That’s humility and respect for other people.
The gods were created by people. And people create gods that match what they see in life. Life is good and life is bad. Gods are good and gods are bad. Gods will be worse in a more oppressive culture, and gods will be better in a less hierarchical culture. There’s no doubt that the culture of the people who enslaved the world is worse than the culture of their victims. It’s not “noble savage” thinking to say that. It’s not that people who don’t have kings are better than “normal” people. People who don’t have kings ARE normal people. Living in a feudalistic or capitalist society is weird and bad. Anarcho-communism is the way humans naturally live.
And besides, the Mayans gave the Europeans a run for their money in the “sucking and having authoritarian gods” department.
Well specifically in Stargate the “gods” were literal aliens that actually treated humans as sort of cattle to host their young, mine their ore, serve as their armies. All that said they do end up visiting places with NA indigenous people and they do actually have a good relationship with their “gods” which staying in line with the theme of the show were a different set of advanced aliens.