God ...of War and Genocide

This afternoon I watched the recent movie Thor depict the coming of age tale of the Norse mythic hero. Thor, son of Odin, is known as the God of War. The movie depicts the handsome, arrogant, and violent immortal from another realm who is sent to Earth to learn a lesson of humility. A beautiful, smart, and spunky mortal scientist "softens" Thor and restrains Thor's thirst for the blood of a historic enemy race. It is Thor's adoptive brother from motives of self-loathing and parental affirmation seeks the genocide of the same enemy race. Thor sacrifices his chance to return to Earth to retrieve his mortal love and prevents the genocide. The movie outlines the selfish blood thirsty god of war to a wiser, pensive future king. But the audience knows Thor will not forsake his hammer when 'there is no other way.'

The above is an unremarkable summary of a well told cinematic story. My point of interest occurred at the moment when Thor's brother commenced with destruction of the 'enemy' race. One of the persons with whom I watched the movie commented, 'I don't really see why Thor is upset his brother is killing them. He doesn't really need to give up his only way to Earth.' The unexpected comment shocked me. I replied, 'I think the point is Thor learned the value of life during his powerless stay on Earth. His character evolved to see annihilation of an entire race is wrong.' My companion pointed out genocide has biblical precedent at God's command.

Yes, indeed the Bible orders genocide. The historical reality of such orders is circumspect, but the ideological influence on human history in the West has been significant. My conversation unfortunately is not unique and our American psyches have long accepted war as a perpetual if not necessary part of our economy. The more radical anti-violent teachings of Jesus are overlooked to accommodate a violent status quo. Would I or you stop genocide of our enemy if it eliminated a serious threat to our safety? I challenge Hollywood's romantic depiction of Thor. Further to this point, I found a poem entitled The Challenge of Thor by Henry Longfellow.

...Force rules the world still/Has ruled it and shall rule it/Meekness is weakness/Strength is triumphant/Over the whole earth/Still it is Thor's day!

Thou art a God too/ O Galilean!/And thus single-handed/Unto the combat/Gauntlet or Gospel/Here I defy thee!

Longfellow certainly captures a darker side of Thor--even in this snippet of a longer poem. The legacy of Thor is power and violence. Yet, we in contemporary vision want this character to practice compassion through a lesson of love. We soften the stormy legend. We profit from a humanized version of an angry god. Many probably remember Mel Gibson's passion narrative of Jesus. I remember as a younger high school student the atrocious violence...and the blood. So much blood and human cruelty. Longfellow's poem retrieved the memory and Gibson's movie seems to support the Thor according to Longfellow, 'Still it is Thor's day!' We remember violence and strength above the Gospel of love. I like many others have yet to find a way to defy Thor's day and the continued praise of violent legacies.

 

 

The Golden Bull

The photo on the left appeared in my Facebook Newsfeed as a "recommendation" by several of my divinity school friends. It appropriately cautions Christians who inhabit Capitalist worldviews. Believers in Capitalism cannot but reflect at possible judgment of the Hebrews worshiping a golden calf in the book of Exodus. To those who are familiar with the exploits of Israel's Egypt escape in Exodus, then you will catch the irony of the comparison. (The reader should note: The calf idol according to the biblical narrative was constructed not in Canaan but in the Sinai Peninsula while waiting for Moses. The incident was the reason for 40 years of wandering harsh wilderness.) The Bull and the Bear determine the range of happiness for our economies--personal, national, and international. The Bull is our good luck charm to ensure "AA" and even "AAA" ratings, steady profit margins, as well as increasing jobs availability. I cannot belittle ideas of economic security. I like most people in the world am a slave to debt, international politics, and the caprice of economic markets. The Bull means an easier future for me and many others.

However, the prosperous Bull marked the beginning of theological/moral troubles for the Hebrews. This event marked the beginning of a curse on an entire generation and a weighty load for an emerging generation to carry forward. YHWH guided the Hebrews to safety outside of Egyptian slavery, through a parted Reed Sea, and yet, insecurity in Moses' long meeting with YHWH up the mountain moved the Hebrews to re-establish security and purpose. The Hebrews could now see and hope for stability in the good luck of the Calf--created from the wealth of the people. New purpose and security replaced anxiety of an unknown future.

Is the Bull in Capitalism very different from the image of security the Calf represented to the Hebrews? Wall Street financial  markets are "melted down," or created, from the wealth of our society and supposedly governed by principles managed by educated advisors/brokers. Education can blind as well as illuminate the world. The myth of the Bull symbolizes the dual edges of illumination and blindness. If I find security in news of the Bull running through Wall Street, then do I see the moral compromise of amassing wealth at the exploitation of thousands--even millions--of people in my own country and around the world? In my pursuit of economic security I may blindly seek the Bull and yet only find I have been led deeper into the wilderness away from a path of justice and God-seeking.