mamculuna | (no subject)

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Just watched Stargate--the movie from 1997. Not only was it extremely weird to see Jaye Davidson as a Pharaoh (even if he was an alien underneath), but I was also reading an article in the new Harper's during the commercials ("Our Present Disillusionment" by Jacqueline Rose) discussing the narcissism of our war in Iraq. It made the movie look a lot like the war. A few brave Americans come zapping in out of nowhere, immediately comprehend the situation the poor dumb inhabitants can't figure out, vaporize the inhuman despot, are cheered and loved by all (including young boys who immediately start acting like the American soldiers), go zapping home all safe and sound, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Why didn't it work out that way?

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Heh, yes. Me too. See all the problems. Still love it.

The other disturbing thing is how the "north" chooses benevolent aliens to make into Gods, and the "south" chooses the demons. And of course, the religion of SG1 is a true religion.

When it comes to culture and how it talks about it, SG1 is just terrible. THough in the series the Abydonians resist that kind of stereotping but only cuz I love Share and Kasuf, and they both seem such wonderful characters. Also Chaka. I love Chaka to bits.

Love Sha're and Kasuf and Skaara! And Chaka is fantastic. I love Chaka episodes and how he relates to Daniel :)

The other disturbing thing is how the "north" chooses benevolent aliens to make into Gods, and the "south" chooses the demons. And of course, the religion of SG1 is a true religion.

I have to wonder how conscious the decision to make the Norse gods the White Hats was for the writers. They were already stuck with the Egyptians as bad guys, and if they wanted another ancient pantheon it was either the Norse or the Greeks/Romans. But yeah, I know what you mean about the north/south divide. (Of course, then we later see how almost every ancient culture's gods ended up as bad guys except the Norse gods and, um, Buddhism. Which, hmm.)

The religion of the SG-1, however... I think the show itself is actually very atheistic. Or at least promoting an "all gods and religions should be approached with P-90s locked and loaded" mentality. Except for General Hammond who says things like "Godspeed" and "pray for your safe return", we don't really get any positive representation of Christianity. Jack (or at least my Jack (http://www.livejournal.com/users/scrollgirl/106035.html)) doesn't have much use for God. Sam is portrayed as too scientific for religious beliefs, and Teal'c looks at Christianity as merely another aspect of Tau'ri culture. (Daniel... is another matter. I'm not sure if he got religion, or just enlightenment. It's hard to say!)

And of course we have Kinsey, who is the stereotypical fundie Christian, foaming at the mouth, with more "faith" than brains.

I do find it all fascinating though! Heh, which you can tell by my very long posts :)

I always think Kinsey's faith is just as much a cynical ploy as his belief in "openness" and "democracy". Mostly I remember that Sam was once asked about her faith and she replied in a way that (from memory) made it seem a solemn and holy kind of thing. That she too believed in a God.

Also, there was an ep where Daniel said something like "no Gouald could be capable of the behaviour that might allow itself to pass off as the God of the Bible".

LOL re the Norse Gods and the Buddhists being the only ones left who weren't "bad". Actually, the minute Thor showed up, I thought to myself "wonder when they are going to have an episode where Loki is mischievous?"

How I laughed when that ep did turn up!!

Mostly I remember that Sam was once asked about her faith and she replied in a way that (from memory) made it seem a solemn and holy kind of thing. That she too believed in a God.

Hmm. If this was from that Season 1 ep where Sam's ex-fiance is playing God, I haven't seen it yet. Most of the time, though, I think they portray Sam as too logical and scientific to believe in things like miracles or acts of the divine. Like in "Maternal Instinct" when they first meet Oma Desala, she immediately suspects hidden technology as being the explanation for Daniel's new "powers".

But you could be right that she's still a Christian and/or believes in a God -- many of us, I suspect, would be sceptical of our friends suddenly developing telekinetic powers too!

Also, there was an ep where Daniel said something like "no Gouald could be capable of the behaviour that might allow itself to pass off as the God of the Bible".

Actually, that was Teal'c ;)

And I loved that ep with Loki! Great use of the ultimate trickster! And of course Mini!Jack is adorable and terrific fun :)

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