Despite being broaching all manner of divisive philosophical issues, one of the most controversial aspects of Game of Thrones, if not the most controversial one, is its portrayals of sexuality, especially when that sexuality is expressed through incestuous behaviors or coercion. I have already proven that there is nothing Biblically sinful about the mere viewing sex acts or watching something like Game of Thrones [1], so the permissibility of such entertainment is not the focus here. The value of portraying sexuality in entertainment is.
Why is there so much controversy about the sex in Game of Thrones? Once the subjective worries brought about by anxieties about sexuality, found in both the church and in secular culture, are silenced or ignored, there is nothing that can be legitimately appealed to in an effort to condemn the portrayal of sexuality in the show. And why should a show that is at its core about examining human nature omit acknowledgment of an important part of human nature?
If the Bible were to have all of the parts in the narrative involving sex acts omitted, we would lose something valuable from the text. We would certainly forfeit honest depictions of human sexuality, with its existential, moral, and theological dimensions. Because of the way that Game of Thrones is constructed--with its excellent depiction of a whole host of competing worldviews [2]--removing the exploration of sexuality truly would remove a part of the show's honesty. With the legion of historical and modern misunderstandings about sexuality perpetrated by Christians and non-Christians alike, it is crucial that honesty and rationality not be forsaken when sexuality is the subject of conversation or contemplation.
Game of Thrones does not shy away from alluding to or depicting a wide spectrum of sexual behaviors or attitudes, just like it does not hide different approaches to issues of religion, power, general ethics, and meaning. Watchers will see traumatic examples of rape from the first season onward, but they will also see sex used in expression of mutuality (though the best example of this is all the way in season seven). They will see women (like Ygritte) articulating sexual desires that have not always been historically encouraged in the ways that male sexual desires have been. As more characters appear in the story, incest, homosexuality, and bisexuality all surface in some way.
As it also does with politics, power, and religion, the show naturally coaxes out questions about the moral nature of sexuality. Some characters despise homosexuality, while others are unbothered by it. Some characters live in or around societies where marital and war rape is expected and largely tolerated. The conflicting moral judgments made by miscellaneous characters about various sex acts cannot all be simultaneously true. Which of the presented beliefs about sexual morality is correct? They cannot all be. This is part of the significance of showing sexuality in a show like Game of Thrones--since the very nature of the show is that it acknowledges different human motivations, activities, and beliefs, viewers might be stimulated into considering the morality of sexual acts as well.
Not all entertainment needs to emphasize sexuality to the extent that Game of Thrones does (though it is nowhere near as prominent in the show as some people pretend it is), just like not all entertainment needs to emphasize emotionality, spirituality, or the intellect to an identical extent. But there is a need for entertainment that acknowledges sexuality, raises questions about it, and treats it as what it is: a part of normal human existence (even asexuals like me are still sexual beings, after all [3]), and one that needs to be understood in the right existential light. If it takes a secular show like Game of Thrones to accomplish these things, then so be it. The Bible is made all the more relevant and honest by acknowledging sex in its narratives, and so is Game of Thrones.
[1]. https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/02/why-watching-game-of-thrones-is-not.html
[2]. https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/02/winter-is-coming-realism-of-westeros.html
[3]. https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/asexuals-are-still-sexual-beings.html
No comments:
Post a Comment