The Carnal Chronicles of Narnia

I honestly think Narnia doesn’t work that well as a Christian series in that Aslan’s hardly as humble as Jesus was (even DC’s Clark Kent does the same or similar), another problem’s that whilst Aslan makes people come to his world, Jesus and Superman do the opposite and save others. Jesus saves a lot more, Aslan only saves a few.

To the point where Aslan might actually be an Antichrist character: grandiose instead of grounded, arrogant instead of humble which’s what I feel about Aslan and why he never struck me as a convincing Christ figure. I swear, even Superman does some of the things Aslan doesn’t like bothering to save and defend many more.

Trying to be patient with others like Supergirl and Superboy (if I recall), whereas Aslan’s more often than not aloof and stern. I actually think Narnia speaks to Carnal Christians in that the Christ figure needn’t to be humble and grounded when he could be grandiose and haughty. Why bother being a normal person for long when he could still be a lion?

Aslan hardly ever shows the same dedication to be humble and inconspicuous the way Superman and Jesus do, Jesus might be the king but he’s content to ride on a donkey and be working class whereas Aslan lives in a palace. Even Superman’s humbler than him, willingly living as Clark Kent the reporter.

I guess the real problem with Aslan as a Christ figure’s that he’s way too arrogant and proud to pull off true Christlike humility to appear as one of us rather than the aloof, growling creature he really is.

A better alternative

I think the real reason why Narnia is so suspicious to some Christians is really because it doesn’t have a truly convincing Christ figure to the point where a benevolent alien willingly appearing as a normal human would be the better analogy. Something like Superman but that would be saying Aslan doesn’t have the same studied humility to appear as a normal human longer the way Jesus did.

He may turn into a housecat but that’s way briefer and less frequent than Kal-El posing as the bumbling Clark Kent (again I feel benevolent alien hero posing as a human is a better way of looking at Christ than say imagining him as a mean-spirited cat). Somebody at Ex-Narnian did point out the differences but I think the real difference is a matter of humility, Aslan hardly ever appear as a normal human as often as Clark does.

That I think’s the real problem with Narnia.

A better Christ figure

I actually think Superman is a much more convincing Christ figure than Aslan ever was, in the sense that he’s an alien who willingly appears as one of us, doing his best saving people from harm (he even defends folks from the KKK and wife beaters) and not to mention he was raised by normal humans named Jonathan and Martha Kent (Joseph and Mary).

Not only that he’s also a convincing analogue to Moses (the proto-Jesus) who too was sent to live elsewhere, appear as somebody else and was raised by Miriam/Mary. I think the real reason why Aslan fails as a Christ figure in that he doesn’t have the humility and groundedness as the Real McCoy did, especially when appearing as a normal human for an extended time.

If God is one of us, he’d prefer to live as a normal human being for an extended time where I think Narnia fails on this count. I guess the better Christ figures in stories aren’t aloof, arrogant animals but rather humble humans to better reach out to humanity without putting them off.

Not so spiritual

I also think Narnia’s not as spiritual as people make it out to be, in the sense that the Christ figure in the story isn’t a lot like Christ in humility and willingness to appear inconspicuous (i.e. appear as one of us humans) to the point where I’d rather much take The Bible over Narnia, the real thing over the bootleg that tries to be real.

I guess the real reason why Narnia is successful’s that it’s still a very carnal work where you needn’t to have a humble Christ appearing as one of us but rather a Christ substitute who’s far-removed from normal humanity. Aslan lives in a castle, Jesus was probably homeless and content with that.

To the point where if there ever was a much better Christ figure in literature, they also out to be as humble and grounded as Jesus was and why I don’t think Narnia ever convinces me about it, especially if it’s not like the humble plain God of the Bible.

Narnia and the Carnal Mind

I actually don’t consider Narnia to be a Christian work, at least not on the same level as Pilgrim’s Progress and the Bible is. In fact, Aslan’s not really Jesus in that Aslan is grandiose through and through whereas God/Jesus decides to appear as a normal enough human being. If anything, Superman is a better Jesus analogy in that he’s an alien who assumes the form of a humble person, fighting evil and being sent to earth from space.

I don’t think Aslan is really like this, let alone without taking Jesus’s humility and willingness to appear ordinary and I don’t think Aslan’s that forgiving either. To the point where I’d say if Barry Allen does at least try  to forgive Caitlin Snow for killing Iris West in the form of a wolf that’s actually being Christlike as God tells you to forgive your enemies (which’s again things Aslan wouldn’t really do much outside of his followers).

I think what makes Narnia appealing to Carnal Christians is that Aslan doesn’t seem to have the same humility and willingness to appear dour the same way Superman commits himself to appear as the bumbling Clark Kent. Something like being Christlike but without the humility and compassion that ironically characterises some superheroes (I swear, there are some superheroes who try to be kind to their enemies and some who do willingly help people a lot).

Narnia is appealing to Carnal Christians in that the God figure needn’t to be humble and inconspicuous when he could be grand and aloof.

A quite aloof character

I guess I’d say some of the problems with Aslan’s portrayal in Narnia’s that although he’s supposed to be the God figure, he’s surprisingly not very kind and down to earth the way the real McCoy that I’d say DC’s Barry Allen might make a better example, on the condition that even if he’s mad at Caitlin Snow for killing animals in her wolf form he tries to go easy on her by making her hunt rats, knowing her hearts’ desires.

The Aslan character as I know and remember is forceful but also rather aloof, in that he hardly really shows mercy to other characters that I think that Aslan exists as a mouthpiece for CS Lewis’s views, however misguided as they are. Well-intentioned but not when the God figure comes off as aloof and hardly ever caring, that I think another character would serve as a better God figure.

That is if even if Caitlin Snow has a habit of killing animals and conning people in the form of a wolf, causing suffering to people Barry Allen doesn’t just take Wally’s woes into his own hands but also making the enemy (Caitlin) responsible for it, giving Wally more hamsters and made to hunt rats from then on.

Hypothetical as it is, it illustrates God’s mercy on enemies much better than Aslan does in that Barry does try to go easy on her and giving her an outlet for it given she can’t help kill animals and drink their blood. He may be mad at her for casting spells to make animals suffer, but kind enough to allow her to do same with rats only.

If Aslan saw her killing animals, he’d gleefully injure and torment her for it whereas Barry tries to be kind to her knowing she can’t help it. It seemed with CS Lewis, he tries to depict Aslan as Godlike even though he’s seldom kind to people that he’s practically a mouthpiece for his views as far as his perception of religion.

Whereas Barry is closer in the Biblical God in that he tries to be kind to Caitlin, a vampiric witch with an appetite for blood but now under Barry’s supervision she’s made to hunt rats only.

The problem with Narnia

I recall how somebody wrote about the problems with Aslan being supposed to be a Christ figure even though he hardly acts like one, that if I were to give my opinion whilst I did read the Narnia books before, I often think the problem with Aslan is that he’s either a background character or just not a good Christ proxy.

So much so that I think supposing if let’s say the Flash’s Barry Allen knew Wally West is mad at Caitlin Snow for killing all his hamsters whenever she turned into a wolf to get away with, Barry taking matters in his own hands and telling Caitlin to hunt rats instead would be a better idea of deconstructing how God deals with people.

Aslan does deal with people, the problem is he’s actually rather one-dimensional and flat whereas God is actually a multi-faceted character, if the latter can be considered as such and not to mention God is humble, Aslan comes off as grandiose that it’s not really that convincing. God can be vindictive, violent and angry just as he can be kind and forgiving.

Aslan is grumpy through and through that it seems CS Lewis tries to have a Christ/God figure, even though Aslan comes off as too flat to pull off other aspects like not only anger, but trying to be patient with people that I think ironically other characters pull it off better. Like say The Flash’s Barry being mad at Caitlin for killing animals, trying to go easy by making her hunt rats making sure she won’t harm other animals.

But that would involve knowing that even if God loses his temper a lot, he’s also willing to forgive or at least be kind given the circumstance (something Aslan hardly ever does). CS Lewis tries to imagine God, but only as a rather hostile fickle alien that the more down to earth side’s forgone and forgotten but so do some Christians unfortunately.

If only Aslan was a humble pigeon

I honestly, sincerely think a lion’s preferred to let’s say a pigeon and sheep, even if they’re more strongly associated with Christianity’s showier. But the problem with lions is that they’re not only predatory to sheep, they’re not commonly kept as pets and the only people who keep them for pets do this to show off. Even though ironically sheep are more useful.

To put it this way, lions are grand but practically useless. Sheep are drab but useful in that they aid the fashion, textile and meat industries. They can even be used for cheese. I could say similar things between bears and pigs is that although the former’s cool to have, the latter’s more useful. You don’t just get leather and pork.

Some people even make pigs eat toilet excrement (others do the same to their dogs) and monkeys have been caught eating rats that there’s got to be value in the lowliest of beasts. But it seems people would rather have something cool over something boring but useful.

The lowliest hero

I still think the problem with Narnia’s how jarring it is. The fact that Jesus is a very lowly character (whatever that means) that even with reconstruction based on skeletons, that still proves the point. He’s even associated with lowly animals like sheep and pigeons. He came from a poor family (however odd as the circumstances are), worked in construction and was misunderstood.

He rallied against the big guys and got smacked for it. He was even tempted and tried not to do it. If I’m not mistaken, some blogger said something about Aquaman being an actually useful hero. Especially as he governs the sea, that should matter. People do rely on oceans and seas for food and trade. It’s the most useful trade route ever and it’s also useful for moderating temperatures in parts of Europe.

There are people who even manage to grow plants under the sea (though some special tech) and people get inspired by the sea (hence Spongebob Squarepants) that Aquaman might matter a lot more. Especially when you take all those things into consideration and he’s often considered lame. Even though ironically the sea matters to scientists, fishers and the navy a lot.

I guess humility’s boring to most people, even if it’s not always that bad.

The loser vs the badass

I still think the real issue with Narnia’s how jarring it is despite what it assumes itself to be. To put it this way, the Jesus in the Bible, though beloved he was also something of a loser. People misunderstand him, he came from really bad circumstances (poor) and wasn’t just grumpy but also merciful when in the mood. Narnia’s Aslan tries to be like this but he’s introduced as rich from the start.

That’s not to say God doesn’t love rich people but keep in mind he’s not above using losers as well. Some of the animals highly associated with Christianity are deemed as either lame (sheep) or annoying (pigeons). Narnia seems to prefer badassery over…boring humility that it seems to excite people. Now if the miserly, destitute Koyun appeared in Aslan’s place and with magic being the domain of evildoers, that would be consistent.

Not only with magic being evil but that Jesus himself’s a humble character. Poor, destitute, misunderstood by his own peers. It seems with Narnia, it goes for badassery rather than dour austerity that it seems more exciting this way.