Friday, August 26, 2022

The Primal Worldview


This post is in response to the currently most recent episode of Gendy Tartakovsky's Primal series on Adult Swim and HBO. I've covered it two other times on my Paleontology blog. But this episode tackled serious issues of Heaven and Hell, and should be discussed here: 


 One thing: he didn't mention the fact that the Viking Prince, Aldar, or whatever his name is, was already in hell and in the lake of fire. Now according to Viking myth, so far as I know, seeking revenge for one's family or tribe isn't sin. It's an honor thing, as i understand it. So why are Chief and Prince in Hel? And does Satan exist in Viking myth? Not at least until it was Christianized. So why is Satan there at all? The only thing I can think of of--well, except the fact the vikings were the ones actively worshiping Satan--is that the series is assuming a Christian worldview. Now some Christians would argue from an exclusivist position that one must have prior knowledge of Jesus Christ in order to be saved. However, some also argue that knowledge of His historical reality is not NECESSARILY a prerequisite to being saved by Him. One can believe in Him in one's heart, and He can transform one's nature so that one may be saved. This is what happens when a person is Born Again. The chief and his son were consumed by hate and desire for revenge. It DID effect their behavior, much as I felt for them, and disliked seeing Aldar in that river of fire. Confession: I dislike the hell doctrine. But Al
dar even tried to get the bird to drop Mira to her death. He was certainly not "born again." He wasn't a good, decent human being, and neither was his dad. It also means he was not saved from Hell. I dreaded them showing even the younger viking kid in that river (some Christians believe even small children too young to understand the importance of right or wrong may be damned. I don't agree, and think that is a Satanic lie). But Aldar was old enough to comprehend good and evil. Satan is now going to use Aldar's dad to kill Spear and Fang, because, well Satan is epitomy of all that is evil. And according to Christianity, taking revenge is wrong. As understandable as it is sometimes, it is still wrong. If Viking myth were assumed to be correct here, I don't see why all of them didn't end up in Valhalla. They all died as warriors, even that too-headstrong-for-his-own-good little kid.

I'll even go ahead and say what I've begun to suspect some time ago. It really looks by now that Primal is set, not just in a Christian world, but a Creationist one. For those who don't know Creationists take a very literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis and believe that all animals including dinosaurs were cretured within a week. That and earth is roughly six-thousand years old. Go to the creation museum ark encounter in Kentucky and you'll arena displays of gladiators fighting carnotaurus, and Near-easterners keeping thylacosmilus (saber-tooth marsupials)as pets. This is all very Edgar Rice Burroughs-ish, but is intended to save Christianity and preserved Western culture. I own a large library of natural history books and don't see a lick of truth to this world view. However, Primal would make perfect sense, the fauna of different ages, the early civilizations already blooming at the time neandertals are still around if a creationist worldview is assumed. I'd say it takes place sometime after the Flood, and during or after the brief ice age that creationists believe in. It just seems highly unlikely that anyone immersed in popculture would promote a worldview held by conservative traditionalists. But there it is.

Okay, there was the episode about Darwin, but it didn't say darwin was right about his evolutionary theory, only the Primal one. And most conservative Christians wouldn't think a witch could get into heaven. But then, if Primal IS Christian, it's taking an inclusivist view rather than an exclusivist view. The same as C. S. Lewis, and the one I myself tend to agree with. Jesus is open to everyone, and He would into account that not everyone has access to the facts of His death and resurrection.