This will not be a review of the Netflix series about “Chilling Adventure of Sabrina”. I have already done this and you can find it here: https://steemit.com/review/@anaerwu/new-guilty-pleasures-chilling-adventure-of-sabrina. If you still doesn’t watch it don’t read because it’s full of spoilers.
Choosing an institutionalized religion as the main theme of reflection of the young adult series is a risky idea. More, an idea that I would not have expected from Sabrina, but directed, despite violence, blood and cruelty, to a somewhat older teenager who was looking for a lighter entertainment. Series, except for productions with large ambitions (such as “The Young Pope”) usually escape from religion, or leave it in such a tender mood, where faith always brings consolation, and the existence or non-existence of higher forces remains an unspoken matter. No less - in most cases, conversations concern the series of faith, not church institutions. The church does not seem particularly "sexy" topic for serial reflection, and even Sorrentino probably came to the conclusion that people about different visions of the church will only listen if the Pope is as beautiful as Jude Law.
We do not have a Catholic or Protestant Church in Sabrina - but we have a Satanic Church. But what of this, since it is not hard to see that the comments on institutionalized forms of worship, church hierarchy, devotion or the place of women in the world of religion it is not difficult to transfer to Churches in which no one signs cyrograph with own blood. While in the case of choosing the cult in question, Sabrina still plays in some way with some subtle allusions (though let us not exaggerate, most references to what is happening in the churches of the "false God" can be easily solved) is already indicating the relationship of patriarchy with the institutionalized religion does not appeal to any subtleties. At the very beginning of the series, when Sabrina asks her quite devoted friend, why Satan requires her faithful to give him your freedom, for sorcerous powers, and why she can not keep her freedom and skills, they replies, "What even the Dark Lord is a man ". This confirmation of male domination through the use of religion and the church is another extremely interesting element of the series. Interestingly, the heroines do not always behave very feministly, but showing how the relationship of faith and patriarchy works is much more feminist than any dialogue in the series itself.
Production comes from Sabrina's doubts about black baptism - that is, total submission to the will of the church of Satan, and through successive episodes leads us through the world of functioning of religious institutions. So we have the example of Aunt Zelda, who perfectly illustrates both the classic devotion - derived from both a deep conviction that faith is the foundation of ordering life and the need to maintain a position in the community. Zelda is a person who is entangled in this aspect of religion that organizes meaning and position in society. Her close relationship with the high priest - this part of the series reminds us of the helpful relationship between the parishioners who would like the acceptance from the priest. However, the figure becomes more complicated when one of the biggest conflicts that a person who is so rooted in faith can encounter - a close person does not fit into the world of religion. So you have to decide what is more important. Zelda is a figure so independent that she decides to put her family before faith. But it does not make her happy. Additionally - her need to prove herself importance within the church, leads to the situation when she is used by a man. Used by a high priest who knows perfectly well that he has what Zelda wants most - not the keys to the kingdom of heaven (here for Kingdom of Hell) but social position. It’s not like the church keep his faithful in such a position especially in small communities.
In turn, Prudence, Sabrina's friend from the school for magicians, displays the zealousness of a neophyte. Unlike Zelda, Prudence doesn’t believe that faith anchors her in the space of social life, but she believes because she is convinced that teaching is the truth. The confrontation between her and Sabrina is a typical confrontation between a deep believer and doubters. Interestingly, Sabrina does not have a clear argument against her colleague's faith. The only thing that can show is that in the real world, the decisions that are read as coming from the deity are really decisions of definitely non-divine units. This is an interesting episode - which even mentioning sexual harassment, shows how often sincere faith can be used by people who have their most terrestrial goals. The fact that this story concerns a young girl and her readiness to sacrifice her life in the name of religious dogma, seems to be interesting because it indicates the group most vulnerable to such manipulation. And indeed - often when one reads the teaching of the church - in matters of how women should approach violence that meets them, their health or life, we see that this teaching is more a matter of social or group interests than results straight from religious texts.
Aunt Hilda - is a good example of a man who doesn’t really need a church for faith. Aunt Hilda's character is not an atheist figure. But a believer who, especially after his excommunication, finds a different space in which he can function without losing his faith. Why? Because in the case of Aunt Hilda, it does not arise as in the case of Zelda from seeking confirmation of her social position, but rather from an inner conviction that certain things exist. Hilda would be such a humanist believer who would rather not put the church's principles above the good of the individual or above her common sense. If we interpret this figure, we will again be able to confirm that for such individuals any institutionalized church will not find a place, because it is not for the faithful to apply their own humanistic principles to profess faith, but for that they would believe and, above all, put this faith on first place. Besides, Hilda herself is an example of an individual who has not been given a choice, and then many years later she catches the reflection that perhaps what she did with the conviction that it should be so was a mistake.
Sabrina herself represents an interesting attitude. On the one hand, it is a classic example of a person who comes from doubts to faith and its dogmas. On the other hand - one of the few characters who has any choice at all, the heroine's dual origin makes it function on the border of the community, which clearly defines the confession. Therefore, this extremely important building element of religion is eliminated here. This involves some exclusion (as in the case of all individuals living on the border of orthodox religious societies, and this is such a small branch of the Church of Satan) but also - the possibility of decisions absent from others. Sabrina has a causative power, not only because she is half human, but also because her upbringing was not solely based on religious identity. Sabrina's opposition to black baptism results from moral doubts, but also from individualism. The protagonist does not want to give herself and her body - which is the basis for admission to the Church. Individuality and attachment to one's individuality are here the greatest obstacle to complete acceptance of an institutionalized religion. At the same time, the dimension is connected, again with femininity - baptism is needed for purity, to fight for its freedom - it is required to expose the body. Already in the first episodes we see how the institution reaches out not only for the soul but also for the woman's body.
In addition to different attitudes towards faith, we have a very clear theme of how patriarchal the Church is. In one of the threads the high priest awaits the birth of his son - to give him his position. The man awaits the birth of a man - but at the same time - the position of the women around him depends on this birth. If a son is not born, the priest's wife will lose her position. If a son is born, his illegitimate daughter will not have the slightest chance of inheriting the title. This concentration on the male heir, and the fact that men decide about the position of women, leads to what is the greatest weapon of patriarchy - the attitude of a woman against a woman. The aggression of the priest's wife towards his illegitimate daughter is not due to the fact that their goals are different, but that their position will be decided by a man, and they can do nothing about it. Besides, the majority of women's aggression towards women results from how the world has been decorated by men. Interestingly, the male heroes operating on the outskirts of religiosity or beyond are on the show either very nice, but also - they themselves are the victims of, for example, the macho cult like the poor Sabrina’s boyfriend Harvey.
This unbreakable relationship between masculine domination and church institutions is ultimately confirmed by the fact that we have a fairly clearly depicted figure who at all costs tries to disrupt the existing order - Lilith - the wife of Satan himself. How does it destroy the existing order? Supporting feminist activities, giving the heroine a sense of power and agency, arousing women against men (which is not always good). Its actions bring chaos because they are aimed at the very foundation of the world - a system that is based on subordination. Interestingly, the heroine distorts both the magical and the real world. Here, in turn, by introducing the same element of disturbance of order, to school - an institution shown here as maybe not as oppressive as religious, but also based largely on systemic gender inequality. Lilith's actions are really the most devastating order when it suggests to the protagonists that they are to act - and decide for themselves, not wait for what the church and the men associated with them will tell them.
At the same time the series itself does not give a full sense of triumph - one can come to the conclusion that the connections are too complicated and too far reaching for the heroine, especially so young, with only her independence to be able to get out of it over several episodes. Sabrina eventually signs a devil's circograph. It is true that it does so in a different context than it was at the beginning - as a result of its own decision (somewhat only forced by circumstances) and not as a result of cultural coercion (and the decision of her father made before her birth). As you might expect - the production that in the first season considered the possibility of escape from the institutionalised religion (which in the religious community is not simple and may end in failure) in the second will be the confrontation with the heroine in the midst of certain mechanisms. Also Lilith - is a character who ultimately fights not to take the position of her husband, but to take the main position at his side. Again - men are still a reference point. It is also worth adding that the interesting thread is the emotional relationship between Sabrina and her father. It is a positive figure for the protagonist, a source of her sense of magical pride, a man portrayed to us as a reformer. But at the same time - still a man who sell her daughters soul for Satan. The only thing Sabrina saved from a fate - no decision, was the woman's solidarity with her mother and aunt. In the war for the soul of a woman, we get two simple ways - a tradition - connected with masculinity and solidarity, connected with femininity.
In the last scenes of the series, we see quite a symptomatic scene in which the gathered men cheer in honor of the born son of the high priest. The fact that there aren’t any women among them - quite well shows the division that is really drawing here. Where are the women? For example, in the bedroom of Aunt Zleda, who hides the first-born daughter of a high priest - whose fate would be miserable. Ultimately, women's solidarity is to be more important than religion. But is it always there? Does everyone have the strength for it? Is it by no means difficult to free yourself from this complicated tangle of patriarchy and religion? Watching the series, one can come to the conclusion that greater freedom than most heroines of production, enjoys their cousin locked in house arrest. His detention is physical while the protagonists flutter between the bars of a cultural and religious cell. Series more than consolation, illustrates the complexity of the problem. Therefore, I like the fact that the heroine does not triumph in the first season - it would be completely inconsistent with the experiences of people who had to disentangle themselves (or try to do it) from the situation in which they found themselves.
This is a largely atheistic show, and certainly aimed at any organized religion. Although in production we have witchcraft, dark masses, cannibalism is in fact the most terrifying can be completely real reflections on the action of religion. What's more - the creators decided to get out of the situation in which the individual has a choice - which is not necessarily the case in religions in which the choice is taken as a unit (to some extent, Aunt Hilda shows how the individual can regret it after many years). The show itself does not say unambiguously that an institutionalized religion is evil, but rather tells you that if you are a young girl, it probably drives you into roles that aren’t necessarily set only for your own good. The series, importantly, is not atheistic in a way that undermines the whole nature of faith (even approaching the fact of faith with a certain respect) but rather - referring to the distance to whether any church really represents faith. Personally, I think it is an extremely valuable addition to the panorama of serial issues especially in productions for young people. Not because I would be extremely opposed to organized religion (though I do not see a place for it in my life) but also because the series creates a space for reflection - relatively safe because, after all, you only watched the young adult series about the teenage witch. And then, when you think of blowing up the Vatican, it really will not be their fault.
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