Cthulu in the Eyes of Religion

To say that H.P. Lovecraft’s seminal text ‘The Call of Cthulu’ was to describe the perceived feeling of Atheism seems very selfish, first, but also strikes as downright foolish. Having struggled with faith, both as a Catholic and as an Atheist, settling later as an Agnostic; reading Cthulu as analogous to the struggles of self identity does have some merit, however misguided the intention may be.

Cthulu, of course, has many celestial references as well as many Godly references. Though Lovecraft doesn’t argue here for or against religion, or even believing in God. The seemingly lost and meandering narrative can, in some ways, be drawn to look introspectively; looking at ourselves and our strives toward understanding some higher power. In fact Lovecraft’s fear of the unknown truly drives that point further. In that Cthulu, or God, is a being to be feared reflects the text of the Old Testament in that the God described is in many ways a vengeful God.

Quentin Tarantino uses a biblical quote in the film ‘Pulp Fiction’; Ezekiel 25:17: “And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

But that quote is taken out of context and slightly paraphrased for thematic reasons. “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19. “I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant; and when you gather together into your cities, I will send pestilence among you, so that you shall be delivered into enemy hands.” Leviticus 26:25.

Vengeance. Fury. Madness.

Of course, this is the Old Testament God. Christians’ eyes have been opened in the folly of their ways? Instead we see a more benevolent God?

Why does it matter? When we are preached to that God will either strike down upon us furious anger, what does it matter which God we prescribe. And to drive a finer point, what God do we prescribe? That of revenge for forsaken people, or that of the benevolent God? He who gave us his only son to forgive us our sins?

What are our sins? Are they that we are of a different color skin? Are our sins that we love the same sex? Are our sins that we identify as an opposite sex?

So maddening are these questions that we must be tormented with as Christians. It’s a good thing we have the words written by other men to help guide us through the meandering labyrinth of truth. If only one could look into a hat and see the actual words of God. Perhaps then we could see that in the afterlife we will be promised our own planet to look over, or a thousand virgins to populate a new earth.

It’s all fantasy. If there is a God, does he really care? Does God actually have a plan for each of us?

These are the questions that Lovecraft puts to us, as readers of his text. Is God tangible, and if so, what does he care of our existence? In Cthulu, we see a Godly figure unencumbered by human trails and tribulations; detached from the human existence. Our problems are unimportant to Cthulu, who has awoken in this text. Cthulu has no motive here. It is we who have disturbed him.

In this context, then, we can say that Cthulu can be seen as God, rather than some all encompassing depiction of evil. But it is the fear of the unknown, the fear of the other, that we must read closer.

Is there any triumph in this story? Perhaps not. Perhaps, this story merely tells the tale of madness; delusions of some sailors and their hallucinations of some weird trip they went on. Is the story meant to have the reader grapple with their beliefs of God and religion? Perhaps.

Perhaps we are to see Cthulu as God; in that our God, the God who is said to have a plan, truly doesn’t care of the planet or the people he created. That our God isn’t truly a God at all, but merely a being that is trying sleep. That is trying to live its life without being bitten by insects.