The Problem with Divine!Dean: A Secular Humanist Perspective

[i_speak_tongue]

So this idea of Divine!Dean keeps popping up, and it seems to be fairly popular. At first, I felt seduced by it as well- it seemed to imbue him with something beautiful and poetic that as a Dean stan, is hard to say no to. But upon deeper reflection, I simply can’t support it.

*Note to readers: My intention here is not to insult anyone religious,

Comments

[tifaching]

I have never heard of Dean being thought of as divine but I don't get out much fandomwise. :)

I can't see it myself for all the reasons you so aptly stated above. Dean's great strength and saving grace is his humanity, which he steadfastly and continuously refuses to give up.

[i_speak_tongue]

That's what I love about him! ... Okay, ONE of the things I love :P

[borgmama1of5]

There have been 4 times in the show where a character possessed (or mind-controlled)--John, Bobby, Sam, and Castiel--have been in the position of hurting Dean and then are able to throw off the possession long enough to regain their own agency.

Now I have no idea if this is intentional on the part of the show's creators, but to me it translates that Dean's love is so powerful that those who love him can do impossible feats because of him.

I have no idea how this fits into your secular humanism view, I just wanted to put it out. I do agree that Dean's heroism and suffering are because of his humanity, not something divine. (And as you point out, divine is not a particularly admirable thing on this show.)

[amberdreams]

Lovely point about the love conquering possession thing!

[i_speak_tongue]

Yep. Dean definitely has that ability to connect with people. For me, that's the human connection, which is, like you said all about love! Thanks for reading!

[grean]

This is interesting. I have heard the whole Dean is Divine (not the sexy divine the angelic boring divine). I don't see it, I agree that his strength is his humanity. He is the most human character on the show. Sam always has one foot in the other world. Not Dean for all his travels, from purgatory, hell, fairy realm and heaven he remains rooted in this world.

[i_speak_tongue]

Thanks! Yeah, Dean sure isn't too impressed with heaven. Although Purgatory is interesting, because he did seem to miss it in a way, when he came back. Not that he really enjoyed it exactly, but I think he appreciated the clarity of purpose he had there.

[bellatemple]

Thanks for this. I've only dabbled in the shallow end of various humanistic philosophies (unfortunately I only found out about a close family friend's secular humanism after she passed away, but she and her children have been a model for how I've approached my adult life, so . . . dabbling about, yes), but I've frequently found myself bringing the idea of humanism, that, as the family friend would put it, "being human is enough" to my fic and writing in general. (This is perhaps most explicit in Mistaken for Strangers, but the whole "because he's human" thing has entered into my Dean fic a lot.) It's nice to see someone explicate it far better than I would be able to.

[i_speak_tongue]

Thank you! Yeah, secular humanism really doesn't get talked about all that much, but I think so many people would GET it, if they just knew it was out there. When I started reading about it it was just like this YES moment, you know?

That's great that you incorporate it into your fic. I need to do that more!

[amberdreams]

Thank you for expressing so clearly many of the thoughts I've had bouncing around in my head for many years not just about Dean but about the more destructive (I think) aspects of religion and more specifically, Christianity. When I was a teenager I read a load of historical novels about the lives of saints and wanted to be like them in many of the ways you describe here. I actually went back and re-read one of these recently - about Catherine of Siena. It was a really interesting experience as I now recognise many symptoms of mental illness in her condition where previously I'd only seen holiness and divinity.
Back to Dean - absolutely I agree, his humanity is what draws me to him, both him and Sam resonate as flawed human beings in different ways. I hadn't seen anything in fandom about Dean's divinity but I wouldn't want to either. (That doesn't mean I don't enjoy reading fics where Dean took on aspects of Michael, or one gorgeous fic about the Winchesters becoming Hunter gods...)

[i_speak_tongue]

I actually went back and re-read one of these recently - about Catherine of Siena. It was a really interesting experience as I now recognise many symptoms of mental illness in her condition where previously I'd only seen holiness and divinity.

Man, yeah. This is so interesting to me. I mean, the way religions have tried to explain mental illness and disorders through the supernatural, and how there are still so many vestiges of that; demonic possession, for example, is apparently still a thing.

Of course it doesn't mean I'm not willing to suspend my disbelief! Even for a really good wing!fic :D