Squid Game’s Hidden Commentary on Christianity
![[Image from Netflix’s Squid Game]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec533c97fd43a626c7b21e9/1635082092401-8PP40NY3BP3SBPN47CTR/0BA5CA5F-5C43-46FC-9625-89ED996A57CB.jpeg)
⚠️ Warning: This article contains spoilers ⚠️
Squid Game (season 1) is a brilliant work of art infused with thoughtful commentaries on social/political issues as well as Christianity.
In the story, there’s an old man who is insanely rich and has everything he could ever want. But he gets bored, so he designs a game where 100 impoverished people compete to death in order to have a shot at winning the prize money. There will only be one winner, and all the losers are guaranteed to suffer a gruesome death.
The writers of Squid Game are clearly anti-Christian, and seem to be suggesting that the rich old man symbolizes God.
Once you realize that the old man represents God, it becomes easy to see what the commentary that the writers of the show are making on Christianity.
Let’s dive into their commentaries.
1. How can God be good when he allows so much suffering and injustice to take place?
In the last episode, the character who won the game asks the rich old man “Why did you do this?” He wants to know why the rich old man created the sick, twisted games, allowing all those people to suffer. The old man’s answer was basically that he was bored and did it for entertainment.
At the end of the show, the main character asks the old man “Why did I get to live and no one else?” The writers of the show seem to be saying, “Why does God let some people have good lives while others suffer?” They seem to be suggesting that God is unfair.
At the very end of the show as the main character is about to step onto the plane, he answers a call from the facility where the games took place. The main character tells them “I’m a person! Not a horse! That’s why I can’t forgive you for everything that you’re doing.” In that scene, the writers of the show are telling God, “We can never forgive God for all the injustice he allows to take place in the world.”
The writers of the show are suggesting that God created the world as a brutally unfair place just so He can have fun watching people suffer (and maybe even actively torture them). When you look around and see all the bad things that take place in this world, you can’t help but question God. And if you’ve ever been the victim of something horrible, it might feel impossible to forgive God for allowing that to happen.
To explore this topic further, check out: How Can God be Good when He Allows so much Suffering & Injustice?
2. Are human beings actually sinful? (Maybe we’re good and don’t need God.)
The entire game seemed kind of like an experiment the rich old man designed to test humanity’s morality. Some morally detestable acts obviously took place within the game, but some morally admirable acts also took place. For example, the one player who hated God the most selflessly gave up her life by purposely dropping her marble and losing the game just so that her partner could advance. The writers of the show seem to be saying that you don’t need God in order to be a good person.
In the final game (a one-on-one fight to the death), the main character wanted to give up the prize money and call it a draw so that his friend could live. That’s very selfless! But the friend took his own life so that the main character could use the prize money to help their mothers who desperately needed it. That’s even more selfless! Again, the writers seem to be suggesting that human beings are perfectly capable of being morally good on their own and don’t need God.
Many of the characters face internal struggles between good and evil. Near the end, the main character almost kills his sleeping friend, but the girl stops him by saying, “Don’t do it. That isn’t you. You’re a good person at heart.” Again, the writers of the show are showing how people are good and don’t need religion.
On Christmas Eve the rich old man didn’t think that anyone would help the homeless drunk man in the streets below. (This portrays the Christian belief that human nature is evil.) Yet people come and help the homeless man on the streets. This good deed happened right as old man died, which might suggest that God doesn’t acknowledge the good deeds that humanity does.
So: are human beings actually sinful like Christianity often says? And if so, then why are we capable of doing so much good?
Conclusion
I absolutely love how the writers of Squid Game were able to create such a gripping show that asks such deep questions. While this article only exposes their commentaries, I plan to write others to offer my thoughts on their criticisms. When I do, I’ll be sure to link to them to this article.
What were your thoughts on Squid Games? I’d love hear about them in the comments!
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