“Tiger King” - A Case Study of Dominion and Depravity

Editor’s Note: This post may contain spoilers

The Netflix original show Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness arrived March of 2020. 

I don’t know if it’s because of sheltering-in-place, but it’s been a huge hit. 

As of April 15th, (2 weeks after its release) the true crime docs-series skyrocketed to the number one show on Netflix. One review described this documentary as “The first unspoilable show in entertainment history.” 

So what’s Tiger King about?

It’s a docu-series centered around the life of a private zoo owner in Oklahoma - Joe Maldonaldo-Passage (better know as “Joe Exotic”).

He owns hundreds of big cats (hence the nickname “Tiger King”). You might think this documentary is about the morality of big-cat ownership, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

While the documentary centers around “Joe Exotic” the plot thickens over his tumultuous relationship with animal rights activist Carole Baskins. These two characters, not only rule over their own kingdoms, but battle over the final say pertaining to big-cat ownership. This battle spills over into hard-to-believe interactions with each other and the people involved in their domains. A movie script couldn’t come up with the craziness in this series. 

This post isn’t about whether a Christian should watch this show or not, but it’s an observation of a theological issue I believe runs throughout the show.

Kings and Queens? Or Slaves?

As the documentary progresses, it becomes clear the individuals in the film demonstrate two opposing realities. 

On the one hand, we see their incredible potential as human beings. The characters in the documentary exercise dominion over tigers by feeding, breeding, and (as much as they’re able) domesticating apex predators.

Throughout the show, humans are mostly in control over these animals (except for one crazy accident, and believe me, it’s crazy). 

Furthermore, the characters in the show demonstrate the capacity for big scale vision whether for financial, fame, or philanthropic motivations. They own property worth millions of dollars, leverage technology, music, and even dip their toes into the political realm. Their ability to leverage relationships and wealth for a goal is impressive. 

Yet on the other hand, we see the strange plight of human beings. While masters over dominant creatures, the characters also appear to be enslaved to fear, deception, jealousy, lust, and greed. There are many moments when these individuals are unable to see themselves clearly. Their lack of self-awareness is humorously amplified by their pinpoint assessments of their enemies. 

Throughout the documentary, I could not help but notice this contrast: While they have the ability to cage animals, they were also caged by things unseen. 

A Familiar Story of Dominion and Depravity

According to the Christian worldview, Tiger King is really a case study of the origin story of mankind. 

On the one hand, human beings were created as image-bearers who were to serve as royal representatives of their King (God).

As Kingdom vice-regents, the first humans were tasked to rule over the world and to “fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen 1:28). 

This is why human beings care about vision, purpose, unearthing raw materials, building civilizations, and owning hundreds of tigers.

Pulsating in the unseen places of our souls is the unshakeable desire to exercise dominion, a proto-human calling. 

Yet, as seen in just a few chapters later in the book of Genesis, the concept of dominion takes a dark turn as the first humans become ruled over by sin, Satan, and death through their decision to turn away from God.

This is why the New Testament writers say that humans are “slaves to sin.” Those privileged to exercise dominion became dominated. We became caged by our sinfulness. In turning away from God, we hurled the world into depravity (along with the corruption of every aspect of our nature). 

Humanity is a frustrated species who feel the opposing pull of Genesis 1 (creation) and Genesis 3 (fall).

We feel the gravitational pull of both royalty and rebellion. We want to build and to break, decorate and destroy. 

We are like Joe Exotic, who caged tigers but in the end, was caged himself. 

The Good News of King Jesus 

So how do we become free? And how do we walk into our human purposes?

This is why the Christian faith has been about and will continue to be about Jesus. 

Jesus is the rescuer, God, who came down to the earth to live the life the first humans failed to live, he died the death all human beings were supposed to die (and were already dying) on account of our sins. He then rose again as a conquerer to set sinners free from the bondage of sin and death, inviting them to live a life abundant by His Spirit and power. 

This is why Christians hail Jesus as King.

Not because we’re trying to convince ourselves of something we’re hoping to be true, but because he actually exercises dominion over the universe without defect or darkness. We champion him because we stand in the grace of having been released from our cages of sin and selfishness. 

Jesus is King.

Over all things. Not just tigers.