i kind of hate like. yes, chase is the Weird Catholic Guy of the cast and has so many Issues about it but. fandom reduces it to "he's religious and has trauma and has faith/guilt/worships house as god" and that's?? kind of the opposite?
from chase's own words, he has had nothing but positive interactions with the catholic church. his teachers were the closest thing to parents he had; he joined seminary because he wanted to continue that feeling of belonging; his reasons for failing had nothing to do with the priests or church. he doesn't have religious trauma! he also doesn't really have religion, like. he mentions repeatedly: he never actually had faith. he wanted to, he wishes he believed, he thinks it would have made his life easier, but chase never actually believed it. (damned if you do, chase, house training, house vs god, etc.) his story isn't "i once believed and now i do not," his story is one of being on the outside looking in, wanting to belong.
we see he's often a bit jealous of believers (here kitty, house vs god, damned if you do); he'd like to think god is real and there's a Plan, but he himself admits it's all BS: fascinatingly and notably, while both foreman and cameron turn to the hospital chapel and a "higher power" when hurt and devastated, chase doesn't. the only time we see him doing anything Religious is in desperation after dibala, in a moment he's trying anything. he goes to confession and he doesn't treat it as confession, as penance: he demands the priest fix him. he's not turning to god, he's looking for a Quick Fix. his reaction to moira's struggle with faith is to try and scientifically prove god is fake; he admits to brody that he'd "like" to believe in prayer and healing but that (to paraphrase here kitty) it is for the waiting room and not doctors.
and don't get me wrong, this is a weird and complicated and fascinating jumble of religion. chase has a very complex relationship to religion. but it's not he's the religious one. it's not he's the religious trauma guy. it's the opposite.
chase lacks faith. in anyone or anything. he doesn't believe cameron will stay; he doesn't believe in house or a higher power. he covers his own ass and protects himself; he doesn't rely on or depend on others in any real way. where foreman at his most vulnerable (euphoria) believes in house and lashes out/breaks down/infects cameron when that faith is tested, or where cameron continues to believe in a Better House, a more noble and true self who will reveal himself, chase... i can't think of a single moment where chase relied on or believed in anyone to save him or look out for him. after dibala, he tries to strongarm foreman into helping him cover things up. in the mistake, chase is left by house to make his own decision. "i had faith," he tells adams dryly in s8, but only after admitting earlier that he came back mostly out of boredom.
again, this ties back to chase's clear envy towards believers. he wants that. he wishes he had the faith healer's convictions, or the patient in here kitty's belief, or sister augustine's devotion (he is drawn to moira because he believes she, like him, is a fake). and it makes sense: chase has never had parental love, steady relationships. of course he likes the idea of god, of someone to believe in, someone who will repay that belief in support. but he doesn't. he relies on himself. not because he wants to, but because he doesn't believe anyone else will.
jbbartram-illu
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baratheonpilled
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