Very bad snowclone New Crowner: 02/15/12: Token Deity

The name is a bad snowclone of Token Minority that implies something very different from the trope's definition - that is, it implies that the defintion is "this character is the only deity in the entire cast (or Cast Herd, in case of Loads And Loads Of Characters)", when the actual definition is "this character is a God (or the God) who is also a Token Minority" (especially if the character represents an actual deity, and the Token Minority aspect is a very unusual choice for said deity - e.g. God being female).

Suggestions for better names are appreciated.

I didn't manage to spot misuse, but this name is....terrible. Fails on all three points.

The Renaming Guidelines also cite "unclear name" and "bad snowclones" as a good reason for renaming a trope.

Did I mention that this trope only has 29 wicks and 4 inbounds total at the moment? This pre-empts the possibility of using the "large number of wicks/inbounds" reason against renaming, since "disuse" is yet another point for justifying a rename.

edited 9th Feb '12 1:15:06 PM by MarqFJA

Did not imply the opposite. I fully agree.

Minority Form Deity? Minority Look Alike Deity?

...Ok, doesn't sound so good.

edited 9th Feb '12 1:18:29 PM by lu127

Minority Deity.

Edit: It's already a redirect too.

edited 9th Feb '12 1:22:54 PM by Arha

Works for me.

I'm willing to rename here based on the poor usage, compounded by the unfortunate snowclone.

edited 9th Feb '12 2:13:42 PM by troacctid

Couldn't Minority Deity be mistaken as "deity of a minority group"?

I think so.

Okay, what other name would fulfill "Token Minority meets God in Human Form"?

God Is A Minority? God Is Black?

Bad snowclone that made me think of something else, because it's a snowclone.

I think Minority Deity works well.

Maybe God Is A Minority? Doesn't sound too well... (Edit: Ninjad...)

edited 9th Feb '12 5:30:31 PM by Feather7603

I agree. I'd only use God Is A Minority if we can't find anything better.

Divine Minority?

edited 9th Feb '12 5:32:45 PM by DrStarky

How about Divine Token Minority, following the example of Twofer Token Minority?

God Is Not A White Male?

Divine Token Minority isn't bad, and understandable without going to its snowclone father.

So, why is this even trope worthy?

I mean, it isn't like "white" people are the only ones that have deities and portray them in their own image.

Also, I really, really dislike using "Minority" as a default term for non-whites, considering that from a global perspective (and we are an international website) it is the "white" people that are in the minority.

True, but it's a minority relative to the expected audience/creators.

The trope is basically one way to say that, "Hey, God might not be one of us."

This. It's even stated explicitly so in Token Minority's page.

Yes, but this trope is when the deity in question is depicted in a human form whose physical characteristics is a very unusual choice for such a role (and thus rarely/never used) in their native culture - the Abrahamic God, for example, is always referred to and depicted as white (usually "old") male by followers of the Abrahamic faiths (notwithstanding early Judeo-Christians, who apparently referred to God in male, female, and gender-neutral terms with the explanation that He was each, all and none of those at once), so depicting Him as a white female, a black male, or even a black female inherently carries a surprise factor for a Christian/Jewish/Muslim viewer (and, for obvious reasons, prone to strongly offending the more conservative-minded ones).

edited 9th Feb '12 7:12:49 PM by MarqFJA

So, it this is only about the Judeo-Christian God, the generic "deity" should probably also be replaced with something more specific.

No, it's not strictly about the Abrahamic god. But it is related to Black Viking. Basically it's Black Viking + God.

Not necessarily. The trope also works if Satan turns out to be female, since he too is traditionally depicted as male.

edited 9th Feb '12 7:23:58 PM by MarqFJA

So portraying an African deity as African is a Token Minority Deity?

edited 9th Feb '12 7:24:01 PM by Catbert

Nope. He's portrayed normally. Portraying him as Asian is this trope though. It's playing a deity against the way they're normally depicted.

edited 9th Feb '12 7:26:27 PM by shimaspawn

No, that would technically be an accurate depiction.

This. And it's not limited to actual deities either, as the description notes:

edited 9th Feb '12 7:29:14 PM by MarqFJA

Can we please break Trope Namer Syndrome and call this one God Is Morgan Freeman?