A Quick Word on the Exclusive Brethren

Just wanted to put a quick post up about a study I stumbled across the other day when educating myself about TV’s latest spotlight cult – The Exclusive Brethren. I started reading about them a few weeks ago after ACA’s latest attack on their so called ‘migration’ into suburban Melbourne. The study was done by Gary Bouma – who I’m sure we are all familiar with by now. Its only really centred around marriage and divorce statistics but shows that despite the medias ‘demonization’ of the so called ‘cult of the Exclusive Brethren’ marriage and divorce rates within the Brethren community remain at rates far greater than that of general society. I guess it’s just another example of how media can wholly focus upon one aspect of a religion, whilst at the same time sidelining another. 

Read it here if you like: www.theexclusivebrethren.com/documents/MarriageandFamily.pdf

Reporting on Influences

The article by Underwood (2002) aims to challenge and critique the contemporary view of the religious reporter and assess the nature of the state of religious participation within the individual and the corresponding relationship with professional reporting. Underwood (2002) identifies a lacking in studies conducted to gauge religiosity within reporters, citing religious interests were quantified statistically yet the relationship between religious belief and reporting influence remained notably unqualified. This is of significance as it provides grounds for questioning how religious influence within the reporter shapes reporting styles whether through conscious or subconscious means. Underwood (2002) proposes a direct link between reporting method and religious undertones, and contrasts this belief with public perception towards reporting and religious influence. The paper suggests a selective re-evaluation of the societal belief that religious reporting and journalistic intent is hostile. The paper dissects the lines between reporting sympathy in relation to religious events and conversely embracing the religious nature of the reporting style. Underwood (2002) shows that a complicated relationship is present between most aspects of journalistic reporting and relative religious influences which, in varying degrees of visibility, impact upon reporting style. 

References:

Underwood D. 2002. I will show you my faith by what I do. a survey of the religious beliefs of journalists and journalists' faith put into action. In From Yahweh to Yahoo! the religious roots of the secular press, Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2002, chapter 9, pp. 130-147,

Sporting Spirituality

When I think about the transcendent states experienced by sports fans and players I think back to the spiritualistic component surrounding devotees of parkour training. When you get to the stage where you are training day in day out, at peak physical levels, you become so consumed in the concentration of the training that a sense of spiritual awakening is developed. Through this, a profane action such as running/jumping/flipping, becomes transformed into a meaningful, spiritual ritual. The training has evolved into more than its intended function, when the individual participates in the ritual (i.e. parkour) it is as though they have transferred the repetitive nature of a sporting practice into a rhythmic means of spiritual transcendence. Of course with parkour there are no fans in the sense that there are with major sports such as soccer and rugby league. A perfect example of a transcendent-like frenzy being incited within sports fans is seen pretty much at any soccer (football) match throughout England and the UK. We see the crowds divided based upon team, we see highs and lows of their worship states. Group chanting and singing, as well as the consumption of mind altering substances all in an attempt to show devotion to their respective team (God). You might think that all that is just a veiled way of depicting a drunken soccer lout and you would probably be right, but there is a degree of transcendence about attending an English soccer match. No doubt if you polled a group of individuals from the UK as to their religious commitments and football was an option there would be an over abundance of proclaimed belonging.

Public Influence

In building on my previous post about the influence in which religious institutions hold over the general public, we must now think about how / what level of influence then the general public might be afforded. We might think the general public dictates major media outlets such as television or print media, mainly because mass media outlets shape stories and media relations in the interest of public opinion, however this is seemingly not the case. The choice of the few to appeal to the many cannot be considered as being controlled by the masses, as one might argue that public opinion is controlled by the media. So when the opinion is controlled through the media, yet it becomes is presented as convincingly requested by the masses, this sort of counter deception gives the image of free choice and the media shaping to public appeal, yet when public appeal dictated by the media this notion of free choice and influence becomes nullified. I don’t think any major outlets will appear to contain any degree of public influence primarily due to these factors. Despite this, the internet has become a gateway for the opinions of the public to be readily available for all to view. Citizen journalisms through blogging or independent online articles allows for the abolishment of mass appeal which is found in mass media sources. The smokescreen of media influence becomes lifted and the opinion of the individual becomes available (and debated, i.e. forums) openly. Through these means, the general public can gain influence which in certain times is far greater than that available to mass media sources.

Little Mosque Big Message

The article by Canas (2008) discusses an important topic surrounding the representation of Arabs and Muslims within western media. Canas (2008) acknowledge previous representations of Muslims as inferior, violent exotic stereotypes and aims to dismiss the ‘orientalist’ perspective through which they are often cast. Canas (2008) aims to conceptualise this through assessing the relative representations of religious existence and integration which are portrayed within the television series ‘Little mosque on the prairie’. The series, Little mosque on the prairie, aims to engage western viewers both humorously and informatively through selectively exposing aspects of Muslim tradition and lifestyle in on-screen representations. Canas (2008) identifies these challenges which are faced through Muslim-western social and religious integration.

The series represents a counter-hegemonic narrative in an effort to relate stereotypes and prejudices encountered within Muslim and Islamic communities whilst relating to a wester-based environment (Canas 2008). The series explores the limits of multiculturalism and emphasises the complexity of diversity providing a unique perspective on what would often assumed as ‘western issues’ but providing contrast through eastern traditions and practices. This approach allows for a unique insight into Muslim lifestyle and promotes cross-cultural understanding and religious tolerance through satire and mimicry. Despite this representation of assimilation, Canas (2008) identifies the limitations of the show extend towards the political aspects surrounding religious belief. Through this omittance, it can be assumed the primary focus would be a greater basis upon stable community-religious issues rather more volatile and changing politico-religious issues.

References:

Cañas S. 2008. The Little Mosque On the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion. Cultural Dynamics, 20, 195-211. (RL).

Thoughts on Exposure

As I sit here this late night and think about the degree of influence which religious organisations have developed I find it almost unavoidable to think about the Catholic Church. It is hard to imagine a religious institution which could match the level of social and individual influence the Catholic Church has developed and expanded to a global scale. Undoubtedly this is mainly based upon the age of the institution, as with time comes growth and with growth comes power and influence. It becomes very difficult for smaller lesser religions to realise such an influence overnight, and increasingly difficult for them to gain any influence without exposure (read media) as it would appear the Catholic Church has achieved in its absence. But then again I am reminded that I am studying course about religion and MEDIA and become drawn to Pentecostal Christianity as the poster child for media-associated religious influence. Despite its lacking in age (by comparison) it is evident that Pentecostal Christianity has expanded globally riding upon the back of film, television, print and internet media source. This provides an interesting contrast, because in one corner we have institutions such as the Catholic Church, which have power and influence over individuals beyond proportions yet have almost no media affiliation or could not be considered a media-centric religion. Yet in the other corner we have Pentecostal Christianity, which in some instances is almost entirely media driven and whilst not possessing the influence of the Catholic Church, still has managed to branch out throughout corporations and political establishments. It is clear that religion has therefore adopted a ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality, whereby in the absence of time (as was afforded base religions such as Catholicism) adaptations are needed to grow, prosper and realise influence. For arguments sake, if a religious institution such as Catholicism were to effectively ‘reboot’ themselves in a modern sense and aim to progress to the level as  they have and avoid or minimise media usage, their degree of influence gained throw followers would be minimalist at best.

Religious Portrayals

For this discussion I wanted to look at the depiction of religious individuals, mainly Jews, Muslims and Catholics within film and television. I think with all three religions, their portrayals are often closely associated with orthodox belief. When you see a religious individual in a film or on TV how can you tell that they are religious? Often in their more appropriate portrayals one religious person is indistinguishable from another. Unfortunately you cannot distinguish the indistinguishable within film and TV, so they seek out more visual aids of recognition. So we often see a Jewish person wearing a yarmulke in orthodox dressage and Muslim’s conducting prayer or wearing hijabs, kufi’s or other religious adornments. With Catholics it is a little different. In most cases we might see a symbolic cross around one’s neck or even holy gestures to symbolise Catholicism. Having such visual displays is all well and good, because it serves a purpose within film and television to show ones commitment and belonging to a respective group, however we might consider such generic representations as even misrepresentations. Because of their orthodox basis they marginalise all other forms of the said religions, as all Jews do not wear yarmulkes, all Muslims do not wear kufi’s and hijabs and all Catholics do not perform the hail Mary. Then again short of a character actually professing their belief on screen, there is almost no way to distinguish religious participation without these visual aids, so for the meantime as religious identity is needed on film and television, generic representations may have to suffice.