A response to Sylvie

Do you imagine that mainline religions will lose adherents unless they become socially relevant?

I think there is a marked difference between: reaching people to inflorm them about ones beliefs and; losing your beliefs in becoming socially relevant. There is a dichotomy here. The reason I suggest this is because sometimes beliefs are modified to reach people to discribe their beliefs. An fictional example: if the Armish bogged about their beliefs it would be self-distructive as they would be refutting their own beliefs in order to inform others about them. This would surely lead to social irrelevance.

Simply put, if attempts to become socially relevant undermine beliefs, it will not increase adherents.

Just my own thoughts. I most certainly wouldn't respond to a religion if it, in it's promotion, undermines itself

The Avengers. The portrayal of Religious Views?

..I couldn't watch the Avengers without thinking about this course. I spent the whole time thinking about what this portrayal means, what it tells us about society. Really, i just wanted to watch a blockbuster, but i couldn't stop analysing it. If you do not wish to have the same experience please stop reading now.

It was Thor, a demi-god, who origninally caused me to begin to think about the portrayal of religion in this film. I'm still skeptical about whether we can 'pull' religious ideas out of fiction. But stay with me and please respond. I want to know how you feel about this concept.

*caution; events of events of the film are explained below*
..There is one scene in which Thor and Iron man are fighting. Trees split, greenfolage is brutally flung as the argoant, self-heroized Iron man clashes with Thor. It says something about where we place technology. Not only does it save iron-mans life. It also enables him to become a hero who brings about peace and enables him to substancially challenge a demi-god.

Is this true about how we feel about technology? Is this how we feel about demi-gods and God or gods themselves? Can we really become strong enough, through our own inventions, to proport a sufficent challenge to these powers? Are there any other films that depict this? And do you agree that this representation reveals something about how society feels about the gods or god?

Whedon, J. (Director). 'The Avengers' (2012). Marvel

MIRACLE

...Did any of you read the courier mail on Sunday April the 15th? I was so utterly shocked to see an article about the miraculous on the front page of a newspaper! In all honesty I haven't seen a great deal of publicity about the religious, especially when it covers belief in an interactive and caring God. It was refreshing to read this article, to see something so different, yet incredibly local, covered in the paper.

I've seen documentaries before about the healing power of God (1), but never come across it in the secular media before. I thought this was so fascinating, especially as religious phenomena is often kept out of the spot-light. The dynamics of reporting are perhaps more open I previously conceived.

(1) films such as Wilson, D. 'Furious Love' (2010). Wonderlust Productions


CourierMail

A response and reflection on Bowman

Bowman's article does not incite me to rage or shock me. It simply provides an understanding of how the economy and consumption work in regards to religion. She suggests that this is a process that has the potential to challenge "existing organizational and commercial theories and practices" (Bowman, 2012, p21). This assertion is preempted by and linked to a quote by Redden that "much New Age commerce is value-driven" (Bowman, 2012, p20), purposeful and marketed to varying degrees (Bowman, 2012, p19).

The differing degree to which marketing is a force and marker of religious activity is noted by Bowman (2012, p13-19). This dynamic between religion and consumption is marked by:
-specialist services, that are often clustered around a religious or spiritual site
-functional services, such as food and beverage
-the sacralization of commercial transactions
-purchases becoming channels of experience when taken home

These religious, yet commercial, activities are cyclic, and culture influencing (Bowman, 2012, p13). It is clear that Bowman is attempting to link commercial and religious activities. She notes the effect, outcomes and dynamics of these two areas in a succinct and clear manner that does not undermine or diminish the power of the commercial or the power and influence of the religious and spiritual.

In reflection these commercial and religio-spiritual dynamics appear to be a positive and productive phenomena. However, like any dynamic, these two arenas can sometimes be interwoven to such a degree that the issuing reason for this dynamic is lost. The outcomes clearly are negative. I suggest this because the corruption of business and motivation clearly have a negative impact on belief and practice. How does business and belief make sure they continue to work in harmony? How does a religious business person make sure they do not loose belief in attempts to gain financially? And are the corruption of these two dynamics noticeable to the buyer and to provider?

There really is a vast array of issues that would surround the religious and business person.. but perhaps these dynamics would be of great benefit to their business.


Bowman, M. (2012) 'Understanding Glastonbury as a site of consumption' in Religion Media and Culture: a reader. Lynch, G. and Mitchell, J. (eds). Routledge. Oxon

The hour of the religious

I know this may be a bizarre idea, but I want to know if the early morning is spiritual for you?

I've been unable to sleep and I feel as if God has been pulling on my heart, removing some insecurities and speaking fresh truth into me. I'm still thinking about Easter and what it means to me. Christ's sacrifice really did change the tables. Deserve and earn have new meanings now. Which is strange as we tend to spend our uni degrees, careers and lives seeking to obtain them as that is how we can be graded and/or promoted. They are societal markers of worth.

The application of this in an extendable example:

I don't want to walk down the aisle feeling I deserve him. I want to walk down the aisle knowing he is a gift.

What I turned my computer on for is this: I want to know if there are certain hours which are more spiritual for you or when you feel more prompted, can hear better or simply 'think-deeper'? 

Reading this, you could assume that the wee hours of the morning are this for me... Really I think the power of God just hits me in times of significance, as that is when he needs to speak a huge degree of truth into me. The 'dead hours of the evening or early hours of the morning' often provide this time for me, a time to process, reflect and think. A time of connection with God.

Slow Fast lets take it apart

In our discussion of slow (traditional) and fast (new) religions several issues became clear. Are they incompatible, divided? Do they have different dynamics to seeking? When does a new religion become an old or traditional religion?

Emily's reflection was stimulating. Indeed, fast and slow religions are not necessarily divided or incompatible. Indeed, there appears to be dynamics of fast religion in the slow and vice versa. The at-your-home accessibility of the fast religion does not negate the necessity of teaching, tradition and time of the old. Watching a youtube clip of a yoga teaching online can and often does retain the symbols and methodologies of the slow even though it is able to be consumed quickly..

There  may be an overlap between the fast and slow but there is also stark difference. Take for example the notion of seeking. Is it different depending on the type of religion? Our debate alluded to there being a divide here. Conversion to slow religions takes time, there are often processes that are marked by ceremonies that make the seeking process considered. This notion when paralleled with fast religion, displays fast religion as able to be sought across rather than into. Seeking for fast religions may not be as considered as the slow. Perhaps seeking within a religion should  be spoken about as deepening understanding where, seeking for inter and intra-religious seeking.

Religion is simply not that easily divided. As Billy noted, even the slow religions of today were once fast, new and challenging. These categories perhaps do not do justice to the diversity within religion.

Reflection: The media, how I relax

..I'm watching TV. I'm trying to relax but the pressure of uni has meant I'm trying to do some uni work too. What it really means is i'm not doing neither efficiently. Luckily, it has stimulated my thoughts. I've been thinking about how this relaxing dynamic effects religious experience.

Would access to religious services via the television encourage passivity? And possibly inhibit learning? I know that, in general, my television watching is usually passive and I generally not memorable.

I really do wonder how it effects experience and learning.