The globalisation of religion has resulted in religion being a present topic in all forms of media around the world (Ayatollahy, 2008). This presence is due to religion being intwined with all other aspects of human life (Ayatollahy, 2008).
The Gruen Transfer is known for undertaking controversial stunts and discussing controversial topics. The following video is from a show broadcast in 2011 where advertising agencies were challenged to sell the concept of Banning All Religion:
Both advertisements use very different styles of persuasion however both address the intertwined aspects of human life that influence how religion is seen by society and confront the fundamental concerns that face all religious institutions:
1. How do we know that what we believe in is true?
2. How is religion the answer when it has been the cause of so many wars and violent acts?
I thought both of the advertisements were clever concepts that cleverly incorporated the impact religion has upon everyday aspects of human life, as discussed by Ayatollahy (2008). The first advertisement, Let's make all religion history, appealed to me the most, perhaps because it connected to the inner realist. There are so many questions that are often brushed away and left unanswered when it comes to religion, as we have no way of finding an anwer, and this advertisement plays on these insecurities.
I included this video on the blog because I think it highlights how religion is such a popular topic in the media yet also how religion is still regarded as untouchable by some people. It is interesting to see the ways in which the two advertising agencies view religion and the impact of religion upon society and what perspective the companies chose to 'sell' in the advertisement. It would be interesting to see how would this advertisement would effect consumers if it was authentic, leave your opinion below.
If you too would like to share your opinion on these two advertisments
The representation of Indigenous people in the history of film making has been plagued by exploitation and inaccuracies all created to sell a movie and a novel idea of good vs evil (Davis, 2007). The emotions this treatment elicits from elders of Indigenous communities can best be described by the statement recorded by Davis (2007, p. 6): "They are using you!".
When practices are as entrenched as the treatment of Indigenous people in film it is often difficult to see how there could be any change. Indeed Davis (2007) recognises this, identifying that "questions of inequality, appropriation and ownership continue to recure even when protocols and guidelines are in place".
Indigenous elders do recognise the importance of film however to with another saying "the film will allow people from the community and around the world to know how our ancestors lived and to understand them" (Davis, 2007, p. 5). This raises questions of how to maintain authenticity and context in an artform that is often known for its biased perspectives and silenced views.
One suggested solution is that white film-makers must be prepared to engage in cultural exchange in order to make films about Aboriginal people (Davis, 2007). We can see this process play out in Ten Canoes which is an Australian film focusing on Indigenous individuals that was created in cross-cultural collaboration (Davis, 2007).
Videos are access by a broad range of individuals from around the world. Providing accurate and authentic representations of Indigenous cultures, using a method that does not disturb the everyday practices of the community being filmed, is important to ensure the Indigenous traditions are upheld and the rest society is not manipulated with inaccurate representations of Indigenous people.
References
Davis, T. (2007). Remembering our ancestors: cross-cultural collaboration and the mediation of Aboriginal culture and history in Ten Canoes. Studies in Australasian Cinema, 1(1). doi 10.1386/sac.1.1.5/1
Australians are fortunate enough to have, amongst many other wonderful priviledges, the freedom of speech. Australian's are able to voice their disagreement with the government, able to stand up and fight for the rights of women, children, babies, all human kind and able to follow and preach for whichever faith they choose.
Freedom of speech lets all Australian's have the opportunity to voice their beliefs about what is right and perhaps make a positive difference to the world. Yet, because Australian's have freedom of speech, people are also able to express their disgust at another person's life choices, express feeling of entitlement and hatred towards those who may be different from oneself.
I have quite often heard of 'villians' described solely by their religious affiliation, as if to say "keep away from THOSE people". An us and them approach that attempts to clearly seperate however in Australia, a multicultural country, Australians come in all shapes, sizes, colours and nationalities. This is the country that I live in and I feel priviledged to be a member of such a diverse society.
Stepping back and thinking about it, freedom of speech is a powerful right that many other nations across the world are not afforded. Australians are lucky enough to have this right, yet it is so often abused. I urge you to think more carefully about the stereotypes you have formed, the interactions you engage in as well as perceptions you express about those who are 'other' to you because if you take a stand, others will follow.
Image Source
Audio Female Girl [Image].2009. Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/audio-female-girl-karaoke-15936/
The state of nature
has proven to be a fiercely contested subject over recent years, in particular
the perceptions about how human kind has contributed to the current state of
nature.
Climate change. Global warming. The terms are tossed around daily but many people still are
unsure what this means for human kind and planet Earth. The debate is endless
however what I want to address in this post is the perception of nature
conveyed in two short videos…
BBC Planet Earth
Hoppipolla Song - Sigur Ros
The first, shown above, displays images of nature with lovely melodic music accompanying to make one feel at peace. The video commences with scenes of the landscape from above and shifts to show various perspectives of nature from around the world.The images are colourful and natural, highlighting the changing seasons and landscapes on Earth. The focus is on showcasing the tremendous capabilities and power of animals and nature itself. However, whilst the video uses authentic footage, there is a sense that only the best of the natural world is being displayed, a concern discussed by Klassen (2012).
Whilst the lyrics are in Icelandic the overall message conveyed is the wonder, awe and power of nature itself. An image of a lighthouse pounded by the roaring ocean really is
the pinnacle where nature is seen as a force of its own. Ever changing yet continuous.
Peace one day The Sea is Rising - Bliss n Esso feat. John Butler Trio
The second, above, starts staring into the face of a man. From the first moment there is a sense that the creator of the video has a purpose and wants to challenge the viewer’s
perception of the world. The focus is initially on the problems of the world: poverty, riot, homelessness, dictators, destroyed houses, traffic jams. The viewer is already positioned to be uptight, on edge and rather angry or depressed about the situation of the world.
The majority of the images are shown in dark sepia, black tones that accentuate the violence that is occurring however the shots of nature are a natural lighting which highlights the softness and beauty outside of the human race. The video makes comparisons between human actions and these natural events and landscapes with the lyrics explicitly outlining this relationship:
"Why are we polluting where we are living?" "All I know is the sun is shining and we are fighting through the night, the bergs are melting and the seas are rising."
This video really positions the viewer to feel at blame for the poor state of nature and also challenges the viewer to change their ways in hope of a better future for the next generation.
These videos both address the issue of caring for nature in very different ways. The first
inspires the viewer with the beauty and awe of nature hoping that seeing this will motivate them to protect and preserve the environment so they can continue to be amazed by the wonders of nature. The other highlights what human kind are doing wrong and the effect it is having on nature in the hope that seeing this will make the viewers realize they need to stop these behaviours.
For me the first video was the most effective and motivating as it shifted me into an inspired, at awe and motivated state of mind. I wanted to be one with the landscape, I
wanted to connect to the animals, I wanted to show the beauty to everyone.
The other video was
very emotive however it made me scared more so than invigorated to make a
change. Whilst the content was much more realistic in many ways I felt that the
challenge was quite simply too huge with the lyrics even saying "If you don't know, and I don't know, I guess all we can do is ask them why."
The fact that these
videos are widely known is an indication of the importance given to the matter of environmental protection. It is a cause that I feel we should be strongly passionate about. Nature provides many of us with an indescribable sense of awe and wonderment and is central to our survival. Through utilising artistic forms, such as music, individuals can provoke a greater emotional connection with many people around the world who may otherwise turn their backs on environmental issues.
Religion is constantly changing (Rindfleish, 2006, p. 344) and, with the internet gaining popularity, we have access to more! More spiritual knowledge, more educational sources, more modes of communication (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011). We not only have access to religious ideas and knowledge but the internet has brought with it the opportunity for new connections between otherwise unknown individuals to form (Cambell, 2010). How influential are these experiences in the digital cyberspace and what impact do they have upon our spiritual identities?
Cambell (2010) identifies that religious views have been present in the online world since it first began. The chance to communicate ideas and discuss topics of religious importance was greatly enhanced and people were able to 'experiment' with religions in a way that could never occur in real-life (Cambell, 2010). Whilst there are numerous blog discussions, websites and interactive software that allows you to play out religious rituals or explore an important pilgrimage site (Cambell, 2010) how do these compare to the actual real-life experience of being in that place surrounded by the unique people, smells, noises and atmosphere?
The online realm gives us access to so many networks that there are new communities appearing every minute (Wagner, 2011), but how important and substantial are these connections and experiences? It has been noted that religion provides social bonds, a way to find community, identity and security, in a rapidly changing world (Bossius, Kahn-Harris & Hager, 2011; Wiebe, 2010). However, can we find this connection and security in an environment where everything is in a state of constant flux (Wagner, 2011)?
The internet, cyberspace, the online realm - whatever you wish to call the place where communications through digital technology occur - is still a contested space. Many argue that the social landscape of the digital world is rich with opportunities to immerse oneself in the experience where religious connections, communications and identity formation occur in ways as powerful as if it occurred within a church congregation (Wagner, 2011). On the other hand though is the sense that we participate in this online world as individuals; we are sitting by ourselves, surrounded by our profane belongings, in a mundane space and we could easily lose power or simply hop up and our connection would be broken (Wagner, 2011).
Whilst I respect that the people behind both of these arguments are on their own religious journeys and that we all experience the sacred in different forms, for me the power of spiritual connections is in that embodiment, the living, breathing, exhilerating sense of being alive and being connected that I would never be able to achieve through staring at a glass screen.
References
Bossius, T., Kahn-Harris, K., & Hager, A. (2011). Introduction: Religion and popular music in Europe. In T. Bossius, A. Hager & K. Kahn-Harris (Eds.). Religion and Popular Music in Europe. New York: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd.
Cambell, H. (2010). Religious Communities and the Internet. London & New York: Routledge.
Cheong, P. H., Huang, S., & Poon, J. P. H. (2011). Cultivating online and offline pathways to enlightenment. Information, Communication & Society, 14(8). 1160 - 1180. doi: 10.1080/1369118X.2011.579139
Rindfleish, J. (2006). Consuming the self: New age spirituality as "social product" in consumer society. Consumption Markets & Culture, 8(4). 343 - 360. doi: 10.1080/10253860500241930
Wagner, R. (2011). Godwired: Religion, Ritual, and Virtual Reality. Abigndon, Oxon: Routledge.
Wiebe, M. (2010). Social work, social justice, and religion: A personal perspective. Canadian Social Work Review, 27(1). 139 - 142.
The commercialisation and increased access to content occurring in our community today leads to individuals being able to shop around for items that suit their needs (Einstein, 2011). This does not only occur with popular products such as shampoo, but is also occurring with religious institutions (Einstein, 2011). This is what is termed by Einstein (2011) as the spiritual marketplace where religious faith is no longer a family tradition but a case of finding what suits oneself the best.
Individuals can easily access information about religious groups, rituals and experiences of believers online (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011, p. 1163). This knowledge is no longer limited to the followers or even the religious leaders themselves but can be readily accessed by those with no prior experiences (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011, p. 1163) and thus congregations and religious institutions must ensure that the knowledge consumers find attracts them to the church.
Many religious institutions, identifying the necessity to 'sell' and 'brand' themselves in order to attract and indeed maintain new followers, create campaigns that attract popular audiences (Einstein, 2011). The following are some examples of recent religious advertising campaigns:
When I first viewed the The Church of Scientology's advertisement
I was not aware of who created the advertisement, what it was trying
to sell, or the message that it was trying to promote. Upon viewing the
commercial I felt inspired and empowered. No, I did not have to be
defined by my name, clothes, fears, past. Yes, I can make a difference
and get back up when something goes wrong.
Like myself, I am
sure many people could relate and identify with the statements shown at
the beginning of the video. The ideologies being portrayed are not
unique. These are aspects of life that most people, no matter what their
beliefs, experience and relate to. Perhaps that is what The Church of Scientology
is wanting to convey however - a commonality and accessiblity that
people can relate to. After all that is why religious institutions are
creating commercials, to appeal to the audience in order to attract
members (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011; Einstein, 2011).
Once again this advertisement is focussed mainly on the aspects of
everyday life until the end where it begins to discuss the role church
has played in the interviewees life. What is perhaps most interesting
about this interview however is that the subject is Brandon Flowers, a
well known musician. Selling the message through a celebrity blurs the
divide between popular culture and religion (Redmond & Holmes,
2007).
Whether this is a form of what Ward (2011) terms
Para-religion is debatable however as the advertisement is not
presenting Brandon to be an object of worship nor is he supporting the
ideas of popular culture - clearly explaining that he does not prescribe
to the popular connotations associated with the music business. Whilst
Brandon is not positioned as an idol within the religion, there
are many similar advertisements involving everyday people, The Church of Latter Day Saints has definitely utilised having a celebrity member who supports their ideologies as a way to allure people to the church.
In fact The Church of Latter Day Saints advertising campaign allows people to find the advertisement that is
the right fit for them. You are able to search for people from the same
ethnicity, age and gender as yourself (or that which you aspire to be).
This is a strategic move that allows people to find something that
ensures they
will relate to the organisation (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011).
Society today requires religious organisations to be more creative and relevant as choices and information become more accessible (Einstein, 2011). As has been discussed, religious organisations are able to market themselves in ways that combat the issues they have encountered and appeal to the audience or individual's needs and experiences (Einstein, 2011). Individual's now have a greater choice over how they engage in religious activities and the church's must adapt in order to maintain their followings (Cheong, Huang & Poon, 2011).
References
Cheong, P. H., Huang, S., & Poon, J. P. H. (2011).
Cultivating online and offline pathways to enlightenment. Information, Communication & Society, 14(8). 1160 – 1180. DOI:
10.1080/1369118X.2011.579139
Rojek, C. (2007). Chapter 14 - Celebrity and Religion. In S. Redmond, & S. Holmes (Eds.), Stardom and Celebrity (pp. 171 - 180). London: Sage Publications.
Ward, P. (2011). Gods behaving badly: Media religion and celebrity culture. London: SCM Press.
Till (2010) recognises the importance of music "as a ritual way of understanding and dealing with complex emotions" (p. 168). However, the term sacred music to me, and many others, still conjures up memories of church sessions when I was a child listening to the congregation chant indecipherable hymns. Hymns are entrenched in the notion of restricted power and access to the holy and sacred only allowing those who understand the language or who have studied them extensively to access the real message within (Till, 2010).
Increasingly individuals are searching for their own connection and turning to music to do so. People are rejecting the set ways of connecting to the sacred that attempt to control (Till, 2010) with music styles, such as Hip Hop, arising from the need to express what groups are experiencing (Sylvan, 2002). "They are living traditions that move and flow along with or reflecting culture and history" (Till, 2010, p. 173). As such it is the actual music that shares the message and has the potential to bring about change (Sylvan, 2002).
Consider artists such as Mackelmore with his recent music hit Same Love or Pink's profound message in Dear Mr President. Whilst their popular status has not been formed upon religious grounds, they challenge ideas of sacred and profane, of right and wrong, that are culturally relevant to the current social, political and religious scene. These musical artists are challenging the notion that sacred is restricted; sacred is now determined by the audience. What speaks to you, or me, or a group of people, that which conveys a powerful message we can connect to, becomes our sacred text.
Through popular culture, people are now able to explore topics related to religion in a way that connects to them and allows them to maintain control over how they view sacred (Till, 2010).
Till, R. 2010. Do you believe in rock and roll (Chapter 9). In Scrambling the Sacred and the Profane. 168 - 192. London & New York: Routledge. Image Source
Jesus in the media. We all have an image of Jesus in our
minds, whether we are religious or not. He is a rugged handsome character with
long, slightly curly locks and he is a typical white Anglo-Saxon . Where did
this representation come from? I was intrigued to read that the white representation of Jesus was initially constructed to convey his brightness and purity (Harvey, 2010). Due to the racial tension experienced all over the world however, this construct was of course considered to be "racially defined" (Harvey, 2010, p. 407). In Bruce Almighty we see an alternative way of conveying this 'purity and brightness' with Morgan Freeman, acting as God, dressed in a white suit surrounded by a totally white environment. Are either of these representations better than the other?
Whilst Harvey (2010) recognises that people construct Jesus in their own image (whatever race), a list of features has actually been created to examine whether a film character can be considered a “Christ-figure” (Deacy, 2006). One feature in particular highlighted by Deacy (2006) was that character must have blue eyes. For me, this provokes questions when considering films in which the Christ-figure in question is not human.
Matthew McEver argues that sacred
religious identities are now represented by the coaches, animals, teachers and a plethora
of other characters that we see on our screens (Deacy, 2006).Take for instance the Chronicles
of Narnia. Many of us, as children, simply fall in love with the story but parallels
have indeed been drawn between Aslan (the lion) and Jesus such as his selfless
sacrifice of his own life, his resurrection and many other aspects of the
character’s creation. Why is it important that this figure have blue eyes? More
importantly I raise the question: how does such a representation impact our
opinion or construction of Jesus, if at all?
Deacy (2006) questions what purpose making links between
religion and film even serves. In answering this question I feel we must return
to the idea I have mentioned previously of personal meaning. In doing so I
concur with Deacy (2006) that simply finding a Christ-figure in a movie is of
no purpose unless it prompts discussion and challenges viewers to develop a
more in-depth understanding of religion and values. If I have no interest
whatsoever in Christian beliefs I should still be able to enjoy the Chronicles
of Narnia simply as a story. In turn I could also watch the same movie and take
some life values (not necessarily religious) away from it. However if it does
build on my connection and understanding of religion then why shouldn’t it?
Harvey (2010) argues that in allowing Jesus to be constructed in whatever way one wishes to diminishes Jesus to the equivalent of a personal friend. In modern times Jesus is not only "a Saviour" but "is all things to all people, who is infinitely adaptable, pliable, and merchandisable" (Harvey, 2010, p. 394). In Harvey's view Jesus, the Saviour, is no longer sacred but manipulable into someone likable and just like us. Whatever your view on Jesus being represented through film and TV it cannot be denied that such representations continuously influence the way we see and think about Jesus, God and religion.
According to Morgan (2007) popular
culture has developed a kind of “common language of leisure” which overrides
the idea of artistic forms being “true culture” or “profane”. The idea that
is referred to by Morgan (2007) of Kandinsky elevating the art of children
(considered as marginalised) to an “avant garde” status speaks to me when I
consider the art work in Linde Ivimey's If pain persists exhibition. Far from the concept of art moving beyond the
human condition and “elevating national taste”, I felt connected to Linde’s art
work precisely because it examined the human condition – deceit, despair, love
and longing (the list really does go on).
If I had the experience of visiting
the art gallery by myself, and simply observing the artworks, the meaning,
depth and significance of each display would have escaped me. I required some
knowledge of Linde’s life – an understanding that her marriage broke down, that
she struggled with the fact she could not have children, that her nickname as a
child was bunny. These insights into the artist’s life allowed me to build much
deeper, richer and rounded meaning of each of the pieces.
Despite this prior knowledge being
almost a necessity for me to be able to interpret the art work I am positive
that I took a completely different message away from each piece then the person
who looked at it before me did. As Morgan (2007) identifies “meaning is a
restless, forever unfinished thing” and as such the meaning and creativity that
went into making each work and organising the pieces differed greatly to the
response that I had, my peers had and indeed what we would take away from the
artwork at a different point in time.
The representation of religion within
Linde’s artworks was very different to anything I have come into contact with. These symbols may well be what Elizondo (2005) refers to as the religion of the people. It is not occuring within a church or a structured religious ceremony however the connections and feelings that I developed with the pieces of artwork went far beyond simply admiring the creativity of Linde Ivimey to a much deeper connection with what it means to be alive in today's world. Morgan
(2007) argues that religion is not a "fixed essence" within cultural objects and I agree with this view that issues of
religion are only intertwined with art when deeper knowledge is held however can occur in any time and any place.
Morgan, D. 2007. Studying religion and pop culture. In G. Lynch, Ed., Between Sacred and Profane: Researching Religion and Popular Culture. London & New York: I.B. Taurus & Co.
