Wat Muang, Ang Thong Province, Thailand
Since modernity and the growth of capitalism spirituality has been practiced, lived and believed in more ambiguity than established religious traditions. Spiritualism is 'celebrated by those who are disillusioned by traditional institutional religions and seen as a force for wholeness, healing and inner transformation' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 59). We can see this in our society by the popular crystal healing and New Age type stores and with internet psychics and mediums selling their wares.
In this weeks article Carrette and King discuss the historical top-down change of capitalism on religion. How capitalism has entered into the religious or spiritual sphere with a 'specific economic agenda' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 63). One only has to go to a shopping centre and see books like You Can Heal Your Life, or spiritual iconography in fashion, cosmetics, books and movies. Capitalism has discovered a renewed economic source within spirituality and has moulded it for re-production and economical expansion in the age of technology and industrialization.
With many shows like Crossing Over and Lisa Williams Live, and also spirituality laced self-help books, what needs to be examined is if these media actually help, hinder or even make a 'change in one's lifestyle or fundamental behaviour patterns' (Carrette and King 2012, p. 62). What now arises, is questions of authenticity. If you examine advertisements for such spiritual healing shows or books, one key loci of the ad is to promote the reality or authenticity of the experience and how that is attainable for the listener or watcher. This modern day mass mediated spirituality 'exploits the historical respect and aura of authenticity of the religious traditions' and it turn the authenticity is always firstly promoted and questioned by promoter and questioner alike (Carrette and King 2012, p. 64).
A few key questions we may need to ask is; Does the economic agenda subtract from the pureness or authenticity of religious experience? Does the media produce and re package spirituality just for profitable gain or is it meeting the media demands for the technological age? For instance, is media re packaged as blockbuster movies and psychic television shows because now in our age, that is the preferred mode of engagement?
Here is a video for the aforementioned Lisa Williams psychic, just for interests sake.
Reference
Carrette J and R King 2012, 'Spirituality and the Re-branding of Religion', in Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader, pp. 59-70, London and New York, Routledge.
Photos
The photo is from my own personal collection of photos I have shot myself
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtDnsjHsu-A
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