Week 13 theoretical- Asylum seekers and the increase of religious discussion

This week's article discussed in part, the increased public discussion of religion due to immigration (Herbert 2012). I will apply this discussion to Australian asylum seeker discourse.

An example of the increased reporting on religion due to Muslim asylum seekers is the discussion about Islam, or rather the fear of Islam in Australian mainstream civic milieu. Muslim refugees who seek asylum in Australia are greeted with fear from Australians, as their ethnic minority group features religion 'playing a more prominent role' then in our 'secularized majority population' (Herbert 2012, p. 96).

This rhetoric in not only refugee but immigration milieus has caused a 'sense of being part of suffering' within Muslim communities (Herbert 2012, p. 95). Whatever the causation and responses of the increase scope of religious coverage in media, the causation can be inextricably linked to globalization and the modern phenomena of predominantly intra-state conflicts. These types of conflicts have resulted in an increase in forced relocation and refugees.

This increase of displaced persons whom are forced to relocate results in the blending, combining or clashing of distinctly differing cultures, some secular some state-religious. All of these factors contribute to the increased visibility of polemic religious discussion via media platforms.

Reference
Herbert D. 2012. Why has Religion Gone Public Again? Towards a Theory of Media and Religious Re-Publicization. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader. pp. 88-97. London and New York: Routledge.

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=581056

Week 11 theoretical- Indigenous Australian Spirituality

Indigenous Australians suffered a lot socially, environmentally but also spiritually, however nothing was 'more devastating than the pervasive doctrine of Aboriginal worthlessness' (Stanner 2009, p. 84). Although Indigenous Australians were regarded as sub-human and heathens, upon study of their spirituality it was found that their faith was something 'inseparable from the pattern of everyday life and thought. The connection was so intimate that there is no sharp demarcation between secular and sacred life' (Stanner 2009, p. 84).

For instance, it is common in Indigenous Australian milieus to discover that great guardian spirits exist to look after the living peoples (Stanner 2009). However not all spirits were thought of as ancestors or as human-like, some where thought to be quasi-animalistic, ethereal, formless or indescribable in form.

Even though Indigenous Australian spirituality is often referred to as one of the least materially minded faiths, the ordering of the cosmos through nature and spirituality helped construct the socialization of the 'body, mentality and social personality' though stages of life (Stanner 2009, p. 88).


Reference
Stanner, W. E. H. 2009. 'Religion, Totenism and Symbolism'. In A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion. Ed., Michael Lambeck. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford and Victoria.

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1155413

Week 10 theoretical- Sport as a Religion and Cultural System

Sport can be examined as a cultural system, that is religious or spiritual. Geertz argues that sacred symbols 'function to synthesize a people's ethos - the tone, character, and quality of their life, it's moral and aesthetic style and mood' (Geertz 2008, p. 58). Sport does fit this theoretical model as a competitive, engaged and athletic religious mood. In addition, the character and aesthetic style of sport is continuously reinvented through advertising on television and in newspapers.

Geertz continues to describe religion as:

'(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic' (Geertz 2008, p.59).

To analyze sport as a religion by Geertz's first point, is simple. Sport has the symbols of team jerseys, logos and the sporting equipment itself. These symbols are tools for engaging in the religion, but when portrayed in still form, also evoke an emotional response in the sports fan, as he or she might reminisce or be eagerly reminded of a match.

Secondly, the symbols do 'establish powerful and long-lasting moods' in the fan (Geertz 2008, p. 59). For instance the sports fan will feel a rush of ecstasy when his/her team wins or loses a match and will often create discussion for weeks to come, if not longer.

Thirdly, sport does formulate concept for existence in our society. A widely accepted 'mens' or 'boys' past time is sport, generally speaking, it is right and perhaps necessary for a male to be interested in sport. The fourth point continues on to say that this assumption should be clothed in actuality. In our society it is accepted that men, but mainly men are the fervent sports fans. However, this assumption leaves out the plethora of avid female fan, even though the assumption is widely referred to through male and female vernacular.

Fifthly, Geertz discussed that the motivations and aura seem realistic about the spiritual experience. Sport conforms to this theory once again as the moods and motivations are for the favourite team to win, which seems a realistic goal. On a deeper analysis though, the moods and motivation seem quite unrealistic: for men to separate themselves from each other, don different coloured clothes and engage in athletic games to see who wins, only to try to prove their athletic superiority over and over again. Sport relies heavily on a constant state of transformation, path to success. It needs the constant striving to survive, like other religions who market a better version of self

Reference
Geertz C, 2008 Religion as a Cultural System In. A Reader in the ANthropology of Religion Ed., Lambeck M., pp. 57-75. Blackwell Publishing: Malden, Oxford and Victoria

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1295183

Week 10 reflective- A Competitive Ritual

Sunday ante meridiem is reached and recurrently I arrange myself

For aesthetic respect and sincere disposition, I don my neatest attire

The loose red garb swaddles my frame, advertising my faith

I walk into the church, already crowded with fellow believers

The church echoes with the history of thousands of ecstatic cries

A thousand more will be made this day

In the heart of the church, in the altar, our faith symbol hangs in majesty

As the atmosphere reaches a rising crescendo amidst the growing crowd

My fellow clergymen and I prepare to take to the altar

We enter the holy altar, separated from the mundanity of the onlooking laymen

Cries and shouts of ecstasy ensue

The small winged beings in my tum flit about on my favourite day

This holy day

The day of my faith, of my religion

Arsenal! Football!

Accompanied with winged beings in my tum I run through our symbol, our red Arsenal flag

Football! Arsenal!

Singing loudly towards the altar, the believers raised their hands in ecstasy!


Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1233593

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3On_ZeN4gPw&feature=related

Week 8 reflective- Pop cultural philosophies

This week's lecture on representation made me think of the cult medias I collect and how they represent G-d, philosophy and spirituality.

There are two stand out cult media items that I think present a quite interesting view of the cosmos. The first is the animated movie Waking Life. The film follows the main character who keeps dreaming and wakes up to find he is in another dream and the perpetual state continues. The film shows the main character going through this cyclic lucid dreaming state and having conversations with some characters in his dreams about free will, dreams, consciousness, politics and existentialism. One scene depicts a man and woman in bed engaging in pillow talk. The man ponders the thought of dreams and describes how when someone falls asleep and wakes up, thinking they have slept for a long time only to find they have been asleep for ten minutes or so. This highlights how distorted and how much longer time is in our subconscious state. What if life was just a dream? Dream time is so much longer and fuller, we could just be in a long dream. I thought this point was interesting, as the current era is touted to be an era of rational thought, science and despite this, there is so much popularity with existentialism, dreams and the subconscious and spiritual states. As spoken by one of the characters in the film, 'the worst mistake you can make is to think you're alive, when you're really asleep in life's waiting room'.

The second cult media is a graphic novella called The Universe is a Dream by Alexander Marchand. The book also discusses the idea (in visual comic style) that the universe is a dream through the idea that our current lives are in duality (Marchand 2010). Duality between sacred and profane, conscious and unconscious, spiritual and rational. Therefore (the book posits) the universe is a dream, as reality is purely non-dualistic; it is pure oneness with no differences or binaries. The book further argues that G-d is a dualistic, he creates imperfect things, punishes, recognizes separation and so G-d must be a dream as well, that we project (Marchand 2010).

How does this tie into representation you say? Both these types of graphic novellas and cult films are exceedingly popular with the youth of today, so even though we talk about this era as an age of information, of empiricism, of rationale and science, the numinous and the intangible have proven (again) to be ever present, appealing and popular. However, for there to be a rise in popularity of philosophies (however mirthfully presented) that represent life as a dream, indicates to me, the ever present whimsical, spiritual or philosophical state of humankind. Inextricably and inescapably embedded in our mental process' is the yearning for transcendence, or to understand the spiritual or the intangible. The universe as a dream also indicates to me a quiet yet self-conscious apathy, an almost passive fear-ridden philosophy. 'Oh don't let's worry about G-d, the universe, our dreams and life after death, it's all a dream, it's all a dream'. Is this self-soothing for the new era?

Reference
Marchand, A 2010. The Universe is a Dream. Inspired Arts Press: Worldwide in Cyberspace.

Video
Waking Life- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2DeTet98o

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/921939

Week 7 theoretical- Microblog on microblogging rituals

As discussed by Cheong in his article, faith tweets and online rituals are changing the way religion functions and forms connections. The internet has provided more ways to shape the blogosphere, and create new faith connections (Cheong 2010).


These online rituals and forms of sacred communication do not merely serve as an 'easy out', but provide congregation members ways to still connect in prayer or discussion during a physical absence from the church. This enables the believer to 'construct a connected presence and affirm their religious identities within an environment where wired communication is a significant part of everyday life' (Cheong 2010).

This new avenue of religiosity has created some friction also, as some church members may not approve of the tweeting during the sermon, or further see the social media platforms as devoutly secular and at odds with religiosity. However since the waning authority of the church, new modes and avenues to the transcendent will be deemed necessary.


Reference
Cheong PH, 2010. Faith tweets: Ambient Religious Communication and Microblogging Rituals. M/C Journal: A Journal of Media and Culture.


Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1383208

Week six reflection- Religion fast vs slow

Today's lecture on fast and slow religion was most poignant. Slow religion being usurped by New Age spirtiualities and fast religion does hit a wistful nerve in me. I think the old religious 'marketplaces', rituals and orthopraxy are so beautiful and wonderfully collective. However as Australian society has become more fast paced with work, studying and generally a 'busy' connotation, fast religion is becoming more necessary. A believer can now use their iPhone or foxtel to catch the weeks sermon while on the bus, or walking to work. This individual experience meshes with the privatization of self that we see people exhibited in these age. When you catch a train or bus most people have their ear phones in, locked in their private world. It is a good thing that religion can adapt and change to meet societal needs.

In saying that, the religions that are categorized as 'slow' religions, may be incorrectly viewed as authocthontic, however they were once 'fast' religions. For example the rise of Christianity in the Hellenistic world. In that era Christianity was branching out, using different modes and methods of experiencing the (transcendent) and to gain followers. I think this shows us that in order to survive, history has already shown us that religion and spirituality needs to be adaptive and reflexive of the society.

Photo
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=979763

Week 4 Theoretical- Consumerist Spirituality

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

Week 3- Reflection on Nature and Spirituality

The sun rising over Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sitting on the buffalo grass overlooking this slice of nature, amidst the asphalt and concrete jungle, a feeling of insignificance always emerges. This feeling is carved from the gargantuan spiritual and natural cosmos which has sustained human life and disposition. When you grasp those few moments of stillness amidst nature, one can't help but feel spiritual or whimsical as the beauty transcends our industrialized, mundane life, even if only for a moment. As the Sustainable Soul blog pronounces so poignantly:

'The Earth is Sacred. Beyond our differences; beyond religion, politics and culture, Earth remains, the (literal) ground of our being. Disconnected and distracted, we search for meaning. Overworked and overwhelmed, we struggle. Leave the struggle and the search behind. Whether or not you practice an established faith tradition, you are welcome here. By virtue of being a human being, you are connected to this Holy Ground. It is your birthright. Welcome' (Hecking 2010, p.1).

                 

A date with an elephant in Ayuttaya, Thailand

Perhaps as our modern lives have become so preoccupied with careers, goals, families and our metropolitan worlds that nature has evoked spiritual wonderment exponentially. Do not most of us prefer to go on holiday away from our cities? Do we not escape from the hustle and bustle of our lives to just exist, somewhere else even if only for awhile?

References

Hecking, R, 2010. The Sustainable Soul: Nature Spirituality, http://www.thesustainablesoul.blogspot.com.au, 14/03/2012.

Photos

All photos were from taken by myself and from my own international travels.

Week 2 theoretical- Religious Sensations in Mainstream Media, Theoretical-Week 2

Religious Sensations in Mainstream Media, Theoretical-Week 2

After reading this weeks theoretical article, a few things resonated with me. Meyer talks about sacred images or representations such as the Christian cross, Hindu deities or sacred drums. Although these images may at first seem a mere tool in the larger scheme of the religious show that is put on, they are sensational forms (Meyer 2012). These aesthetic sensational forms not only exemplify the large void between humans and the Divine, but 'bridge that distance and make it possible to experience...the transcendental' (Meyer 2012, p.162). The deity, sacred drum or cross is no longer profane but sacralised by the ritual or context in which it appears. Eliade posit this beautifully when he said, 'The sacred tree, the sacred stone are not adorned as stone or tree; they are worshipped precisely because they are hierophanies, because they show something that is no longer stone or tree but the sacred, the ganz andere' (Eliade 1957, p.12).

Whether it be a beautifully ornate statue, a televised sermon or singing bowl chanting, 'the phenomenological reality of religious experience...[is]... grounded in bodily sensations' (Meyer 2012, p.164). What Meyer is trying to emphasize here is that the ecstatic experience is not attributed to one single factor, it is the sum of all sensations, the beautiful music playing as one enters the holy place, the holy imagery that its decorated with and also the participation in song or chanting that grabs the spectator and turns him or her into a participator. Meyer discusses how media in the current age now plays a role in inducing sensational transcendence (Meyer, 2012).

Today's media has shaken hands in renewed friendship with religion. With new technologies, has come new ways of promoting and reaching out through religion. Meyer claims that with these new technologies the relationship between media and religion has opened up in new ways, such as audiovisual religiosity used as empirical evidence for faith based truths (Meyer 2012).  As humans rely on what is visible to prove authenticity, some people's 'belief becomes thus vested in the image, it becomes hard to distinguish between belief and make-believe, miracles and special effects, or truth and illusion' (Meyer 2012, p.164). In addition paradoxes arrive with religion and modern media's new friendship, paradoxes of ethics. Partridge discussed the release of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and how although there was extreme violence in the film, there were Christian letters written to the board of movie rating classification arguing the age should be lowered from 18 to 15 because of the 'importance of the film's religious content' (Partridge 2001, p.496). For a faith that renounces violence, the paradox of enforcing a religious yet violent film is evident.


Multimedia
http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1359386

References
Eliade, M 1957, The Sacred and the Profane: The nature of Religion, Harcourt Inc, Orlando.

Meyer, B 2012, 'Religious Sensations: Media, aesthetics, and the study of contemporary religion', in Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader, Routledge, London and New York, pp.159-169.

Partridge, C 2001, 'Religion and Popular Culture', in Religions in the Modern World; Traditions and Transformations, Routledge, London and New York, pp.489-521.