Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Religious Television And Its Questionable Intentions
Does religion have the intentions of using the assurance of salvation to get to a viewer's pocket through television? Religious television programs have a great deal of influence over their community of viewers that entrust their time and money into being comforted by a preacher that assures them of a content afterlife. As Postman stated in Amusing Ourselves To Death, "[t]hough [God's name] is invoked repeatedly, the concreteness and persistence of the image of the preacher carries the clear message that it is he, not [God], who must be worshipped"(122). Using this and the television to milk the audience of ratings and money that either go to a funding program, a subscription to the organization's magazine, or other commercial based items that advertise religion as being fun and exciting, which is believed by some to be degrading religion altogether. Televised preachers are also portrayed by this community of viewers as celebrity like and usually consists of, as Neil Postman declared, "exceedingly handsome people" not only on the stage but in the audience as well. I strongly believe that religious television has gone beyond the necessary measures to keep up with modern times, such as using famous people as guests and giving free gifts to their audiences to attract not only viewers, but to convert as well. Due to this, television has now made it a competition between religions and religious organizations to see who can win over the most followers. Please consider my opinion and comment on what you make of this argument of whether television is aiding beliefs or abusing them.
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Justin J.,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an alluring topic. Religious T.V., I suppose, has good intentions but ends up being spoiled. Personally, I don't need to watch those shows, If you know your religion and are educated of it, why watch it?
Television only has one purpose and one purpose only and it is far from education. T.V. is pure sexed up, glamorous, advertising, brain stimulating entertainment. I do watch the Brigham Young channel and the Jewish Federation channel by involuntarily force and I have to admit, I learn nothing from them. I don't even remember half the things they say on those programs, I also must say I didn't hear the word "God" more than once on these shows, HECK, I don't even know why someone would create such a T.V. network because, as Postman says in the chapter you are citing, the "worshiping experience" is not the same. If you are being told to praise the Lord through television it is just too easy to turn the channel. But let's face it. Religious shows are boring and are getting so nontraditional and too fancy and is getting blind sighted and missing the real point; God.
So to consider your thought-provoking opinion, I imagine T.V. is abusing religious beliefs for financial benefit, but I just don't want to believe it.
I believe that television is abusing religious beliefs. People start to watch these programs because they think that it will help make their faith stronger, but they become swayed by the glamour that the show is bringing up. They become addicted to this, and they can't wait to see what celebrity will show up next or what they will pass out next... making them either want to keep watching or actually go and visit the show.
ReplyDeleteThe world is just making things more complicated by making money and good reviews more important (instead of making the main reason of the show God.) People send money because they think that it will make their faith stronger or help the show to make their faith stronger, but really? You don't need money to make your faith stronger; you need God! Church is less glam than T.V., but I'm pretty sure that people learn more there. People can make themselves stronger by actually being at church talking to people about their experiences with God or actually getting closer to people that believe in Him; not by sitting at home listening and watching a screen full of pretty people talk about their problems and things not God (like Breahna said "I also must say I didn't hear the word "God" more than once on these shows") T.V. has taken religion out of hand and made it into this non-important thing, but to many people... God is very much important. You have made a good point, Justin.
I find that this is a pretty hard topic. I have to agree with both sides. It all depends on what is being shown on the religious channels. Some shows are just a recording of a church service. These types of shows aid the religions because they gain converts and they get to praise God at the same time. Then there are the shows that abuse the true meaning of the religions. There are certain shows that consist of 30 minutes of some man in a suit trying to sell a golden cross. WHAT? I understand that you're trying to make a profit but why are you using glorified religious channels to sell a product when you should be on one of those random infomercial channels. I believe that those shows are abusive because in what way are they giving praise to God? I just don't see what makes this "religious program" any different from a commercial trying to sell a snuggie. I could understand if these funds were going towards a charity or church. It's when these religious figures get too involved with money that it becomes abusive to the religion.
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