Response: Role of Religion in Politics

Original post:http://textsofchristandpc.blogspot.ca/2012/04/role-religion-plays-in-politics.html

I agree with Sanaz’s view on politics, religion, and mass media. In most of today’s western societies, the ultra conservative view of religion is not projected. Most people are just not that conservative anymore, as we as a culture have become more accepting of others. This is obviously why Rick Santorum’s popularity is not the same as Obama’s. As well why many believe that Santorum’s views are absurd.

            Although these points are obvious, one that concerns me more is the association that because someone is Christian, they are a good person. American politics have a tendency of letting religion define a candidate. This was shown when Obama was being elected, conservative feared him because of the church he attended. They used his religion as a means against him, and to claim that he was un American. When in reality many conservative view, which they claim are due to religion, like abortion are sometimes seen as promoting inequality between women and men.

What is interesting is that those who often claim to have a strong christen faith, often disregard what this faith preaches, in order to follow what they feel are Christian and conservative beliefs. An example of this can once again be seen with Rick Santorum, who strongly opposes gay marriage. Santorum believes that God would be against this, so he is too. This is a very one-sided view, as God is probably more likely to accept everyone who accepts him. What is truly frightening about supposed strong Christian beliefs like this one, is that they are create major problems within societies, that could be avoided, if Christianity were not the fore front in American politics. 

Response: Living with the Fear of the End

original post :http://themodernchrist.blogspot.ca/2012/04/living-with-fear-of-end.html

After reading Rachel’s post on the fear of the end, I would have to say that I agree with her views. I especially agree with the idea that the unknown is much scarier then the known. This idea can be illustrated with the example of the ‘bogie man’. This is a made up monster that children fear. No one has a description of the bogie man, and no one knows any of the evil things that he can actually do. For example, we know that zombies will eat away at human flesh; none of these details are known about the bogie man. Yet children everywhere are afraid that the bogie man will come one night and frighten them. This image of the bogie man also follows many people their entire lives, as one will always associate the bogie man with being frightened.          

            This fear of the unknown is mirrored in the Christian faith, as there is so much emphasis on the afterlife. Christians must have faith that they will either go to heave or hell. But if they don’t have faith that there is an afterlife, then most would say they do not truly believe in the Christian faith. However, what truly happens in haven and hell truly are unknown.

            These aspects of monster and the fear of the end are both used by the media, as Rachel illustrated, because they both convey strong messages of fear. By depicting situations like these, people are forced to face their fears. 

A Response: TV and Church

The original post can be found here http://textsofchristandpc.blogspot.ca/2012/04/can-television-play-same-role-as-church.html

 The post Can Television Play the Same Role as Church focused on how TV and church can function in the same way, as well as how many people gain religious influence from TV shows like 7the Haven. Although I do agree that in some ways TV and Church do function in the say way, because for example, both are watched on a specific time and date. There are some points that I view differently, such as the focus on religious TV shows. Out of the around 7 shows that I watch ‘religiously’, none of them have Christian themes, therefore they do not offer any theological backing to my life. Also shows like 7^th Haven and Touched by an Angel are extremely dated, and even when they were running they were hardly realistic or mirrors of our society. These examples make me question the idea that people are getting the same theological benefit from TV that they are form church. The comparison between TV and church and sports and religion differ, because the sports and religion have the same benefits like motivation and teaching morals like working together to achieve a common goal, all of which have the possibility of being transferred to daily lives. While TV does not do this, instead it offers an escape from reality and no possibility of bettering oneself. Although I see that this was no the same connection that Sanaz specifically outlined, the same argument for function was trying to be made, one, which I think, has flaws. 

A Response: Sex Ed

original post: http://jc-and-pc.blogspot.ca/2012/03/sex-education.html

After reading Jessica’s post on sex education, I completely agree with her view on sexuality and the media. Our culture is one that has no problem using sex as a tool to make money from young people, but seems to have a problem educating them sex. In order to fully comment on this blog, I had to go back to my own sex ed classes in school. This alone was an issue, as I remember there being one brief class in grade 9, none of the information that I got in the brief period is still with me today. This seems crazy, as this is an issue that affects everyone for a majority of his or her lives, yet there is so little focus on it.

Three different cover of Cosmo, all focusing on the same view of sexuality

 When I think about where most of my friends and I get their sexual education from, it is either magazines, the Internet, or each other, none of which are fully reliable or helpful. Using the example of magazines, like Cosmopolitan, most of their covers feature stories like “78 ways to please a man” or “ways to have bad girl sex” or “10 shocking truths about guys and sex” out of 3 of these cover headlines one cover featured the story “5 things to tell your gyno”. The fact that only one measly cover seemed to focus on the health side of sex seemed absurd, as there is no problem listing 78 ways to have sex. I know that it is not the responsibility of magazines like Cosmopolitan to give young people their very own sex ed class, but, then their focus should not only be to use sex as a purpose to sell magazines and make a profit. Furthermore, because we know that young people are exposed to media like this all the time, school boards should feel even more pressure to create effective sex ed for students. 

Judgment Day

From the documentary Religulous, shows where many feel the rapture will being. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0W-QCbm9aQ

After doing some research on judgment day I cam across a clip from Bill Maher’s Religulous. This documentary focused on the view that all religions were crazy, and that those who believed in them were irrational people. While this view may seem extreme, Bill Maher does his best to prove it through the example of ‘judgment day’. This is the idea where all those who have followed God, will ultimately be saved by him when the world comes to an end. This is why it is so important for Christians to follow the word of God. The idea that the world will end of course seems rather extreme; this extremity of this idea though, is not the problem. People are allowed to believe whatever comforts them, however Maher talks about how many of the people who have control over this world believe that the world will end, this is the problem that Maher is trying to get across. This example is illustrated with George W. Bush, who has a strong Christian faith. When people like George W. Bush have the ability to start wars and cause chaos on earth, the idea of end times is questioned. As people feel that this chaos is a sign that the end times are near. By also following the example of George W. Bush Maher also talks about how people follow these politicians because of their faith. By following politicians simply because of their beliefs we see how crazy idea, like the rapture are reinforced in our culture. Although Bill Maher makes some extreme points on religion, his arguments of Christians and end times seems to illustrate the absurdity and danger of the idea.

Credibility, Gender and the Media

Tuesday’s lecture discussed many of the issues of the portrayals of women in the media; one of the most interesting though was the lack of credibility that we see in the portrayal of women. This lack of credibility is seen through the low number of female castors. However there is no shortage of women delivering ‘fluff’ news pieces. For example Kathy Lee and Hoda, the female duo who host NBC’s The Today Show. These women host segments on things like finding the perfect pair of jeans. This is far from the hard hitting news that their male counterparts on the network get to deliver.  The fact that women are the only ones who deliver these ‘fluff’ pieces sends a damaging message to young girls—that they cannot be taken seriously. Women do not have any credible role models in the media; therefore they cannot see themselves as credible.

 This idea is further proven when looking at women in politics. For example the news media has questioned many women in politics on their appearances. This was seen when many thought that Nancy Pelosi had plastic surgery. This is someone who has been the highest-ranking female politician in the United States. Although Nancy Pelosi is a very accomplished woman, news anchors were not talking about her achievements or her politics, but rather her appearance. This sends an even more damaging message to young women because if even extremely accomplished women like Nancy Pelosi cannot be taken seriously, how can any women be taken seriously? This issue of credibility and women is an ongoing problem because the media insits on focusing on women’s appearances.

This is an image from The Washington Times, which talks about how Nancy Pelosi supposedly has had plastic surgery. This is one of many parts of the media who focused on this.