Religious representations in the media.

[Namaste]

Really this is a post directed towards people who consider themselves religious and who belong to an organised religion, who practice with ritual or who adhere to a recognised spiritual path.

Really it's looking at the media, or which there are several sources, but focussing mainly on television, do you people that people of your faith or spirituality are fairly represented?

For example, Muslims, Christians, Jewish communities. Do you believe you're shown in a favourable light and if not, what choices would you like to be seen made?

The best classification for myself I believe to be is Pagan, although I have a pantheist leaning and see deities as Archtypes, as well as believing in psychology and so on... In fact I could go on for a while, go in to the Law of Thelema or the Hermetic Law, I could give ya links to Discordianism and paste some symbols up related to Asatru on these boards...

What I'm saying is that Pagans at least aren't fairly represented on the television as normal people... Even though we are. Instead they pull on the homophobic eccentric 'King Kev', or a scraggly haired old woman who dances naked withershins around a campfire tossing sage about and wielding a sword. I don't know many Pagans like this...

And if it ain't those it's teen witches, which, instead of making Pagans look like wierdos makes them look dumb. Like they've watched too much Buffy and believe that a magic spell will change the colours of their eyes.

Yeah, I know I know... I expect people to come along and patronise me about it all being a fashion yadda yadda, as the arrogant kneejerk reaction is coming from people who think they know what we represent (had it too many times) so please, don't slate me for what I believe in....

Because I'm giving an example about how I believe the media represents Pagans....

And was wondering what people of other religious paths believe about the way they're represented.

[Fiend_85]

I think that people think it's ok to be religiously prejudice against Christians in a way that they wouldn't be against Muslims and Jews. I think ALL religions are misrepresented by the media. I think that a lot of people call themselves christian without knowing what that means. I think that a lot more people criticise christianity based on the church's dogmatic structure and history and on things that they've heard in the pub without looking at the real thing.


Why?

[Kentish]

Originally posted by Fiend_85
I think ALL religions are misrepresented by the media.
I agree with this. I think if you really want to find out about a religion you should speak to its followers and/or read the religious text (eg Bible, Qu'ran, Torah...).

To continue the Christianity issue, most people would regard Songs of Praise to be a Christian programme, but really it represents the watered down TV version of Christianity with a few hymns but very little Bible. Similarly, programmes on other religious beliefs tend to look at lifestyle issues over the fundamentals of the religion itself.

So, yes, all religions are misrepresented by the media.

[Dear Wendy]

To be honest, I think that recent tv-series and movies have been pretty beneficial to me as a Jew in Denmark.
Being a small minority in a little country, it to a certain extent explains a lot and excludes the question of "what's a Jew".

I am not saying that it explains Judaism's core beliefs or anything like that, but it does make it a bit more acceptable and common.

The OC is probably the best thing to happen to Judaism
:D

[Kentish]

Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper
The OC is probably the best thing to happen to Judaism
:D
What does the OC have to say about Judaism? I thought it was all sex drugs and rock n roll.

[wheresmyplacebo]

the meid aia relatively negative of all gorups

athiests/pagans etc are immoral scum
christians are silly fools
muslims are suicide bombers
jews are well erm jews

you get the picture, the media only criticises

[Dear Wendy]

Originally posted by Kentish
What does the OC have to say about Judaism? I thought it was all sex drugs and rock n roll.

Nah...

They celebrate Jewish holidays and show a "typical" American Jewish family. Plus the son is pretty hot ;)

[morrocan roll]

with all respect moonrat ...the sex of god shouldn't realy be an issue for you unless men have made you feel inferior.
in the bible ...it explains the position of responsibility.
man being the head of the household.
you cannot have two captains on the ship arguing about what to do next.
so ...the man has the responsibility for making the final decision about things. after ...having fully considered his womans position on things cos he is commanded to treat her like fine china ...to attend to her every need.
the fact that some men abuse that position is ...according to the bible very bad practice in the eyes of god and should be condemmed by all.
by the way ...there is a passage in the bible which talks of misguided people who worrship the creation instead of the creator.

[Kentish]

Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper
Nah...

They celebrate Jewish holidays and show a "typical" American Jewish family. Plus the son is pretty hot ;)
So nothing then.

[Yerascrote]

TV will always show the stereotype, it's what the viewing audience expect and that goes for everything on tv, i wouldn't be worried too much myself because sensible people will know that it's a load of balls and the rest are just a bunch of silly chavs, innit :p

[morrocan roll]

and to add to my last post ...i'm sure it wasn't brute strength and bullying by men that put us in this situation but one of necessity and survival.
a heavily pregnant woman or a suckling mother would be in no position to decide on crops and weather and terrain ...in no situation to suddenly rally the men to a hunt as animals approached or disaster/emergency was looming.
pregnancy in women gives man more time and energy to devote to surviving supplying selling and thriving

[Yerascrote]

Originally posted by morrocan roll
and to add to my last post ...i'm sure it wasn't brute strength and bullying by men that put us in this situation but one of necessity and survival.
a heavily pregnant woman or a suckling mother would be in no position to decide on crops and weather and terrain ...in no situation to suddenly rally the men to a hunt as animals approached or disaster/emergency was looming.
pregnancy in women gives man more time and energy to devote to surviving supplying selling and thriving

fuck never though about that, i wonder what the "feminists" have to say about that

[Indrid Cold]

Originally posted by turlough
fuck never though about that, i wonder what the "feminists" have to say about that
People need to do philosophy sometimes... I think it's necessary, actually.

[Dear Wendy]

Originally posted by Kentish
So nothing then.

It displays a Jewish family having Pesach and Chanukkah. Kind of shows us in a normal light... Well as normal as it can be to live in a millionaire neighbourhood in California.
It's not as stereotypical as for example "The Nanny" is.

[xmizzcattyx]

i personally am also pagan.

i think that its easy to gripe about how we are represented - but in comparison to other religious groups we have much less problem. we have less exposure perhaps and so are less open to intolerance.

[morrocan roll]

Originally posted by xmizzcattyx
i personally am also pagan.

do pagans have a god?
a leader?
some kind of representative?

[Namaste]

Originally posted by morrocan roll
with all respect moonrat ...the sex of god shouldn't realy be an issue for you unless men have made you feel inferior.
in the bible ...it explains the position of responsibility.
man being the head of the household.
you cannot have two captains on the ship arguing about what to do next.
so ...the man has the responsibility for making the final decision about things. after ...having fully considered his womans position on things cos he is commanded to treat her like fine china ...to attend to her every need.
the fact that some men abuse that position is ...according to the bible very bad practice in the eyes of god and should be condemmed by all.
by the way ...there is a passage in the bible which talks of misguided people who worrship the creation instead of the creator.

What has this got to do with this thread?

[Namaste]

Originally posted by morrocan roll
do pagans have a god?
a leader?
some kind of representative?

I think it depends on who you talk to and also what pantheon they use and whether they see their deities as archtypes or sentients.

Paganism has many branches, like Christianity has many denominations.

[morrocan roll]

Originally posted by MoonRat
What has this got to do with this thread? wrong thread ...obviously picking up on your post about women be subjugated by a male god and a bone in the other one.

[dolly dagger]

Originally posted by morrocan roll
and to add to my last post ...i'm sure it wasn't brute strength and bullying by men that put us in this situation but one of necessity and survival.
a heavily pregnant woman or a suckling mother would be in no position to decide on crops and weather and terrain ...in no situation to suddenly rally the men to a hunt as animals approached or disaster/emergency was looming.
pregnancy in women gives man more time and energy to devote to surviving supplying selling and thriving

That may be true, but men abuse it, that;s the problem.

[morrocan roll]

Originally posted by dolly dagger
That may be true, but men abuse it, that;s the problem. some men abuse it.