Protestant Christianity, Evangelicals, and Left Behind
Thought and Reflection
In the “Willow Creek” article the author uses the term “Seekers” and refers to the book, “A Generation of Seekers,” to describe how the media is changing religious practices, particular for baby boomers and post-baby boom generations. We talked about how media changed religion earlier in the semester. The author argues that religious organizations no longer see people as individuals, or collections of individuals, but as “markets” to be accessed. In this way, the author asserts, religion becomes a self-serving consumption activity or a commodity to be marketed based on perceptions of consumer demand. He refers to this movement as the “religious marketplace.” Our focus today is really on a single movement within Protestantism—the evangelical movement—and how it practices this “marketplace” approach through what has been describe as “Armageddon entrepreneurship” or “millennial capitalism.”
For this group, as Comaroff and Comaroff (2000) write, “The Second Coming evokes not a Jesus who saves, but one who pays dividends. Or, more accurately, one who promises a miraculous return on a limited spiritual investment.”
It is interesting that the term “seekers” is being used here in the “Willow Creek” article. It has some interesting historical background. By way of background, the term “seekers” is often used to describe a religious movement in early 17th century England. It is believed that “seekers” were the forerunners to the Quakers. They shunned central religious organization (they were sometimes called “anti-clerical” and believed that the Church of England and Catholic Church had fallen and were awaiting a Second Coming of sorts) and created smaller religious communities based on Bible study and an informal leadership structure. OK, now having said that, think of how the growth of mega-churches (such as Willow Creek) share some things in common with this earlier religious movement. So, in a way, maybe the name is appropriate.
Here are some of the characteristics (as suggested by the article):
· Large, independent church congregations meeting in stadium like facilities without religious symbols (which when used are described as “props”)
· A “therapeutic” or individualistic form of worship
· According to the article “the most valuable commodities of (religious) exchange” are “those which address hungers and needs not met by conventional religion practice”
· Quoting from “A Generation of Seekers”: “Individuals are inclined to regard their own experiences as superior to the accounts of others, and the truths found through self discovery as having greater relevance to them than those handed down by way of creed or custom.”
· A strong anticipation for a Second Coming—or the Rapture
“Armageddon Entrepreneurs”
The characteristics above have given rise to the prominence of the evangelical movement, in general, and what some have described as “Armageddon Entrepreneurs,” those who would commodify, market, and profit from the “Rapture,” which has become a very big business (some have called this “millennial capitalism) within the Evangelical community.
As Monohan (2008) explains, a $7 billion market has been created “to feed the fears of Christians…about the imminent coming of the Antichrist and the end of the world.” The products include religious fiction, video games, board games, websites, DVDs, and televised sermons. Check out the following website:
Explore this. Buried in this is some speculation as to whom the Anti-Christ might be (http://raptureready.com/rr-antichrist.html). Speculation includes Barney the Dinosaur and Bill Gates.
One of the “products” most associated with this market is the “Left Behind” series of books and films (http://www.leftbehind.com/). Our other assigned reading, “The Gender Dynamics of the ‘Left Behind’ Series,” gives us some background and context.
Left Behind
“Left Behind” began as a book trilogy written by authors Timothy LaHaye (a close friend of Jerry Falwell) and Jerry Jenkins. The books (eventually 16 in all were published) were based on the belief in an apocalyptic event called the “rapture,” which is supposedly described in the Book of Revelations. Here’s what our reading had to say about the event:
“Based on an interpretation of various verses and passage in the Bible, the rapture is an event in which Christ returns to earth at the beginning of the end of time. Taking only true believers with him, Christ then returns to heaven and those left behind suffer seven years of plagues, pestilence, war, and famine called the ‘tribulation.’ At the end of the tribulation, a battle between Satan and Christ leaves Christ victorious and ushers in the millennium, the reign of Christ on the earth.”
Monahan (2008) gives us some background on how this interpretation came to be:
This particular millennialist interpretation of the book of Revelation, which
posits the occurrence of a ‘rapture’ apart from the Second Coming, derives
not from traditional exegesis but instead from a relatively new, 20th-century
revision of the Bible. The origins of this belief can be traced to the visions of
a woman in Port Glasgow, Scotland, who in 1830 reported having seen Christ
rescuing his believers before a seven-year period of ‘tribulation’, which was
then followed by him returning to rule in peace for 1000 years (Veith, 2002).
This proved to be a very attractive embellishment of scripture because it
meant that Christians would not have to endure the tribulation, which is
described in Revelation as a horrific period of intense suffering. Known as
‘dispensational premillennialism’, this version of events was popularized by
preacher John Nelson Darby in the latter half of the 19th century (Boyer,
1992; Frykholm, 2004), disseminated by protestant religious tracts (Morgan,
1999) and embraced by American evangelicals following the 1909 publication
of the Scofield Study Bible, which gave credence to the rapture prophecy
in its ‘notes’ (Veith, 2002). This exegesis was further entrenched in the
American evangelical community with the founding of Dallas Theological
Seminary in 1924, which advanced this millennial perspective in its training
of pastors (Harding, 1994).
He also points out that “Left Behind” was not the first literary attempt to capitalize on the “rapture”:
For example, early rapture fiction – such as Sydney Watson’s books Scarlet and
Purple (1913), The Mark of the Beast (1915) and In the Twinkling of an Eye
(1916) – perceived as ‘signs’ of the Second Coming the host of social and
environmental ills associated with industrialization and urban slums; these literary
works concerned themselves as well with the so-called ‘Jewish problem’
and saw Jewish people as moving the world closer to a one-world
economy that would be especially inviting for the Antichrist (Gribben, 2004).
Needless to say, “Left Behind” became hugely popular among evangelicals. As our reading points out, more than 60 million copies of the book series were sold in the first 10 years (the first book was published in 1995), making it the fastest selling Christian series ever. The books have been sold in 37 countries and translated into 33 languages. Our reading calls it a “cultural phenomenon.” The books were so popular that they were made in a series of films, the first of which was released in 2000 and star actor Kirk Cameron (“Growing Pains”). In fact, Kirk Cameron, who has been very public about his religious conversion (while still acting on “Growing Pains”), has become somewhat synonymous with the series itself. The first movie was so successful, that two sequels were made.
Here’s the set-up for the “Left Behind” trailer I’ve included here (from Wikipedia):
A young television journalist for a news network called GNN, Buck Williams, reports from Israel about a new technology with which food will grow almost anywhere, he is interviewing Israeli scientist Chaim Rosenzweig. He calls this a miracle of Chaim's making. Suddenly, Arab fighter jets fly over, attempting to attack Israel with a vicious air raid. The sun disappears even though it is still in the mid-day. A missile hits near Buck and Chaim as they retreat to a military bunker. The jets start exploding and crashing down even though Israeli forces didn't fire a single. Buck runs outside with the news camera and records the drama as some GNN executives and reporters watch back in Chicago. The jets explode and crash to the ground and the entire force is destroyed.
The story shifts to Pilot Rayford Steele, who has been called in for an emergency flight from New York to London, thus forcing him to abandon his son, Raymie's, birthday party. Despite his wife's and his daughter's protests, he sets out on the flight and leaves his family behind. Rayford's daughter, Chloe Steele, is leaving for her college exams. Buck, having decided to go to London for an investigation of the attack, boards Rayford's plane.
On the flight a flight attendant, Hattie Durham, walks into the cockpit and asks who wants coffee and reveals she's taking a job at the UN and this is her last flight. Rayford ends up kissing Hattie outside the cockpit. Later during the flight some passengers awaken to realize that several of their fellow passengers are missing. Panic sets in as Rayford and his crew try to contain this situation. Buck helps Hattie try to keep the passengers calm. Upon returning to the flight cockpit, they discover that people (later revealed to be Christians) are mysteriously disappearing worldwide and even planes are down from missing flight crews, and crashes everywhere.
The film also includes the character, Nicolae Carpathia, who is the UN Secretary-General. We also learn, of course, that he is the Anti-Christ, with plans for world domination (his plans even include rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem and promising seven years of peace as part of his ruse). Here’s the clip:
Here’s another clip from the movie (the airplane scene with Kirk Cameron):
Just for fun, here’s a clip from a GMA interview with Kirk Cameron. During the interview he talks about his conversion and the “Left Behind” experience:
As I mentioned earlier, the story included Nicolae Carpathia, the Anti-Christ. The impact of the series actually spilled over into real life (remember this was called a “cultural phenomenon”) during the last presidential election (McCain-Obama), when a group of “Left Behind” devotees suggested that Barak Obama was the Anti-Christ, using the criteria and characterizations of the books to support the claim. OK, I really can’t make this stuff up (and this in no way reflects my political agenda—our president deserves our respect regardless of our views and beliefs—I’m just reporting the story here). This became a big deal, and the authors of the books had to respond to the claims. The fact that anyone took the claims seriously you tell you of the impact and influence (on a very broad scale) that this series has had.
So, here’s a Time magazine article describing the accusations and a subsequent ad that was produced by McCain supporters:
The authors, of course, rejected this. Here’s a Washington Post report:
And, here’s a Rachel Maddow interview with the authors, which I think you will find interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeTPbkGv6PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeTPbkGv6PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91pwDTSVsoc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeatSrTOlbY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeatSrTOlbY
Info on Tim LaHaye:
Today’s Blog Assignment
Complete the reading assignments for today. Now, here’s something to think about. We often consider the impact of the “Work and the Glory” series on LDS audiences. We even occasionally joke about Church talks and testimonies that make references to the fictional Steed family in the series. Obviously, there is a parallel here regarding the impact of the “Left Behind” series on evangelical cultural life. When we consider that some estimates suggest that evangelicals make up 27 percent of the US population, should we be surprised by the impact it has, and particularly how that impact might spill over into real life and real belief. While the Steeds helped LDS better relate to Church history, is it possible that the “Left Behind” series almost becomes “scriptural” for the evangelical community. More broadly, what are the implications of this for other “products” produced for the religious marketplace? Respond to this question and share your thoughts about what you have learned from your readings.
I've struggled with trying to understand people like this. I met them a lot of my mission and I didn't understand them then and I still don't now.
ReplyDeleteI could see how the "Left Behind" series has become scriptural for certain people. When we think of the 2nd coming or "the rapture" I don't think most people are filled with warm fuzzies. It's usually a time of fear and heart ache. The interesting thing about fear is things are always scarier when we don't know what it is. The monster in a movie is always scarier until you see it. This might be one reason people like the left behind series so much. Because it puts a face to their fear, which in turn lessens it. People hate the unknown.
Moving on to the next question. the popularity of the left behind series only increases interest in other products having to do with the 2nd coming. It's probably brought about other books and stories. And maybe even led to all sorts of 2nd coming survival gear (kind of like the LDS survivalists).
I've been to a handful of evangelical meetings and I just don't get what really draws people to it. I've been to churchs where they speak in tongues, practice healings, etc. To my Mormon viewpoint I can see that they're scams and it's quite sad to see everyone taken in by them. And I guess I'm just really curious why people are so attracted to those kinds of churches. I guess I should just ask someone.
Since most people have thought/worried about what will happen to them in the next life or in the "apocalypse", especially since it feels like it should be close due the amount of evil in the world, it's not hard to see why Evangelicals would cling to these books and treat them as scripture. All the things happening around us are unsettling, and books like this reassure the "faithful" that they will be protected when the end comes. There are obviously similar things that we learn in our Church that reassure us that we will be protected and saved during the Second Coming, but we definitely don't focus on that nearly as much as the evangelical community does.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I think some cunning leaders see the opportunity to exploit church members' obsession with the Rapture by manipulating them into donating money so that their spot in heaven is guaranteed, when it's really going into the preacher's pocket. They do the same thing with their miraculous "healings" as well.
I met a lot of Evangelicals on my mission that were very sweet and had similar beliefs to ours, but I could tell that they were a little gullible and oblivious at the same time. I had some very unpleasant encounters with the preachers of one of my golden investigators who ran a little kiosk shop where we taught her (she basically lived there). During two different lessons, two separate preachers came in and started yelling at her and tried to force her to stop listening to us by threatening her and her family. One of them also tried to discredit the Book of Mormon by taking some verses out of context and making them sound contradictory. To my dismay these lies and threats worked, and my investigator stopped talking to us.
This experience and a few others that I've had with Evangelism have obviously made me skeptical of both their corrupt leaders and of the members for allowing themselves to be so easily manipulated, though I don't think that a lot their doctrine itself is that far off from the truth.
Similar to "The Work and the Glory", "Left Behind" does a good job of placing real implications of the religion's beliefs. People were able to put into perspective a "what if" scenario and observe what it would be like if or when the rapture were to happen. Its interesting to me that so many people believed the fictional series to be truth and even scripture. Even though it was made up it incorporates many people's own belief of what will happen when the rapture comes. These books in some ways motivate evangelicals to stay faithful and when the day comes be righteous enough to be lifted up into God's presence rather than be "left behind" and experience the destruction on the earth.
ReplyDeleteLike we had talked about before with other evangelicals in the media like Benny Hinn, I feel like leaders take advantage of their members and use fear as a tool to force people to stay and donate their time and money. They also use a lot of deception regarding their theatrical healings. Its possible that members are regarded as a collection of people in terms of evangelical leaders using that fear and deception to manipulate members and executing the fact that it is a self-serving consumption activity.
I find it very interesting that the author of the “Willow Creek” article acknowledges that religious organizations are not viewing their members and potential members as a “market to be accessed.” We have talked about thin in class about how televangelists transformed the religious media world into something that needs to be marketed to, something that will access a broader audience in order to make more money.
ReplyDeleteOne reason the Mormon Church may have a skewed connotation for non-members and those who know about our religion is because our church isn’t willing to change our doctrine or believes to become more marketable or profitable or popular. Unlike the televangelist organizations who completely changed their ways of teaching from doctrine specific to general, the Mormon Church is steadfast in what they value and what they believe. The Mormon Church is anything but a religious marketplace
It was fascinating to see sites like raptureready.com, which seemed like a scam to prey on the fears of those who believe and are preparing for Armageddon. Left Behind is similar in that it attempts to capitalize on the “rapture.”
While some may see “The Work and The Glory” to be similar to “Left Behind,” I see very few similarities. “The Work and the Glory sets out to make the restoration relatable and, as far as I know, wasn’t created to make money for the church or to prey on people’s fears. I am truly surprised that so many people bought into the “Left Behind” series of books and movies and made it so popular.
I find that the series like “Left Behind” is not beneficial to the people because they are being marketed to as if they were a target audience of a brand rather than members of a sacred religion. I suppose the purpose of the “products” used in a religious marketplace determines the value of it in my eye. If it is created solely to generate money for the church, preying on Godly fears of the apocalypse or “rapture,” I find it distasteful and harmful to the religion itself.
I have never read "The Work and The Glory" books and have only seen part of one movie, so I'm not really sure what they are about. But I do know they were very popular and that they had a big impact on people's perception on the foundation of the church. People's perceptions are all altered by the experiences they go through and the knowledge they gain. All the things we learn and experience have had some sort of effect on our perception of reality. Now, some people get more caught up in what is fantasy vs was is reality which can cause a lot of confusion and upset. But what most people don't understand and or accept is that whether it is real or fake, any information we absorb is going to have an impact on our perception of reality. It is going to have an effect on how we process information because all previous information adds a unique light to any new information. This is probably why people got so uptight about politics and the antichrist because as they read "Left Behind" they internalized all the information to the point to spreading those views across their perceived reality and thinking the world was corrupt. Hearing about all the crazy things people believe in (such as a Chinese unicorn that still exists but has never been seen before) I'm not surprised that people are infatuated by "Left Behind" and suddenly think that it is the predictor of all things rapture. Yep, there's a bunch of strange people out there and one of the great wonders of the world is what is going on inside their heads.
ReplyDeleteMost people in the world are in a constant search for what’s next—especially when considering eternity. It doesn’t surprise me that the Evangelical nation would cling to something that gives some sort of answer to life’s biggest question, no matter how contrary to doctrine it is. However, while it doesn’t surprise me, I also don’t agree with it. I find it twisted that they would capitalize on this pull towards the eternities. I feel that this situation is complete hypothetical and unrealistic answer to a valid question. When there is no actual history behind, and no doctrine belief for this scenario to ever happen, I simply do see a need for the show to be created.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of The Work and The Glory, I don’t see the same problem. The story they tell in that movie was one that happened to many early LDS saints, and one that has purpose. It helps members understand where our ancestors came from, and what motivate them to make sacrifices for the church. It contains real doctrine and a positive message. I don’t think that member idolize or truly believe in that story, but rather look to it for a good example in an event that truly conspired. I think the LDS church marketed their “product” in a accurate and justifiable way—not to stir drama or create an appeal, but to simply create a good production that helps members. Maybe this is a side note, but I also believe that in general the LDS church does a good job at removing the focus on church leaders and placing it on the teachings. Other church’s have more idolized leaders and it leads to members getting attached to different mediums—like the “Left Behind” movie.
Although there are clear similarities between how Mormon view certain media films and how Evangelicals view their films, I think the treatment is different. I my opinion, we see films and popular gospel representatives as fruits of the main gospel and God we all believe in. In this case, for the Evangelicals, it becomes their “God.” From their standpoint, I can understand the great feeling it must be to have a louder voice speak something that you believe in. Having something broadcasted is much more effective, but it doesn’t mean is should be scripture. In a world filled with individualism, people try to find things that are meaningful to them—they don’t need or want a structured religion. So, finding messages online or in film is their version of scripture because it has that much meaning to them.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can understand where people are coming from, I do agree with what the others have said. It’s said that religion has become a product sold on the marketplace. It’s cheapened. As with other religious teachings online, on radio or TV, things become diluted for a broader audience. I think that’s the implication for this case.
I feel like, when compared to the Work and the Glory, there is a lot of sense in how Evangelical's view these books as near scripture. I think the question of "what is going to happen after this life?" is very popular among a lot of people, but particularly those who only have the Bible to depend on for truth. In the Church, we have continued revelation given to us through the Book of Mormon and through Prophets so we have a much better idea about what's going to happen to us. Those outside of the LDS faith do not have the same kind of belief, so the "second coming" holds a lot of fear and unknown for people.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, I don't think depending on man written books or man produced movies is always the best way to find sources of truth. I think that people can feel a certain happiness, maybe even Spirit, when watching certain movies but I don't neccesarily think that it's coming from God. There are good things in this world that can make us feel good feelings, but that doesn't make them a spiritual revelation. Mormons shouldn't be quoting the Work and the Glory like it's scripture, and Evangelicals shouldn't cling to this book for answers or truth. Yet, we are human and we tend to connect with very human things. It just is unfortunate to me that the media uses this devotion to sell products. I think we all need to be more skeptical about modern media produced content, and take it all with a grain of salt. It may make us feel good, and that's not wrong, but sources of light and truth only come from God.
“Feeding the fear of the Christians” is a little scary to me. I’m shocked that billions of dollars of products are made to advertise the coming of the anti-christ. I also think it’s interesting how people think they can pay their way to salvation through supporting the idea of Armageddon. I’ve never really understood how this works but apparently a lot of people believe it. I think with TV shows, DVDs and products, people start to become more curious which brings about more followers. I can also see this with the Mormon church though. The LDS church produces a lot of entertaining videos. I feel that most of their videos are about hope or repentance or feeling the love of our Savior rather than the possible end of the world.
ReplyDeleteLike other people have said, I think it’s wrong that Evangelical leaders are taking advantage of people’s fear and turning it into a profit for them and the church.
I’ve never seen or read The Work and the Glory and I’ve never actually heard people talk about it so I really have no idea what it’s even about. I know it takes place during the restoration of the church so I can see how people may interpret some of the events or people as important in church history. I don’t know how much influence this movie has had on the church. I’m sure that Evangelicals can take the Left Behind series and make it scriptural and applicable just like we do our Mormon movies, even though they are just television productions, not real life.
After reading this blog and watching the clips for "left behind" I honestly find it really humorous that people were actually worried that Obama was the anti-Christ just because of stuff portrayed in the movie. I know several people who really do hate Obama to the point that they consider him an anti-Christ, but it's not because of stuff they saw in movies, and they don't go around telling everyone else to "warn them." It's interesting how many people really can be influenced so strongly by the media, to the point that they can hardly live in reality without bringing in some previous understanding or bias of something that they have from a television show or a movie. I can understand people being affected highly by media such as news stories, but a fictional movie simply should not be perceived as a predictor of the future. It honestly makes me laugh. Truthfully, I have never seen or read the Work and The Glory, so I can't draw any lines there, but I would hope that if I did watch it, I might be touched or influenced in a spiritually strengthening way, but not start talking about it as if it were real and were a predictor of anything to come.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI think this in an interesting subject, because everyone has at some point or another questioned what will happen in the after life. Just as we cling to the Book of Mormon and the doctrine the church leaders and the LDS perspective on the after-life, Evangelicals and Christians cling to works such as the “Left Behind” because they think they are “scriptural.” I don’t blame Christians for believing this, we all want to believe that something good will come in the afterlife and they are just following what they know. I wasn’t particularly interested in the “Left Behind” trailer, but I understand how the producers and author of the book thought they might appeal to Christians. From what I could tell in the trailer, they just made some scriptures come to life in present day.
I think it is insane that people make money off of the “Rapture” and it is hard to believe that it is a multi-million dollar market that feeds the fears of Christian. It kind of reminds me of the post we had earlier in the semester about the televangelists who evoked fear in their crowds and then “saved” their soul once they had donated money. Then again, as Mormons we buy food storage? I definitely think there is a way to prepare for second coming, but I don’t think we should be as fearful as “Left Behind” or spend thousands of dollars commodifying such a sacred topic.
I have only seen the Work and the Glory once when I was in junior high so I am not completely sure I remember the entire plot, but if I remember correctly I think it has to do with the Joseph Smith and the restoration. I think that “Work and the Glory” is a little more factual and “Left Behind” is more a form of Christian entertainment. Maybe entertainment isn’t the right word but I feel like that movie was created to attract audiences and put on a show whereas “Work and the Glory” was created to be more historical. The Work in the Glory puts God and the church in a positive light whereas “Left Behind” creates this sense of fear—I think the two movies have very different messages and audiences so it is hard to say how they relate.
I actually have never seen or read or know too much about "The Work and the Glory." I promise I'm still Mormon though! But from what I do know, it tells a story about a fictional family in the 1800s who joins the church. And I have also heard that many Mormons will use this story as sort of doctrine. I think we do that a lot in the church. We will hear stories of our ancestors, or someone else's ancestor we aren't even sure if it's true, and then base a testimony off the story. It almost becomes supplemental or even takes the place of our study of actual scripture.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like during the McCain-Obama race, that's exactly what happened to many evangelical Christians. They put a fictional story (with maybe some factual ideas in it) into a real-life situation and use it as doctrine to lead their lives. What I find the most bizarre, is the fan base that is formed from the idea of the "Rapture." It is obviously instilling fear in people, which inspires them to spend money to ensure their safety. They want to be "Saved" from the bad things that fictional books and shows and even information at church tells them about. I think this is a money-making scheme. Mixing the idea of salvation with money is very dangerous. People do care deeply about the state of their souls and so it is sad to see producers in the media take advantage of that.
I don't think there's anything wrong with creating a fictionalized rendition of a religious concept, historical event or belief, as long as the rendition isn't coming from a malicious or openly derogatory place. This goes for all media. When Mormon filmmakers created the Work & the Glory series, they were essentially dramatizing the truth of many modern Mormons' ancestors, who crossed the plains after joining the church in the 1800s. For this reason, I feel like many Mormons connect deeply with the things that The Work & the Glory series are portraying - and I speak from experience. My parents and grandparents are huge fans of the series, though I think it's safe to say they don't take it as doctrine, but rather as a source of inspiration. Of the two reactions to religious fiction that we're discussing, I think that's the better option. With "Left Behind," evangelicals were similarly presented with something they already knew and were familiar with - the "rapture" - and to see it presented as a book and film probably only made that connection deeper. To say the series is influential would be to sugar-coat it if some people are treating it like doctrine. This is why media literacy is so important! Differentiating between fiction and reality seems to be easy, but when it deals with something you care deeply about (like religion), it can be hard.
ReplyDeleteI think the "religious marketplace" is an important place for media growth and continued adaptation for religions in a modern world, and it's cool to see religious media having such an impact. But there is a place where a line needs to be drawn, I think, and that place begins where fictionalized media spills over and begins to be referenced as though it's true and doctrinal.
Growing up I have really enjoyed the Work and the Glory series. I felt like the books present Mormon facts honestly and sincerely, without preaching. I also felt like the goal of the Work and the Glory series was more to teach others about church history verses trying to make money. I believe this is the difference between the Work and the Glory series and the “Left Behind” series.
ReplyDeleteI think why the Left Behind series is so popular is because it plays on individual’s fear of the end of the world. As humans, we fear the unknown, and so through this series they shed some light on this confusing and sometimes scary subject. As a result, people feel better after reading this book knowing that they can be saved from tribulation. However, while I think it can be good to try to show what the second coming could be like to help us better understand it, I think it is wrong to use it as a money making scheme. For example, Monohan says that “a $7 billion market has been created to feed the fears of Christians…about the imminent coming of the Antichrist and the end of the world.” As soon as people start taking movies and books as doctrine is when people can use it to make money. As a society, we have to realize what is fictional and what is real. We have to understand that the portrayal of something is not what it really is.
I think this "marketplace" idea can apply to Mormons, not just evangelists. I think a lot of the time Mormons can be portrayed as just trying to recruit more people to add to our numbers. Tools to share the Gospel online need to be used prayerfully so that others don't think we are just trying to promote our church and get more people to come for the benefit of the church. Even in our attempts to share the Gospel, we can easily focus on numbers rather than people. This happens as we preach about the "Church" rather than Jesus Christ, when we want to receive praise from others for our efforts to bring people to church, and when we are not focusing on individuals and their conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the purpose of missionary work and sharing the Gospel IS to focus on individuals and to help those individuals have a lasting conversion to Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, the same can be applied to evangelicals. What they may produce in the media to promote a conversion to the Savior could also be portrayed as seeking to market their church. I think it is important for anyone of any church that as they seek to share the Gospel, they do so for the intent of individuals and NOT for the purpose of promoting their church just so that more people will come and they can look good to the rest of the world.
That being said, there is corruption in any church, yes even the Mormon church. People are IMPERFECT. Just because some people in a church seek for money and glory does not mean that is the intent behind movements in the media. I think it is perfectly okay for religions to create a fictional portrayal of their religion. The LDS church does so all the time. For me I feel like they do this to tell a story that will touch people in different ways. That is the beauty of any story whether fact or fiction. I learn a lot from shows and movies that I watch whether they are made by the church or not. The media has become a tool to share the Gospel. Whether people see it as marketing or seeking to convert someone that is entirely subjective.
I have also never seen “The Work and the Glory”. Is this weird? I honestly couldn’t even tell you what it was about until a few minutes ago when I started doing the research. My parents were never really big fans of Mormon media. We would watch veggie tales all the time and bible stories, but never even the RM or things like that.
ReplyDeleteI agree what Ally is saying about playing off of fear. It is human nature to be absolutely terrified of yourself in an unknown situation. That’s why people with anxiety and depression will clean a room when they are stressed. That action gives them a sense of control. Left Behind gives its readers a sense of comfort and call to action when they think about the second coming.
But playing off these fears is inappropriate in my opinion. I don’t think we are here on earth to fear what is to come. We are here to love and gain knowledge and show our discipleship.
When I read this prompt I thought of two things: My experience recently at Deseret Book, and also the “Ponderize” talk and subsequent backlash the speaker received for his actions.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I had the opportunity to meet quarterback Steve Young at a book singing at Deseret Book, and I noticed just how many products are made based on the LDS faith. To be honest, I do not really know where the money goes for the products at Deseret Book, but I will say I really like their products and always end up buying something every time I go in. In the case of the Steve Young book, he is definitely targeting the LDS community for his book, but I don’t think that is a bad thing at all. Most all of the products at Deseret Book are targeted towards LDS people, but in my opinion it is better to produce products that increase one’s faith as opposed to the many products we are exposed to daily that limit and decrease our faith. In regards to the church doing business (for-profit), president Hinkley said the following: Are these businesses operated for profit? (Deseret Book, Deseret News, and other church business)…Of course they are. They operate in a competitive world. They pay taxes. They are important citizens of this community. And they produce a profit, and from that profit comes the money which is used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation to help with charitable and worthwhile causes in this community and abroad and, more particularly, to assist in the great humanitarian efforts of the Church.
That being said,, the church has been careful to do business at the right place at the right time. One speaker at conference, Elder Devin G. Durrant, was found to be promoting his son’s t-shirt and design business after it was discovered that the son had made t-shirts directly related to the subject of Durrant’s conference message. An apology was issued by Durrant, and the church also restated it’s policy about promotion of products. This event shows that there is certain time and place for religious products to be sold and promoted, and that the church tries its best to follow its own rules on this. Other church’s often do not follow the pattern of the LDS church, and seek to promote products during its broadcasts. For example, Joel Osteen runs commercials for his books before and after his sermons.
In summary, I think that religious products are okay when promoted and sold at the right time and the right place.
In my opinion, many people buy religious products because it helps them feel like they’re being faithful members of their religion. In a lot of ways, the “Left Behind” series is something that Evangelical people have “bought into” so that they feel like they’re keeping up with their religion. Even though the idea of the “rapture” is based on biblical passages, though not explicitly stated, it has become scripture to Evangelicals. Books and movies have obviously propagated this idea and cemented it in the minds of believers. Now, those who want to make money off of religious people, they simply have to tie their products to the “rapture or other religious themes.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated by that website, raptureready.com, because even though many of the thoughts are far-fetched (like Barney being the anti-Christ) people actually believe those things. The Post-Rapture Survival Guide was also interesting to read. I never knew how big of a deal, and a big money-maker, the “rapture” was for Evangelicals. I appreciate this class a lot because it opens my eyes to new and different things.
It is interesting to note how the line of business and religion is being blurred. Religious themed books, Christian rock mega churches, and the amusements that come with them are evidence of the changing nature of faith -- especially with evangelical/protestant faiths.
ReplyDeleteBut critics are quick to judge those that mix religion with business. Many of these critics are LDS, who think because the faith has a "Lay Ministry" we are completely void as a culture of using faith to get gain. But Mormons have their own situations to consider. Take Mormon fiction novels, EFY pop music, and even biographies/autobiographies of prominent Mormon figures like prophets and apostles. These are all business ventures that have been craftily been woven into the religious experience -- for the better of for the worse. One can even say that Deseret Book (a profitable business) has a virtual monopoly on the publication and distribution of all LDS scripture.
My intension is not to be cynical really but to point out that business and religion can coexist without a total breach of ethics. In short, Mormons should not judge a megachurch for having a Starbucks, an author writing a book about a rapture, or a band writing songs about Jesus to cater to the Christian faithful. Sure it's a business -- Is it all bad? I don't think so.
But these things are evidence that faith and religion IS changing to meet the demands of the people. But I think people are (more often than not) seeing an opportunity to help others first and be compensated financially second. While this might not always be the case, I believe this is the majority. I choose to take a less cynical approach on humanity.