RELATION BETWEEN RELIGION AND POPULAR CULTURE
Before we start exploring our topic it is necessary for our audience to be familiar with the key terms and their definitions, Popular Culture and Religion. Popular Culture usually advocates the high or elite culture, which is communicated to the audiences by many means but mainly through mass media (television, radio, books, movies and cyber-communication). McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell are all examples of Popular Culture. Popular culture is the way of life of people and existed even before the advent of printing press and other developments of mass media[1]. Merriam-Webster defines Religion as a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices[2]. Julia Mitchell Corbett in her book Religion, also describes religion as an integrated system of beliefs, lifestyle, ritual activities, and institutions by which individuals give meaning to or find meaning in their lives by orienting themselves to what they take to be holy, sacred, or of the highest value.
There are four relationships between Religion and Popular Culture that can be studied, however, these are not exclusive they can help us understand the relationship between the two.
· Religion in Popular Culture – This category, discusses the appearance, explicitly or implicitly of religious themes, languages, imagery and subject matter of popular culture
· Popular Culture in Religion – This category refers to the appropriation of some aspects of popular culture by religious groups and institutions.
· Popular Culture as Religion – This category argues that popular culture serves as religion or functions like religion for many people.
· Religion and Popular Culture in Dialogue – this category tries to examine how Religion and Popular culture go hand in hand with each other and might help us to understand the society.
Religion is not easy to understand, it has many different meanings and understanding for every individual. Religion is defined as a personal set to institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and practices, and it usually is influenced by one’s own beliefs systems. This website is dedicated to the exploration of portrayal of Asian Religion in American Films, specifically looking at the movie The Karate Kid. Asian Religion in Popular Culture is mostly portrayed as life-enhancing, spiritual teachers who give them wisdom and make them a better person. Understanding religion portrayed in the movie will help us understand its widespread influence, how it affects our everyday life and perception.
[1] Forbes, Bruce Davis. “Finding Religion in Unexpected Places”, Religion and Popular Culture in America. University of California Press, 2005, pp. 1-20. https://app.box.com/s/hfifaqkbxw6q2xdpemb1
[2] “Religion”. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion