Sport as Religion: Friday Night Lights

When we discussed Christianity and sports and the interplay of religion and sports, Professor Harris mentioned the show Friday Night Lights. In class Professor Harris mentioned how sports serve a religious function for many people and outlined three specific religious functions of sports:
(1) the social or "communal"
(2) meaning
(3) transcendence

Friday Night Lights is a perfect example of a show that presents sports as religion and its portrayal of football embodies the three religious functions of sports. For those of you who may not be familiar with the show, Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama show that follows the events surrounding a high school football team in a small town called Dillon in rural Texas. Much emphasis is placed on the important role football plays in the lives of the Dillon Panther football team members and their family members.

The first religious function of sports, the social or communal function, is shown through the way football brings the citizens of Dillon together and creates a strong bond between the members of the Dillon Panthers football team. The second religious function, meaning, is shown through the way Coach Taylor teaches the team about the importance of winning and what can be learned from defeat. Football also brings meaning to the lives of particular members of the team.

For example, for Smash Williams being able to land a scholarship and play football at the college level provides him with a ticket out of the small town and with a means to go to college. The prospect of playing football at the professional level serves as motivation for Smash Williams to give his best performance in every game and lead his team to victory. Moreover, Smash Williams' father was killed in a car accident and the show portrays the financial constraints his family experiences. Smash regards securing a college football scholarship as a way to help his family out financially.

The third religious function of sports, transcendence, is revealed through the glorious depiction of what the Dillon Panthers football team can achieve when they come together and and collectively work towards victory. The show portrays how members of the team who do not get along in social situations put their personal feelings aside when playing football and strive towards working together to win.

The show also portrays how the town glorifies, and to a certain extent, worships particular members of the team, such as the star quarterback, Matt Saracen. However, this glorification and worship is contingent on the player being victorious. In this sense, Friday Night Lights reveals the pressure that is put on the members of the football team and how they experience a constant cycle of approval and disapproval from their fans who have high expectations for them.

The connection between Christianity and sports is explicit in American culture and Friday Night Lights reflects this relationship. The narrative of the show includes many scenes in which there is a voice over of either Coach Taylor or a member of the Dillon Panthers team praying to God, thanking God for their successes and asking God to watch over them, and so forth.

I think Friday Night Lights does a commendable and accurate job of portraying the religious function sports plays in the lives of both fans and athletes. For the most part I find this devotion to football serves a healthy role in athletes' lives as it provides them with the drive and motivation to stay focused on living a healthy lifestyle, provides them with gratification when they are victorious, and creates a sense of belonging from being a member of a team. However, the pressure from fans and Coaches to win can also manifest in negative ways for the athletes. For example in Friday Night Lights, Smash Williams, obsessed with winning and attracting the attention of college football team scouts, risks his health by using steroids to enhance his performance.

Overall, I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Their devotion to football allows the members of the Dillon Panthers football team to work together as a team and learn the importance of teamwork and striving towards a goal as a group. It also serves as motivation to overcome other circumstances in their personal lives. For example in Friday Night Lights, Tim Riggins is forced to become a better student and ensure he passes his midterms as part of adhering to the rule of "no pass, no play." Smash Williams is driven to give each game his best performance to ensure he lands a scholarship which would transform not only his life, but the lives of his family members.

Though at times this devotion to sports seems quite extreme, I think feeling so passionately about something is beneficial and gives a sense of meaning to the lives of both fans and athletes. It also brings people together and allows people to collectively wish for a common goal. It allows people to forget the social or economic class of fellow fans and simply focus on their shared desire for their team to win. Likewise, athletes are regarded as "good athletes" based on their skill and ability not on their race, social/economic class, or sexual orientation. This focus on skill and ability is another positive element in the interplay of sports and religion.

A Response to Sandra's Post "Making Good Deals Public"

a response to Sandra's post: Making Good Deals Public

Sandra, I agree with you that celebrities are blatantly public about their good deeds and this seems to go against the Christian view that a good deed is most genuine when done in privacy. However, I disagree with your point that the fact that Justin Bieber has so much money makes his philanthropy far less meaningful. I think a kind act is a kind act no matter how much money the person who does it has.

Though I agree that the sincerity of the celebrities who make their support of charities public is questionable and that they often benefit from their good deeds by gaining popularity, I think at the end of the day the fact is, they are donating to charities and that in itself is good and benefits the recipients of the charities. In other words, the number of recipients who benefit is far larger than the one celebrity who's popularity and public image benefits from the deed.

I also think it's important to consider in what context the celebrity mentions or presents their good deed. Personally, one celebrity whose shameless self-promotion of their own good deeds that really irks me is Oprah Winfrey.

 

Though it is undeniable that Oprah has made numerous contributions to making this world a better place, such as her Oprah Book Club that has helped increase literacy in America, I find that her philanthropy is often presented in such a way that it's hard not to notice how she is in many ways congratulating herself. 

Another thing that bothers me about Oprah's method of charity is how highly consumerist it is. Her idea of "changing someone's life for the better" is giving them a brand new car or the latest iPad. Granted Oprah's "favorite things" giveaway isn't the only charity Oprah participates in--- she also has contributed lots of money towards funding schools in America and towards building schools for girls in Africa. However, Oprah makes those good deeds a public event as well, and has had many episodes in the past that talk about her various charitable endeavors. And like Sandra mentioned, it's hard to find these good deeds sincere when celebrities present them in ways that come across as bragging and as blatant attempts to make them seem like good people.

Sandra mentioned Ellen DeGeneres as an example of a celebrity who makes their charity well-known. One thing I admire about Ellen DeGeneres is that the gifts she gives away to the guests on her show are more often than not gag gifts and are very much a parody of Oprah's blatantly consumerist giveaways. I really get the sense that Ellen DeGeneres doesn't take herself or these gift giveaways that seriously but when she is advocating for something she genuinely and seriously supports, her attitude is completely different. For example, Ellen DeGeneres was quite vocal of her support for the It Gets Better Campaign. 

As you can see, Ellen is advocating for working towards suicide-prevention and putting an end to bullying, especially bullying people based on their sexual orientation. In this case, I find her public support for these issues and organizations that work towards this issues, admirable and extremely genuine.

Sandra also mentioned George Clooney and the announcement he made showing his support for Hope For Haiti Now. Again, I find this far more appropriate and genuine than Oprah Winfrey's giveaways or Justin Bieber's music video for his song Pray. I think that in this case George Clooney is putting his name behind a cause he truly believes in and is trying to motivate other Americans and the fans that respect  him, to follow suit. With this in mind, I think there is a distinct difference between a celebrity advocating for a cause they truly believe in and using their name to help gain support for the cause, and a celebrity using charity as a way to create a positive public image. More often than not, most celebrities achieve the former and though the latter is often a consequence, I think the more important thing to focus on is how celebrity endorsement of particular issues helps support these issues.

California, here we come: Sex and Gender in The O.C

When we discussed sex and gender in popular culture and the depictions of gender in prime-time television during lecture 11, I instantly thought of The O.C.

The O.C is an American teen drama series that was immensely popular in the early 2000's. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and portrays the life of a group of teenagers and their families in the affluent suburb Newport Beach in Orange County, California. Josh Schwartz is also the creator of two other immensely popular shows, Gossip Girl and Chuck.

The O.C is a perfect example of the gender roles and stereotypes that are recurrent in prime-time television. It focuses on the lives of four teenagers: Ryan Atwood, Marissa Cooper, Summer Roberts and Seth Cohen. They each are stereotypical and archetypical representations of teenagers. Ryan Atwood is the troubled bad boy from an underprivileged poor neighbourhood who ends up living with the Cohen family after being thrown out by his alcoholic mother. Marissa Cooper is the beautiful girl next door who despite being a straight A-student and chair of the social committee at school, often struggles with the circumstances of her family life and is often presented as a damsel in distress. Summer Roberts is Marissa's best friend and the love interest of Seth Cohen. She is presented as a superficial and ditzy girl who gets by on her good looks and charm. Seth Cohen is a comic book geek and neurotic nerd that is very much the antithesis of Ryan Atwood.

The show follows the tumultuous relationships between Ryan and Marissa and Seth and Summer. It also focuses on the dynamics of the relationships of their families. Ryan, Marissa, Summer and Seth each embody specific gender stereotypes.

The depiction of Ryan reminded me of the depiction of male characters in Disney films that were identified and outlined by Mia Towbin and her colleagues. Towbin identified five themes that emerged in the portrayal of men in Disney films:

(1) men primarily use physical means to express their emotions or show no emotions,

(2) men are not in control of their sexuality,

(3) men are naturally strong and heroic,

(4) men have non-domestic jobs,

(5) overweight men have negative characteristics.

Ryan embodies the first three themes; he is depicted as having a bad temper, constantly getting into physical fights as a way of protecting his loved ones, and is depicted as having difficulty expressing his emotions. He is very much the strong and heroic male character in the series and he comes to Marissa's rescue time and time again. 

The portrayal of Marissa and Summer tie-in with the themes Towbin identified in the portrayal of female characters in Disney films. Three themes in particular come to mind:

(1) a woman's appearance is valued more than her intellect,

(2) women are helpless and in need of protection,

(3) women are domestic and likely to marry

 Both Marissa and Summer are depicted as beautiful girls who are desired by many. Summer is blatantly presented as a ditzy girl who isn't the best student. Summer places much value in her popular status at school and her good looks. Though Marissa is a straight A-student and chair of the social committee at school, she is portrayed as the damsel in distress who Ryan saves time and time again from others and most frequently from herself. She struggles with drug abuse and alcoholism. 

Much like The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon is depicted as highly intelligent and neurotic, Seth is portrayed as the antithesis of Ryan. He is a geeky, neurotic and skinny loner who pines for Summer. His lanky physique and sarcastic sense of humour are used as emphasis in establishing how he and Ryan are in many ways opposites. Ryan is the muscular, macho guy with a bad temper and Seth is the lanky, neurotic comic book nerd. Furthermore, Seth's wit is often used in contrast to Summer's ditziness.

Another element of The O.C that strikes me as very stereotypical is the portrayal of the dynamics in Ryan and Marissa's relationship. Ryan is constantly rescuing Marissa, whether it be from her own demons such as her alcohol abuse, or from the dangerous people she at times associates with. 

The dynamics of their relationship are laid out in their very first encounter. Ryan appears as the brooding James Dean-esque bad boy who draws Marissa in with his mysterious persona. Throughout the series Ryan truly takes on the "whoever you want me to be" role in Marissa's life. He is her lover, protector, and friend. Ryan's savior-complex is undeniable -- Marissa even dies in his arms after he pulls her out from a car-wreck after a fatal car accident on graduation night.

Taking into consideration the blatantly stereotypical portrayals of gender in shows like The O.C and the immense popularity of shows like The O.C, an important question comes to mind: what do these shows reflect about our culture?  

I think that though these portrayals of gender are stereotypical, each character serves as an archetype and that viewers identify with specific aspects of each character. Much like the ubiquitous line from John Hughes' The Breakfast Club, "you see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal." -- each character in The O.C embodies particular traits that all viewers can identify with.

Though I do not necessarily condone the at times sexist portrayals, I think that the show effectively engages viewers with plot lines that attempt to deal with 'real life situations.'  When watching shows that use such strikingly archetypical representations of gender, it is important to remember that we need not always present particular traits, such as heroism, with particular genders. Just as women are just as strong and brave as men, female characters should be portrayed accordingly. It is important to show that particular traits are universal human traits and that gender does not necessarily equate one's strengths and weaknesses.

Trueblood and the Fellowship of the Sun

Last week in class when Professor Harris discussed vampires and the depiction of vampires in the Christian tradition and in literature, films, and television shows, I instantly thought of True Blood.

True Blood is an American television series created by Alan Ball based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris. It deals with the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a small town in Louisiana.

The notion of vampires as beings that seek redemption, often through love, is portrayed in True Blood through the romantic relationship between Sookie, a human, and Bill, a vampire. The show attempts to portray vampires in a civilized manner, as a group of beings who wish to be considered and valued as fellow citizens with the humans, rather than monsters. Synthetic blood, known as "Tru Blood," has been invented so that the vampires do not have to prey on humans and can co-exist peacefully with humans. Throughout the series, the struggle for humans and vampires to co-exist is illustrated and the romantic relationship between Sookie and Bill is shown to reap many complications.

In respect to Christianity and vampires, True Blood explores the tension between The Fellowship of the Sun, a Christian church, and The American Vampire League, an organization focused on the public relations of the vampire community in America and the promotion of vampire rights. The Fellowship of the Sun is vigorously against equal rights for vampires and wants to eradicate vampires from society. Though vampires are depicted as beings that crave redemption and wish to have peaceful, and at times, romantic relationships with humans, The Fellowship of the Sun's campaign against vampires is based on the notion that they are not creatures of God. Because vampires dwell in the darkness, The Fellowship of the Sun believes that they do not deserve salvation and that any creature that dwells in the darkness is a creature of Satan and is thus destructive and dangerous for God's creatures.

The tactics The Fellowship of the Sun use to eradicate vampires are quite brutal and include kidnapping vampires and nailing them to stakes, leaving them to die in the sunlight. The Fellowship of the Sun believes that one of the best ways to combat vampires is to force them to experience sunlight (God's light). They believe that sunlight killing vampires is proof that vampires are not worthy of redemption and salvation and truly are creatures of Satan.

I find it interesting that True Blood portrays The Fellowship of the Sun  as an organization that utilizes cruel tactics and operates much like a cult that brainwashes its members. This reminded me of Cowan's remark that often times the portrayal of the Christian church in vampire films reveal our latent fears of the Church and its religious leaders. The leader of The Fellowship of the Sun, Steve Newlin, is shown to be a man who uses violent methods and as a man you really wouldn't want as your enemy---he is ruthless and fiercely devoted to his Church's aim to rid vampires from society.


True Blood shows how the vampires struggle to fight their image as a condemned creature of hell and how they strive to erase their reputation as creatures who prey on humans. Though there are vampires in the show who do prey on humans and are violent, they are shown to be hated by other vampires and are punished by The American League of Vampires for their violent, illegal behaviour. 


I find True Blood's depiction of the struggle between vampires and humans a very unique and all-encompassing storyline that portrays vampires as both the ideal lover and as creatures who long to be more human and seek redemption. In fact, many of the human characters in True Blood are portrayed as more evil and destructive than the vampires in that they are the ones who murder, rape, and take advantage of other humans/creatures.


In class we discussed how one thing that draws us to monster stories is that in comparison to monsters, humans are shown to be benevolent. Monsters allow us to see our own humanity. With this in mind, I find it intriguing that True Blood often showcases the violent means humans use to combat things they fear or find dangerous. 

The depiction of vampires as ideal lovers is a key element of the show and is revealed through Sookie constantly questioning whether or not Bill truly loves her or if he has ulterior motives. Bill is portrayed as a knight in shining armour who always comes to Sookie's rescue. Much like the romanticized depiction of vampires as lovers and gentlemen who are well-mannered and possess noble hearts, Bill is portrayed as a passionate, undeniable lover of Sookie. She is often overcome by her physical desire for him and gives in to temptation. The character that seems to always need saving is Sookie, and the show reveals how often the only one who can save her is Bill, who uses his vampire blood and strength to save her from death time and time again.

A Response to Andreia's Post "Harry Potter and the Fear of Death"

a response to Andreia's post: Harry Potter and the Fear of Death

Andreia, as a fellow Harry Potter fan myself, I was so happy to see your entry about Harry Potter and its relation to what we discussed in this week’s class! I think your use of images in your entry was very clever and really helped illustrate your argument.

I agree with you about the central thematic core of Harry Potter being about the constant battle between good and evil. I found your point that in the magic society the witches and wizards in Harry Potter belong to, killing someone and bringing someone back from the dead are viewed as morally wrong, a very crucial aspect to clarify for those who may not be familiar with the series. 

One thing I've always liked about Harry Potter is some of themes that are explored throughout the series, such as friendship, loyalty, the importance of family, and the power goodness has in combating evil. From the first novel onwards I really got the sense that losing both of his parents was a pivotal event that shaped both Harry's life and personality. Because of his longing for his lost parents and his desire to belong to a family, Harry placed much value in friendship and loyalty. Throughout the series Harry comes to terms with his grief and longing for his parents---he never really got a chance to know them and one of his deepest desires is to have been given the chance to. 

Voldemort's ways of cheating death are always shown to be twisted and downright evil. As you noted, each time Voldemort cheats death he becomes less human and more and more monster-like. Harry's humanity, good will, and noble heart is shown in the ways he always fights against the evil ways of Voldemort. His continual protection of his friends and fellow classmates, his deep loyalty to Ron and Hermione, and his noble nature are shown in contrast to Voldemort's brutality, immorality, and selfishness. Voldemort's refusal to abide by the moral laws of the magic world are stressed through the manipulative and evil ways he clings to his mortal life. His failure to accept death is shown to be unnatural and corrupt.

In the series the feeling of loss after losing someone you love occurs several times. First and foremost with Harry and his constant longing to have known his parents, then through Harry's grief over Dumbledore's death, and then through the depiction of Snape's hidden grief over his lost love for Harry's mother Lily. Grief and longing for loved ones that have passed on is shown to be a natural response to death and losing those we love.

The Script's "Science & Faith"

 

In Lecture 7 when we were discussing Christianity and music, Professor Harris spoke about three different types of Christian bands:

1. separationists

2. intergrationists

3. transformationists

Last month I bought The Script's (an Irish alternative rock band) album Science & Faith. I had never identified The Script as a Christian band. Their first album did not have any religious undertones. The Script skyrocketed into success after their single We Cry became a hit on the UK Singles Chart and their first album The Script became a multi-platinum hit. They've had many hit singles since.

When asked about the inspiration behind the album Science & Faith, vocalist Danny O'Donoghue mentioned the economic crisis in Ireland and called it "a microcosm for the rest of the world" and that people being stripped of everything that they own inspired the album . He went on to say, "we're dealing with complex emotions in the simplest of ways, that's we we battle with in these songs." He also notes that although the album may seem bleak at first, it's an album about optimism and that the album is about how "no matter how bad things get, you always pick yourself up and carry on."

Though the majority of the songs on the album do not seem to have religious or Christian undertones, the songs You Won't Feel A Thing and Science & Faith really evoke religious themes. Some of the lyrics of You Won't Feel A Thing are:

"I've been kicked right down
I've been spat in the face
I've been pulled, weighed down
To the lowest place
I've been lied to, shamed
I have been disgraced
Been ex-communicated from every holy place
I've been beat up and robbed
I've been left for dead
For the way I look
For the things I said."

Some lyrics of Science & Faith have even stronger religious undertones to them. For example:

"As I watched her growing weary
I pulled her apart
Having heavy conversations
About the furthest constellations of our souls, oh
We're just trying to find some meaning
In the things that we believe in
But we got some ways to go.
Of all of the things that she's ever said
She goes and says something that just knocks me dead.

You won't find faith or hope down a telescope
You won't find heart and soul in the stars
You can break everything down to chemicals
But you can't explain a love like ours."

*---*

In regards to the three different types of Christian bands, I would definitely categorize The Script as integrationist. Though they've never out-right listed religion as inspiration for their music, the lyrics in their latest album hint at religion and spirituality. I speculate that now they have established themselves as a popular, successful band they are more comfortable with having songs and lyrics that express their spirituality and how faith in today's society can be a tough thing to maintain. As I noted in my blog entry about Switchfoot, I think many lyrics with religious undertones can still be relate-able to people of all faiths as they can be interpreted as simply spiritual or motivational. I feel the same way about The Script's lyrics. One thing I really liked about Science & Faith is how relevant it is to the society we live in today and how it is easy to get lost and distracted by consumerism, and how easy it is to feel like an outsider. I found much comfort in the songs You Won't Feel A Thing and Science & Faith. As I've said, I find them really relevant to the world we live in and I like how such a mainstream band has included songs with more depth and spirituality than most pop songs.

I  don't think it's necessary for a band to explicitly say which faith they belong to, and I think bands should have the freedom to sing about whatever they want without worrying about having to appeal to a certain target audience or being labelled as a Christian band, Jewish band, and so forth. I agree with Professor Harris' notion that "it's a faith, not a genre"--- music shouldn't be written for particular groups of people, but for everyone...it should be about the music itself, not the religion tied to it.

A Response to Chloesmc305's Post "Dare You To Move"

A response to Chloesmc305's post: Dare You To Move

Chloe, I was really pleased to see your post about Switchfoot and like you, when Professor Harris asked our class about which Christian bands we know of and like, Switchfoot instantly came to mind.
I couldn't agree with you more that Switchfoot definitely falls under the transformationist category of contemporary Christian music.

In high school I bought Switchfoot's album "The Beautiful Letdown" after being introduced to their music by a friend of mine who was a very devout Christian. Initially I was not attracted to their music for the Christian themes and I find it very fitting that when interviewed about their music as you noted in your entry, Switchfoot was very vocal about not wanting to be categorized as "Christian rock" as they feel that includes and excludes some viewers. After listening to "The Beautiful Letdown" several times and after falling in love with the songs Dare You To Move, More Than Fine, and On Fire, I gave a friend of mine who was openly Atheist, a copy of the album. Though she did not take the religious elements of the lyrics literally or in a religious interpretation, she told me she really loved the album and believed that for non-Christians the lyrics that include verses like:

 "You are the hope I have for change/you are the only chance I'll take/When I'm on fire when you're near me,"
"It was a beautiful let down when you found me here/Yeah for once in a rare blue moon I see everything clear/I'll be a beautiful let down..."
and
"I dare you to move/I dear you to move/I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor/I dare you to move/I dare you to move like today never happened"

could relate to these lyrics and interpret them not necessarily as religious or Christian, though the allusions to Christianity in the lyrics are quite evident, but as either romantic or poetic lyrics that any person regardless of their faith, could relate to.These lyrics deal with the human condition and the feelings that are universal to all humans, such as love, longing, doubt, and hope. Furthermore, some of Switchfoot's songs have lyrics that aren't as blatantly religious, such as the lyrics in their song More Than Fine:

"I want more than just ok, more than just ok.
When I'm up with the sunrise
I want more than just blue skies.
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.

I'm not giving up, giving up, not giving up now.
I'm not giving up, giving up, not backing down.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok."
-- the lyrics in this song do not have any particularly strong religious allusions tied to them and are a great example of how many of Switchfoot songs deal with the frustrations, doubts, and spiritual problems we all experience at some point in our lives. The fact that two of my friends with opposing faiths, one being very Christian and the other very Atheist, were both able to relate to and have a positive response to this album is yet another indication of how Switchfoot's music need not be classified as Christian music but rather as good music, music that is enjoyable to people of all faiths.

In fact many of Switchfoot's more current songs deal with other themes in society. For example, their song Easier Than Love talks about the skeptical and destructive elements in our society today, with lyrics such as:

"Sex is industry,
The CEO, of corporate policy
Skin-deep ministry,
Suburban youth, hail your so-called liberty

Every advertising antic,
Our banner waves with a neon glow
War and love become pedantic,
We wage love with a mistletoe"

These lyrics do not overtly discuss God, Jesus, faith or spirituality, but rather discuss the pitfalls of our society and the destructive nature of some of the actions and influence of certain people in our society, and seem to make a political statement more-so than a religious one.

Even the lyrics that have a more religious statement to them could be regarded as lyrics that promote being a good, kind, positive person--which for some, means being a good Christian, but for others, these lyrics can simply be viewed as motivational lyrics.

Overall, I think it is more accurate to classify Switchfoot as a rock band that has spiritual and poetic lyrics rather than a Christian band that sings about God or Jesus.