Kelsey Keegan
Media 360
3/19/12
The Challenge of Religious Media: Musical Artists Defining their Own Religion and Navigating
the Boundary Between Shock Value and Religious Blasphemy
In the increasingly mediated age in which we live representations of religion are becoming
much more apparent in pop culture, including such representations in novels, blogs, television
shows, films, and music. This has led to an ever-increasing dialogue about religion and its role in
today’s media culture. Due to this increase in discourse, along with the stunning accessibility and
speed with which the internet can disseminate opinions and information, more and more religious
media is cluttering the world wide web and, in turn, the minds of individuals who participate in the
phenomenon.
Because of this, “authentic” or traditional religious media have struggled to find a way to
cut through such clutter in order for their message to reach audiences. This has proven difficult
for all types of religious media because it seems that, ultimately, their job is to address pressing
questions and concerns in a manner that not only clearly and candidly gets the point across to its
audience, but also does so in a way that the audience feels like it is not being preached to by an
overzealous religious body, which is no easy task. Furthermore, any religious media’s attempt to
cut through the clutter by distributing its own “authentic” media only adds to the ever-expanding
cultural clutter that audiences and consumers must deal with. Herein lies the challenge with which
religious media has been struggling.
When looking at how more traditional religious media try to cut through the clutter, it
seems as if this media is effective in overloading audiences with its message – attempting to clog
the airwaves in order to reach as many people as possible. However, because of the amount of
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religious clutter that this adds to the media landscape, it appears that the most extreme religious
messages and beliefs get through the easiest. There is an amount of shock value involved in these
extreme beliefs that seem to really impact audiences, making it easier for such messages to cut
through the clutter, while leaving more “authentic” religious media behind. While this traditional
religious media seems effective in distributing as much information as it can, allowing the
possibility to reach more people, it is ineffective in the way that extremist religious views seem to
cut through the clutter and reach audiences much more easily than those “authentic” religious
media – leaving audiences with a distorted perception of all religious media being extremely
intense and preachy.
To audiences, such media may come across as having a bible-thumping, brochure-waving,
want-to-convert-the-world, kind of air about it. This type of media may relay the message that
“we have an agenda, you’re going to hear it, and you’re going to like it.” Right off the bat this
media is deemed as religious, which (due to extremist views cutting through the clutter and
reaching audiences more easily) sometimes incites certain negative stereotypes about religious
followers.
For example, the documentary Jesus Camp is a perfect example of how such religious
media can be viewed very negatively – some might even deem the believers in the film as “Jesus
freaks.” In this case it’s clear that sometimes the scariest of religious media are able to cut
through the clutter and reach numerous audiences.
This is partly due to the fact that the
underlying messages (some of the things being preached) are so incredibly frightening and
extreme that it’s hard to imagine some people truly believe in such messages and then live their
lives accordingly, in order to fulfill these beliefs. In addition to the extremity of such religious
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media beliefs portrayed in the film, the fact that these believers come across as excessively
preachy only adds to the negative connotation associated with such religious media.
Another example of these extreme values is apparent in Bill Maher’s mockumentary
Religulous. One of Maher’s main goals in the film is to expose those religious believers whose
messages are so extreme that they make almost no sense to an outsider. Such believers appear
stupid to audiences as Maher cuts down every argument the believers attempt to make. Thus, in
the media landscape today the more traditional, or so-called “authentic,” religious media that
finally reaches audiences is deemed as either extreme, preachy, or just plain stupid. This religious
media has proven effective in distributing a lot of information to consumers, but the messages that
ultimately get through to audiences are very one-sided – there appears to be little to no balance
with more conservative or conventional religious beliefs. Thus, this religious media is ineffective
in how it’s perceived; how audiences view it. Due to this, people might associate almost all
religious media deemed as “authentically religious” to be this way, thus alienating people from the
message, and leading people to dismiss such media.
Though it’s difficult, it’s not uncommon for some religious media to find a way to cut
through the clutter. So what allows for certain religious media to effectively and deeply connect
with large audiences while others struggle to fight the negative stereotype associated with
“religious” media? Celebrities like Madonna and Lady Gaga seem to be carving their own path
through the media clutter, and are proving more effectual than the traditional religious
organizations.
Whether aware or not, celebrities play a large role in influencing the minds of the public.
Celebrities constantly disseminate information about their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, which
become part of pop culture. In turn, this culture shapes the very thoughts and feelings of those
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who live in it. Many people look to celebrities, due to their status in society, as role models or
public figures and thus act accordingly to celebrity beliefs. This is perhaps one reason why any
type of religious media linked or associated with a celebrity is more highly regarded by the public.
Furthermore, due to the increasingly globalized world in which we live, consumers must
find a way to navigate this semantic space for answers to their burning questions. The public’s
increasing immunity to the vast media clutter is making it more and more difficult for religious
media in terms of reaching an audience and offering a message. However, due to the celebrity
status of many Hollywood stars, like Madonna and Lady Gaga, religious messages associated with
these public figures seem to ring more truthful to listeners than those associated with more
traditional (and perhaps more extreme or preachy) religious media.
Another reason for this is because, to the public, Madonna and Lady Gaga are first and
foremost entertainers. Their music, in addition to their accompanying music videos, concert tours,
etc., all appear to be forms of entertainment and artistic expression. On the surface level there
appears no intention of agenda setting for political, social or religious causes.
This allows
listeners to let their guards down, be swept up, and enjoy the music, rather than be on the
defensive for explicit religious messages, among others. With this guard down people are much
more susceptible to enjoy the overall experience of listening to an artist’s music, which can in turn
lead the audience to respect the artist as first and foremost an entertainer. An artist’s following
may grow, like in the case of Madonna and Gaga, to the point of cult-like devotion.
Initially, this devotion is due to the entertainment aspect of an artist’s music – audiences
enjoy listening and singing along. However, once celebrities reach a certain status and have a
large enough following, then integrating more political, social, and/or religious messages in their
music seemingly becomes less of a threat to audiences. Fans come to respect and look up to artists
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for their many talents and are thus more open and susceptible to an artist’s message. Gaining that
initial respect and trust is crucial when it comes time to relay a message to audiences.
For many people, in fact, it is the message that these artists integrate into their music that
increases their popularity and cult-like following. However, it’s important to note that these artists
did not try to persuade listeners of any message right away; they allowed people to get
comfortable with their music and beliefs before explicitly setting an agenda. For example, Lady
Gaga has become known as a spokesperson for LGBT issues and heavily supports agenda setting
that will change LGBT lives for the better. Due to this advocacy and the explicit messages in her
music, Gaga has gained even more fans. For instance, in one of Lady Gaga’s songs, “Born This
Way,” she sings that,
“I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way […]
Whether you're broke or evergreen
You're black, white, beige, chola descent
You're lebanese, you're orient
Whether life's disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied, or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
'Cause baby you were born this way
No matter gay, straight, or bi,
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track baby
I was born to survive” (“Born This Way”).
In these lyrics it is clear that Gaga promotes a “come-as-you-are” attitude and that “God
makes no mistakes” – you are who you are and we (Gaga and her other followers) will accept and
love you for it. Gaga knows how to effectively invite audiences to really listen, hear, analyze,
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reflect, and respond to her music – much like a religious leader might do with a Biblical text. As
her fame and support continue to grow, it’s not difficult to see the inception of a religious sect of
her own. Gaga invites listeners to enjoy and be entertained by her music. Once listeners are
comfortable with this, they begin to realize the underlying message in her music, which some may
classify as a religious message. Gaga seems to promote, not so much preach, a very loving and
accepting message to her followers – we will take you the way that you are – as opposed to more
traditional religious organizations which seem to declare that this is the way it is; if you want
acceptance and be a part of this community, then you must conform to our ideals; you must
change your ways to fit in.
Gaga’s “religion” seems to fill a void that people previously would have turned to a more
traditional religious group to fulfill. Questions about sexuality, gender, identity, etc. are all things
that Gaga and her followers are very open to discussing; there is more flexibility for interpretation.
With traditional religious media, however, there seems to be an absolute truth or doctrine that
followers must abide by in order to gain understanding and acceptance. The “this is the way it is
and if you want to fit in, you must conform” mentality seems to alienate and push away many
people, who then turn to “religious sects” like that of Lady Gaga to find answers and acceptance.
Additionally, the fact that Lady Gaga had a religious upbringing seems to give more
legitimacy and authenticity to her new “religious following.” According to Luchina Fisher in an
ABC.com article, “Lady Gaga: Madonna Flap, “Judas” Fuss, Falls Flat,” from the age of 11, Gaga
– who was raised Roman Catholic – attended the Covenant of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girls
Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's Upper East Side. She described her academic life in high
school as “’very dedicated, very studious, very disciplined’” but also “’a bit insecure’” (Fisher,
Luchina). After high school, she gained early admission into the Collaborative Arts Project 21
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(CAP21), a musical theatre-training conservatory at New York University’s Tisch School of the
Arts, where, in addition to sharpening her songwriting skills, she composed essays and analytical
papers on art, religion, social issues and politics (Fisher, Luchina). It’s clear from her upbringing
that Gaga was well versed in religious, social, and political issues, giving her more legitimacy as a
respected and knowledgeable public figure. Such issues would later become a catalyst for her
agenda-setting musical artistry.
Lady Gaga’s immense influence on today’s youth is no secret. For this reason, more
traditional religious media are becoming anxious about the messages that she is sending to today’s
youth and the ways in which she presents such messages. Furthermore, because of Gaga’s
dominance in pop culture, her messages are cutting through the clutter very easily and are posing a
threat to more traditional religious media as they are pushed to the wayside of public opinion.
Many complaints amongst more traditional religious media groups against Gaga’s message
are the manner in which she presents her beliefs. For instance, she is known to push boundaries in
bringing traditional religious imagery into the popular music context. Here we see this notion of
how the sacred becomes the secular and the secular becomes the sacred. However, Lady Gaga
was not the first to push such boundaries. In order to get a better sense of the controversy
surrounding Lady Gaga’s music video “Judas,” it is imperative to look back to Madonna – the pop
icon who started it all – who many believe Gaga has tried to emulate from the beginning.
One of the biggest controversies surrounding Madonna’s musicianship was her release of
the 1989 music video “Like a Prayer,” which sparked heated religious debate about both the lyrics
and images portrayed in the video.
Madonna states that the song is about a passionate young girl “’so in love with God that it
is almost as though He were the only male figure in her life’” (Greeley, Andrew).
The
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controversy began when Madonna introduced liturgical words in the lyrics—which were inspired
by her Catholic upbringing—but changed the context in which they were used. Thus, they had
dual meanings of sexual innuendo and religion. The single's accompanying music video, which
Mary Lambert directed, features Madonna as a witness to a murder, as she hides in a church for
safety. The clip depicts Catholic symbols such as stigmata and burning crosses, and a dream about
making love to a saint (Greeley, Andrew).
Such controversial lyrics and images led the Vatican to condemn the music video, while
certain family and religious groups protested its broadcast and even boycotted products by soft
drink manufacturer Pepsi, which used the song for a commercial. Madonna's contract with Pepsi
was subsequently canceled due to the controversy.
Some critics even believe that Madonna chose to make “Like a Prayer” controversial—
making it blatantly provocative in its calculated blending of sex and religion—in order to add hype
to the media mayhem surrounding the release of both her song and video. Such critics claim that
the video contains blasphemous use of Christian images simply for the purpose of free publicity.
One could claim that Madonna’s song and video attempt to commodify religion in a way—selling
out religion in order to sell CDs.
It is with this understanding that we may now discuss Lady Gaga’s controversial “Judas”
video. Similar to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” “Judas” has a Biblical storyline. Actor Norman
Reedus plays Judas Iscariot while Gaga plays Mary Magdalene. Jesus and the other apostles are
also present. The video portrays the group as a leather-sporting motorcycle gang going to
Jerusalem.
It includes the Biblical story of Judas betraying Jesus, and ends with Gaga as
Magdalene getting stoned to death (Fisher, Luchina).
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Before its release, however, the Catholic League condemned Gaga for the alleged use of
religious imagery, her role in the video, and for seemingly purposefully debuting the song and
video close to Holy Week and Easter. Despite this, critics generally praised the video, not finding
any offensive content. The video was even nominated for two awards at the 2011 MTV Video
Music Awards.
When asked in an interview about the meaning behind the song, Gaga states:
“‘Judas' is a metaphor and an analogy about forgiveness and betrayal and things
that haunt you in your life and how I believe that it's the darkness in your life that
ultimately shines and illuminates the greater light that you have upon you. […] So
the song is about washing the feet of both good and evil and understanding and
forgiving the demons from your past in order to move into the greatness of your
future. I just really like aggressive metaphors—harder, thicker, darker—and my
fans do as well. So it is a very challenging and aggressive metaphor, but it is a
metaphor’” (Rose, Phil).
Despite her explanation several religious groups still slammed the song, calling it
blasphemous and a mockery of Christianity. Laurieann Gibson, co-director of the video, even
admits that “the shock value in the video was purposefully added,” but goes on to state that
“ultimately the story was about oppression; and about following one's heart and the glory of being
free” (Rose, Phil).
From the Madonna and Lady Gaga cases it appears that there is a thin line between shock
value and religious blasphemy in the pop music industry. It is this tension that further contributes
to the media clutter, making it hard to cut through to the “authentic” religious media. Some critics
claim that the videos contain blasphemous use of Christian images simply for the purpose of free
publicity and in attempt to commodify religion, as a means of selling out religion in order to sell
CDs.
Church groups have every right to be upset about the way that the media portray religious
content and are free to state their opinions. However, it seems as if the actions that these groups
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have taken in order to condemn such media, like Madonna and Lady Gaga’s videos, only add to
the hype – making people even more intrigued, which seems like the opposite of what more
traditional religious groups want.
In conclusion, it appears that inviting people to enjoy and be entertained by music allows
audiences to let down their guards and be more open to messages that may involve religious or
political undertones, rather than what more traditional religious media has been trying to do,
which is force-feed religion to people in attempt to convert them, by means of overloading them
with information, extremity or preaching. Younger generations have an overall sense of what is
deemed by “religious” media, invoking some pretty negative connotations. These generations do
not wish to conform to a strict doctrine and are finding themselves looking to other outlets, for
example the cult-like religious devotion of Lady Gaga, to fill a void that previously more
traditional religious groups would have tried to fulfill.
While church groups have every right to freely express their opinions, musicians and the
like have the same freedom. I believe that songs and videos, like those of Madonna and Lady
Gaga, can be used as a catalyst for conversation about such topics as religion, politics, and social
issues. Music like this incites discussion, sometimes only superficial but sometimes very deep
discussion as well.
I think this is just another means of opening worldwide discourse about religion.
Ultimately, however, I feel that it is up to the consumer to decide which religious media to believe.
Various artists or church groups can put their opinions out there, and we’ll choose which speak
more to our faith. No one is right. No one is wrong.
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Bibliography
“Born This Way.” A-Z Lyrics.com. Web. 18 Mar. 2012. <http://www.azlyrics.com/
lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html>.
Fisher, Luchina. “Lady Gaga: Madonna Flap, “Judas” Fuss, Falls Flat.” abcnews.go.com.
Web. 21 Apr. 2011. 18 Mar. 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/ lady-gaga-judasvideo-controversy-mimics-madonna/story?id=13418812#.T2elxRyes58>.
Greeley, Andrew. “Madonna’s Challenger to Her Church.” AmericaMagazine.org. Web.
13 May 1989. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?
article_id=12971>
Rose, Phil. “Lady Gaga’s Judas Video: sacrilege or sacred art?” WashingtonPost.com.
Web. 6 May 2011. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/
post/lady-gagas-judas-video-sacrilege-or-sacred-art/2011/05/06/AFyvp17F_blog.html>.
Additional Sources
Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79fzeNUqQbQ&ob=av2n
“Like a Prayer” Lyrics:
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/madonna/like+a+prayer_20086915.html
Lady Gaga’s “Judas” video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn8Wrmzuc&ob=av2
“Judas” Lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/judas.html
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