American religion as depicted in contemporary media and culture

Religious Convictions and Practices of Americans

What exactly is the religion of America? If one looks at the presidential office and George W. Bush, one might assume that the religion of America is one that is Christian based, supporting Christian fundamentalist idealisms, spirituality and faith. Many consider George Bush one of the more openly religious presidents. However, despite his spiritual inferences his beliefs do not necessarily represent the 'religion' that is American, nor the beliefs and sentiment of the American people as a whole.

More representative of the American religion is a variety of books, movies, magazines and other forms of cultural media that express the religion of America. For purposes of this examination we will describe the religion of America as "Agnostian-Secularian." Of course there is no such thing, but such a term would describe the seeming multi-faceted view of God the American people have. Most people in the United States seem split with regard to their spirituality. Many believe in some sort of higher power, however that higher power for many is unformed and unshaped, rather an amorphous form of sorts that represents all that is 'good' and 'well' or right with the world.

The idea of the religion of America as "Agnostian-Secularian" is described below.

Standard View of God

There is no 'standard' view of God evident in the American religion; however one might recognize common themes and perceptions of God through the modern media. The recent movie "Bruce Almighty" depicts the "God" of the world as rather laid back and modern in nature, someone that people have faith in within actually understanding the true nature of God.

This movie represents the more common notion of God as someone that has power over all, and the ability to inspire people to achieve their greatest and help them deal with the struggles of ordinary life.

God is also viewed with great mystery and even fear in many instances. Horror movies such as the "Exorcist" have demonstrated the opposite of God, or what happens when evil overcomes man. Such depictions assume that if there is good in the world then there is evil, but also that evil can be overcome through faith in God.

There are many books that have also viewed God in a more abstract manner, suggesting instead that a universal consciousness exists, and that God actually lives within the hearts of each individual. The Celestine Prophecy is one such example, where people are represented as having unique capabilities that are "godlike" including intuition and foresight. The work suggests that people have the ability to control their own destiny.

It seems that the view of God in the United States is that there is a higher power that exists, and that is readily available in times of need, but also that God exists within each individual, and that people have the ability to discern between right and wrong. Another assumption of the "Agnostian-Secularian" perspective is that if one simply has faith, then one can conquer anything.

Ethical Standards

The ethical standards that predominately influence the "Agnostian-Secularian" religion of America is one that is primarily modeled on the basic principles of right and wrong, with somewhat heavy influence from Christian idealisms.

There is widespread acceptance for example that criminal behavior is behavior that results in harm to another person that violates the basic Christian principles of what is just and right. That one should not 'steal' or 'cheat' for example are common themes in the American religion. The use of force is not encouraged, though violent images are often portrayed in the media.

The interpretation of sexuality however is somewhat more loosely defined. There is no one standard for defining sexuality. If one refers to television or the media, they might assume that almost anything goes with regard to sexuality. Take for example shows such as "Will and Grace" which openly pokes fun and encourages homosexuality as part of every day life, which it is for many people living in the United States.

The recent HBO series "Angels in America" also argued in favor of the plight of homosexuality. This however is portrayed against the backdrop of a government that would suggest that the religion of America does not support homosexuality. Again however, the convictions of the president are generally more conservative and Christian based in nature than the convictions of the people living within America at large.

There seem to be mixed emotions with regards to the ethical standards particularly those associated with sexuality in the United States. The "Crying Game" is another movie which openly explores the themes of sexuality, homosexuality and ethics.

Religious Themes

Most people are motivated to choose good based on a desire to elicit the best possible outcome for themselves and their family. America is still seen as the land of opportunity, for anyone willing and able to uphold the idealisms of democracy and freedom.

Most people have a sense that it is appropriate to follow the mantra "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" when it comes to selecting right from wrong.

With regard to an afterlife, most modern movies, dramas, magazines and other forms of media suggest that the afterlife exists, and that there is a place for those that do 'good' and those that do not. Movies such as "Ghost" and "A Christmas Carol" and even "Passion of the Christ" suggest that there is an afterlife, and one's experience of it is largely dependent upon ones actions and behavior's in the world they live in today.

Dying is also portrayed as inevitable. Consider the numerous magazines that discuss extending ones life and looking younger. Many popular titles including Glamour, Allure, Redbook, Esquire and Time have all at one point or another explored spirituality, death and the possibility of an afterlife.

For most the afterlife remains a bit of a mystery, but it is largely accepted as part of the American 'religion' that some type of life after death exists, and most perceive that it is comforting and better than the one we live in today. The majority of images that portray the afterlife are comforting in nature.

People draw the line between insider and outsider based on ones actions and how well they conform to standard ideals of what is normal and what is not. There have been numerous depictions of individuals overcoming tremendous challenges in order to 'fit in' or be perceived as an insider. The movie "Rainman" is a perfect example. One might assume that the main character is inherently an outsider; however the movie also demonstrates that by and large the majority of people have great compassion for those that appear or act differently, provided their intentions are not inherently evil or negative in nature.

The one unacceptable believe of the American religion seems to be simply that one must believe in something, thus anyone that doesn't believe in anything is wrong. Most pictures, images and other forms of culture that depict the lifestyle of people suggest that everyone has some sort of belief, no matter how far it is from what is considered the 'norm' or the majority opinion. Those that have no outlet or belief are the ones that seem left behind. Even if someone's conviction is that God does not exist, so long as they are firm in their belief there is a place for them in the modern American world. There doesn't however seem to be a place for anyone that lacks conviction on any subject matter.

Conclusions

There is no one standard for what is considered right and wrong in the world of American religion. The American religion that exists today may be described as "Agnostian-Secularian" meaning it is made up of multiple faiths, beliefs and convictions, some more Christian based and some more abstract in nature.

By and large the American 'religion' or modern society is varying accepting of people of many different faiths and idealisms. Though the government of this country is somewhat heavily influenced by Christian fundamentalist ideals such as those that Bush emphasizes, the public by and large particularly in the eyes of the media, is much more open and flexible in nature. There are some beliefs that may be considered more 'universal' in nature than others. There is for example an obvious preference among people living in the modern American world to belief in the basic concepts of right and wrong.

There is evidence that suggests that most people believe in some form of afterlife, though they are not certain what exactly this life will entail. Most people also carry with them the conviction that there are certain principles that are right and wrong. Though there is no one size fits all definition, most people would agree that the modern religion of America is one that promotes the mantra do unto others. Most people are accepting of many different definitions of sexuality, faith and religious beliefs.

Though not fundamentally Christian, the religion of the American modern world does draw on some Christian convictions as well as more secular ones. The notion that the American 'religion' is diverse and somewhat uncertain in nature is clearly depicted in the number of movies, TV shows and other forms of media that have thus far portrayed the American culture and belief systems from so many different perspectives.