Christianity as Mediated by America's Entertainment Culture & Justin Essay

Christianity as Mediated by America's Entertainment Culture & Justin Bieber - Essay Example Consequently, it is why celebrities are marketed and angled to entice a larger devotion, exploring more possible target consumers. A prime example of this scenario is Justin Bieber and how he projects his image as a devote Christian. He even inked a portrait of Jesus on his calf. In an article entitled â€Å"Are young, religious stars like Justin Bieber and Tim Tebow making Christianity cool?† (Foxnews.com, January 10, 2012), Jo Pizza also mentioned other stars such as Demi Lovatto and NFL player Tim Tebow credit and praise their religion for their success in . Whether it is a packaging and publicity stunt to showcase Bieber as a devoted Christian in order to further his career, it is important to scrutinize the effects that in entails to society, to popular culture and its followings, and also the impact towards the Christian religion or simply just to religion. It is also critical to note that while Bieber’s influence does not generally include the adult population, h e rather has a strong hold of fan base on the youth who calls themselves as â€Å"Beliebers†, wherein the influence and impression is more potent and lasting to society, notwithstanding the support that it garners from the religious sector. Thus, there is also a need to explore the link between how pop culture transcends from an idolizing and cult-like following into a significant religious influence. To understand better the American society and how religion is practiced, the media and its proponents must also be discussed. It is also important to delve and examine how religion evolved in the United States and outline how the secular theory has adopted through time through the aid of mass media and technology. Understanding how religion is now availed by the community through means of cable televisions and especially the internet will give better grasps as to how pop culture has found a way and rooted itself through the religious diversities of America. Celebrities are Sales men and Religion is a Product When someone is propelled into the spotlight, directly or indirectly, they sell something. Whether it is in the form of movies, appearances, albums, advertisements, and the like, celebrities are vessels to sell something. In fact, in today’s culture, the celebrities are even the product themselves.1 Compared to the previous decades, the consumers demand to know everything about their lives. Noteworthy is the emerging unprecedented growth of paparazzi and gossip chasers who literally stalk celebrities in chase of the latest piece of conversation or controversy that can be made. In this age of technology and media, the interesting is defined by what is visible. Following on that premise; the invisible is uninteresting, thus unpopular, and ultimately unsellable. Therefore, celebrities must constantly reinvent and find ways to be more and more noticeable to the public eye in order to be successful salesmen of their products. Religion is no different than any commodity. It is also a product that is like any other where it needs to be marketed and sold to the consumer.2 After all, one needs to be convinced of a product before one purchases it or (in this case) adheres to it. It is worth highlighting that in this modern age, forms of religion are being marketed and advertised through the media. Evidence of these are the television channels