World Religions (Essay Sample)

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In all cultures around the world, there is some form of religious system of beliefs. Most religions have a place of origin. Islam, Christianity and Judaism are known to have originated in the Middle East, Confucianism and Buddhism in the Far East, Hinduism in the Indian subcontinent, among others. However, due to globalization and migration of people from different cultures to places all over the world, these religions have been able to spread. This can also be said about the American Popular Culture. After the Industrial Revolution, people had more leisure time. This led to an increased demand for entertainment and amusement. Increased goods supplied necessitated advertising, to attract consumers. Popular culture came in handy. Popular culture encompasses entertainment, music and sports. It is spread through mass communication. Newspapers, magazines, radio, television, music, books, advertising and other means are used to spread this culture.
American popular culture has spread and transformed into levels that can only be compared to some of the largest world religions. One aspect of religion that can be seen used in pop culture is the idea of a supreme deity or gods. All religions are characterized by the existence of a supreme deity. Both Monotheistic and polytheistic religions have single or multiple deities at the top of the hierarchy respectively. In popular culture, Famous musicians, sports personalities and leaders receive attention and reverence by large sections of the masses. People view celebrities and popular personalities to almost if not the same level as gods. People want to emulate and be like these famous personalities.
Another aspect of religion that has also been transplanted successfully into the popular American culture is the code of conduct. All religions have some form of moral teachings and values and ethics that they teach. Followers are taught and instructed on how to act towards the deity and one another. Religious codes of conduct may even dictate whom one may marry, foods they may eat or what job they may or may not do. Popular culture too on the other hand tends to guide people on the way they react to and treat the famous personalities. Images and Video are rampant in the media of people following and smothering celebrities, speaking like them and aping their character. They tend to program and instruct the masses on how to receive these celebrities.
The use of sacred stories or myths is also a common characteristic across all religions. These stories are used to dramatize the teachings of religious faiths. People have continued to look for and identify with the life stories of popular phenomena, people or personalities. People want to find some similarities in their life stories and those of famous personalities. They find some form of confidence and motivation in the accounts. The creation of such stories about popular products and people, their spreading and the interest they generate is on religious scale all over the world.
There is also Religious Rituals that include ceremonies in which believe...