The Media Rituals: The Relationship between Media and Religion

In: Asian journal of social science, Band 37, Heft 2, S. 284-304

Abstract

Abstract
What is the relationship between religion and modern media? Are the media in
essence anti-religion and a means to remove religion? Or are they a neutral
means that can also be in the service of religion? Such questions fall under
the category of the relationship between religion, modernization, and the
nature of modernization, about which there can be found a rich literature in
Iran. As far as the relationship between religion and modernization is
concerned, two related approaches can be followed: 1) an
historical-sociological approach and 2) a philosophical approach. Under the
influence of either approach one would face a spectrum of opinions which, on
the one hand, lead to "technological dogmatism" and, on the other, lead to
"instrumentalization". To decide which of these opinions to accept depends
upon our historical situation (our destiny) and our definition of
dichotomous sides (religion and media), as well as on our
historical-sociological and philosophical reasoning in this matter. This
article deals with these points. Since the national media attempts to act
upon the implications expected by modern media within the framework of moral
criteria and religious recommendation, then we will turn to this fundamental
question: How can religious matters be addressed in the public media, so as
to be able to involve a passive audience that is supposedly not the
addressee of the message, and turn him or her into an active audience? In
this regard, taken from the media experiences both in Iran and around the
world, first the characteristics of "religious media" will be offered. Then
a pattern for media rituals will be introduced and experimentally (as a case
study) studied through some examples in Iranian society, and next the need
for a more exact planning will be tapped. Finally the necessary conditions
to develop such rituals in the national media will be dealt with.