Stealth evangelicalism in "haunting" shows?
April 22, 2011 5:18 PM Subscribe
What's the deal with shows like Animal Planet's "The Haunting?" Is this just a front for evangelicalism or charismatic christianity?
No, really, I'm being serious. I'm an Atheist. My wife is Pagan. She watches all these haunting shows, addictively.
So she's got them on tonight, I was (as ever) paying as little attention as possible. But what seeped in was this: a striking resemblance to charismatic christianity. I guess for the first time I noticed that the answer to all of these inexorable shows is that there's some sort of haunting, someone's possessed. Then some vaguely identified expert moves in, throwing about holy water and invoking angels, Christ, and whatnot. Maybe someone is knocked back, screaming and writhing. I haven't seen a laying on of hands, but who knows? Then, with enough of the Christ thing, they win. Thinking back, I've never seen anyone "smudging a house," killing chickens, or whatever other religions might employ to get rid of malicious spirit(s).
Is this a USA only thing? Is there someone funding "Animal Planet" that is subjecting me to this crap? Is this shown around the world, as a stealth missionary thing?
No, really, I'm being serious. I'm an Atheist. My wife is Pagan. She watches all these haunting shows, addictively.
So she's got them on tonight, I was (as ever) paying as little attention as possible. But what seeped in was this: a striking resemblance to charismatic christianity. I guess for the first time I noticed that the answer to all of these inexorable shows is that there's some sort of haunting, someone's possessed. Then some vaguely identified expert moves in, throwing about holy water and invoking angels, Christ, and whatnot. Maybe someone is knocked back, screaming and writhing. I haven't seen a laying on of hands, but who knows? Then, with enough of the Christ thing, they win. Thinking back, I've never seen anyone "smudging a house," killing chickens, or whatever other religions might employ to get rid of malicious spirit(s).
Is this a USA only thing? Is there someone funding "Animal Planet" that is subjecting me to this crap? Is this shown around the world, as a stealth missionary thing?
I don't think it's a stealth missionary thing; it's just (as TWF says) that lots of people will watch it because they find it fascinating (whether sincerely or ironically). My partner is addicted to the various ghost hunting/ancient aliens shows, even as I stand there and huff and puff about what twaddle they are, mainly because I want to watch several episodes of Intervention and Hoarders.
posted by scody at 5:34 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by scody at 5:34 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yeah, no. They're just the usual pandering nonsense. That always interferes with me watching another Deadliest Catch marathon, darn it.
posted by SMPA at 5:59 PM on April 22, 2011
posted by SMPA at 5:59 PM on April 22, 2011
I know a lot of Charismatic Christians, and most of them are extremely offended by the existence of these shows, because they trivialise something that they consider very serious, and usually misrepresent their beliefs. So I doubt they are any sort of front.
posted by lollusc at 6:13 PM on April 22, 2011
posted by lollusc at 6:13 PM on April 22, 2011
Christianity, even the most fringe versions of Christianity, hardly has a monopoly (or even a majority share) of this sort of woo woo nonsense. For whatever reason, it has the same broad appeal as Coca Cola.
No one knows this quite like he folks who bring you cable TV.
(Also, Previously on Metafilter)
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 6:41 PM on April 22, 2011
No one knows this quite like he folks who bring you cable TV.
(Also, Previously on Metafilter)
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 6:41 PM on April 22, 2011
Response by poster: I'm not saying to "woo woo nonsense" (a phrase I've actually used, so nice!) is exclusive to christianity. I'm saying that these shows always seem to have the same christian brand of woo woo nonsense.
Hell, as a vegetarian long-time animal rights activist atheist, even I might be able to sit through at least the beginning of some goat sacrification. Or a voodoo thing. Or a tribal thing. But it always seems to involve holy water and people convulsing.
But ok, I can see someone who at a ripe-old age can still realistically shit themselves over "The Exorcist" and who grew up catholic going gaga over it.
posted by nevercalm at 6:53 PM on April 22, 2011
Hell, as a vegetarian long-time animal rights activist atheist, even I might be able to sit through at least the beginning of some goat sacrification. Or a voodoo thing. Or a tribal thing. But it always seems to involve holy water and people convulsing.
But ok, I can see someone who at a ripe-old age can still realistically shit themselves over "The Exorcist" and who grew up catholic going gaga over it.
posted by nevercalm at 6:53 PM on April 22, 2011
Well, as a charismatic Christian (who has sat in on real exorcisms) I can confidently tell you that we don't use holy water. I think that is strictly Catholic.
I've not seen the shows you refer to so I can't really judge but I doubt very seriously they are any kind of front for that brand of Christianity.
(Oh and I was forced a month or two ago to sit thru the last part of the Exorcist while waiting for my tire to be repaired-long story-and found it ridiculous to the point of humor.)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:48 PM on April 22, 2011
I've not seen the shows you refer to so I can't really judge but I doubt very seriously they are any kind of front for that brand of Christianity.
(Oh and I was forced a month or two ago to sit thru the last part of the Exorcist while waiting for my tire to be repaired-long story-and found it ridiculous to the point of humor.)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 7:48 PM on April 22, 2011
Most people in the US, even non-Christians, have exposure to and at least minimal knowledge about Christianity. So it's easier for the show to have someone sprinkling holy water; the audience will know what that's about without requiring a bunch of exposition. I doubt too many people know what smudging is or what it's supposed to do.
posted by desjardins at 8:14 PM on April 22, 2011
posted by desjardins at 8:14 PM on April 22, 2011
What's the deal with NPR's earnest coverage of a suspected miracle (warning, somewhat disturbing medical story)? It's superficially about the process of beatification and canonization in the Catholic Church, but it's also a heartwarming tale of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.
posted by Nomyte at 9:12 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Nomyte at 9:12 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ghost Hunters (on the Syfy Channel) is thoroughly un-religious, which is nice. They go straight for the debunking and the scientific side of it. Maybe you can steer her towards that show, instead. (Which is definitely the best of the current crop of ghost shows, anyway.)
In my experience, all the rest of the ghost shows inevitably end up dragging in the Catholic imagery.
Let's face it: the Catholics have got a lock on this corner of the human existence. They still hold official exorcisms, for pity's sake! And most ghost-related things are going to end up dragging in religion, because most people believe that the ghost is the soul of the dead, and religion is all about souls, so there ya go.
Also, the religious method of ghost-banishing is most likely going to be determined by the religion of the homeowner. Which for most Americans is some flavor of Christianity, however vague.
I feel your pain, though. I can't enjoy vampire stuff anymore, for the same reason.
posted by ErikaB at 9:13 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
In my experience, all the rest of the ghost shows inevitably end up dragging in the Catholic imagery.
Let's face it: the Catholics have got a lock on this corner of the human existence. They still hold official exorcisms, for pity's sake! And most ghost-related things are going to end up dragging in religion, because most people believe that the ghost is the soul of the dead, and religion is all about souls, so there ya go.
Also, the religious method of ghost-banishing is most likely going to be determined by the religion of the homeowner. Which for most Americans is some flavor of Christianity, however vague.
I feel your pain, though. I can't enjoy vampire stuff anymore, for the same reason.
posted by ErikaB at 9:13 PM on April 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nevercalm at 5:21 PM on April 22, 2011