Comments on: Does Hollywood Influence Your Perception Of Religions Worldwide? http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/02/does-hollywood-influence-your-perception-of-religions-worldwide/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:18:23 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jen http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/02/does-hollywood-influence-your-perception-of-religions-worldwide/comment-page-1/#comment-89108 Jen Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:05:49 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=792#comment-89108 If someone's blaming Hollywood it's because they're too lazy to open a book. I'm a Californian and I'm not pointing any fingers. If someone’s blaming Hollywood it’s because they’re too lazy to open a book. I’m a Californian and I’m not pointing any fingers.

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]]> By: Rebecca http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/02/does-hollywood-influence-your-perception-of-religions-worldwide/comment-page-1/#comment-89103 Rebecca Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:08:49 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=792#comment-89103 I chuckled at the following line from your article..."And almost half of Californians blame Hollywood for “losing their religion.” Typical Americans -- let's blame someone else for our issues/problems instead of taking responsibility for our lives. It's a scary thought that people look to Hollywood to "enlighten" them on issues such as religion. We give way too much power to Hollywood. People are enthralled with entertainment because they get to escape their daily lives. They do not have to think for themselves! Perhaps if people got out of the their "comfort zones" and traveled, they would see themselves and their lives in a different light. I agree with DHarbecke's comment..."Travel only reinforced in me that there are endless ways to look at life and the things in it. If anything, it made my beliefs more flexible so I could compare among others more openly." I totally agree with this. I chuckled at the following line from your article…”And almost half of Californians blame Hollywood for “losing their religion.” Typical Americans — let’s blame someone else for our issues/problems instead of taking responsibility for our lives. It’s a scary thought that people look to Hollywood to “enlighten” them on issues such as religion.

We give way too much power to Hollywood. People are enthralled with entertainment because they get to escape their daily lives. They do not have to think for themselves! Perhaps if people got out of the their “comfort zones” and traveled, they would see themselves and their lives in a different light.

I agree with DHarbecke’s comment…”Travel only reinforced in me that there are endless ways to look at life and the things in it. If anything, it made my beliefs more flexible so I could compare among others more openly.” I totally agree with this.

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]]> By: DHarbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/02/does-hollywood-influence-your-perception-of-religions-worldwide/comment-page-1/#comment-89101 DHarbecke Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:07:31 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=792#comment-89101 Why is religion considered the default condition? We're all born atheists, until we're taught to believe in one thing or another. Technically, the only person in history to be born a Christian was Christ. (Wrap your head around that one... sounds like the dichotomy from The Matrix about breaking the cookie plate.) I don't see much difference between someone who's told to disbelieve than someone who's told to believe. Take some responsibility for your lack of faith, for Chrissakes! Doubt's uncomfortable, but it's better than blind or bad faith, which makes you numb to your misgivings. Doubt is healthy. Travel only reinforced in me that there are endless ways to look at life and the things in it. If anything, it made my beliefs more flexible so I could compare among others more openly. I sympathize when someone has their security blanket of their faith pulled away. It's cooooold out there! But ultimately it's for you to decide what you believe in, and take other people's opinions (whether the church's or Hollywood's) with scrutiny. In the end, believing what you're told to believe isn't really security at all. Why is religion considered the default condition? We’re all born atheists, until we’re taught to believe in one thing or another. Technically, the only person in history to be born a Christian was Christ. (Wrap your head around that one… sounds like the dichotomy from The Matrix about breaking the cookie plate.)

I don’t see much difference between someone who’s told to disbelieve than someone who’s told to believe. Take some responsibility for your lack of faith, for Chrissakes! Doubt’s uncomfortable, but it’s better than blind or bad faith, which makes you numb to your misgivings. Doubt is healthy.

Travel only reinforced in me that there are endless ways to look at life and the things in it. If anything, it made my beliefs more flexible so I could compare among others more openly.

I sympathize when someone has their security blanket of their faith pulled away. It’s cooooold out there! But ultimately it’s for you to decide what you believe in, and take other people’s opinions (whether the church’s or Hollywood’s) with scrutiny. In the end, believing what you’re told to believe isn’t really security at all.

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]]> By: Jeff Bridges http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/02/does-hollywood-influence-your-perception-of-religions-worldwide/comment-page-1/#comment-89085 Jeff Bridges Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:37:57 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=792#comment-89085 Those of us who travel typically come away from our journey with a deeper understanding and appreciation of "the other" - which I believe ironically makes us far less tolerant of intolerant religious extremists and more sympathetic to Hollywood's portrayal of the deeply religious as nut-job extremists. At the end of the day, however, the problem isn't Hollywood and the answer isn't travel. The larger problem is that some people use religion to divide and humiliate, and they're the ones that get all the attention. We need to spread awareness that many religions - like my Episcopal Church, for example - focus more on the questions and the wonder of our relationship with God than on telling people how to live every detail of their lives. Unfortunately the crazies always shout louder, whatever side they're on. Those of us who travel typically come away from our journey with a deeper understanding and appreciation of “the other” – which I believe ironically makes us far less tolerant of intolerant religious extremists and more sympathetic to Hollywood’s portrayal of the deeply religious as nut-job extremists.

At the end of the day, however, the problem isn’t Hollywood and the answer isn’t travel. The larger problem is that some people use religion to divide and humiliate, and they’re the ones that get all the attention. We need to spread awareness that many religions – like my Episcopal Church, for example – focus more on the questions and the wonder of our relationship with God than on telling people how to live every detail of their lives.

Unfortunately the crazies always shout louder, whatever side they’re on.

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