Spirituality in Seinfeld
There are some things that you just can’t talk about: a woman’s age, politics, a woman’s weight and religion. However, we see references to religion on TV on a regular basis. With my vast TV watching experience I feel more than qualified to talk about religion in pop culture. One of the television shows that used religion as a common subject was Seinfeld.
Jerry, the main character, often references his Jewish beliefs. There is an episode where Jerry’s dentist, Tim Whatley, converts to Judaism for the jokes. This offends Jerry so he talks to Tim’s former priest in the Catholic church. Because of this, Kramer accuses Jerry of being an “anti-dentite.”
In another episode George converts to Latvian Orthodoxy in order to keep his girlfriend from breaking up with him.
George’s father, as an objection to Christmas, creates a new Holiday called Festivus. This is the premise of another episode.
In a Season 3 episode entitled “The Subway” George is robbed of his clothes and has to wrap himself in bedsheets. As he enters Monk’s Cafe he is greeted by a man yelling “Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!”. George then responds by saying, “How would you like “How'd you like a Hare Krishna fist down your throat, you little punk?”
A key character in a number of episodes is known as the Soup Nazi.There is also an episode about Nazi’s, though I’m not sure if that counts or not as a religion. It definitely a set of beliefs that shapes how one lives and acts.
There are many other references made to religion in different episodes. One such example is in “The Parking Garage”. Jerry makes a joke about Scientology.
I know that there are other examples that I’m sure I’ve overlooked but I’m sure you get the idea. There are many possible reasons that TV shows use religious references so often. One could be that religion is a major part of many people’s lives. It is something that they can relate to. It is also an easy laugh much of the time. I think that this usage sometimes opens the program to the risk of offending their viewers.
Questions:
Why do you think TV programs refer to religion with such regularity?
Does the use of religion in Television offend you? Why or why not?
Raimo says,
ReplyDeleteI believe that TV programs refer to religion regularly because it is fundamentally a major part of our society. comedies and sitcoms try to reflect our society and look at idiosyncrasies in our day to day life. The sitcom is a way for them to take the mundane, and make it more enjoyable.
I've read somewhere that to take offense one doesn't have the spirit with them. But I think I'm using that out of context. I would say it depends on how television uses religion in the show. If a comedy or drama takes its time to mock or go out of its way to frame it negatively unfairly, than yeah I may be offended, or when a show outright tries to take something divine, and diminish it sure. but funny generalizations, stereotypes even can be funny and in good taste.
I agree with most of what Raimo said. I do think that joking about religion (as this post was mostly about) and also using religion as the premise of some episodes (such as Jehovah's Witnesses and hospital issues, Amish cultures in the same situations) is so much a part of our society that it naturally finds itself among our entertainment and television shows.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that humor used with religion can be quite funny, even if the target is my own religion. I feel it necessary, and often entertaining to take the 'tasteful' jokes in stride - but there is a line.
The Simpsons usually do a good job working religion into their episodes, but I do find them crossing a line here and there offending me each time they show / demean God and his gospel truths. Family Guy as funny as it can, be does this far more and worse than most.
In summary I don't mind jokes and even shows dealing with religion as long as they are done in good taste and don't intentionally intend to offend or create extreme controversy. There are lines however, that are crossed often enough to raise concern and often discourage parents from letting their children watch certain shows.
One reason TV programs refer to religion regularly may be due to the writers' own agenda or opinion. Writers know that religion is a key part of many people, but not heavily talked about within society. Some writers may want to erase that notion by incorporating religious remarks into the shows.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to lie, sometimes religious remarks are funny. Like Ben and Raimo said, they can go too far and can be highly disrespectful.
Referring to the opening comments of this post, I wonder if a big part of the reason that religion is referred to so often in TV might be that it is one of those things that is 'difficult to talk about'.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that television, in general, is a large player in the concept of having a 'mixing pot of ideas.' Taking that into consideration we see that the use of subtle or extensive references on religion, engulfed within the plot of a sitcom or talk show etc., are certainly more indirect methods of addressing topics like religion. In this way, pushing on agenda or opinion becomes easier through filtered presentation.
With the second question,I think that there are definitely times when I have been offended by some references to religion on TV. While I feel that it is good that TV provides a bright moving flashy to captivate my mind, I agree with Kayleigh when she said that sometimes they can go too far with many things, including religion.
I also think that because ideas are typically pushed by an agenda/opinion, we aren't always getting the truth about certain religions. This is unfortunate because it contributes to shaping our knowledge and beliefs about other religions... it's especially unfortunate when it's a source of information that so many rely on more often than other more reputable sources.
To piggyback off of what Kayleigh said, I think a big part of why religion is seen so prevalently on television is the writers. Sometimes, they have their own agenda, atheists might portray religion as silly or irrelevant because that's the way they feel or might use a storyline to promote Christianity or whatever the case may be. But I think more likely even than that, is that everyone has to come to terms with their beliefs eventually. Life is too complicated to not, at some point, figure out what you believe-even if that is nothing. TV writers are not immune to this process of discovery and they use that as inspiration for their shows because they have experience with it themselves and they know that it is pretty much a universal concept.
ReplyDeleteI personally haven't been offended by religion on television, especially the specific Seinfeld examples mentioned in the post. But I feel like I would be offended in instances where a show is attacking a religious group or trying to demean it in some way because it propogates misunderstanding and disrespect.
Like most other people who have responded to this blog post, talk of religion on television usually doesn't offend me. There are some instances where talk of God and other religious subjects does get very irreverent however. Some shows are worse than others when it comes to this as well.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Bryce's comments about how religion is not one of those subjects that is too taboo to talk about or even poke fun at on television. While I don't think religion should be left out of television, I don't like the way in which more and more offensive material regarding religion is leaking into primetime television. Unfortunately I don't see this situation getting better any time soon.
I think that religion is so prevalent on TV simply because of the number of people, whether they claim to be religious or not, that can relate to religious subjects. TV producers want to create shows that people can relate to.
Josh Scott
Especially in the case of Seinfeld, it's interesting to note that the show's two creators (Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David) both have Jewish heritage, which is probably why many of the episodes refer to the jewish religion.
ReplyDeleteBut religion as a whole is something that has always occupied the deepest, darkest corners of the human mind. Man has always "attempted" to explain who we are, why we're here, and where are we going. And even though one may not agree with every religion, I believe that it is always interesting to hear about.
Thus, religion in television = entertainment. People are always willing to hear a little bit about another person's belief, especially if they are very exaggerated. Most of television, comedic television especially, is someone's extreme beliefs (whether they be religious, cultural, business, etc.) and the results and consequences of those beliefs.
Yes, those portrayals of religions can be too exaggerated, creating offense in some people. Even though we should not seek out irreverent talk of God and religion, we also need to remember that only a fool is offended when an offense is not meant.
Dude, I totally dig what you're saying. But, Bryce, my man, you made three questions when we are only supposed to do one. Notwithstanding, to answer your stinky first question, allow me to say that I believe TV programs, particularly comedy, refer to religion often for the same reason that we are able to laugh at ourselves because of our beliefs: there is humor in the incongruency of our situation.
ReplyDeleteThen Elder Henry B. Eyring said that our faith allows us to laugh at the incongruency of our situation because we have ultimate faith that in the end everything will turn out alright. Faith in the unseen and respect for authority unestablished to the outsider's eye can appear most comical. Why do we laugh when Homer Simpson actually obeys the Stonecutters when they have him run through the "Desert of the Swollen [Tushie]"? Because he totally could just get out of it, but he just does it anyway like a chump, and he allows himself to be chained to stone of shame where he has to drag the boulder home completely naked. Why would a sitcom put something like that in a show? Because it's funny.
I can also see how some of those writers resent how some people maintain faith in their religion in the light of "undisputable scientific fact" that goes contrary to their religious belief. Since there is no way to argue with these people, the writers choose to marginalize them by lampooning them. If I can't convince you, I'll negate you.
J.Guest
my thoughts run along with much of what has already been said of religion being very much a part of our society and culture. TV seeks to expound and find those corners of life and make them funny. Look at the fmaily for example, shows like the Simpsons, Malcom in the Middle and Everyone loves Raymond takes a very open direct take on the family. And we love it because we can relate to it or at least know enough about it to laugh.
ReplyDeleteIt is no different with religion. The country was founded on the very purpose of being able to practice our religious beliefs. Taking the direct approach and not trying to step around religion or belief is what makes it great. Stations have figures out we do not need to hide behind such personal or taboo topics, but rather meet them head on with a slice of life attitude. It's who we are, and it's who we want to continue to be.
First of all, Seinfeld is known for referencing aspects of life that many people can relate to. This show has even made fun of itself for being about nothing really, while in actuality, is about a little bit of everything. Naturally religion is going to fall into the mix between the nuances of singledom and odd neighbors. Religion is simply another human habit offering innumerable idiosyncrasies shows can exploit for a good laugh.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, this is not offensive. Religion is a part of life, particularly in America where people are free to worship in whichever way they please. This creates an array of religions television have to choose from. It is not offensive when the humor or drama references the religion respectfully and accurately, but can easily turn nasty if the reference is done in a manner that blatantly disrespects the beliefs of the referenced religion.