Page 151 - Religion in the Media Age Media, Religion & Culture

140 Reception of religion and media

Priscilla: There is the Nexus magazine. So, I guess there are publications
that do help with that.
Interviewer: So, mostly for you it seems like the media of choice for spiri-
tuality is print and when we talk about screen media, like television,
you are less inclined to find spiritual growth and inspiration there.
Priscilla: Right. Unless it is public TV. I know PBS does interesting things.
There is something on Tibet coming up in a couple of days. And Butch
is the one who checks it out. I don’t know what is on ever. But some-
times he will be watching and something will look interesting and I
will watch, about people or. . . . So, I do see how it is possible. I’m sure
if we had cable there must be cable stations.

Priscilla and Butch thus have very different media diets than Judy Cruz.
Significant of their respective social demographics, the Castellos eschew
the kind of so-called “trash TV” that Judy finds interesting. Judy, in
contrast, does not read Nexus magazine and is less interested in public
television. More significant, perhaps, is the distinction between the two
households in terms of this issue of “screen” media versus other kinds of
media. Judy simply does not think of screen media as problematic in the
same way the Castellos do. There is a difference, as well, in Judy’s readi-
ness and ability to discuss specific programs. The Castellos, who also use
media to chart relations in the cultural sphere and to define distinctions
there, are less capable of talking specifics.
As I observed earlier, there are ways that Judy and the Castellos share
some things in common, most particularly, their seeking sensibility,
autonomy of the self, and suspicion of traditional religion as over against
more authentic, “in-home,” and lived religion. Where they really differ is
in their media diets, and how they use media in the context of what we
might call their “core” beliefs. For Judy, her interests were really piqued by
programs dealing with “angels, aliens, and afterlife.” Priscilla is asked,
“Do you ever seek out anything related to spirituality on television or in
the movies?”

Priscilla: Sometimes at movie theaters. I only usually see art films or some-
thing like that. Yes, videos too. I haven’t done this for a long time but I
like to get videos about religion. Mostly it is goddess stuff or
Buddhism.
Interviewer: How about music and spirituality?
Priscilla: Music! Oh, yeah. I don’t have a huge collection of music but I do
go to the library. I like to get Celtic music. They have such great
music. I hear music and I think “Where did they get that music”! I try
to explore and find new music, mostly at the library. If we had more
money to spend in that direction I probably would buy more CDs or if
I found one I really like, I will go buy it.