A few years ago Dot’s friend Ethel was dying of cancer. She asked Dot to help her to die (Euthanasia), but because Dot was a Christian, she found it very difficult (Christians believe it is wrong to end a persons life). Eventually Dot agreed, but she was so overcome with guilt that she turned herself over to the police. She was never prosecuted for the crime.
Another character portrayed, as “out of touch” with the modern world would be Edna Birch from ITV soap, Emmerdale.
Edna is a woman in her late 50’s who frequently moans and groans how the younger generation are losing all morals and faith. She is also ridiculed when she does not agree with much of the goings on in the little village or listen to any of the latest gossip, such as affairs and murders, because she does not believe in such talk.
The character Ned Flanders from the popular cartoon, Simpsons is also represented as “out of touch”. He has to young boys who have been brought up to be devout Christians, and recently lost his wife.
Religion informs nearly every aspect of Ned's life, from the doorbell that chimes "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" to his air horn that blares the Hallelujah chorus. Together with his family, he prays at meals and before bed. He attends church three times a week; contributing to seven congregations, just to be on the safe side. He belongs to a Bible-study group and keeps notes stuck on his refrigerator with a sign of the fish magnet. Like many believers, he thanks God often for his blessings, for things as small as a beautiful day. Even Ned admits that most of the time he is "about as exciting as a baked potato."
On the other hand, television doesn’t always portray religious people as “out of touch”; there are many programmes that show religious people as “in touch” with the modern world. One example of this type of character would be the Geraldine Granger, from The Vicar of Dibley. The Vicar Of Dibley is one of many religious-themed sitcoms. The character is the kind-hearted, fun, chocolate-loving, joke-cracking, irreverent vicar who is like breath of fresh air and immediately became popular with the villagers. She is defiantly not out of touch and is unexpectedly funny to watch.
Another character not represented as out of touch, is from the film Sister act. Whoopi Goldberg plays the character Deloris who is danger accidentally witnesses a brutal murder carried out by her gangster boyfriend Vince. Under the protection of a detective who's trying to bring down Vince's criminal operation, Deloris is placed in protective custody at a San Francisco convent. Hiding away as a nun, she is renamed Sister Mary Clarence. Deloris shakes up the convent and the sisters' lives, particularly enlivening their choral efforts. The new, jazzed-up musical act becomes a huge hit in the community, even drawing the attention of the Pope. Deloris was defiantly religious as she grew up in a catholic school with nuns as teachers – although she was very mischievous.
Although the soap opera Eastenders has the character Dot Branning it also has the character Yolandi, who is the complete opposite when compared to each other. Although Yolandi is extremely religious and is a regular churchgoer, she is also very out going and fun.
She is from Trinidad and recently left her cheating husband for the character Patrick Truman. They fell in love while Patrick was on holiday, which slowly developed in to being partners.
We she first came to England and she was despised by Dot Branning who thought Yolandi was not religious and was just pretending to be. Soon Yolandi shows Dot how religious he really is and they become good friends. She even teaches Dot to loosen up a bit and live life to the full. I therefore think that Yolandi is portrayed as in touch with the modern world.
In my opinion I think the statement is true, most television programmes represent religious people as “out of touch of touch” with the modern world, because there is more middle age and older presenters in the area of religion than anywhere else in the media, and therefore they must be seen as out of touch.
If a character is religious and “in touch” with the modern world, they are usually in a comedy, and to be laughed at rather than be serious. Although, I do think that religious characters are usually in the heart of most soap communities, as they bring culture to a programme.
I found both in and out of touch in one programme, but I thought it was hard to find different programmes that represent religious people as “in touch” as there are not many programmes on television that are not comedies. This must mean that most television programmes represent religious people as “out of touch” with the modern world.
I do not think this portrayal of religious people is right. I think this because many religious people can still have faith but still be in touch with the modern world. Some one having faith does not make you different to some one with out faith, like someone who is black skin is no different to someone who is white. We should not discriminate colour or creed.
This portrayal can also mean that the younger generation and other views can stereotype all religious people to being “out of touch” with the modern world. It teaches people that someone with faith is different; this is can later cause many conflicts, like today.
In some ways having faith is better as it means many people look for comfort and it also gives people morals to live in a modern society.
