"Television always represents religious people as out of touch with the modern world." Discuss.

There are very few religious programmes that actually appeal to young people. These are the adults of the future. If anything this is going to dissuade them from following religion. In the end this is going to create a society that will have fewer people who actively follow religion.

There are many programmes on television that represent Christians as out of touch through characters in the programme. They represent them as always preaching to others, strange and dull people. Some good examples of this are 'The Simpsons', 'Brookside' and 'Neighbours'. All of these programmes have characters that are like the description above. Ned Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy in 'The Simpsons', Bridget in 'Brookside' and Harold Bishop in 'Neighbours'. These characters are always put in because this is the stereotypical religious fanatic. Also in programmes on TV everything is taken to extremes and exaggerated. This happens to all the characters not just the religious ones.

On the other hand today there is a far wider variety of religious programmes than there was ever before. Today there programmes with religious content that cater for most needs and interests. 'The Heaven and Earth Show' is a show directed at a younger audience that tackles current issues and shows how religion relates and links to these issues. There are also shows to cater for the older audience 'My Favourite Hymns' is directed at an older audience. Usually older celebrities are asked to give their favourite hymns and then say why they are their favourites.

There are also a much wider variety of religious programmes that are aimed at a younger audience. They also appeal to different age groups. 'The Ark' is aimed at smaller children and aims to tell them the bible stories through use of cartoons and puppets to make them seem more accessible. 'The Heaven and Earth Show' as mentioned above is also aimed at a younger audience but it explains religion through current issues.

Not all programmes represent religious peoples as out of touch with the modern world. There are many examples of where they show religion in a good light. Geraldine in 'The Vicar of Dibley' is represented as very smart and with the times. She is both funny and not represented as a stereotype vicar. Sister Helen in 'Dead Man Walking' is represented as kind and caring as she helped all the convicts on death row. It showed that Christians aren't scared of criminals and aren't the stereotypical wimp.

Duncan Robinson-Slater 11E2