The introduction of web-sites, leaflets and so on means believers can discover more about the place. And ascertain a greater understanding of this place of pilgrimages background and religious significance. This fresh knowledge and understanding results in the individual growing in faith.
Commercialism also brings more opportunities for people to meet fellow Christians with similar if not equivalent beliefs. These opportunities to meet other people will inevitably attract more people to the area of pilgrimage, as the thought of meeting people with parallel beliefs appeals to them. As more visitors arrive they add to the sense of a community. It is more entertaining and enjoyable when you have additional people with whom you can exchange your ideas and thoughts. They rely on the income they receive from commercialising at areas of pilgrimage.
Souvenirs can be readily purchased as mementoes of pilgrimage. Also, these can be taken home for others to share in the experience. The sharing of your experience can also be interpreted as the sharing of your faith.
More commercialism means more profits. These takings can be beneficial. The livelihoods of the people involved are important, they may be supporting a family with the income they receive from their business, and it would seem slightly unchristian to forbid them from trading and preventing them from making profit. Due to commercialism pilgrimages are more accessible, if they are, for example, advertised in holiday brochures the trip will cost less so then it may be more affordable for a greater number of pilgrims to go.
I will now discuss the negative points of commercialisation, which have proved themselves to be disadvantageous as regards to making the area a spiritual place where pilgrims can visit and reflect on their faith. It may be said that with the number of souvenir and food stalls escalating in places of pilgrimage are resulting in them becoming less of a spiritual place and more like a tourist attraction. This devalues the spiritual aspect of pilgrimage, which is to be an act of worship.
Exploiting people’s beliefs to make profit seems wrong; this moral belief is reaffirmed with an occurred event noted in the New Testament, when Jesus turned the moneylenders out of the temple, believing it to be wrong to do business on such a holy place. So the very fact that there is trading being done on a Holy place of pilgrimage, considering what it say’s in Mark Ch. 11 V. 15-18 it seems a bit ironic, and anti-religious.
If a place is swarming with people it becomes difficult for the elderly, disabled or the sick to get around. These groups unfairly suffer at the hands of the people who are motivated solely to visit the place by the commercialisation factor.
Commercialisation is primarily to blame for a place being overcrowded, busy and noisy, this exasperating atmosphere destroys the peaceful, relaxing, and calming environment. It is by no means appropriate for spiritual reflection and progression. It becomes very difficult to feel God’s presence. Private prayer, being alone with God becomes unattainable.
By examining all of the preceding factors, I have concluded that Commercialisation is a dire thing that has scared most of our few places of pilgrimage. Despite the obvious benefits of commercialisation i.e. the profit that can be ascertained from it, I think that the influence of commercialisation has ruined most of our sacred, holy places of worship. The lesson that has been taught in the New Testament about respecting holy places i.e. not trading on them has been clearly disregarded.
I think that keeping commercialisation out of places of pilgrimage is unlikely to happen in the near future, however I would like to see that the influence of commercialisation is kept to a minimum. Because the quiet dignity that has remained in these areas for hundreds of years is slowly being offended by local merchants with the desire to exploit the beliefs of pilgrims, which have existed for generations.
