I spend a lot of time watching, consuming, and listening to popular culture content throughout my daily life. The types of content I consume range from basic things like Instagram, Twitter (Also known as X), Snapchat, and Tiktok, to things like YouTube videos, TV shows, Movies, and Podcasts. Nowadays, popular culture and social media are … Continue reading Religion In The World of Podcasts
In a notebook of reassurances Mark Heathcliff, a 17-year-old boy writes to his God, trapped in his room on September 15th, 1992. “Today is a day that I need God’s love more than anything . . . My lord, I am afraid. I beg for your love and protection against evil,”2 he writes, as an … Continue reading “Who have I been praying to all this time?” – Religion and God in The Mandela Catalogue
Alice in Borderland: A thrilling, binge watch worthy adaptation of the older Japanese manga which ran from 2010 to 2016. Following the release of the current Netflix version that appeared in 2020, it's reception proved to be positive as critics applauded the show for its visuals, while also being nominated for and winning awards, and … Continue reading Alice in Borderland: The meaning of life through religious undertones
This post contains spoilers for the show "The Good Place" "The Good Place" is a TV show created by Michael Schur in 2016 that is centered around a supposedly utopian afterlife where humans who demonstrated extreme virtuosity in life find themselves. The beginning of the series follows Eleanor Shellstrop who finds herself in the "good … Continue reading A Secular Afterlife: An Existential Analysis of The Good Place
In 1996, George R.R. Martin published a fantasy book series, "A Song of Ice and Fire." Fast forward to 2011, HBO brought this saga to life with the premiere of the popular "Game of Thrones" show. The series is known for its intricate political intrigue, complex characters, and unpredictable plot twists. It follows the power … Continue reading Unraveling Varys’ Riddle: The Interplay of Religion and Power in Game of Thrones
Who are LE SSERAFIM? LE SSERAFIM is a South Korean all-girl music group that consists of five members: Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha, and Hong Eun-chae. LE SSERAFIM debuted1 on May 2nd, 2022 with their first extended play (EP), Fearless. Recently, they have released their third EP, Easy, on February 19th, 2024. Korean pop … Continue reading LE SSERAFIM’s “EASY”: Using Religious Motifs to Discourage Celebrity Worship
A horror film released in 2013 that grossed $319.5 million in the box office, The Conjuring is a well-received film directed by James Wan that dives into the ever debated existence of demons and ghosts. Earning $41.9 million in its opening weekend, The Conjuring is based on the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, … Continue reading The Conjuring: A Unique Scare through the Use of Religion
The Impaulsive Podcast is a podcast that launched in 2018 and features popular YouTuber Logan Paul, along with co-host Mike Majlak and now ex-co-host George Janko. This podcast is very interesting to listeners as Logan Paul is a very polarizing and popular figure in pop culture. The initial interest in listening to this podcast was … Continue reading Impaulsive: Religious Rollercoaster
The Magnus Archives is a podcast beginning in 2016 and ending in 2021 (although with an ongoing sequel) with the premise that there are fear gods that are fueled by the fear people, and animals, experience, they also are our fear incarnate. There are 14 original fear gods described by Robert Smirke, although throughout the … Continue reading The Magnus Archives, Fear Gods.
Content Warning: This article will talk about drug use, abuse, death, and the abuse of a corpse. It also includes images of a sickly person. Please be warned. Love Has Won was a cult that started somewhere between 2007-2009 and ended in 2021 (although there are still some surviving members who still worship it today). … Continue reading Love Has Won: Cults and Religious Vulnerability
Religion in Popular Culture Lab 