When we talk of religion as a human creation, we usually mean to emphasise that all our religious traditions have been made by human communities in an historical and cultural process. We don't usually mean that individuals make up their own religion on the spot! But this is precisely what ALISON WILLIAMS invited her comprehensive school pupils to do... with fascinating results Nonrealism in a comprehensive school? Teenagers studying modern theology? Sixth form students deciding to invent their own religions based on important cultural icons? The result: Beatlesism ...
Friendsism... Fashionism This work arose in Bartholomew Comprehensive School, Oxfordshire, as part of the A level course.
Nonrealism is taught as part of the Ethics / Philosophy syllabus. Questions like "Does God exist? How can there be evil with a good, loving and omnipotent Supreme Being?" demand the input of nonrealism as one possible approach for dealing with them. This leads naturally to issues like: "What exactly is religion? Has anything in our 21st century society become a religion substitute?" In their work on these questions I told the students to decide for themselves what they thought religion consisted of and what its purpose was in people's lives.
The students uncovered the classic definitions - phenomenological elements like rites of passage, festivals, moral guidance; they explored within their own peer group the questions which different religions sought to answer, from "Why are we here?" to "What will happen to me when I die?". What emerged were some imaginative new "religions", of which three were developed in detail.
Beatlesism it was clear to the students exploring this topic that Beatles lyrics presented a philosophy for life.
A moral code could be drawn from them: "All you need is Love", "Let it be", and "Life goes on". People make pilgrimages to Abbey Road and to Paul McCartney's home in Liverpool. The distinctive clothing of the Beatles - suits and kaftans - is accessible to all. Indeed, one of the strengths of this as a religion is the range of types it can appeal to: smart early days of the Beatles to hippie days. The special food is strawberries and marmalade; the symbol is the Apple of the record label. Ultimate issues are raised by the Beatles - does love last?
Friendsism a | This US sitcom spreads a universal theme - that friendship is the most important aspect of life. Everyone has the capacity to be a friend, and needs friends. Friends promotes equality as there are no outcasts; friendship is altruistic. Pilgrimage can be made to Central Perk Coffee Bar, and their symbol is the large coffee cup. Clothes are casual, and independence of life is the identity. Imperfection is OK - no one need be ashamed of who they are. In the words of Phoebe, the outcast is to be pitied and welcomed | with sympathy. Friends won't treat you like they do.
Fashionism The cult of fashion usually gives the appearance of uniformity - yet ina truly postmodern sense, individuality is the watchword of Style. Far from expecting conformity, the fashion houses and magazines revel in encouraging variety; anything goes. The spiritual element lies in the message of fulfilment, which a person is offered when they wear a label, or choose a style. Life will become meaningful and adventurous and the individual will have reached an inner Nirvana, knowing they have made their fashion statement. Fashion also offers a moral code - the "united colours of Benetton"- and sexual equality with unisex style and perfumes. Yet } on another level, fashion is still narcissistic: to be fashion-conscious is on a par with being aware of your inner self, expressing it, and being admired for it.
The sense of wonder so often claimed to be the province of religion and true spirituality, can found in these "religions". As the students explained in their presentations, friendship is above material goods and how you look; the most important thing is to be, and have, friends. It is a two-way responsibility, and a recognition that at times some need more friendship than others. The caring interaction between friends is one to emulate. Beatlesism encourages people to laugh, be loving, to discover self. Everyday life can be where you discover meaning, if you can live with the transience of love. Fashionism is the expresson of the soul's search for meaning and identity.
Conclusion Out of this work came a new understanding for the students of how religion offers an identity to humanity. In a postmodern age, systems of belief and ways of interpreting their existence increasingly bombard young people. More and more they are aware of the inadequacy of established religion with its (to them) outmoded practices. They see through the attempts of religion to appear cool and upto-date - for many it is not an approach to life they wish to follow. So, for them to think of their dedication to music, sport, fitness and beauty as a belief system is, in fact, how it is often presented in the media.
Is this sad - that our young people are finding ways of creating their identity through music, soap characters and sport? While doing this work the students frequently talked of the excesses of following such "religions".
Those who dedicate their life to visiting Gracelands or who name their child after a football team were seen as sad individuals. Students are well aware of the extreme side of dedication - and some extremes they admire and many they do not. I encouraged them to question whether following these "religions" would be good or bad for people. The initial reaction was "good", but with three provisos: the encouragement to experiment with drugs implicit in the Beatles was disapproved of, the cost of being fashionable, and the potential to imitate a Friends character rather than be yourself. The students were clear that any religion, whether established or new, has the potential to hurt others. An example illustrating this was taken from a recent Medical Ethics lesson: fundamentalist anti-abortionists haranguing women who are entering and leaving the abortion clinic no doubt felt they were following their religious duty.
Did the students’ "religions" deserve to be called such?
The response was a definite yes: religion's function is to make people examine their existence, and their "religions" can do that too. When asked if there was a point to following such religions, they felt that they would make the world a better place, even though there is no ultimate reality to offer in any religion.
What amazed me as a teacher was the ease with which the young people understood the nature of religion and felt that to talk in religious terms about a devotion in their life was not uncool! Young people are comfortable with the language of spirituality but not the language of established religion.
A final word. We must accept that young people are increasingly selecting from and creating their own value systems. It seems to me that no single religion offers an entire package they are happy with. Very often the stumbling-block is the idea of a Supreme Being, or attitudes to sexual self-expression and lifestyle. The intolerance they perceive in religion is something they not only don't like, they despise it. I feel this freethinking is to be encouraged - after all, education is to encourage independence, and why should this stop in the spiritual realm, especially when we all have wanted that right for ourselves? All they need is the structure and tools to analyse their choices, values and decisions, and to decide what the consequences might be, and whether a valid judgement of good or bad can be made.
Alison Williams thanks Alan Brown, Philippa Howarth, Kate Mansell, Hannah Shayler, Enma Thompson and Year 12 at Bartholomew School