Download or read book The Church of Stop Shopping and Religious Activism written by George González and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2024-12-17 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the religious activism of the Stop Shopping Church performance group Since the dawn of the new millennium, the grassroots performance activist group the Stop Shopping Church has advanced a sophisticated anti-capitalist critique in what they call “Earth Justice.” Led by co-founders, Reverend Billy and Savitri D, the Church of Stop Shopping have sung with Joan Baez and toured with Pussy Riot and Neil Young. They performed at festivals around the world, and been the subject of the nationally released documentary, What Would Jesus Buy? They opposed the forces of consumerism on the global stage, and taken on the corporate practices of Disney, Starbucks, J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, Walmart, Amazon, and many others. While the Church maintains an anti-consumerism stance at its core–through performances, street actions, and social activism–the community also prioritizes work for racial justice, queer liberation, justice and sanctuary for immigrants, First Amendment issues, the reclaiming of public space, and in an increasingly central way, environmental justice. In The Church of Stop Shopping and Religious Activism, George González draws on interviews, participant observation, and digital ethnography to offer insight into the Church, its make up, its activities, and in particular, how it has shifted over time from parody to a deep and serious engagement with religion. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping maintain that corporations and their celebrity spokespeople operate in much the same way churches do. González uses the group’s performance activism to showcase the links between religion, the culture of capitalist consumerism, and climate catastrophe and to analyze the ways in which consumers are ritualized into accepting capitalism and its consequences. He argues that the members and organizers of the Church of Stop Shopping are serious theorizers and users of religion in their own right, and that they offer keen insights into our understanding of ritualistic consumerism and its indelible link to the rising sea levels that threaten to engulf us all.

Download or read book The Earth Wants YOU written by Reverend Billy Talen and published by City Lights Publishers. This book was released on 2016-04-11 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "You must check out the newest from my favorite transcendent and down to earth preacher."--Laurie Anderson, artist, musician The Earth Wants YOU is a motivational handbook, filled with inspired visions of a wild, creative, Earth-led cultural revolution. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping offer up a heady mix of humor, insightful critique, passionate commitment, emotional catharsis, and example after example of vibrant direct action. Stop shopping and feel the love as you sign up for the struggle of our lives! Earthalujah! Praise for The Earth Wants YOU: "Singing instructions for joining the Earthalujah choir!"--Jodie Evans, CODEPINK "My Earthmojis are smiling for Reverend Billy! And that's all the dirt you're gonna get from me. O;"--Justin Vivian Bond, trans-genre artist, Radical Faerie "Mama Earth will shake us ALL off unless we shake shit UP and shut it DOWN!"--Bertha Lewis, The Black Institute "This is what makes social movements succeed--it's the big love-slog we have to go through to achieve change."--Andy Bichlbaum, The Yes Men "Join Rev and his merry band of activists as they imagine ways of arousing concern for the environment and racial justice."--Coco Fusco, creator of Eu Sou Um Consumidor "When the singing activists hit the high notes in a bank lobby or a DARPA lab or the back aisle of a Walmart, they wipe away the veils hiding the madness of our corporate-controlled, consumer-crazed society."--Annie Leonard, director of Greenpeace USA "Ssssh, listen . . . let the Church of Stop Shopping exorcise your fear, doubt and burnout, and join the Earthalujah Revolution!"—Jess Worth, BP or not BP? "This call to action is at once sobering and encouraging. We have fucked up really badly, but the ability to see it—is the first and hardest step toward fixing it."--Douglas Rushkoff, author of Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus "Reverend Billy's ALL IN! bodies and voices . . . not just clicks and posts, for this small village we call Earth. Preach On!"--Obang Metho, Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia "The Stop Shoppers packs a whoop."--Roberto Sifuentes, La Pocha Nostra "In between satire and silence, there is a space of penetrating reckoning for all vibrations that flow counter to the balance of Nature. And from this dynamic and tricky space, the Honorable Reverend and his Holified Choir will shout, sing and sermonize a soul-bound love message of Truthalujah!"--John Sims, The AfroDixie Remixes "The Church of Stop Shopping is in the vanguard of a new movement that challenges this consumer society that is killing our planet."--Mike Roselle, Climate Ground Zero and Coal River Mountain Watch "Billy, Savi and the choir have love and optimistic humor, and they don't give up on people."--David LaChapelle "He seems to be writing while his actions are going on, like he can write while he's hand-cuffed."--Benny Zable, The Nimbin Environment Centre, NSW Australia "The Earth Wants You takes readers deep inside the heart, mind and balls of the activist-artist. Reverend Billy rocks hard!"--Annie Sprinkle, artist, ecosexual sexecologist "He was a comic act. Now he's evolved into a man compulsively challenging the true extent of the right to protest."--Anohni, creator of the song "4 Degrees" Reverend Billy and his choir of singing-activists are on the front lines of creative direct action, and here they offer up a distillation of the passion, the inspiration, and the hopes for love and survival that fuel their work. In a mix of essays, polemics, surrealist scenarios and news flashes from the frontlines, Reverend Billy answers the question, "What are we to do?" with a resounding chorus of "Take Action NOW!"

Download or read book What Should I Do If Reverend Billy Is in My Store written by Bill Talen and published by . This book was released on 2005-04-01 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Reverend's corporate targets have since expanded to include The Gap, Starbucks, and NYU, indeed anywhere that the Church of the Stupefied Consumer holds sway."--Jacket.

Download or read book Religion and Resistance in Appalachia written by Joseph D. Witt and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2016-12-09 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last fifty years, the Appalachian Mountains have suffered permanent and profound change due to the expansion of surface coal mining. The irrevocable devastation caused by this practice has forced local citizens to redefine their identities, their connections to global economic forces, their pasts, and their futures. Religion is a key factor in the fierce debate over mountaintop removal; some argue that it violates a divine mandate to protect the earth, while others contend that coal mining is a God-given gift to ensure human prosperity and comfort. In Religion and Resistance in Appalachia: Faith and the Fight against Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining, Joseph D. Witt examines how religious and environmental ethics foster resistance to mountaintop removal coal mining. Drawing on extensive interviews with activists, teachers, preachers, and community leaders, Witt's research offers a fresh analysis of an important and dynamic topic. His study reflects a diversity of denominational perspectives, exploring Catholic and mainline Protestant views of social and environmental justice, evangelical Christian readings of biblical ethics, and Native and nontraditional spiritual traditions. By placing Appalachian resistance to mountaintop removal in a comparative international context, Witt's work also provides new outlooks on the future of the region and its inhabitants. His timely study enhances, challenges, and advances conversations not only about the region, but also about the relationship between religion and environmental activism.

Download or read book Divine Rebels written by Deena Guzder and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2011-05 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an effort to reclaim the fundamental principles of Christianity, moving it away from religious right-wing politics and towards the teachings of Jesus, the American Christian activists profiled in this book agitate for a society free from racism, patriarchy, bigotry, retribution, ecocide, torture, poverty, and militarism. These activists view their faith as a personal commitment with public implications; their world consists of people of religious faith protecting the weak and safeguarding the sacred. Recounting social justice activists on the frontlines of the Christian Left since the 1950s--including Daniel Berrigan, Roy Bourgeois, and SueZann Bosler--this book articulates their faith-based alternative to the mainstream conservative religious agenda and liberal cynicism and describes a long-standing American tradition, which began with the nation's earliest Quaker abolitionists.

Download or read book Religion and Popular Culture in America Third Edition written by Bruce David Forbes and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2017-03-01 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The connection between popular culture and religion is an enduring part of American life. With seventy-five percent new content, the third edition of this multifaceted and popular collection has been revised and updated throughout to provide greater religious diversity in its topics and address critical developments in the study of religion and popular culture. Ideal for classroom use, this expanded volume gives increased attention to the implications of digital culture and the increasingly interactive quality of popular culture provides a framework to help students understand and appreciate the work in diverse fields, methods, and perspectives contains an updated introduction, discussion questions, and other instructional tools

Download or read book The Reverend Billy Project written by Bill Talen and published by . This book was released on 2014-05-22 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Reverend Billy Project is an inside look at the process of creating small-but-explosive spectacles that stop people in their tracks and make them think, even in today's over-stocked mental environment. The book is a firsthand account of the Reverend's work, from his early Starbucks "casting out of demons from cash registers" continuing across several continents, up to his run for Mayor of New York City in 2009.

Download or read book A Call to Arms written by Tommy Dimsdale and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-12-13 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Call to Arms dives into historical apologetics to answer the question, "Were we born a Christian nation?" Through stories and compelling arguments this book will highlight important facts like: -Our first American flag in wartime publicly called upon God's intervention to aid in victory. -The very first Bible printed in America was done so by the US Congress. -Why is it was considered that Washington "could not die in battle." -How early settlers and colonists relied upon God during their times of struggle. -The real meaning of "separation of church and state." -Why Christians should be involved in politics today This book is ideal for anyone who wants to find the truth regarding the religious founding of America! A Call to Arms will take you back to the settling, founding and Revolutionary struggle of America while dishing out hard core facts of the morality of the founding fathers.

Download or read book Activist Theology written by Roberto Che Espinoza and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this searing and personal book, intellectual activist and theologian Robyn Henderson-Espinoza bridges the gap between academia and activism, bringing the wisdom of the streets to the work of scholarship, all for the sake of political liberation and social change for marginalized communities. This is an invitation--a powerful and provocative call-to-action--to academic theologians to the work of social activism through movement building. Activist Theology summons all to take up radical acts of labor that uses scholarship and contemplation to build bridges with difference and make connections of solidarity, rooted in collective action. Featuring poetry by Britt¡ni "Ree Belle" Gray, this rich and interdisciplinary work draws on continental philosophy, queer theology, and critical class theory in accessible and artful ways, using story, personal narratives, and sharp cultural analysis to bring clarity to the methods, sources, and objectives of activist theology. This is a key step forward in the contemporary conversation about theology and social action and will be essential reading for all those who want to see theology and ethics break new ground in the work of justice, hope, and liberation for all.

Download or read book Queer Nuns written by Melissa M. Wilcox and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2018-05-22 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Modern-day badass drag queen superhero nuns"--"It was like this asteroid belt": the origins and growth of the sisters -- "We are nuns, silly!": serious parody as activism -- "A sacred, powerful woman": complicating gender -- "Sister outsiders": navigating whiteness -- "A secular nun": serious parody and the sacred -- New world order? -- Blooper reel -- Studying the sisters

Download or read book Journey into Social Activism written by Joshua D. Atkinson and published by Fordham Univ Press. This book was released on 2017-02-01 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Academic study of social activism and social movements has become increasingly prevalent over the years; this is due in large part to the fact that activists have captured public imagination and gained substantial influence in political discourse. For instance, Occupy Wall Street activists, Tea Party activists, and activists affiliated with the Arab Spring have transformed political debates and have become the focus of mainstream news media coverage about a variety of different political topics. Journey into Social Activism explicates the philosophical foundations of the study of activism and illustrates four different research sites in which activism can be observed and studied: organizations, networks, events, and alternative media. The book will introduce students and scholars to important qualitative approaches to the study of social activism within these four research sites, which is based entirely on successful research projects that have been conducted and published in recent years. Ultimately, this book will prove integral to any students and scholars who wish to use qualitative methods for their research endeavors concerning social activism in contemporary society.

Download or read book How to Defeat Religion in 10 Easy Steps written by Ryan T. Cragun and published by Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA). This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you want the greatest challenges of the day to be addressed with thoughtful, reality-based solutions rather than with cherry-picked quotations from scripture? Do you want to shrink religion—especially fundamentalist religion—to the point that it plays no noticeable role in American public life? Do you want right-wing religious leaders to be so unpopular that politicians avoid them rather than pander to them for endorsements? Drawing on the latest social-scientific research on religion to help interested nonbelievers—and even progressive believers—weaken the influence of fundamentalist religion in society at large, How to Defeat Religion in 10 Easy Steps illustrates specific, actionable steps we all can take to facilitate fundamentalist religion's decline. It covers topics as far ranging as education, welfare, sex, science, capitalism, and Christmas, and each of the 10 chapters focuses on a specific action that research has shown can weaken religion, detailing why and how, and concluding with specific recommendations for individuals, local groups, and national organizations.

Download or read book The Secular Activist written by Dan Arel and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Draws on the author's experience as an activist to offer lessons and guidance for advancing secularism in government and society through activism"--

Download or read book The Love That Is God written by Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2020-08-11 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “God is love is the radical claim of Christianity,” writes Frederick Bauerschmidt at the beginning of this little meditation on the essentials of Christian faith. In a rich yet accessible style reminiscent of C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton, Bauerschmidt breathes life back into that claim, drawing from Scripture, great Christian and non-Christian writers of the past, and his own lived experience to show just how countercultural and subversive Christianity is actually meant to be. Eschewing the abstract and dogmatic in favor of the relational and inviting, he offers something for everyone, from lifelong churchgoers and students of religion to the growing population of “nones” among younger generations who are increasingly seeking spiritual fulfillment outside of institutional Christianity. With further reading suggestions (both scriptural and nonscriptural) at the end of each chapter, The Love That Is God is the perfect starting point of a spiritual journey into deeper relationship with God. Michael Ramsey Prize (2023)

Download or read book Shape Shifting Capital written by George J. González and published by . This book was released on 2015-05 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Consumer Activism written by Eleftheria J. Lekakis and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2022-08-27 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A crucial intervention to both critical studies of consumption and research into activism. It authoritatively explores the complex and multiplying links between branding and neoliberal culture, consumer practices and social justice." – Professor Mehita Iqani, Stellenbosch University "Eleftheria Lekakis reminds us that as consumers, we can do much more than just buy our way out of social or political problems." – Professor Melissa Aronczyk, Rutgers University Consumption and resistance are entwined. From buying fair-trade, to celebrity advocates for social causes, to subvertising and anti-consumerist grassroots movements, consumer activism is now a key part of our fight for social and environmental justice. This book is a comprehensive exploration of the complexities and dilemmas of using the marketplace as an arena for politics. It goes beyond simply buying or boycotting to critically explore how individuals, collectives, corporations and governments do politics with and through consumption. Impassioned and always accessible, Eleftheria Lekakis explores: The media and economic logics which privilege elite activists. The real opportunities to resist and redirect promotional culture. Consumer activism as collective and community-building. The politicisation of celebrity influencers. The centrality of digital media technology. A range of transnational case studies pushing the field beyond the Global North. Consumer Activism: Promotional Culture and Resistance covers the full breadth of theory and practice you need to know. It is an essential resource for understanding, researching and engaging with the global phenomenon of consumer activism. Dr Eleftheria Lekakis is senior lecturer in Media and Communications at the School of Media, Arts, and Humanities at the University of Sussex.

Download or read book Faith in America written by Charles H. Lippy and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2006-09-30 with total page 870 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last 25 years, there has been much talk of the presumed decline in religious participation in America. In addition, from the 1960s on, surveys that mark the influence of religion in American life have shown a mixed response. Many suggest that religion is losing influence in the culture as a whole; others indicate that while organized religion may be experiencing challenges, spirituality is on the upswing. At the same time, however, there have been signs that religious life in the U.S. is extraordinarily healthy. But religion in America has changed, to be sure, in a number of ways. And it has changed us and our culture in return. This timely set looks at the major forces that are changing the shape of religion in American life. With an influx of immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and other regions, the diversity of religion has grown to include Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and other faiths. Latin American and African American communities have experienced changes in the ways they practice their faith and in turn influence American culture in general. Women have entered the clergy in record numbers, and the push for allowing women and gays to enter the clergy in religions that limit or prohibit their roles is on the increase. In addition, gay couples are leading the same-sex marriage movement, and other social issues such as abortion, stem-cell research, end of life care, etc., are still being debated. Interest over how people actually live out their religion or spirituality has mushroomed in recent decades, thanks in part to the information revolution and popular culture. What folks do when they gather together to worship, and where they come together, has changed dramatically with the advent of the Internet and the role of sports in American life. So much has changed, and faith in America has become more important than ever—as part of our culture, our way of life, and the way we relate to each other and the world around us. The essays found in these pages shed light on our understanding of these transformations and help us comprehend the enormous role of religion in our society and in our world.