Tuesday, August 09, 2005
David and Go-lie-eth
Religion is always difficult to report, particularly because most of the potential errors one can make involve unverifiable claims (consider the correction the Washington Post ran on who founded the Christian Church). Religion reporting is even tougher when a fairly complex religious concept is referenced in a short story (for instance, the story over a couple who is arrested for domestic battery because they were arguing over a point of theology).
Nevertheless, reporters still need to check their facts when religion is mentioned in a story. Case in point, RedEye's blurb on today's back page speculating that David Beckham ("Bend it like") and his wife Victoria ("If you wanna be my lover...") may be getting into Kaballah. The story describes Kabbalah as a "religion" that can be "joined." But this is a fairly controversial interpretation, and one that shouldn't be made without qualification. Wikipedia (which, mind you, has *no* editors) provides more accurate information, making it clear that Kaballah is primarily a movement or school of thought *within* Judaism. So to say without qualification that one can "join" Kaballah is like saying you can join monasticism -- it's a category mistake.
Now it's true that Madonna and others, as of late, have shown interest in Kaballah and become involved with an organization called the Kaballah Centre. But the major denominations of Judaism, from which Kaballah sprang in the first place, reject the Centre's teachings. Even if one to argue that's not important, though, it doesn't make sense to describe Kaballah as a "religion."
ALSO: I don't necessarily mind RedEye's emphasis on entertainment news, but why run such a non-story as "Born to Bling: Designer swag and a life of luxury: We want it all-- but can we afford it?" when the far more vital "Contraception battle: Government to decide morning-after pill's fate"? I feel as if it *might* have something to do with the available graphics...
BUT: For veteran RedEye-watchers, a brilliant self-parody in the music section. The story is "Queeny boppers," a send-up of a new Queen tribute album filled with lightweights (except for the Flaming Lips and Los Lobos). Most of the story is capsules describing these wretched covers and the conclusion to each is the same: "Long live Queen."
Nevertheless, reporters still need to check their facts when religion is mentioned in a story. Case in point, RedEye's blurb on today's back page speculating that David Beckham ("Bend it like") and his wife Victoria ("If you wanna be my lover...") may be getting into Kaballah. The story describes Kabbalah as a "religion" that can be "joined." But this is a fairly controversial interpretation, and one that shouldn't be made without qualification. Wikipedia (which, mind you, has *no* editors) provides more accurate information, making it clear that Kaballah is primarily a movement or school of thought *within* Judaism. So to say without qualification that one can "join" Kaballah is like saying you can join monasticism -- it's a category mistake.
Now it's true that Madonna and others, as of late, have shown interest in Kaballah and become involved with an organization called the Kaballah Centre. But the major denominations of Judaism, from which Kaballah sprang in the first place, reject the Centre's teachings. Even if one to argue that's not important, though, it doesn't make sense to describe Kaballah as a "religion."
ALSO: I don't necessarily mind RedEye's emphasis on entertainment news, but why run such a non-story as "Born to Bling: Designer swag and a life of luxury: We want it all-- but can we afford it?" when the far more vital "Contraception battle: Government to decide morning-after pill's fate"? I feel as if it *might* have something to do with the available graphics...
BUT: For veteran RedEye-watchers, a brilliant self-parody in the music section. The story is "Queeny boppers," a send-up of a new Queen tribute album filled with lightweights (except for the Flaming Lips and Los Lobos). Most of the story is capsules describing these wretched covers and the conclusion to each is the same: "Long live Queen."
