Blame Buffy... or Maybe Velma
Wednesday August 27, 2008
In an absolutely not-meant-to-be-hilarious-but-still-is article, England's Daily Mail blames the show Buffy The Vampire Slayer for declining church attendance by women. In fact, BTVS is so powerful that it caused women to abandon England's churches as far back as 1989, a full eight years before the show even aired! I've long suspected Joss Whedon is a god, and this seems like clear evidence supporting that theory.
Anyway, Dr. Kristin Aune of the University of Derby, says "television icons such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who promote female empowerment, discourage women from attending services." Uh... okay. Aune says that over fifty thousand women a year have left the church since 1989. Now, that's almost twenty years, which is right around a million women in England, all directly influenced by Buffy (or more likely Willow, who's way cuter and actually is a Wiccan, not a true vampire slayer). No report yet on how many people turned away from the church due to a lifetime of watching Scooby Doo, Where Are You, but that should be forthcoming.
Anyway, Dr. Kristin Aune of the University of Derby, says "television icons such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who promote female empowerment, discourage women from attending services." Uh... okay. Aune says that over fifty thousand women a year have left the church since 1989. Now, that's almost twenty years, which is right around a million women in England, all directly influenced by Buffy (or more likely Willow, who's way cuter and actually is a Wiccan, not a true vampire slayer). No report yet on how many people turned away from the church due to a lifetime of watching Scooby Doo, Where Are You, but that should be forthcoming.
Comments
Are these people serious??
That’s just too ridiculously funny, I had to put my computer down so I wouldn’t destroy it while rolling on the floor laughing!!
I can’t belive some of the stuff people will come up with.
How ridiculous.
That’s hilarious!!
So, not only are they saying women can oly be strong indiviuals if influenced by TV they are saying that women are not supposed to be strong indivuals and are only supposed to go to church and obey their rules!?
Sad…and actually quite silly!!
I knew she was up to something! I suddenly heard her voice in my head and felt the need to jump up and storm out of church. I even knocked over the poor alter boy on my way out.
Darn that Buffy! How could she?
You know, after I watched the entire season of “Firefly” in one marathon session, I wanted to run off and be a space mercenary. I think we’re on to something here…
patti
Are there any women left attending services at the Church of England? Why would female empowerment cause a woman to stop going to church? “Gasp” Could it be that churches put women down? Naw, that can’t be so.
LOLOL! That is sooo silly…silly as those who take Harry Potter seriously.
You know, after I watched the entire season of “Firefly” in one marathon session, I wanted to run off and be a space mercenary.
Yep, it’s all Joss Whedon’s fault. Next time I’m crushed by the establishment, I’m off to the black.
there is a saying in Derbyshire, (University of Derby’s home county):
Derbyshire born, Derbyshire bred
strong in the arm, thick in the head
She may be a doctor, but I think she more than lives up to it.
From living in the area, I would blame it more on the “going to the pub, waking up late with a big hangover, not in a fit state to go to church” movement than any entertaining TV show, no matter how assertive/feminist/female empowerment the characters are.
And they would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for those meddling reporters!
What a condescending and dismissive indictment by this person of the intelligence of the female sex! ***squinty eyes*** She should be ashamed of herself! A totally Victorian attitude that women are too feeble minded to think for themselves.
Anyway, don’t have time to stop and chat, must go and replenish my supply of silver bullets…
OMG- Buffy? How could I miss this?! How could I not see that all things spiritual in my life, the rejection of the church, was all Buffy’s doing? Now I have a reasonable answer my mother will accept: “Buffy made me do it. I also have a sneaking suspicion that Samantha from Bewitched was involved as well.”
Honestly, if a million women left the church in England, the hangover theory would be more plausible. If anyone left church to become a vampire slayer, good luck to them when they get arrested for trying to stake a mild-mannered goth on the street, or their ex-boyfriend.
I will tell you what caused me to leave the christian church & seek another path & it’s male dominance & the singularity of powers, not recognizing the need for the polarity of both male & female energy, for without one you wouldn’t have the other & to totally exclude one for the other is denying BOTH…I was sick & tired of being told I couldn’t help or do something because I was a woman…This is just my experience…
I still think we should have a Pimp my Wiccan show.
(14) Weaver says:I still think we should have a Pimp my Wiccan show.
I firmly agree with Weaver. Let’s show everyone how to really live and then maybe they can stop blaming TV shows and the like.
they gotta be kidding me!!?? i mean, blame it on TV!!! what the hell are they thinking!? i think, instead of blaming Buffy, Willow or the whole Adam’s Family, they should look at their own selves and try to analyze the reasons why people, particularly women, decides to leave the church.
Many years ago, when still a Xian, my brother-in-law looked down his nose at me for seeing “The Last Temptation of Christ.”
I told him, “If a 2 1/2 hour movie can shake the foundation of my faith, then the movie isn’t my problem.”
Turns out, the movie really wasn’t my problem.
Likewise, Buffy - under all the camp - is an intensely serious, philosophical character drama which, like all good character dramas, encourages us to hold a mirror up to our own lives.
And if we don’t like what we see, don’t blame the messenger!
- Mary
BTW Patti - your suspicions are correct. Joss Whedon is a god.
Well, since Buffy has obviously usurped the church, maybe we should make some WWBD bracelets. What would Buffy do? I would suggest a WWJD (What would Joss do?) bracelet, but that acronym has already been taken.
If Buffy inspires womyn to stand up for themselves, Goddess bless her.
OMGoddess! That would be like blaming Elmer Fudd for making me go rabbit hunting, he made me do it, that wrascally wabbit!!!!
Loved the tv series and watched every episode but I left the church because I did not think it right that celebate old men should tell me hoe to run my life.