Blog #5

As I looked through my collection of memes from the past couple blog posts I can observe that there are in are fewer stereotype memes like we talked about in class but there the memes teach us about learned behavior inside the Mormon community like church experiences and missionary trip training. But through all the memes you can see the connection between these religious experiences and traditions and religious leaders and how those religious leaders guide the community through experiences just like mission trips and sacrament prayers just like the meme below shows. 

What specific religious issues/actors/community are being undermined or affirmed? What does this tell us about how the authority of this religious group is being interpreted? (Provide concrete evidence to support these claims) 

Through all the memes that I have seen, I have seen nothing but positive memes about the Mormon religious leaders such as bishops, stake house councilman, and _____. In this meme about you can see that the community looks toward the bishop for reassurance to make sure that they are going through the appropriate steps to grow in their faith. 

"Authority is performative and discursive, involving persuasive claims by leaders to elicit an audiences attention, respect and trust" (Campbell,74)

I think that this quote above that I took for Digital Religion, explains on that connection and relationship that is needed between religious leaders and their community. They look up to these religious leaders for advice and encouragement. With this quote and meme, you can see that Mormons do look up to their religious leaders in a positive way and in order to grow in their faith. 

How might aspects of religious authority discussed in this week’s readings and in the class lecture, inform the way someone would read your collection religious internet memes or understand the influence their messages may have within the digital culture?

I think that if someone were to look at my meme collection that would see that there aren't many memes that would talk about religious leaders or mention a religious leader. Digital Religious says that " authority is said to arise from sacred traditions, hierarchy and texts" (Campbell 73). You can somewhat relate this to when the Mormons have to have the bi-yearly conference that everyone should attend and even though this meme below somewhat gives a negative point of view of the stake high councilman, they are still going twice a year to watch this conference because they know that these religious leaders expect the community to come together and watch it.