Reply With QuoteI totally agree with youOriginally Posted by Tony Trout
I`m not a particularly religious person at the best of times,but I certainly don`t consider Elvis to be my God...that kind of thinking just makes all the fans seem like like weirdos and freaks in the eyes of the public.I am just human..and, special as he was and is, so was Elvis.
I totally agree with you
I'd like to go to Graceland
Memphis,Tennessee
The pilgrimages to Graceland or Tupelo I don't mind because I think many people go there to pay their respect to him just like you do with any other person who's deceased. I do think it's creepy that people compare Elvis to God and invented a whole new religion around him. Elvis himself would have probably called it weird.
Most of the time when people call him "king" I think they're meaning "King of Rock n Roll", his status in the music business not godlike. Though I think there are some out there that does call him "King" in means of God status.
Yes, there was something about him that was special, he had a gift which made him unique but... he was human. Nothing more, nothing less. I love the man and I love his music but I do not idolize him because I know better!
I find that the Candlelight Vigil is getting more creepy by the year ...
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
Jesus Christ is the one worthy of worship. He is God's son. He was a sinless human being. Elvis, while he was amazingly talented, was just like all the rest of us.
As is Allah, Buddha and various other deities worshipped around the world for thousands of years, if that's what people wish to do for themselves.
Some fans, IMO, make the grievous error of making Elvis almost their whole life; but he should only be a part of someone's life.
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
I'm in total agreement with Awickedreigndrop and Getlo. Elvis was a very special human being but he WAS just another human being. He will always be tops in my book as entertainer, for his looks and his personality but I do live a life apart from him.
Diane
You hit the nail on the head!
fandom,
do you happen to know this report from the 'decatur daily'? might be an interesting read for you.
hugs, ellie
O worship the King?
Is Elvis fanaticism a new religion? Limestone native researches theory
By Melanie B. Smith / DAILY Religion Writer
msmith@decaturdaily.com · 340-2468
Elvis Presley is depicted on an altar candle in author Gregory Reece's collection of Elvis art. Reece, a native of Limestone County who now lives in Montevallo, says Elvis is a popular religious figure in today's culture.
Courtesy Photo
A crowd marched by candlelight in a city street Tuesday night. It ended up at a grave. Marchers sang and recited prayers.
Was the memorial in Memphis in effect a visit to the tomb of "St. Elvis"?
Did some even view the vigil at Elvis Presley's former home, Graceland, as an act of worship, with Elvis as king, not just of rock 'n' roll but of heaven and Earth?
Not far from that thought is a vision of Elvis in white seated on a throne, exalted, crying "Don't be cruel," backed up by a heavenly host.
Gregory L. Reece, a Limestone County native, explores such ideas and images in his new book, "Elvis Religion, The Cult of the King."
Gregory Reece autographed copies of his book "Elvis Religion" in Athens on Thursday. It is the religion scholar's first book for the popular market.
Courtesy Photo
In an interview, Reece told of meeting a woman in a hospital in Memphis in 1991. She told Reece she moved her mother and herself to Memphis "just to be with Elvis." She wore jewelry embellished with images of Elvis. She claimed that Elvis gave her inspiration, hope and assurance that she could join him heaven.
The woman had integrated Elvis into her life in a way he couldn't imagine in his own, Reece said.
"From that night on, though I would never be devoted to Elvis, I would be interested in Elvis devotion . . . Elvis, saint and savior, I would discover, is everywhere," he wrote in the introduction to his book.
Elvis in spirit
Reece, who earned a doctor of philosophy degree in religious studies from Clairmont Graduate University in California, said he set out to appraise the religious significance of Elvis Presley for popular culture.
Reece describes the presence of Elvis, who died Aug. 16, 1977, in books, songs, art, movies and the Internet.
In Patty Loveless' 1994 song "I Try to Think About Elvis," the narrator contemplates Elvis to escape a broken relationship and to free her spirit. Reece said it's reminiscent of the hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
Singer Paul Simon's 1986 "Graceland" presents Graceland as a holy place. Poor boys and pilgrims, traveling with their "ghosts and demons" won't be turned away.
Films like "Finding Graceland" and "Mystery Train" have Elvis as the central character, bearing spiritual messages, Reece noted.
But movies did not present the Elvis religion he expected.
"Elvis stands for violence, uncertainty and loss. Elvis is the apocalyptic messenger. One doesn't seek him out for spiritual advice, but shudders at his presence," Reece wrote.
What would Elvis do?
In the art world, too, Elvis is an inspiration, the author said.
Veronique Vanblaere, owner of Naked Art Studio in Birmingham, had a showing of Elvis art, "What Would Elvis Do?" earlier this year. She said artists use Elvis as a recurring theme because he is such an icon of pop culture.
"He was called The King to start with, and he's often seen as a saint," she said.
Vanblaere said no one she encountered seem seriously religious about Elvis.
Reece said among works he admired at Naked Art was a mosaic, "The Last Supper (Elvis)." It showed Elvis at a table enjoying a turkey leg at a table littered with pill bottles.
Unconvinced
Despite his book's subtitle, Reece is not convinced that a new "cult" is in the works with Elvis as King of Kings, Graceland as a shrine and fans as true believers.
But Reece said the idea of Elvis and religion occurs time and again in today's culture, and for many people, Elvis is extremely important.
Reece said a Portland, Ore., woman opened Twenty-Four Hour Church of Elvis. There, visitors could slip a quarter into a machine, — The Mystery of the Spinning Elvis — to supposedly contact the spirit of Elvis.
Such sites, with their varied mix of irony and sincerity, are more homes for "outsider art" than houses of worship, Reece said.
On the Web , Reece said, irony again gets in the way of devotion. One site invites people to post accounts of their spiritual encounters with Elvis. Another shows a chapel adorned with Elvis images. Then there's the catchy First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine, which Reece said is a joke by college students.
'Elvism' mocked
Other authors and Web creators are more certain about Elvis religion — or claim to be for publicity's sake. John Strausbaugh in "E, Reflections on the Birth of the Elvis Faith" said he felt his hair standing on end at a tribute concert in Memphis.
"It's white-people gospel church, Elvis' holy ghost descending on that ugly Best Western banquet room . . ."
He said "Elvism" is marginalized and mocked, not threatening to outsiders but striking them as "outlandish and pitiful." Still the faith could become mainstream, Strausbaugh wrote.
The writer also published fan accounts of similarities between Elvis and Jesus, such as their births in humble settings, their rise to fame, their appeal to the poor, their tragic deaths and the "sightings" afterward.
Ordinary, otherworldly
Reece doesn't go that far. He doesn't envision Elvis as Messiah as did one author who had an Elvis impersonator saying, "Here is my body, bloated for you."
But to many people, Reece said, Elvis seemed to make the transcendent reachable.
"Somehow his humanity helps people bridge the gap between the ordinariness of our world and the heavenly world that maybe his talent and beauty represent."
Put another way, he's the sort of god the public wants today, Reece wrote. Elvis was overweight, he dressed out of date and he took too many prescription drugs, just like us, said the author.
In an online exchange at elvisnews.com, Reece described his book as a personal quest to understand why Elvis meant to much to so many, including himself. Some viewers took offense at the idea of "Elvis Religion" and claimed Elvis wouldn't like it because he was a God-fearing man. One woman wrote that she felt confused by her obsession with Elvis and hoped Reece's book would help her. Another said it made as much sense to pray to Elvis as to anyone else — "at least we know Elvis was for real."
A reviewer in The London Times praised Reece's book as charming, lucid and honest. But the reviewer also used "Elvis Religion" to blast Southern white culture as weird and stupid. Reece countered the criticism by noting many Elvis fans live in England and said he was glad for the review.
Reece, a graduate of Clements High School, said "Elvis Religion" is going into a second printing. He did signings this week in Memphis and Athens.
I.B. Tauris of London and New York, which handles mostly academic works, is the publisher. It sells in local bookstores and online.
source: decatur daily
http://legacy.decaturdaily.com/decat...19/elvis.shtml
i don't suffer from insanity - i enjoy every minute of it
I may sound anti-Christ but at least Elvis if for real
Would you like some wine with that?
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
I grand everyone there own opinion and believe, but (selfish as I am) hate this because it reflects badly on all other fans (the non believers of the Elvis religion). Same goes with impersonators. Many of them may do it in paying tribute, but it makes it so easy for the press and non-fans to typecast ALL Elvisfans.
If people believe Elvis is on the level of a Christ or Mohammed, or whoever, it's fine by me. If it gives them hope and joy, even better.
"A year from now, you'll wish you had started today"
Follow TCB-World on Twitter for website updates and Elvisnews: http://twitter.com/tcbworldcom
Funny but I love the creepy Candlelight Vigil. Am I soooo brave??
Goodbye Rosanne...Your "family" in TCB will always remember you.
bsmith,
i never said i have a positive attitude towards any 'elvis religion', only was pointing at some reports dealing with that phenomenon. i second getlo's posting about the 'creepiness' of the vigils.
i also 'know' in forums / groups people who state 'elvis is the most important person / thing in my life' (no joke). i can only shake my head at this.
now THESE are indeed poor victims of 'escapism' (there is another thread on that topic). when having a closer look at these 'disciples' in most cases one finds that many of them are not only members of the 'red rosy specs' group as well. they also have to some extent a more or less pitiful 'real life', be it that their relationships and families are screwed up, be it that they don't succeed in their jobs, be it that their normal social life doesn't work or they are unhappy in general and all those areas i mentioned above are a mess.
like children 'escape' into fairytales these people escape into elvis-adoration. they know the scenario - since he's dead, it doesn't change any more but it is familiar to them. they can go on 'daydreaming' forever.
i can only say ... the most important persons in my life are my sweetheart, the family and some friends. the most important thing in my life is my job. elvis to me is the #1 artist of my lifetime, the most charismatic human being i heard of and the #1 of my hobbies (plus he had the cutest behind a female could possibly think of).
but he is NOT the center of my life.
if today an evil force demanded from me to choose between saving the life of a loved one and from this minute on never ever again be allowed to listen to elvis, watch his photos or videos and any activities like forums - i wouldn't hesitate a second and give him up.
looking at these above mentioned 'disciples' / members in forums, their relatives / friends can regard themselves lucky such evil forces will never ask the elvis-maniacs in their family .... to be on the safe side, they better write their last will in time anyway.
hugs, ellie
i don't suffer from insanity - i enjoy every minute of it
If you want proof of how sick and unhealthy the Elvis obsession can become, check out the posts from "Lee" "TCB Girl" and "Becky" over the Topix forum. "Lee" especially is a disturbingly tragic case: Elvis is near to God in her eyes, and his is utterly blameless for how his life turned out; everyone around Elvis was evil, she believes. Anyone who criticises Elvis even slightly is branded by her as almost an anti-Christ and - the old classic - "not a true fan". This case in particular is just really pathetic and so, so sad. I genuinely believe she is mentally ill, and needs serious counselling.
I've seen some fans whose marriages have been ruined etc, and this isn't just restricted to Elvis fans either.
Remember, "fan" comes from "fanatic" and sometimes the fine line between admiration and obsession becomes blurred.
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
LOL, no need to check since i've 'seen' those especially in german forums, but - curious like all females ...
speaking of ruined marriages / families and pathetic attitude .... there were mentioned some of these cases in german forums as well. which - BTW - i fully understand!
i can only say one (elderly) lady of the 'disciple'-kind posted photos of her flat ..... even i as die-hard elvisfan would go nuts within 24 hours if i had to live in that environment.
apart from the fact that she and i have very different tastes in furniture and home decoration ... it's ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS ELVIS memorabilia in / on every square-inch. regardless what low level of 'kitsch' these artefacts reach.
my husband is NOT an elvisfan, but he tolerates my hobby just like i tolerate his hobbies (which i share in general, but not all of them). but never ever would i force elvis upon him by stuffing the living room with memorabilia (i don't have any, BTW). i frequently have elvis as wallpaper on my PC(s), i have like every fan my collection of CDs / DVDs, books .... but that is it.
i would say to some extent that lady is a tragic case as well (can't post her photos here for understandable reasons).
some other cases regarding anybody as 'anti-christ' who does not share their dark-rosy-red-specs view of elvis i met in yahoogroups. no use discussing with them .... like talking to a brick wall.
i confess being an admirer, but certainly i'll never be a fanatic.
hugs, ellie
PS speaking of 'fanatism' ....... some fans are not only obsessed by elvis, but by some more or less peripheral topics dealing with him. got the hint?
i don't suffer from insanity - i enjoy every minute of it
Graceland did become like a modern version of Lourdes, if you ask me.
And to take this a little further, just for fun: how about the stories told in books? Jerry Schilling f.i. about the healing effect of Elvis' hands touching him after he had that cycle accident?
I agree with you, Ricardo. I just don't see how someone could knock these people for finding a little hope in something, especially when so many other people find it in even stranger places.
ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
you must not mention that or EPE will start selling water coming out of elvis' bathroom's water-taps.
now hurry up and get yourself quickly registered the copyright for that idea or you will never see a single $ for this flash of genious.
hugs, ellie
PS the comparison with 'lourdes' is indeed marvellous! whatever jerry schilling may have smoked when making this statement ..... it was too heavy for him, that's sure.
i don't suffer from insanity - i enjoy every minute of it
Listen to Ellie Rene, it's not that unbelievable. Better get that copyright
Diane
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