Reflection: Popular Culture and Religion

I would just like to touch on something that I find interesting. It is something I treasure deeply and it's something we all encounter every day. I am talking about food. Working at a bakery I have had some interesting responses to the highly anticipated hot cross buns. While most people are thrilled by the new chocolate or mocha additions there have been comments from some people that give me the impression many find themselves unsettled and upset with the evolution of these buns. Baking hot cross buns so early before Easter is the biggest issue many customers have. It makes you stop and reflect upon elements of religion and spirituality that have been "marketed" or "sold". To many, it may simply be a fruity, delicious bun upon which a good lather of butter is enjoyed! But to those who consider the hot cross bun to have religious meaning and tradition, it is yet another example of religion as a commodity, a market to be tapped into. While there are adherants who will seek out the hot cross buns come Good Friday, many are literally consuming a once heavily religious tradition. How do I feel about this fact? Well more importantly there are clearly some customers who are upset by the process. To them, the hot cross bun is more than just a filling for your 3pm sugar cravings. It carries a message. It has a meaning.

This photo is my own. I took it in a church in Rome, Italy when I was backpacking there with my best friend over a year ago.