Music ’is replacing religion’ says academic 學者稱「音樂正取代宗教」

 ◎陳成良
Music and DVDs are replacing religion as the focus for public devotion, a leading academic has said.
音 樂及DVD正取代宗教，成為大眾虔誠的重心，一位頂尖學者表示。
Listening to music, regular film watching and “devoted” viewing of DVD box sets are becoming the “spiritual disciplines” of the day, according to Dr. Clive Marsh of the University of Leicester.
聽音樂、常看影片，以及「專心」欣賞DVD套裝影集，正成為當今的「靈性操練」，據萊 斯特大學的克里夫．馬許博士指出。
Internet fan sites are used as a form of worship, while people use music to explore the philosophical and ethical issues of the modern world, he said.
網際網路上的狂熱愛好者網站被當成一種崇拜形式，而人們利用音樂來探索當代 世界的哲學及道德議題，他說。
An online survey designed by Dr. Marsh has been completed by 200 people so far across Britain and the USA. The findings will be published later this year.
馬許博士設計的一份線上調查，目前已由英國及美國各地的兩百人作 答完畢，結果將於今年稍後公布。
Dr. Marsh began the study by examining the way fans of U2 interact with the Irish rock band and their music.
馬許博 士透過檢視U2樂迷與該愛爾蘭搖滾樂團及其音樂的互動方式，展開了這項研究。
He believes that online fan communities form “not just to talk about music, TV or film, but to reflect on how their listening and viewing habits inform their living and help them develop their philosophical, religious, political or ethical commitments.”
他相信，線上樂迷社群的形成「不只要談論音樂、電視或電影，也要反映他們的收聽與收視習慣如 何使其生活充滿活力，並幫助他們發展哲學、宗教、政治或道德信念。」
新聞辭典
academic： 名詞，學者；大學教師。它的複數academics有兩個意思，一為「學者；教師」，另一為「學科；學術課程」。當形容詞用的academic比名詞要來 得常用許多，意為「大學的，學院的；學術的，學術性的；善於學習的」。例句：This school is the largest academic institution in Taiwan.（這所學校是台灣最大的學術機構。）
inform：動詞，賦與（生氣等）；使有活力。用法 如：inform sb with new life （給某人新的生命力）。