Although ambiguous about his specific personal religious beliefs, he has affiliations with both the Christian and Jewish communities. Despite not actually being Jewish, Styles was named number 73 on the Jewish Chronicle’s Power 100 list. According to the Chronicle, Styles ‘may not be Jewish but he seems very much at ease with a Jewish lifestyle, [wore] a silver Star of David at the Teen Choice awards, hangs out at kosher eateries and is not afraid to throw the odd Yiddish word or two into the conversation’, not to mention his Hebrew tattoos and his mention of Jewish festivals such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on social media. His place on the list is most likely due to the 25 million Twitter followers he influences, and is justified
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A popular topic of discussion in the media, Styles is often discussed similar to the way the supersaviour is described by Lawrence and Jewett, as ‘utterly cool’ and ‘divinely competent’. The media representation of him varies, from tabloid fodder to appearances on best dressed lists. However, the most in depth assessment of Styles’ came in a 2014 Rolling Stone article where he was described as ‘unprecedented’ and a ‘pure enigma’. Focusing on his charisma and enthusiasm, the author praises Styles for his divine competence, stating that ‘if [Styles] has any inner turmoil, he keeps it to himself... the strain of the pop hustle never leaves a mark on him. He has all the flash, without the neurotic wear and tear’. The article later goes on to describe the developing mystery surrounding Styles, as ‘the more famous he gets, the more mysterious he seems’. The article’s main narrative is one of praise, and comes to a point where the author states ‘Try to find a photo where he looks weary or bored. You can't’. The Rolling Stone article is a reflection of the way Styles has indeed shown qualities of a contemporary messiah. His philanthropic involvement, unwavering enthusiasm and the air of mystery surrounding him are all self made messianic qualities, …show more content…
A major element of Styles ‘supersaviour’ identity with fans is due to his physical appearance, similar to the #HotJesus phenomenon on Twitter. Harry Styles is not immune to sexualisation and neither is religion. As mentioned in the 2014 Rolling Stone article, his growing fame creates a sense of mystery about him. Not unlike Jesus Christ, Styles has devoted followers that would do or say almost anything to be close to him or even see a glimpse of their hero. Fans devote money, time and attention and go to extremes to meet him and be in his presence, an encounter which many fans consider to be one of the best moments of their lives. The mystery of Styles causes disbelief that he is actually real until seen in person, on a scale similar to that of the Disciples not believing that Jesus had risen in Mark 16: 9-11, ‘When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it’ and Matthew 28: 16-17, ‘When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.’ Described as the ‘St. Thomas Effect’ in celebrity culture, this fan disbelief is compared to the ‘disciples of Jesus Christ [wanting] to touch him...to prove he was real’. Comparative fan behaviour is seen in fans mobbing, following and often aggressively taking photos of
A popular topic of discussion in the media, Styles is often discussed similar to the way the supersaviour is described by Lawrence and Jewett, as ‘utterly cool’ and ‘divinely competent’. The media representation of him varies, from tabloid fodder to appearances on best dressed lists. However, the most in depth assessment of Styles’ came in a 2014 Rolling Stone article where he was described as ‘unprecedented’ and a ‘pure enigma’. Focusing on his charisma and enthusiasm, the author praises Styles for his divine competence, stating that ‘if [Styles] has any inner turmoil, he keeps it to himself... the strain of the pop hustle never leaves a mark on him. He has all the flash, without the neurotic wear and tear’. The article later goes on to describe the developing mystery surrounding Styles, as ‘the more famous he gets, the more mysterious he seems’. The article’s main narrative is one of praise, and comes to a point where the author states ‘Try to find a photo where he looks weary or bored. You can't’. The Rolling Stone article is a reflection of the way Styles has indeed shown qualities of a contemporary messiah. His philanthropic involvement, unwavering enthusiasm and the air of mystery surrounding him are all self made messianic qualities, …show more content…
A major element of Styles ‘supersaviour’ identity with fans is due to his physical appearance, similar to the #HotJesus phenomenon on Twitter. Harry Styles is not immune to sexualisation and neither is religion. As mentioned in the 2014 Rolling Stone article, his growing fame creates a sense of mystery about him. Not unlike Jesus Christ, Styles has devoted followers that would do or say almost anything to be close to him or even see a glimpse of their hero. Fans devote money, time and attention and go to extremes to meet him and be in his presence, an encounter which many fans consider to be one of the best moments of their lives. The mystery of Styles causes disbelief that he is actually real until seen in person, on a scale similar to that of the Disciples not believing that Jesus had risen in Mark 16: 9-11, ‘When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it’ and Matthew 28: 16-17, ‘When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.’ Described as the ‘St. Thomas Effect’ in celebrity culture, this fan disbelief is compared to the ‘disciples of Jesus Christ [wanting] to touch him...to prove he was real’. Comparative fan behaviour is seen in fans mobbing, following and often aggressively taking photos of