We knew that Disney Adults take everything the mega-conglomerate does seriously. But does it raise to the level of a religion? Is the House of Mouse a house of the holy?
A Lehigh University professor raised the question (and a few eyebrows) when they floated the idea that Disney is a religion for its most devout followers.
“Many of the Disney fans I have observed in person and online find immense meaning in the parks. People don’t just marry at Disney. They mourn lost relatives at Disney. They go to Disney to celebrate surviving cancer. They go there for one last trip before they die,” wrote Jodi Eichler-Levine. “Religion is a way of making meaning in the world through stories and rituals…All of this happens at Disney. Cast members literally welcome you ‘home.'”
Though the idea of examining Disney worship through the lens of more normalized worship is intriguing, Levine’s thread was met with wide-ranging derision. Twitter users either derided the idea that Disney could be a religion, pointed out how gross it is that a “religion” could be owned by a private company, or noted that accepted religions are not free from scorn.
Take a look at some of our favorite reactions below.
If I went to a wedding like this, I too would be talking shit about it… fuck you mean you’re not providing catering??? At a WEDDING?? pic.twitter.com/12OMKlQogu— Ash (@theashrb) June 5, 2022I just can’t stop thinking about how it costs $5500 for an hour of Mickey and Minnie’s time at a Disneyland wedding https://t.co/R9cQMTN9MJ— Cody (@codybondarchuk) June 8, 2022I am being so serious rn when I say we are not bullying Disney adults enough https://t.co/N9FhTQyMat— Jacob (@redmagejacob93) June 7, 2022 Credit: Universal Orlando Resort unveils a very unique new portal at its park.my brain cannot comprehend this, in theory I should be ok with it, but I cannot process it, imagine going to an Indian wedding and there is NO FOOD, there would also be no marriage in fact there would be riots, in fact if it was Haryana there would be gunfire, and about 6 murders https://t.co/KcBqpeMEZR— Shiv Ramdas Traing To Rite Buk (@nameshiv) June 7, 2022"There is food available nearby?" NOJODA! https://t.co/HecWBn2Ikj— lili_pl (@lili_pl) June 7, 2022"There's nothing wrong with Disney adults, they're just two steps away from worshiping a corporate mascot as their god" is not the reassurance you think it is Jodi https://t.co/b8k7Zodi2i— Γγ ☕🪶💀🦋⌛🧟♀️🪄😈🎲 (@gammashitlord) June 7, 2022There’s nothing more American than building a religion on a foundation of racism and labor exploitation. https://t.co/zoKRi1sGsR— KARLI MARXCX ✡️🇵🇸🤦🏽♂️ (@EvelKneidel) June 8, 2022sorry but saying "disney is a huge part of our marriage" sounds no different to me than "taco bell is a huge part of our marriage". "pfizer is a huge part of our marriage". it's weird to have this much brand loyalty https://t.co/N0nYbJxCNA— ゲロに浸した死体 (@CATACLYSTA) June 8, 2022“Disney adults see Mickey Mouse as God actually” might be the weirdest and most ineffective defense of Disney adults I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/R9ZFDyojTa pic.twitter.com/67HtdLr73M— DefinitelyNotArms (@NotHeaviestArms) June 7, 2022Maybe Mooby The Golden Calf from the movie Dogma wasn’t on the nose *enough* https://t.co/LDW8Fu4qYl pic.twitter.com/mtRzrByRRQ— isi baehr-breen (its pronounced ‘izzy’) (@isaiah_bb) June 7, 2022Imagine having a destination wedding to Disney World where $5,000 (the entire catering budget) is instead spent on 2 overworked underpaid actors to dress as cartoon mice for photos while telling your guests to just go to a vending machine and then wondering if you’re the asshole. https://t.co/ssi5tiwTQo— 🍑Peach Saliva🍑 (@PeachSaliva) June 6, 2022They could have just paid me $150 and I would have pretended to be both Mickey and Minnie https://t.co/LMqxV5ohPb— Tasia Bass but the vacation version (@GroovyTasia) June 6, 2022THANKS A EFFING LOT NEW ATHEISTS, YOU REPLACED THE CHURCH WITH DISNEY. https://t.co/PhRY3S0fsg— Ideosyncretic Bonaparte Fan (@Panindependent) June 7, 2022I'm a religious studies professor researching Moloch and I'm here to tell you why to stop pathologizing ritual child sacrifice https://t.co/8gZDQM3KpG pic.twitter.com/EgnsGhlquw— rules-based international zachary (@TomKhruisehchev) June 7, 2022me, pathologizing Disney adults AND religion as cringe https://t.co/0tEUtjvduc pic.twitter.com/Llbdf9S7lu— les 👾 (@tweet__les) June 7, 2022I'm a religion studies professor researching Disney and this is Jackass https://t.co/Ex6QvEcfbV— hyperinflation fetishist (@oinkophobia) June 7, 2022i'm sorry but at some point you have to stop yourself and sincerely ask if people having sincere, actual religious faith in a for-profit corporation that controls most American media properties is really the kind of world you want to live in https://t.co/6vvedYFo39— 「𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮」 (@tara_chara) June 7, 2022I'm an American Studies professor researching the Manson Family and I'm here to tell you why to stop pathologizing commune dwellers,…. https://t.co/Uy8s1aos8Y— Jeff Melnick (@melnickjeffrey1) June 7, 2022I hope the rat company burns to the ground. I hope disney world sinks into the swamp and Disneyland falls into an earthquake chasm. I hope every classic character becomes public domain. I hope that antisemitic fuck really did freeze his head so I can punt it. https://t.co/QnqRIy0g4J— Zane Schacht – Voice Goblin (@VoicesByZane) June 7, 2022This just makes me want to hate Disney adults even more. https://t.co/eRiFLKnHCU— Ash the Gay Snake (@NannerNeff) June 7, 2022People shouldn’t bully “Disney adults” because it’s pointless and mean-spirited, but the religious devotion to a conglomerate that does not love you but wants your money is most certainly pathological and worth examining. Max Weber (cited in the below thread) would agree. https://t.co/0T0jhiBaLo— Aren R. LeBrun (@proustmalone) June 7, 2022if you pay for Mickey and Minnie instead of dinner for your weddings guests you’re not seeing god https://t.co/hquGKeNito— xanax in a cinnabon (ali) (@xanabon) June 7, 2022if your god cannot provide wine for wedding guests then your god is weak https://t.co/gVTmue4CYT— She-Huck (@TylerHuckabee) June 7, 2022I'm gonna be real with you, Disney adults turning the output of the Walt Disney Corporation into their religion does not make me want to pathologize them less https://t.co/W8pV7K6CRi— Evelyn Waughluigi (@matress_island) June 7, 2022Credit: Adobe
