Religious Activity in Celebrity Obsession

When it comes to celebrity worship, how far is too far?

Why do we push the boundary from icon to idol? 

   

In religion, the likeness of a holy figure creates a way for the presence of that figure to come alive and transcend the boundaries between sacred and profane. The true essence of Jesus cannot be summarized solely in human form, but it makes Him easier to access. Jesus was human, just like us; therefore, it cannot be all that difficult to adhere to his teachings, right? We cling to the tangible aspects of religion since so many aspects of it are intangible. This human need results in the presence of relics. Religious centers all over the world boast their possessions of relics as a way to promote legitimacy. For example, the people of Naples, Italy worship the relic of the Blood of San Gennaro, their patron saint. How can we prove if it is real or fake? We cannot. All we can do is believe. But the idea of something physical that we can see and experience makes Jesus' presence all the more prevalent. 

Given this desire for tangibility in religious activity, it is no surprise that we worship and idolize celebrities in the way that we do. We have ways to experience them and proof that they exist. Setting celebrities apart as sacred idols satisfies both the human need for religious activity and the modern aversion to blind faith. Celebrities represent a complicated mix of tangible reality and that which is sacred. This mix exactly fits the bill of what people in the 21st century want from their idols. So, celebrities transcend. However, there is a strange contradiction however between the sacred idols of religions being made human and the human celebrities being made sacred. 

Recently, Harry Styles-- everyone's favorite boy band heartthrob-- haunched over, vomiting, on the side of a highway in LA after being photographed leaving a party, intoxicated the night before. Oddly enough, there were paparazzi present who eagerly snapped photos and sent them out to various pop culture news sources. The vomit has since become famous in itself. Some worshippers of Styles put up a shrine in the exact spot where he was photographed. there are also rumors surfacing of people taking some of the vomit home with them, as a relic. Is this too far? 

What is it about the vomit that is different from the Blood of San Gennaro? 

Why has Harry Styles been stripped of his humanity by his worshippers?