The New Era of Religious Marketing - a Case Study of Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple

[[abstract]] 本研究討論當代宗教受世俗化影響而產出的商品服務，並加深傳統宗教所常用的情感行銷符碼，使宗教成為可供信仰者選擇的消費性商品，以達到最終發展組織的目標。本研究以佛乘宗佛乘宗緣道觀音廟為個案研究，以有價商品提供現代人因焦慮與恐懼所期望快速得到心靈慰藉的方法，當信仰者做出回應時，實證等立即性感受的禪修課程與能量商品推廣經營會獲得強化。 研究發現，佛乘宗佛乘宗緣道觀音廟將宗教商品化透過宗教闡述的佛法滿足當代消費者對於宗教的期待，以信仰與科學結合的理論為基礎推廣，使信仰者在情感符碼的行銷論述下接受其產品，讓組織成功地經營發展。 本研究透過透過實際觀察，深入了解深入瞭解佛乘宗緣道觀音廟如何將傳統與現今社會相結合吸引更多的參與者。信眾購買佛乘宗緣道觀音廟商品的動機，藉此分析其與宗教信仰的關聯性。探討宗教商品與宗教信仰間是否真的存在落差？若有，又應如何因應以回歸宗教本質。 研究發現，佛乘宗將商品化的行為與教義緊密結合，透過多元化的商品活動行為，建構出信徒的參與感，並深化偶像認同與涉入，使信仰者相信佛乘宗佛乘宗緣道觀音廟商品化行為並未跳脫修行的範疇，而是從公眾場域延伸至私人場域，使信仰者產生認同感進而支持。 This study discusses the commercial services of contemporary religions induced by present secular influence, and strengthen the emotional marketing code commonly used in traditional religions. The religion gradually becomes a consumer commodity that offers a choice for the believers and reaches the goal of organization development. This study is carried out on Foshengzong Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple and providing priced merchandise to compensate the anxiety and fear of people nowadays for a quick spiritual consolation. The believers’ response is to promote the oriented meditation courses and energy-strengthen products. The study find that Foshengzong Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple has carried out religion commercialization by using the Buddhist meditation which is a method of combing faith in science to fulfill the religious expectations of contemporary consumers. The disciples accept its product under marketing discussion of emotional code and eventually, result in a successful organization development. Through Participant observations, this study provides an in-depth understanding of how the Foshengzong Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple combines traditional doctrine and modern practices to attract more participants. The motivation of their disciples’ purchasing the merchandise of the Foshengzong Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple is related to their religious beliefs. Is there really a gap between religious merchandise and religious belief? If so, how can commercial activities and products be associated with the meaning of religion? It can be concluded that, put the doctrine and merchandise together, that is, by constituting the involvement of their disciples through activities of various respects to enforce idol identity, Foshengzong Yuan-Dao Guanyin Temple successfully makes its followers to believe that these commercial activities and products not only is Buddhist practice, it also can be regarded as an extension of practice from public area to their personal life. Eventually, gained the recognition from their practice and profound their disciples’ faith