Libardo Pacheco

Professor: Suzanne Jacobs

Huma 2400

Media Review
What the Popes popularity says about American Culture
The article I chose for my media review is from the Religious News Service website. It
talks about the current Popes popularity. It gives multiple examples of surveys and
organizations that indicate the popularity of the Pope, even among secular commentators. The
article contrasts those thoughts with the belief that Americans dont like Christians. In the end it
asks Christians to think about the reason they are not liked.
I think the intended audience of the writer is a religious audience, mostly Christians. Due
to the fact that he poses specific questions to Christians toward the end of the article, it confirms
this thought for me. He references many sources where Christians are threatened by secularism.
He also references other sources that state that some of these secular organizations are in favor of
the Pope.
For me, the whole feeling of the article is very much the writer trying to convince
Christians that those who are not Christians dont dislike all Christians, just the ones that are
jerks. I may have a bit of a bias, because I consider myself Christian. I dont feel that American
society opposes Christians because of their religion like the writer states. I dont feel like I am
in a hostile territory at work or that I am threatened by secularism. I may be in the minority, but I

disagree with a lot of what he was implying. I work closely with people of different faiths or no
faith and we are very respectful of each other.
This article confirms that there are many different ideas and points of view on religion. I
like the new Pope even though I am not catholic. I try not to judge or prejudge others based on
their beliefs and that may be why I didnt relate too much to the article. It confirms the much
diversity that we have learned about throughout the semester. America is very diverse and
although there are a few who are not accepting of others, we are generally very accepting and
respectful of others beliefs, as long as they are not trying to change our way of life.
http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2014/07/11/popes-popularity-says-americanculture/