Religious Pluralism in an Undecidedly Secular World

Modern mass media have emerged as a significant--and on occasion, the primary--interface available for the negotiation of religious identities, symbols, and the social functioning of religious communities. The influence of stereotypical portrayals of religious groups on the perceptions and actions of government officials, let alone members of the wider public, is well documented." (Human Rights) The author reveals how "the media can actively determine public attitudes of religious tolerance or intolerance. The religious and secularists alike should recognize the power of the media to enhance, rather than undermine, religious tolerance.