Even on the web.
And even in Italy.
Italian reputation management company “Reputation Manager” has demonstrated this in a study published on “Expansion”.
Using its software system and a dedicated team of editorial staff for the analysis of data relating to the Italian web world, including social media, Reputation Manager compared the digital identities of Pope Ratzinger and the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist leader, Tenzin Gyatso.
The research was carried out using a “common conceptual model which focuses on three elements: personal image, religious life and communication. The personal image is established though a “biography” and “opinions” for both the individuals in question. The keywords for communication were similar: books, speeches, conferences and trips.”
Results show that the web, videos and social networks all appear to give a “balanced” image of the Dalai Lama, whereas descriptions of the Pope were “emotional and negative”.
“The emotional impact of conversations regarding the two important religious figures which were examined by Reputation Manager, can be summarised a s follows: almost half of online content relating to the Pope (48,74%) has a negative tone and a prejudicial impact; only 7% of the content is positive though generally lukewarm and lacking enthusiasm; the rest of the content is neutral. The Dalai Lama on the other hand, is significantly more popular on the web both quantitatively (53% against 47%, in terms of the total number of conversations) and qualitatively: 26% of online content is positive an only 8% is negative but not prejudicial, because the emotional impact of the words used are generally balanced, both in terms of positive comments and in terms of negative ones.”
The comparison between the two figures “is mostly based on video content (22%), but also on online newspaper headlines (19%) and forums (13%).”
It is interesting to note that, after YouTube, the five top domains include the UAAR (the Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics), ferraforum.it, corriere.it (the online version of Italian daily newspaper Il Corriere della Sera) and ilfattoquotidiano.it (the online version of Italian daily newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano).
The first video on Benedict XVI, which attracted over half a million viewings and numerous comments, is titled “Papa Ratzinger....in tutta la sua cattiveria!” (“Pope Ratzinger…in all his wickedness!”).
This video was watched five times more than the most widely watched video on the Dalai Lama’s wise aphorisms (less than 90,000 viewings). The video content on Benedict XVI swings clearly towards the “parody”, “revelation and often ferociously “critical” categories.”
According to the study, the picture looks no rosier in terms of social network content: The Dalai Lama has as many as 4.390.916 fans across 290 pages and 71 groups on Facebook.
“Even though only 1,7% of them are active fans, meaning they have written at least one post/comment, the polarity of these groups is clearly positive.” For the pope, numbers are noticeably lower: 263.032 fans across 154 pages and 62 active groups on Facebook. But in this case, except from the first couple of neutral Facebook pages dedicated to the Pope (named Benedict XVI, Pope Benedict XVI), the vast majority is heavily biased against him, with titles that are mocking and offensive. In this case too, only 1, 8% of fans are active and this is a sign that hatred is not growing or fuelling the negative trend.”
“The personal image of the Pope and his religious decisions and positions are pretty unpopular – says Andrea Barchiesi, Managing Director of Reputation Manager. Despite the Pope’s greater socio-cultural closeness to Italians, or possibly because of this, the web has been dominated by negative opinions on what Benedict XVI says and does in our country in particular and the strong emotional impact this has on online commentators.”
On the Italian web, the Pope is prevalently portrayed as “a very rigid person,” who is accused of being anti-Islamic (after his speech in Regensburg) and of being a Nazi in his youth (a false rumour which has however been spread across the web, corroborated by skilfully edited photographs.
One for example shows the newly ordained Joseph Ratzinger extending his hands as a sign blessing to the faithful but his gesture is passed off as a Nazi salute during a liturgical celebration.
Benedict XVI - whose action was key in fighting the plague of paedophilia in the Catholic Church – has been linked to the “Inquisition” and he has been accused of “covering up” for paedophile priests.
This accusation was also reflected in the recent documentary “Mea Maxima Culpa”, directed by Alex Gibney, on the terrible case of serial child molester Fr. Lawrence Murphy, an American priest who served an institute for the deaf and dumb. He abused hundreds of children between the 50’s and 60’s.
Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica reviewed the documentary saying: that it appears the “conspiracy of silence” was sealed by “an order given by Cardinal Ratzinger in 2001, that any complaint of this kind should be placed on his desk alone, in a confidential manner.”
But this is a complete distortion of the facts.
The new directives of 2001 which were introduced by John Paul II and the then cardinal Ratznger, stated that all cases of abuse against minors should be reported to Rome.
Until then, they had been reported to diocesan bishops. So the exact opposite to a cover up was taking place. This marked the beginning of a response which would gradually become more determined and efficient, until - after Benedict XVI’s election as Pope - it led to the implementation of “emergency legislation” which ensures immediate intervention and protection of victims.