America Loves Pope Francis, But Not His Stance on Climate Change: Bloomberg Poll

Of course, the issue on which he's most credible


(Bloomberg) Americans love Pope Francis and his forgiveness agenda, but they're less enthusiastic about the judgments he's making about secular issues such as the the debate over climate change and income inequality, according to a new Bloomberg Politics poll completed on the eve of the pope's arrival for his first visit to the United States.

The survey gave Francis a 64 percent favorability rating, considerably higher than those of all the U.S. political leaders the poll asked about, and twice that of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.



The pope is admired by a majority of all ideological, generational, and religious groups: 86 percent of Catholics approve of him, but so do 55 percent of born-again Christians and 58 percent of Americans who adhere to no religion.

“I think he's giving the Catholic Church a new perspective, that it doesn't have to be so rigid,” said Lydia Becker, a 59-year-old Catholic who works as a dental assistant in Homestead, Florida. “He's more open to change. I just find him totally amazing.”

When it comes to the pope's messages of forgiveness or increased tolerance on traditionally hot-button social issues—abortion, gays, marriage, and immigration—Americans across party lines are overwhelmingly supportive of Francis.
But on the one global issue on which he’s staked so much of his reputation, with a June papal encyclical urging action to combat climate change, just one-third of those surveyed are supportive. .....................(more)

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-09-23/america-loves-pope-francis-but-not-his-stance-on-climate-change-bloomberg-poll