Write a 400–500-word response in consideration of the following questions:

• According to the World Religious News article with John Kerry, what challenges do the religious face in an increasingly irreligious society?
• After listening to the TED talk by Lesley Hazleton, how are those challenges exacerbated by those who would interpret religious texts in ways that are not true to their original intent?

Include in your response an evaluation of both speakers’ points of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, and an assessment of the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

– ted talk link-