I found a reference to an article in 1999 which was subtitled, “Pop culture has become a new religion.” While I couldn’t find the actual article itself, a google search using those terms did yield a variety of interesting results:

1. How pop culture icons become religious-like figures - Mostly this article just talks about how that singer Selena has a cult-like following. It’s nothing very mind blowing, but there are some semi-interesting points made about pop icons and religion.
2. Earlier this year, there was supposedly a fashion trend involving secular clothing sporting Christian messages. Apparently, lots of mainstream retailers were carrying things like “Jesus is my homeboy” t-shirts, although lots of stores were opting not to carry them. This article basically centers around how some people wear them as social commentary whereas others wear them because they agree with the message. Either way the message still gets out there.
3. A very short article on the surge in popularity of religion in mainstream culture which offers the statistic that “64 percent of the nation’s 128 million Internet users say they’ve used it for religious or spiritual purposes.”
4. Here’s an article from a Christian perspective about how the first Star Wars movie promotes some bad religious concepts. I don’t particularly agree with their analysis of the movie (nor did I really like that movie), but there is one passage which I like:
   It won’t do to avoid the mythic narratives of popular culture. The new media have captured the market. They have displaced the biblical stories as suppliers of the core metaphors and images that shape our imaginations. It is important, therefore, to engage in constructive discernment and critical debate in the church and with our children. Only in that way will we know that we are choosing well the stories that will shape our imaginations and fuel our actions.
5. While we’re at it, here’s another stupid non-insightful article about Star Wars Episode I and pop religion.