Most Americans ready to accept homosexuality, study shows
May 19, 2011
A majority of Americans now believe that homosexuality should be accepted, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
Only 45% of those surveyed favored legal acceptance of same-sex marriage. However that figure represented a noteworthy increase in the 2 years; in 2009, only 35% answers positively to the same question in a Pew survey. Opposition to same-sex marriage fell over the same period, from 54% to 46%.
The Pew study found that young people are more likely to accept both homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage—suggesting that the trend toward broader public acceptance is likely to continue.
About two-thirds (66%) of Catholic respondents favored acceptance of homosexuality. In general the survey showed that Americans with a strong religious identity tend to oppose homosexuality. Only 29% of Evangelicals were accepting of homosexuality, while 79% of the respondents with no religious affiliation took that stand.
The survey results are clouded by the fact that “acceptance” of homosexuality is not clearly defined.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: Lahrye -
May. 20, 2011 4:28 PM ET USA
I still can not put alot of credibility in surveys. The individuals I have spoken to in my community in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia area or the Archdiocese of Atlanta do not agree with this survey. It seems to me the more the negative information gets out into the media the more individuals seem to believe in it. What can I do to make a difference with this type of media blitz of negative information?
-
Posted by: dover beachcomber -
May. 19, 2011 8:09 PM ET USA
I suspect that even if you eliminated the "Catholic in name only" respondents, you'd still have at least a near-majority of Catholics favoring "acceptance" of homosexuality. Generations of poor or actually evil catechesis, cowardly or actually perverted bishops, and willfully ignorant laity who value fitting in with society over the teachings of the Faith, have all done their work.
-
Posted by: -
May. 19, 2011 4:26 PM ET USA
I don't think they have principles to stand on. The decline of our collective morality, and the decline of faith by so many of our Catholic brothers and sisters, especially over the last 50 years, causes my heart to ache. I had spoken years ago of the decline and fall, as happened in Rome, but it seemed to be hyperbole. Now it seems inevitable. May God have mercy on us, especially, whom he has blessed with such abbundance.
-
Posted by: DrJazz -
May. 19, 2011 3:23 PM ET USA
One drawback of a democracy that has been stripped of its moral foundation is that its people eventually believe that morality is determined by majority votes. Citizens are shifting their positions toward "acceptance" of behaviors formerly considered evil so they will be in the majority (at least as they see it). They have no stomach for standing on principle.