Posted on 01/13/2013 6:07:43 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Less Americans believe homosexuality is a sin than a little more than a year ago, according to a survey completed by a faith-based research group just 14 months after a similar study. Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, said the reason for the substantial shift is most likely the result of President Barack Obama's "evolved" view of gay marriage.
Stetzer points out that halfway between the two polls Obama changed his pre-election (prior to first term) position concerning gay marriage.
"There is little doubt that the President's evolution on homosexuality probably impacted the evolution of cultural values," Stetzer states in his recent blog about the survey's release on Thursday. "This is a real and substantive shift, surprisingly large for a one-year time frame – though this was hardly a normal year on this issue."
A November 2012 survey of adults in the United States found 37 percent affirm a belief that homosexual behavior is a sin – a statistically significant change from a September 2011 LifeWay Research survey asking the same question. At that time, 44 percent answered, "Yes."
In contrast, the percentage of Americans who do not believe homosexuality is a sin remains nearly the same between the two surveys – 43 percent in September 2011 and 45 percent in November 2012 indicate this belief, with an increase in the percentage of those unsure of what they believe. Seventeen percent in the November 2012 survey said, "I don't know," an increase of 4 percent over the September 2011 survey.
These findings from LifeWay Research come as Pastor Louie Giglio withdrew on Thursday from giving the benediction at Obama's upcoming inauguration program in the face of criticism over a 15-year-old sermon referencing homosexuality as a sin. Stetzer noted the connection, saying, "The culture is clearly shifting on homosexuality and this creates a whole new issue: How will America deal with a minority view, strongly held by Evangelicals, Catholics, Mormons, Muslims, and so many others?"
The November 2012 survey also reveals Americans in the South (40 percent) are the most likely to select "Yes" to the question "Do you believe homosexual behavior is a sin?" as are Americans who attend religious services at least about once a week (61 percent), and those calling themselves "born-again, evangelical, or fundamentalist Christian" (73 percent).
Americans who never attend religious services are the most likely to say they do not believe homosexual behavior is a sin (71 percent).
"The issue at hand is an important one for many reasons," Stetzer said. "First, as I mentioned in my last post, there is a sizable minority in the United States holding to traditional religious beliefs. As I stated earlier today, this is also an important moment as Americans consider a simple question: are people of faith no longer welcome as they continue to hold the beliefs they have always held?"
Stetzer said he believes the trajectory toward greater acceptance of homosexuality will continue. However, he said, "There will always be a sizable minority of people, often people of faith, who hold minority views. Increasingly, Americans will have to wrestle with how to be tolerant in more than one direction.
The Inaugural Committee's decision to side with gay activists who are intolerant of Giglio's position referenced in his sermon 15 years ago may have emboldened others to push the Bible even farther out of the ceremony.
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell told his viewing audience on Friday that he is urging the president to not include the Bible in his inauguration on Jan. 21, The Blaze reported on its faith blog.
"After discussing Pastor Louie Giglio's recent decision to remove himself from Obama's choice of benediction speakers, O'Donnell launched into a tirade against the Bible and its presence at the historical event," Blaze editor Billy Hallowell reported. "In addition to defending the gay rights movement against Giglio's nearly-20-year-old sermon, the MSNBC host dismissed the Bible as an antiquated book that virtually nobody can agree with in its entirety."
LifeWay Research – Methodology: The survey, conducted Nov. 14-16, 2012, sampled an online panel representing the adult population of the United States. Responses were weighted by region, age, ethnicity, gender, and education to reflect the population. The completed sample of 1,191 surveys provides a 95 percent confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +2.9 percent. Margins of error are higher in subgroups.
Rush is Right
Watch for ‘Pedophilia is OK with more Americans’
The moral downward spiral will continue
Thanks for that link. It leads to a truly outstanding article. It gets to the heart of our “messaging” problem.
That got me too.
And it wouldn’t matter what the percentage was. It would still be sin.
Seems like you don’t have to do opinion polling on the issue, which is flawed in my opinion.
Just look at the actual votes—when the amendments passsed, by how much, what area of the country they passed in.
NC passing it’s amendment in 2012 by 61% was hailed as a great victory by many, until you realize NC basically tied CA’s prop. 22, which passed by 61% in 2000. So NC basically tied the CA of 12 years ago on the issue, while most of the states around NC passed their amendmends in the mid 2000’s in the high 70%-low 80% ranges. CA’s prop. 8 passed by 52% in 2008, the popular vote losing 9-10% in 8 years. The trend does not look positive, in my opinion.
Freegards
“Three weeks of press treatment and the truth is recognized by all.”- A great historian 1920
The survey is a bald attempt to normalize aberrant behavior. Obama’s views on homosexuality have NOT evolved. That is an outrageous deceit. He is a flagrant queer. The fact that he has been elected proves only that a majority of citizens are fundamentally ignorant.
The battle is not to accept a so called majority viewpoint. It is to overcome abject stupidity and moral terpitude.
I don’t care for homosexuality either (in fact, I find it quite gross and disgusting.) Having said that, however, it’s time to admit that we’ve lost the battle on this one. I’ve spoken with a number of young people of voting age, and for the ones who ended up voting for Obama, gay rights was a key issue that influenced their decision. In fact, several of them had voted for McCain the last time around, and told me that the reason they changed parties this time was the Republican’s continuing stand against gay rights.
This is a trend that will only continue, with more and more young voters rejecting the Republican Party because of this issue. We have some hard decisions to make before the next election if we want to have a fighting chance at winning back the White House.
Buggery is a sin. Homosexuality is a temptation. Temptations are not sins unless they are entertained rather than resisted. (Admittedly those who self-identify openly as “gay” or “homosexual” typically do not resist the temptation, but that is not the point — the nuance matters, especially in the context of Christian ministry and Christian engagement with the civil sphere.)
Apparently more americans today do NOT fear God any longer too- does that make their opinions morew acceptable to God? Nope! Yes, the nation may be moving to a ‘more inclusive thought process’ however, the nation is ALSO moving further and further away fro mthe one TRUE unifier and blesser- the ONLY One who can bless or remove blessings according to a nation’s feeligns about Him- Sad that America is choosing to throw God’s blessigns back in God’s face- The following verse talks about tithing, however, it also points out somethign htat America ghas forgotten- that God IS a King! And a King to be FEARED, not simply thought about once in awhile with a ‘yeah He’s a righteous God, but He udnerstands I’m a sinner and I ‘can’t’ walk a straight and narrow path, so He’ll just have to excuse my sinful desires- after all, He’s a ‘God of love’ right?”
No folks! God is a King to be worshipped and feared- He’s NOT someone you can simply throw all kinds of excuses at while dismissing what Hwe says in His word and makign excuses for His edicts as beign ‘not applicable’ today-
“Malachai 1:14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations”
Our nation no longer fears the greatest King of all- and htis lack of fear AND RESPECT for God WILL BE our downfall- I’m watchign it happen right before my eyes-
[[It is not interested in winning the debate, but in rigging the debate. It does not want to convince you that it is right, but to change you into the sort of person who innately understands that it is right]]
I’d change thast just a little to read “They are not itnerested in winning a debate, but rather in forcing you to comply with hteirt ideology by making you feel guilty for not beleivign the way they do”
That is what the left excells at- that is the tactic of Satan- making peopel feel guilty for not acceptign SIN- makign htem feel like bigots and haters for not accepting ‘alternative lifestyles of peopel that ‘just want ot coexist together in a ‘loving’ relationship”
See how they do that? They make you seem like you don’t like love, that you’re anti-love- that you despise peopel who ‘aren’t hurtign anyone- and who simply want ot be left alone and left to lvie hteir lives in a ‘lovign relationship’
You are made to be the bad guy for opposing hteir lifestyle- that is how they win debates- Just like hte add where an acgtor pretendign to be Paul Ryan pushes a granny in a wheelchair oveer the cliff- They made it appear like ryan hated old people- and it was effective-
This is how a vocal, well organized minority can move nations. This is how communists came to rule Russia and how homosexuality and drugs are now acceptable. You can’t play defense all the time. Always being against things. The most successful conservatives didn’t go around talking about what people shouldn’t do, but what they should. Much easier selling a point of view when you’re actually for something. Even if that is traditional values.
No. Kids know naturally, instinctively, that there is just something sick about a man pushing a penis into another man's anus full of sh**. It's one of those things nobody needs to teach, and it is why homos instinctively feel ashamed of what they are and what they do, and why they suffer the tears of a clown as they march with fake smiles in fake "pride" parades.
It's a continent-sized, hi-tech version of the "Diamond Tactic", with the Democrat "mainstream" newsrooms providing the corners of the diamond.
>>The most successful conservatives didn’t go around talking about what people shouldn’t do, but what they should.
Exactly. We are led to believe that the opposite of light is darkness. But, you can’t create a “flashdark” that can shine darkness into a well-lit corner. Dark is only the absence of light. The two are not equal in any way.
We’ve allowed the secular left to paint us into a corner where we are strongly against many dark things, but we are only weakly in favor of the light. This is true for Christians as well as Conservatives (and yes, I know that many people are both but it is far from 100%).
See my tagline.
So you are saying that the GOP should give in on the fag issue because the youth side with sin and call evil good?
The strategy today, is to call it libertarian.
Now you can tell a weak conservative that they can embrace the homosexual agenda and be hip and popular again at school, because it isn’t leftwing anymore, now it represents the founding fathers, and the best of America, it is patriotic.
sin is sin
how people “view” it is immaterial, it is STILL a sin
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