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.
90 percent of Americans still think homosexuality is kind gross, though.
I tend not to put a lot of stock into these polls. People are asked over the phone or by some queer with a clipboard taking these surveys are likely to lie just to not seem “homophobic’ but basically deep down they still think being gay is wrong and disgusting.
“Less Americans”?
United States going the way of Europe.
Of course people’s views are “evolving”. They are bombarded 24/7 wth the gay agenda. Every TV show features a heroic and/or funny gay couple. We are told constantly that gay is good and anything but full acceptance is “homophobic”.
On the other hand, most of our churches avoid the issue and some openly embrace gays to the point of ordaining them. Even if the churches would condemn it as a sin, most people spend 1 hour or less each week in a church so there’s not a lot of time for influening people’s minds.
Sigh.
If only we could arrange a tradeoff with the Democrat Propaganda Ministry: We’ll accept 3.7% more public homosexuality, if you’ll hire literate copyeditors.
Uh huh, right... I remember countless polls and surveys suggesting Romney would defeat the jug-eared a$$clown; more propoganda spewed forth from the chief enablers of the socialist and the perversion called the Demonic Party. They are truly considered domestic enemies in my opinion.
They’re not “evolving” - they’re purposefully being propagandized by huge corporations and government. TV has become increasingly jarring, crude and weird, making all kinds of behavior acceptable.
“The left has always excelled at using cultural technology like this in its culture wars. It studies the mechanics of how people can be convinced of something with far more intense interest than any car salesman. 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.”
Using Cultural Technology in the Culture War
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2977624/posts
Should be “Fewer Americans”, unless it is actually “More Americans”.
Sodom and Gomorrah — that turned out well for those folks!
What is so offensive to Godless people when their behavior is labeled a sin?
I am a sinful person also, I engage in wicked behavior against God. I wish I didn’t have demons to fight but getting a consensus of men to agree that what I do is not a sin any longer doesn’t stand up in a court of the lord.
Neither his method nor Gallups reflect any attempt to adjust for an unexpectedly large percentage of gays answering the questions.
They'll have to come clean on how this study was conducted ~ so far there's not adequate information to give us any reason to believe it was innocent.
Ha ha.
RE: Less Americans?
I guess you’ll just have to read the context of the article. I can’t change the title.
I know that. ;-)
Maybe they just forgot the “...er” as in “Lesser Americans Believe Homosexuality Is a Sin...”
Then it makes perfect sense.
God is a majority of One. God does not base His judgement on polls.
Revelation 22:18-19: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to hi the plagues that are written in this book. If anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city and from the things which are written in this book.”
Oh, something else that is “evolving?” What about the recent news items covering social media which have spotlighted how the nation’s youth seem to regard grave topics of rape and child molestation as sources of lighthearted humor and amusement? Homo marriage first, pedophilia next. Two sides of the same coin.
This country is fully embracing evil.
They obviously don’t follow the same God as I do. One of satan’s favorite things to do, is make sin seem light hearted and ok.
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