The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced today that the results of a new poll conducted in cooperation between HRC and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research show the majority of American Christians to be in favor of LGBT equality.
The poll, which included a cross-section of Christian denominations including Catholics, Protestants, Mormons and others, revealed that Christians predominantly believe in defending LGBT rights against discrimination — including infringement upon those rights based on the Defense of Marriage Act. Among those polled, a strong majority also indicated that anti-LGBT religious leaders cause more harm than good by preaching against gay rights, and that the Christian faith has led them to believe that LGBT individuals should be treated equally under law.
News of the HRC poll results comes at the same time as Focus on the Family President and CEO Jim Daly’s announcement that, when it comes to the fight against gay marriage, his and other organizations are losing ground.
“We’re losing on that one,” Daly said in an interview with World Magazine, “especially among the 20- and 30-somethings.”
Daly explained that 65-70% of adults between the ages of 20 and 40 are now in favor of same-sex marriage. And while this won’t stop Focus on the Family and other anti-gay marriage groups like the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) from launching multi-million-dollar campaigns against marriage equality, it does signify a shift in national opinion on behalf of LGBT equality.
Now, armed with the knowledge that 86% of Christians polled believe that their faith dictates legal equality for LGBT individuals, members of the clergy from across the nation are set to take the fight for LGBT rights to Washington, D.C. tomorrow for the HRC’s Clergy Call for Justice and Equality.
Find complete results from the HRC poll at www.hrc.org/religionpoll2011.
