Most Americans believe that messages about homosexuality coming from
religious institutions contribute to negative views of gays and
lesbians as well as to higher rates of suicide among gay youths, a new
poll reports.
While divided on whether same-sex relations are
sinful, Americans are more than twice as likely to give houses of
worship low marks on handling the issue of homosexuality, according to
the PRRI/
RNS Religion News poll released October 21. A plurality
(45 percent) of Americans, however, gave their own congregation an A
or B grade on how it handles homosexuality.
In the wake of a
recent spate of teen suicides prompted by antigay harassment and
bullying, the poll indicates a strong concern among U.S. adults about
how religious messages are impacting public discussions of
homosexuality.
