DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) – A new set of polls is revealing the vast range of support for gay so-called marriages around the world.
A report released on Monday by the Pew Research Center broke down the views of 32 geographic areas on whether homosexuals should legally be allowed to contract a marriage.
The two-year study found that 19 of the 32 groups polled had a more than 50% favorable view of gay and lesbian so-called marriage. The highest support for the anti-God unions came from Australia, North America and Western European nations.
The United States ranked 13th in overall support, with 63% of people claiming to be in favor of same-sex unions, while 34% were opposed.
The difference of opinion is markedly different among different age groups. Nearly three-quarters of individuals aged 18–34 were found to be favorable, while 59% of those in the 35+ age range showed support.
The greatest disparity in approval fell along the lines of political ideology. Ninety percent of people on the political left were in favor, compared to only 36% on the political right. Another Pew study that tracked U.S. public support for gay ‘marriages’ revealed a massive jump in support over the last 20 years. It reported that in 2004, 43% of those on the political left and 19% on the political right were in favor of legalizing same-sex civil marriages.
Seven areas where the practice is currently illegal showed over 50% support for unions, including Italy (73%), Japan (68%), Vietnam (65%), Thailand (60%), Hong Kong (58%), Cambodia (57%) and India (53%).
The country found most in favor of gay unions was Sweden, which has a 92% approval rate, while the area most opposed to legalization was Nigeria, with 97% of people disapproving. The other places where at least 60% of individuals held the natural view of marriage were Indonesia (92%), Kenya (90%), Malaysia (82%), Sri Lanka (69%) and Hungary (64%).
Religion was also noted to play a factor in people’s opinions. According to the report, “Support for legal same-sex marriage tends to be lower in places where more people say religion is somewhat or very important in their lives. Support is higher in places where fewer people consider religion important.”
The study revealed the following about the religious impact on U.S. support:
Religiously unaffiliated Americans (85%) — especially atheists (96%) — are the most likely to favor same-sex marriage legality. White, non-Hispanic evangelical Protestants are the least likely religious group to say they favor it (30%). Around two-thirds of U.S. Catholics (65%) favor same-sex marriage, as do 70% of White nonevangelical Protestants.
