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Other Christians Don't Always See Right's Way

Other Christians Don't Always See Right's Way

Last Tuesday marked the 29th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Over those 29 years, the conservative Christian movement known as the religious right has worked tirelessly to overturn that ruling.

The question arises: how similar are the views of the 28% of Christians in the U.S. who identify themselves as members of the religious right to those of Christians who do not claim that affiliation? A 2001 Gallup poll on religious issues allows a closer look.

Abortion

People who consider themselves a part of the religious right were significantly less likely than were other Christians to say that abortion should be legal under any circumstances (8% versus 26%). Likewise, they were almost three times as likely to say that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances (33% versus 12%). The majority of both groups felt that abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. Legality aside, members of the religious right were much less likely to consider abortion morally acceptable (21% versus 44%).

Somewhat surprisingly, about one in four people who said that they were members of the religious right (28%) indicated that they were pro-choice. This is substantially fewer than the number of other Christians who were pro-choice (50%). Two-thirds of those in the religious right said that they were pro-life (63%) versus a minority (40%) of other Christians.

Almost one in three of those who said they were part of the religious right (31%) would only vote for a person who shared their views on abortion, versus about one in seven other Christians (15%).

Death Penalty

Members of the religious right are similar to other Christians in their views on this issue. Around two-thirds of each group supports the death penalty.

Homosexuality

Those who say they are part of the religious right are more likely to say that homosexual relations between consenting adults should not be legal, by a margin of 56% versus 35% of other Christians. Similar numbers of both groups felt that homosexuality should be considered an acceptable alternative lifestyle. Both groups felt that homosexuals should have equal rights in terms of job opportunities, although those who said they were part of the religious right were less supportive (72% versus 88%). The religious right was also less supportive when queried about homosexuals in teaching positions, clergy and doctors. Those identified as part of the religious right were more likely to attribute homosexuality to upbringing and environment than were other Christians, and were also less likely to favor laws allowing homosexuals to form civil unions.

Sexual Morality

A majority (56%) of members of the religious right said that it was morally wrong for an unmarried couple to have a baby, compared to 36% of other Christians. About half (51%) of those in the religious right said that sex between an unmarried man and woman was morally wrong, while about a third (34%) of other Christians said the same.

Euthanasia

Finally, a majority of those identifying themselves as members of the religious right (59%) felt that doctor-assisted suicide was morally wrong. Thirty-five percent (35%) of other Christians felt the same way.


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/5635/Other-Christians-Dont-Always-See-Rights-Way.aspx
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