Overwhelming 85% Of Young American Catholics Support Gays And Lesbian, Pew Report

While the Vatican vacillates over whether to welcome gays into the church, the new kids in the flock seem to have no qualms about the subject.

Close to 85% of self-identified Catholics between the ages of 18 and 29 believe gays and lesbians should be accepted by society, according to a 2014 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.

These younger Catholics are also supportive of legalizing same-sex marriages, with 75% throwing their weight behind the concept.

The positive attitudes toward homosexuality are less likely to be found among older adults. About 57% of Catholics aged 65 and older told Pew that they believe homosexuality should be accepted.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/17/young-catholic-gay-pew_n_6006328.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

Impressive; so there's no age bracket (anymore) that has a majority opposed. That's changed a lot over the past several decades.

The interested view here is again in that it is the young again, which seems to be evident in many places that seem as an age group as the least prejudiced  and that is very encouraging for the future, as they will be the next middle age group. This then means less people with prejudice views over the next few decades. They are the future, though here clearly many of the younger do not seem to attend church anymore, which will play a factor here on the votes, but this is great news.

Yeah, and I should note I misread the chart -- there is one group still opposed to marriage equality, the 65-and-over category. Still, their 38 percent support is stronger than I would have expected.

Oh the times, they are a-changing.  About time the Vatican did too.  I think there will be changes from the top, but they will be very slow.

Frazzled wrote:Oh the times, they are a-changing.  About time the Vatican did too.  I think there will be changes from the top, but they will be very slow.

agree but I really do think Pope Francis is doing a fantastic job. as a non-catholic/non- religious person I really like him and what he is doing. remember he has 2000 years of bigotry and intolerance to fight against.

Agreed Cass. I was watching a BBC debate show last week and some criticised him for still holding some bigoted views. But we must remember, he is leader of very backward institution, which just 5 years ago was rapidly steering its way to extinction under a dinosaur pope. Francis is a human being, he has limitations.

I guess rather condescendingly I'd say 'he is doing bloody well... for a Catholic leader'.

I kind of think the Catholic Church at this point will proceed with speed the same day Mercedes-Benz makes an affordable car for the masses ... being slow and difficult to change is practically part of the Catholic brand now.

Off topic, but if you want an affordable car for the masses, might I suggest this beaut?



Kind of near and dear to my heart

Yet sadly this is what we see happen today:


Deep Gulf In Catholic Church Exposed As Bishops Scrap Landmark Welcome To Gays

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/18/catholic-church_n_6008444.html?1413663212&utm_hp_ref=uk


This really exposes the complete contradiction by those who are in supposed to be the ambassadors of the Catholic faith. The whole concept of Christianity is of a view that God became flesh through the person Jesus and died to save all sins. The Church accepts through its doors all who have sinned, except in the case of homosexuals and unmarried couples, yet a murderer is acceptable. This is why religious groups like Catholicism have been steadily losing followers over the years, they still cling to outdated perceptions. Where as seen even worse, they go against the very foundation of Christianity itself where Jesus welcomed any to his calling. There is only one sin in Christianity which cannot be forgiven and that is blasphemy of the holy spirit, yet by this view they are taking the view homosexual sex to them is a sin, which cannot be forgiven. Which as stated goes against the very foundation of the forgiveness of sins, (even though to class homosexuality as a sin in this day and age is absurd) as Catholicism is very much based around the the view Jesus died to save all sins. In fact taking this stance on homosexuality not being seen as forgivable, makes the death and crucifixion of Jesus redundant, as the belief is not that he came to save some sins but all sins.

This is why to me religion is so utterly absurd based around dogmatic beliefs, which as seen are contradicted by those who are supposed to lead these faiths. The future will be bright, if there is one without religions or at least where religions have no view to form judgmental views of other people.

It just shows how far Francis is from the dinosaurs he is leading.

The good news is these rotting old men wont be around long (hate to be brutally blunt about this but I don't really care for them). And when the younger generations break in there will be radical change in the Catholic church (there will, or it will die), that will make today's struggles seem so petty. As happens throughout history.

As with Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury, Francis tried, I do fear he will be ousted if he continues to go against the grain of the church hierarchy though.

It's sad -- Christianity had a lot of promise, and still has some awesome teachings.

Thomas Jefferson understood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

He and his fellow philosophical travelers -- I'm really inspired by the bravery they showed considering the times they were born into. I often wonder what his reaction would be if he could have seen what happened to the country he helped found. I'm betting a guy like him would see the good and the bad

Absolutely right, Eilzel.  I saw some of the passages rejected, including the famous paragraph 55, and it reflects turn-of-the-century (last century) thinking to oppose such innocent language.

#Synod 14 wrote:55. Some families live the experience of having members who are of homosexual orientation. In this regard, questions have been raised on pastoral care which is appropriate to deal with this situation by referring to what the Church teaches: “There is no basis whatsoever to assimilate or to draw even remote analogies between same-sex unions and the plan of God for marriage and the family. ” Nevertheless, men and women with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect and sensitivity. “In their regard should be avoided every sign of unjust discrimination” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons , 4).

They objected to the term "pastoral care." They are pagans.