AMERICANS have become more accepting of homosexuality over the past 16 years, according to a new poll.
Over half of those polled, according to this report, said they were in support of civil unions.
The Pew Research Centre’s new report, released on August 19 and compiled from a selection of public studies done over the last 20 years, said support for same-sex civil unions had risen from 45 per cent in 2003 to 57 per cent in 2009. The increase in support for same-sex marriage was more modest, but still showed a rise in support from 30 per cent in 2003 to 38 per cent in 2010.
Of course, religious loonies like this will continue to expose themselves to ridicule in public for many years to come
Among religious respondents to the recent polls, Latino Catholics showed more movement toward supporting gay marriage (at 57 per cent) than Latino Protestants (at 22 per cent).
National polls by the Pew Centre have apparently found that younger Americans are much more accepting of LGBT people, and researchers reportedly say that the generational divide over the issue will eventually bring about a collision.
Daniel Cox, director of research for Public Religion Research Institute and co-author of the report said:
The clergy risk alienating a significant number of young folks if they take a real hard line approach on same-sex marriage.
Despite such encouraging statistics, in the Proposition 8 issue, 52 per cent of Californians voted for the constitutional amendment which bars gay men and lesbians from marrying.
When District Judge Vaughn Walker recently ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, it was expected that same-sex couples would be able to resume wedding plans soon after, but opponents were successful in their plea that the ban should remain in place until they have appealed.
The ruling is currently being challenged in federal court, and the ban will remain until December when further proceedings against its lifting are to take place.
Experts believe it will be another two years before the case comes before the Supreme Court.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 24th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Hypocrite fundie Steve Green,
Insisted that gays were obscene.
He defied his Jehovah,
And had a make-over,
Then became an outrageous queen!
August 24th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
I’ve got this awful image of Birdshit in a pink leather mini singing Dancing Queen, now. Thanks so much for that, Broadsword.
Maybe he should try walking a mile in the other man’s stilettos, before shouting ‘victimisation’…
August 24th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Really liked the list on that placard. I don’t know how he defines Immodest Women but I suppose that would be any woman who did not fit in with his male dominating, patriarchical, Old Testament bullshit. Not a great enthusiast for democracy either as Obama Voters are going into the fiery pit as well as the usual suspects of evolutionists, masturbators etc.
Doesn’t this prize crazy every think that as eternity in hell is somewhat extreme for what he deems sins. He, of course, is in hell already as it is the only description I can suggest for his restricted phantasy of a life.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
With a list as long as this guy is toting, he’ll have this Heaven all to himself. And he’ll always have a job as the village-idiot before he goes there.
August 24th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Har Davids: I think the masturbator category would take care of most of the human race for a start. Someone, I suppose that guy, must have gone to the trouble of compiling and writing that list. Tells you something about the repressed feelings, the violent furies raging within him, the hatreds that are tearing him apart. Not the most balanced and mature of people, that’s for sure.
August 24th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Broga/Har
The placard that guy’s carrying appears to show a list of what he’s been taught to hate, plus a few of his pet ones thrown in. I wonder if he looks upon those “sinners” with disgust or envy?
This scene is obviously from somewhere in the US. Apart from the hat the xian is dressed like an Engligh country gent. Is that some sort of uniform?
August 24th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Broadsword
Interesting comment. That tweedy type jacket with the buttons at the bottom of the sleeve and the cap. The kind of sartorial almost elegance that is now unusual except amongst the rural gentry in the UK. And the haircut Yet the ignorant bigotry of that ludicrous list is very definitely of fundie America. And the line of the haircut. Are these sideboards he is sporting? Fascinating. But he is still a religionut.
August 24th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
So depressing looking at that list. Once the majority accepts gay marriage, which looks like it won’t take too long now, the fundie whackjobs have plenty of other things to get upset about, so we’ll never be free of them. But masturbators? good grief I don’t even recall that in leviticus or deuteronomy.
August 24th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
I’m thinking of reconverting. An eternity amongst gangster rappers is more than anyone can reasonably take!
August 24th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Sailor: “Spilling your seed” is a heinous crime, as it was only created for one purpose! Where exactly nocturnal emissions fit into this I have no idea!!
August 24th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUspLVStPbk
August 25th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Barrie: well I know Onan got thunderbolted by ywhw but I thought that was because he let it hit the ground – which of course I would never do, were I ever to indulge in “seed spilling”. As for nocturnal emissions I guess they mess up the sheets but don’t mark the ground so I thought they were okay too – even if you had to give a little assist from time to time……
August 25th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
The religionuts used to called masturbation “bodily self pollution.” Interesting as the opposite of a pollutant entering the body is happening.
August 25th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
They think that masturbation is the cause of mental illness, Broga. I well remember a much-respected Canadian evangelist (Jim Boswell, if I remember rightly) relating how he had “counselled” a woman with mental problems, and got straight to the point by asking her: “How long have you been abusing yourself?”. I knew then that these people were actually mad!
August 26th, 2010 at 12:00 am
LOL. Hot off the presses…
Former Bush Campaign Manager, RNC Chair Ken Mehlman Finally Admits He’s Gay
http://gawker.com/5622085/form.....ts-hes-gay
August 26th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
If masturbation is the cause of mental illness, I’m completely nuts.
August 27th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Stephen: To paraphrase an old joke – I’m not affected because I’m a budgerigar!