Polls

I came across two polls that I would like to share with you. Like all polls, there can be a building bias with the way the questions are phrased, the order of the questions, how you select your population, etc. So, without comment here is the first poll…

Less than 1-in-5 Give America's Places of Worship High Marks on Handling Issue of Homosexuality
Public Religion Research Institute

Regardless of their own religious views on the issue, few Americans believe that places of worship are doing a good job handling the issue of homosexuality. The PRRI/RNS Religion News Poll, conducted by Public Religion Research Institute in partnership with Religion News Service, found that more than 4-in-10 Americans gave religious organizations a “D” (18%) or an “F” (24%). The number of Americans giving places of worship low marks is more than twice as many as give them high marks; Only 5% of Americans give them an “A,” and only 11% give them a “B.”

A plurality (43%) of Americans say the messages coming from places of worship are negative, and 4-in-10 Americans believe that these messages contribute “a lot” to negative perceptions of gay and lesbian people. One-third (33%) of the public also believe that messages from religious bodies are contributing “a lot” to higher rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth, and another third (32%) say these message contribute “a little;” only 21% say they do not contribute at all.
[…]
Of all religious groups, white evangelicals are most likely to give their own church high marks for handling the issue of homosexuality. Three-quarters of white evangelicals give their church an “A” (48%) or “B” (27%). Among white mainline Protestants and Catholics, only about 4-in-10 give their church an “A” or “B.” Catholics were most likely to give their churches negative marks, with nearly one-third giving their churches a “D” (15%) or an “F” (16%).

The survey also found significant generational and partisan gaps on perceptions of the impact of messages about homosexuality from America’s places of worship. Nearly half (47%) of young adults (age 18 to 34) say that messages from places of worship are contributing “a lot” to negative views of gay and lesbian people. Among Americans age 65 and older, less than one-third (30%) say religious bodies are contributing a lot to negative perceptions of gay and lesbian people. Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans (42% to 17%) to say places of worship are contributing to higher rates of suicide among gay youth.

The next polls is…

Top Ten Anti-Christian Events in 2010
The Christian News Wire

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 3, 2010 /Christian Newswire/ -- Defend Christians.Org, a ministry of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, has just released its annual top ten list of anti-Christian acts in America for 2010. The surprising list is selected through an online poll of Christians and people of good will who are part of Defend Christians.Org.

"The poll results demonstrate a double standard is being applied against Christians and their faith, values and liberty," said Dr. Gary Cass, Chairman and CEO. "If these same types of actions were taken against other groups one would call it bigoted. We are exposing the shameful behavior of bashing Christ and biblical values for what it is, "Christophobia;" the irrational fear and hatred of Christ and His Word."

And from the Defend Christians.Org web-site, the actual list…

1. Employment Non-Discrimination Act; a proposed federal bill that would force ministries to hire people who oppose their beliefs or who live in open defiance of their values.

2. Vaughn Walker; California judge who overturned Proposition 8, a State Constitutional Marriage Amendment, and the will of the people by making homosexual marriage legal.
[…]
4. Elena Kagan; President Obama’s radical appointment to the Supreme Court bench. While serving under the Clinton Administration, Kagan successfully corrupted unfavorable evidence on partial birth abortion to deceive the Supreme Court.
[…]
9. Southern Poverty Law Center; A liberal ACLU-like organization that has continued to label many Christian organizations that hold traditional values as “hate groups” in lists that include violent racists groups.

Comparing these two polls; the first poll’s population was one thousand randomly selected people (you can see the polls and the methodology here). The other poll we know nothing about it, we do not know the sample size, where they chose their populations, all we know is that they were Christians. Did they include both affirming and non-affirming Christians? Were they given a list to choose from? Notice how the second poll phrased the questions. The number one choice, ENDA, “a proposed federal bill that would force ministries to hire people who oppose their beliefs or who live in open defiance of their values” is phrased negatively and doesn’t mention that the bill has explicit language the excludes religious organizations from the law. In choice #4, the poll used the biased phrase “radical appointment”. Then question #9 uses “liberal ACLU-like organization” and “’ hate groups’ in lists that include violent racists groups.” But does not explain that the reason why SPLC added them as hate groups was because of the language they used and the false statement they use, such as calling all LGBT people pedophiles.