Religion, Prejudicial Beliefs toward Sexual Minorities and Same-Sex Relations, and Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage: Hate the Sin but Love the Sinner

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study employs data from the NORC General Social Surveys to assess the extent, if any, to which the effects of both religious affiliation and personal religiosity on opposition to same-sex marriage are attenuated once effects for prejudice against same-sex relations (hate the sin) and prejudice against sexual minorities (hate the sinner) are controlled. Our results show that an initially robust set of affiliation and religiosity effects are substantially reduced once the effect of prejudice against same-sex relations is controlled but remains relatively unchanged when a control for prejudice against sexual minorities is introduced. The implications of these findings and potential explanations for the persistent religious effect on opposition to same-sex marriage are also discussed.