New Poll Shows Majority of Americans Oppose Discrimination in the Name of Religion
The confirmation hearing for federal Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, got under way yesterday, with some senators mentioning religious freedom during their opening remarks.
Gorsuch will start taking questions today, and the issue is likely to resurface again. It will be interesting to hear what Gorsuch has to say. In AU’s view, some of his opinions on religious freedom are troubling, and that’s why we’re opposed to his nomination.
As Gorsuch and the senators hash this out, Americans are increasingly gravitating toward a view of religious freedom that rejects the notion that this principle can be used to discriminate against others or cause them harm.
The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) recently issued a poll on a number of issues relating to religious liberty. My colleague Rokia Hassanein wrote last week about the survey’s perplexing findings that a majority of white evangelical Christians think they face more discrimination than American Muslims, but I get to share some happier news: 64 percent of respondents oppose allowing the owners of small businesses to be able to cite religious beliefs as justification for discriminating against LGBTQ people.
More: New Poll Shows Majority Of Americans Oppose Discrimination In The Name Of Religion