UT should have done an authentic investigation of Regnerus, who, in his published study, lied about his relationship with his funders. Another UT professor, Charles Groat, was embroiled in a non-disclosure scandal that is very similar to Regnerus's non-disclosure scandal. After additional pressure was brought on UT, UT actually had an independent investigation done of Groat, who is no longer at the school. A bon entendeur, salut.

"Of course, correlation doesn’t mean causation, and I’m not suggesting causation here," wrote Regnerus. Yet isn't that the impression that this study and this article seek to leave with the reader? Both the study and this article strike me as dishonest and offensive.

In response to Gregory: Wouldn't the causal arrow -- if there is one -- run something like this: Who am I to criticize someone else's sexual behavior? I'm looking at porn every other day or so.

This latest gay-bashing bigotry out of Regnerus is profoundly dishonest. What he does not say in the article is more important than what he does say. For one example, what he does not tell readers is that out of his study's total 2,988 respondents, only 84 watch porno "every day or nearly every day." 1,402 of his respondents are in favor of same-sex marriage. So, if every last one of his 84 respondents who watch porno "every day or nearly every day" were to favor same-sex marriage, that still would mean that only 5.9% of his respondents who favor same-sex marriage watch porno every day. Yet, he is attempting to brand and smear equality supporters as daily pornography viewers. Regnerus and his Witherspoon funders and editors made the choices about how to present this latest gay-bashing bigot attack. This was a very calculated way for them to be sure of presenting the information in a manner that attempts to demonize equality supporters. "Watches porno every day" is not a characteristic for 94.1% of his respondents who favor same-sex marriage, yet Regnerus says that there is an "association" between porn viewing and support for marriage equality.

Most gay men are interested in pursuing a loving, committed, monogamous relationship. Straight men in leadership roles mistakenly presume it's all about sex, when, in fact, it is not. Heterosexual men appear to be focused on sex that they fail to understand that most men are falling in love, not in bed. I personally know many same sex couples who have been together 30, 40, 50+ years. There is a dramatically higher rate of stability than the 50% divorce rate amongst heterosexuals.

Regnerus is cherry-picking his data to feed what is obviously his own anti-gay prejudice. I notice that he conveniently ignores the fact that women have a higher percentage of support for marriage equality .--along with a much lower percentage of porn viewing -- than men. But this doesn't fit the christian-fundamentalist storyline, so Regnerus is only interested in slandering gays and he ignores it. Not surprised that he has such a poor reputatoin among legitimate researchers.

The term "marriage equality" is a misnomer as ALL Americans already have the SAME and equal right to marry someone of the opposite sex. Equating "same sex marriage" with "marriage equality" is like demanding legal sanction to fish for dolphin and calling it "fishing equality". Same sex marriage has nothing to do with "equality" and everything to do with the expansion of the institution in ways that are damaging to the family and society as a whole.

Wow, so glad to see all the comments calling out the obvious nonsense going on here. Thank you to each one of you for standing up against research and reporting that is intentionally misleading and degrading.

I'm not sure why so many on here are calling this gay bashing. Regnerus argues for a correlation between pornography and support for gay marriage. The only way this qualifies as "gay bashing" is if one judges pornography to be morally wrong and that the gay marriage cause could be hurt by the association. If gay marriage is not morally wrong, then why should pornography be considered morally wrong? In fact, on what basis does one consider any sexual behavior to which a person is naturally inclined, morally wrong?

Tracker Becker - Please provide a non-partisan reference for your claim. It is common knowledge that homosexuals are, on average, far more promiscuous than heterosexuals, by an astronomical margin. Furthermore, being in a long term relationship does not mean that it is monogamous, and the 50% divorce rate is a skewed statistic. 70% of first time heterosexual marriages never get divorced. It is the remaining 30% that get married multiple times that throws this statistic off so much.

Eric Pettersson - You said "In fact, on what basis does one consider any sexual behavior to which a person is naturally inclined, morally wrong?"
Are you serious? Anyone who is sexually active in any way can claim that they were naturaly inclined to do it! The Bible clearly states that all sexual behavior outside of heterosexual marriage is morally wrong.
That's the basis; or did you forget that this is a Christian website? Moreover, just to set the record straight (so to speak), God does not creat anyone homosexual. there are scriptural proofs that God is not the source of the same-sex attractions and desires that homosexual people experience. Firstly, the Bible clearly and consistently condemns homosexual behavior as sin (Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-10; and I Timothy 1:10). Now, if God himself were to instill same-sex attractions and desires into homosexual people, then, by doing so, He would be tempting them to sin sexually. However, the Bible also states, emphatically, that God does not tempt anyone to sin (James 1:13-14). The necessary conclusion is that the God of the Bible would not create anyone homosexual, because to do so would violate His very nature and character, which is to hate sin. And secondly, after God had created Adam and Eve as heterosexual people, the Bible says that “God saw all that he made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). “All that He had made” could not have included homosexuality, because the Bible clearly and consistently condemns homosexual behavior as evil, not good. And that — the creation of Adam and Eve –- was “the last of the work of creation that God was doing” (Genesis 2:2). It follows, then, that God not only would not, but also did not, create anyone homosexual. Homosexuality must have first appeared at some later time, after God had finished creating.

Since same-sex attractions and desires do not come from God, where do they come from? The Bible says that sin entered the world through the “original sin” of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-19) after the last of the work of creation that God was doing (Genesis 2:2), and that “each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:14). Thus, same-sex sexual attraction (i.e., homosexuality) is a result of sin entering the world through the disobedience of Adam. Read more at http://rethinkingtheology.com/2012/07/01/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality/

James,

You misunderstood me. I was being satirical. My point is that it is confused logic for gay marriage supporters to denounce this study as "gay bashing," since that implies a moral condemnation of pornography. If one doesn't condemn homosexuality, on what basis does one condemn pornography? Why in the world should gay marriage supporters be offended by a correlation with pornography, then? I don't see how one can make a moral distinction.

And you are quite right - one cannot justify behavior simply on the grounds that one is "naturally inclined" to do it. I am a heterosexual single. It would be a sin for me to have sex outside of marriage and no "natural inclination" would justify it or allow me to implicate God in that sin by saying that He "made me that way."

Anne and Eric...you guys awesome...thanks for bringing to bear the poppycock that is being stated by these homosexual bigots. What I mean by that is that the irony is so think in the GLTB adjenda. They are mad because one mans research links support for same sex marriage to pornagraphy as scandalous and bigoted. And yet they link disagreement with their "choice" "lifestyle" to bigotry and discrimination. Which is equally offensive if not in fact bigoted and faith-bashing. People want to be free to live their lifestyle in public but demand that people live their faith only in private. Reminds me of a policy that was so controversial that in the name of human decency was struck down. I was called "Don't ask Don't Tell." The same principle is being placed on peoples religious beliefs. It is so contradictory and ironic at the same time. Remember that it is said that you become what you hate and the Homosexual adjenda drivers (not all homosexuals) have become a bunch of bigoted bullies. Again, the irony in this is mindboggeling.

Oh and Tracker Backer...you forgot about Muslim fundamentalist story line too. The difference is that Muslim States imprison or kill homosexuals. But then again we don't care if they kill homosexuals, we just don't want Christians telling us we can't marry? I'm sorry but that is ridiculous.