I love homosexuals and those Christians who condone homosexuality, but these numbers are seriously concerning. Less than 2 in 5 Americans read the Bible.

Its a good thing that God doesn't decide moral issues by conducting surveys of human opinion. In effect, what gay theology is asking, rhetorically, is, “Did God really say that sex within the context of loving, committed, long-term homosexual relationships is wrong?” If the phrase “Did God really say…” sounds familiar to you, it is probably because that is exactly what Satan said to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he was trying to get her to commit the first sin: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). And that is exactly what is happening in the Christian church today, in the form of gay theology. Satan is using gay theology to get Christians who are homosexual to continue to practice homosexuality and feel good about it, rather than repent of it.

So are we now to determine what constitutes "sin" by taking polls? I would submit that when a Christian magazine even engages in a poll to determine what is "sin," that we have already lost the argument.

@ Tori: I certainly agree with your concern over polls and "sin," however I didn't take this as determining what is sin. I viewed it as a snapshot comparison of where our society is headed. I think we know the direction...the poll simply shows how far we as a society have devolved. I'd like to think that CT isn't attempting to declare sinful behavior acceptable by gauging public acceptance. It does, however, appear that's the way our society operates.

It's not surprising when you consider how much cultural propaganda most American Christians allow into their homes, while at the same time churches shy away from teaching about moral, Biblical topics that are considered too "controversial" or "political."

Read "The Marketing of Evil" by David Kupelian and you'll understand why they've been so effective at indoctrinating the public with their lies.

Popular approval does not change Scripture which always warns against and never approves homo/bi/etc. sexuality or same-sex or polygamous unions. These were the practices of heathen tribal groups that worshipped idols and false gods (Baal, Asherah, etc.) who had orgies in their temples and not the people of HOLY GOD.

Science, CDC and police statistics, clinical practice in medicine and mental health also confirm Scripture and 4000 years of Judeo-Christian teaching.

Sexual sin is always spiritually, emotionally and relationally harmful to the individual, their relationships, their children and their society.

Gregory, the problem in Sodom was not gang rape. It was homosexuality. After all, Lot says, "No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men." Jude, the brother of Jesus warns against sexual perversity in the church and explains the Genesis passage this way "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire." But I suspect you knew that. Paul warns against Lesbian sexual attraction and Homosexual male attraction in Romans 1, but gee, I'll bet you have an explanation for that too. Then he talks about repenting from homosexuality in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:10. My guess is that you explain away that as well. Jesus said in Luke that the end times would be much like Sodom and Gomorrah and man is that true. The men of Sodom did not want Lot in their pluralistic, hedonistic, non-judgmental culture and the same is true of the cultural elite's attitudes about Christians and their Bible today.

Thanks for the report. Unfortunately, Melissa Steffan confused "homosexual behavior" (the subject of the survey) with "homosexuality." I think this is sloppy journalism.

Perhaps CT can run its own survey to determine how many evangelical leaders believe "homosexuality" (i..e., the orientation) is sinful as opposed to "homosexual behavior." Regardless of the outcome of such a hypothetical survey, I believe most informed evangelicals would be loathe to condemn a person because of an inclination or orientation as opposed to behavior. If they are not, they should be.

Richard, don't count the Apostle Paul with "most informed evangelicals". Paul regards the same sex attraction as a "degrading passion" and a "depraved mind". The desire itself is sinful and depraved. "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind." But our job is not to condemn in either case. Our job is to "snatch them out of the fire hating the garment that is polluted" as Jesus brother Jude says. Our job is to love and rescue, not condemn.

While the subject of homosexuality trumpts the thinking of a number of Americans as being, Sinful, so is not loving your neighbor as yourself; keeping the Sabath day holy and many other things set for in the Bible. Christianity is a revised form of Judiasm that regards themselves (Christians) as having all the answers for life's ills set forth in the Holy Scriptures. In essence Christians have the ability to justify anything they desire to be "right or wrong" according to the Scriptures, including the imposition of slavery and denying women equal rights.

And exactly why would homosexuality be a sin? "Because the Bible says it's wrong." And exactly what makes homosexuality wrong? "Because it's a sin."

This sort of nonsense -- plus a determination to see that their gay children, colleagues, brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors are treated fairly -- is why so many thinking people don't endorse anti-gay Biblical interpretations any more than they endorse pro-slavery or anti-woman Biblical interpretations. Of course more and more people are going further and rejecting the entire Bible and the entire Christian religion. It's already happened in western Europe and Scandinavia and is happening with people under 30. This just might be the issue that puts nails in the coffin of Christian fundamentalism.

Yet, almost 3 in 4 “born-again, evangelical, or fundamentalist" Christians say Bible disapproves.

Yet???

The use of that word in the sub-headline implies that what follows -- as opposed to the main heading -- is good news. Only 73% of us professing believers saying the Bible disapproves is meant to be encouraging?

How about we reword it this way:

Incredibly, only 3 in 4 believers know their Bibles well enough to affirm its disapproval.