Poll: 51% of white evangelicals support business' refusal of service to LGBT customers

Caroline Tanner | USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON — While a majority of Americans oppose religion-based refusal of service to LGBT customers, most white evangelicals support such measures.

A new Morning Consult poll shows that most Americans (57%) disagreed with businesses refusing to serve customers who identify as LGBT, a day after Monday's Supreme Court decision that the state of Colorado had treated a baker with "religious hostility" for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding.

Opposition by religious groups included 55% of Catholics, 51% of all Christians and 48% of Protestants. In contrast, 51% of white evangelicals supported such refusals, as did 37% of all Christians, 32% of Catholics and 41% of Protestants also expressed support.

This poll surveyed nearly 2,000 adults nationwide from May 25 to 31 and has an error margin of 2 points, predating the Supreme Court's decision on Monday.

In addition to supporting refusals of service, white evangelicals are the only Christian group with a majority (51%) who viewed such refusals as a reinforcement of their religious freedom, compared to 41% of Protestants, 37% of all Christians and 32% of Catholics.

When asked if a refusal of service could foster a discriminatory environment against minorities, 41% of Protestants said yes, followed by 40% of Catholics and all Christians and 28% of white evangelicals.

For white evangelicals, religious freedom is not a one-size-fits-all issue, though, and varies based on the type of religion a business owner subscribes to, and they are most supportive (60%) of fellow Christian small business owners.

When asked if they supported allowing small business owners in their state to refuse to provide products or services to LGBT individuals if doing so violates their religious beliefs:

Christian small business owners: 60% of white evangelicals vs. 43% of Christians overall

Jewish small business owners: 55% of white evangelicals vs. 41% of Christians

Muslim small business owners: 46% of white evangelicals vs. 36% of Christians

Mormon small business owners: 50% of white evangelicals vs. 38% of Christians

Their opposition:

Christian small business owners: 43% of Christians overall vs. 27% of white evangelicals

Jewish small business owners: 43% of Christians vs. 26% of white evangelicals

Muslim small business owners: 44 % of Christians vs. 32% of white evangelicals

Mormon small business owners: 44% of Christians vs. 30% of white evangelicals

Of all the Christians surveyed, white evangelicals were more likely to say that Christians face discrimination in the United States today (42%), more so than LGBT individuals (32%). More Christians (36%), Catholics (34%) and Protestants (35%) said that LGBT community faces more discrimination than themselves.

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