Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh
has blamed gay marriage for the decline of Christianity in America.
According to an extensive survey by the
Pew Research Center released this week, 71 percent of American adults
self-identified as Christian in 2014, a decline of 8 percentage
points since 2007. The number of Americans who say they are not
affiliated with a religion increased from 16% to 23% during the same
period of time.
“The decline is taking place in every
region of the country, including the Bible Belt,” said Alan
Cooperman, a co-editor of the report.
Limbaugh told his radio listeners on
Tuesday that “homosexual marriage” was to blame for fewer people
in church pews.
“If you look at the evangelical
churches, they haven't lost anything,” he said. “Their
membership is holding pretty steady. Where the message has remained,
where the mission has remained the same, where the members of the
church don't think any corruption is taking place. They're still
hanging in there.”
“Some might say, the churches that
haven't fallen prey to the dark side. All of this silly social
evolution.”
“Less than 1 million gay activists,”
Limbaugh
asserted, “bullied and steamrolled an entire nation.”
However, Pew reported a 3 million
person decline in the Catholic population. The Roman Catholic
Church's opposition to marriage equality hasn't evolved much since
2007.