STUDY: Christians report experiencing bias 'as severe' as LGBTQ individuals face
The study states that 'the majority (57%) of White evangelicals report that their group experiences a lot of discrimination in the U.S. today.'
'Campus Reform' spoke with one Christian undergraduate student who said he perceives anti-Christian bias in academia and social media.
A recent study from Washington University in St. Louis found that anti-Christian bias is currently as severe as bias against the LGTBQ community, according to conservative Christians.
The article, “Is LGBT Progress Seen as an Attack on Christians?: Examining Christian/Sexual Orientation Zero-Sum Beliefs,” appears in the July issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
A Zero-Sum Belief (ZSB), the article explains, is the philosophy that the progress of one group ultimately results in losses for another group.
ZSBs are most common among Christians due to their “understandings of Christian values, the Bible and in response to religious institutions,” Sara Savat wrote last month for The Source, Washington University’s news site.
The study was conducted over three-and-half years and includes approximately 2,000 Americans who self-identify as heterosexual, cisgender, or White Christian.
The study states that “the majority (57%) of White evangelicals report that their group experiences a lot of discrimination in the U.S. today.” However, the study states that there is “little evidence to support those perceptions.”
Micah Button, a Christian and student at the University of Arkansas told Campus Reform that although he doesn’t necessarily believe in the Zero-Sum philosophy, he does sense anti-church sentiment.
“I don’t consider it a competition between the church and the LGTBQ community,” Button said. “I think the left has framed it as a competition to force people to side against the church.”
Button’s comments align with the study’s findings that whereas LGTBQ individuals perceived a decrease in bias in recent years, Christians have associated that trend with an increase in anti-Christian bias.
“Furthermore, Christians perceived that the bias against their group will be as severe as bias against LGBT individuals in the next decade, the article states.
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Button did say that anti-Christian bias is increasing, not just on college campuses and across the United States, but globally as well.
“In general, whether it be a college professor or on social media, Christianity is viewed very negatively because it doesn’t line up with the narrative that the news and the left are pushing,” he said. “Some churches are even changing their doctrine to fit the social narrative.”
Button’s concerns echo those raised by participants in the Washington University study.
“Discrimination against Christians is on the rise,” said one participant. “Christians do not have the same freedoms as non-Christians,” said another.
“I am worried that people in America do not respect Christian values,” one participant said.
Another participant said, “Christian businesses will be boycotted for trying to be true to their values.”
Campus Reform reached out to Washington University in St. Louis for comment but did not receive a response.
