Washington D.C., Aug 11, 2010 / 04:07 am
A recent poll found that, while the majority of Hispanics in the United States identify as Catholics and take morally conservative stances on controversial issues, a significant gap exists between the older and younger generations on the issues of religion and morality.
The poll of 1,500 Hispanics conducted by Univision and the Associated Press (AP) analyzes the cultural attitudes in America’s Hispanic and Latino populations. The results of the poll were made public in articles in both English and Spanish.
The article in Spanish, published by Univision, focused on the fact that among Hispanics in the United States, 62 percent identify as Catholic, while 11 percent claimed no religious affiliation. Among that same demographic, 55 percent thought abortion should be illegal, while 39 percent thought that it should be legal. In regards to gay “marriage,” 35 percent thought that it should not be allowed while 31 percent were in favor of legalizing it. Univision also reported that, though a majority of Hispanics are Catholic, they are less likely to practice the faith, with only 35 percent of those surveyed attending religious services weekly.
The AP looked at a more specific breakdown, and found that the aforementioned figures were augmented by the older Hispanics. They reported that the younger generation and those who speak more English than Spanish are less likely to identify as Catholic and are less likely to oppose legalized abortion or gay “marriage.”