What Americans think about gay rights and religious liberty

Kristen Hooper, center, and Robert Loyd, right, hold a sign on the steps of the Arkansas state Capitol thanking Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for calling for changes to a religious objection measure in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The measure faced a backlash from businesses and gay rights groups. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston) Kristen Hooper, center, and Robert Loyd, right, hold a sign on the steps of the Arkansas state Capitol thanking Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for calling for changes to a religious objection measure in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The measure faced a backlash from businesses and gay rights groups. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

By Associated Press April 2, 2015 4 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Most Americans support allowing businesses to refuse wedding-related services to same-sex couples on religious grounds, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll conducted earlier this year. But another recent poll suggests Americans’ sympathy for religious objectors may be limited to just that – wedding-related businesses.

The issue has become a topic for heated debate after critics of Indiana’s recently adopted Religious Freedom Restoration Act charged that the law was intended to permit discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Here are five things to know about public opinion on religious beliefs and anti-gay discrimination.

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SOLID SUPPORT FOR WEDDING-RELATED EXEMPTIONS