Pew Survey: LGBTQ & Religion Surprising Findings

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (August 26, 2025) — The results of a new Pew Research Center survey are turning heads across the nation, revealing a deep and surprising divide between LGBTQ Americans and religion.

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While the United States remains a nation where faith continues to play a powerful role, Pew’s latest findings show that LGBTQ adults are far less likely than the general public to embrace organized religion, with many pointing to exclusionary teachings as a driving factor.

Key Findings from Pew’s New Survey

Just 48% of LGBTQ adults identify with a religion, compared to 73% of non-LGBTQ Americans.
Only 17% of LGBTQ respondents say religion is “very important” in their lives, compared to 42% of non-LGBTQ respondents.
Daily prayer habits reflect a similar divide: 23% of LGBTQ people pray daily, while 46% of non-LGBTQ Americans do.
A majority (52%) of LGBTQ Americans are religiously unaffiliated, double the rate of non-LGBTQ adults (26%).

When asked about the influence of religion on society, the contrast was even sharper. Nearly half of LGBTQ respondents (46%) believe religion does more harm than good, compared to just 17% of non-LGBTQ respondents. Conversely, 47% of non-LGBTQ Americans believe religion does more good than harm.

Views on Churches and Institutions

35% of LGBTQ respondents said churches protect and strengthen morality in society, compared to 67% of non-LGBTQ adults.
80% believe churches are too concerned with money and power.
79% feel churches focus too much on rules.
78% say religious organizations are too involved in politics.

Spirituality Beyond Religion

Despite lower religious affiliation, many LGBTQ Americans still express strong spiritual beliefs:

80% believe people have a soul or spirit beyond their physical body.
69% believe in something spiritual beyond the natural world.
64% believe in God or a universal spirit, compared to 85% of non-LGBTQ adults.

Wider Context

Last year, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) found that religious disaffiliation has been rising across the U.S., with LGBTQ Americans leading the trend. According to PRRI, 73% of LGBTQ adults who left their childhood religion cited anti-LGBTQ teachings as a major reason.

Pew’s newest survey underscores that divide — highlighting how faith, politics, and identity continue to collide in the daily lives of millions of LGBTQ Americans.

Read the full Pew Research report: Click Here.

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