WASHINGTON (AP) — The public is evenly divided on whether gays and lesbians can alter their sexual orientation, with white evangelicals the most likely to think gays and lesbians can change, a recently released poll found.

In another finding, most Americans, 55 percent, said they felt homosexuality was a sin, while 33 percent did not. Nine in 10 highly committed white evangelicals and nearly three-quarters of black Protestants said gay behavior was sinful.

“Evangelicals are far more likely to say homosexuals can change. Catholics and mainline Protestants fall in the middle and more secular people are most likely to say they cannot change,” said Scott Keeter, a pollster with the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which conducted the survey.

The poll’s figures: Overall, 42 percent said gays can change, 42 percent said they cannot and 16 percent said they didn’t know. Among evangelicals it was 65-22 saying gays can change; among Catholics and mainline Protestants it was 57-29 and 48-31, respectively, saying they cannot.

The poll also found that opposition to gay marriage has grown since midsummer, with 32 percent favoring it and 59 percent opposing it. In July, 53 percent said they opposed gay marriage.

The poll reinforced the finding that religious attitudes sharply affect feelings about gays. Those with a high level of religious commitment oppose gay marriage by 80 percent to 12 percent.

Four in five of those who say they would vote to re-elect President Bush oppose gay marriage, while those who prefer that a Democrat win the presidency are evenly split on the question.

Younger adults were far more likely to say they favor gay marriage, while those between ages 20 and 30 were about evenly split. Opposition grew steadily as people’s age increased. Among those in their 60s and 70s, opponents outnumber supporters by more than 4-to-1.

Americans with college degrees were closely divided on the question of gay marriage, with 49 percent opposed and 44 percent in favor of allowing that option.

Roughly half those polled said they have unfavorable opinions of gays and lesbians. But the survey found widespread opposition to discrimination.