“The so-called red states, which vote Republican and have large evangelical populations, have higher rates of murder, illegitimacy and teenage births than the so-called blue states, which vote Democrat and have kept the evangelicals at bay. The lowest divorce rates tend to be found in blue states such as in the Northeast and upper Midwest. The state with the lowest divorce rate is Massachusetts, a state singled out by televangelists because of its liberal politicians and legalization of same-sex marriage. In 2003, Massachusetts had a divorce rate of 5.7 divorces per 1,000 married people, compared with 10.8 in Kentucky, 11.1 in Mississippi and 12.7 in Arkansas.”
(Source: American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America, Chris Hedges, p. 43)
2 comments:
It's a well-known, documented fact that Christians have a higher divorce rate than non-Christians. It's something I mentioned a lot in my sermons when I was a minister.
In fact, the Barna Research Group did a study in which conservative Evangelical Christians had the HIGHEST divorce rates!
But I think that's one reason the religious right finds gays such a great target. Why feel your own guilt and shame if you can bash someone else? It's the same idea that's been around for centuries: make yourself feel better by tearing someone else down.
I have to say that in nine years of pastoral counseling, and now two years in "secular" therapy, I have to say that being a Christian does not get rid of dysfunction. It all goes back to Jesus' admonition that "he who is without sin, cast the first stone."
good to have my guesses confirmed abt the red states
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