Conservative Protestants’ divorce rates spread to their red state neighbors

[cbayer]

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/01/21/study-conservative-protestants-divorce-rates-spread-red-state-neighbors/

Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Jan 21, 2014 |


Map of regional divorce rate. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Glass, University of Texas at Austin

(RNS) Conservative Protestants in red states aren’t the only ones seeing high divorce rates — so are their neighbors, according to a new study.

Researchers found that simply living in an area with a large concentration of conservative Protestants increases the chances of divorce, even for those who are not themselves conservative Protestants.

According to researchers who took into account race, income and other factors, marriage and fertility trends that are common among conservative Protestants — younger marriage, more kids, less higher education — affect all people in areas most populated by conservative Protestants, no matter their personal religious affiliation.

“Conservative Protestant community norms and the institutions they create seem to increase divorce risk,” researchers say in the study. For example, those who are struggling in their marriage may feel discouraged to find help in communities where marriage is idealized or marital failure is viewed as shameful, the researchers suggest.

more at link

[loudsue]

1. You have to be really forgiving to have a good marriage. Not hateful.

Conservatives are non-forgiving, self-centered, self-important, self-righteous and hateful. How in the hell can they make a marriage work like that?

[cbayer]

2. I think their points about the culture that it creates is also important.

If it's more difficult to get help early on because of social expectations and norms, that's got to be a risk factor.

[loudsue]

4. You are correct.

I was on a roll, and couldn't stop!

[cbayer]

6. Didn't mean to dis your post. It was accurate and funny!

[loudsue]

8. Thanks.

But after I read your honest and well-reasoned post, I couldn't help but laugh at myself!

[cbayer]

9. I sometimes take myself too seriously in this group.

[trotsky]

5. So this would be a case where religious beliefs create the culture that causes the problem? n/t

[hrmjustin]

3. Very interesting map.

[wilt the stilt]

7. When my parents moved to Atlanta from NY

They were shocked at the amount of divorce. In the south marriage is like dating.