While it's true that people who report themselves to be Christian are just as likely to divorce as the general population, it is not true if you factor religious attendance (a reasonable proxy for level of religiosity/strength of belief). Here is an excerpt from an interview (my friend pointed me to this) with University of Virginia Sociologist, W. Bradford Wilcox.
"This idea that Christians are just as likely to divorce as secular folks is not correct if we factor church attendance into our thinking. Churchgoing evangelical Protestants, churchgoing Catholics, and churchgoing mainline Protestants are all significantly less likely to divorce.
How much less likely?
I estimate between 35-50% less likely than Americans who attend church just nominally, just once or twice a year, or who don't attend church at all. It is true that people who say they've had a born-again experience are about as likely to divorce as people who are completely secular. But if you look at this through the lens of church attendance, you see a very different story".
Wilcox's research is also empirical evidence to support the traditional Christian notion that if you're religious, you will be much better off if you marry someone who shares your level of belief and religiosity. (Or as the Bible puts it: "Do not be unequally yoked.")
2 comments:
Life. . . . this one I can speak to as an authority. . . . my observations. . . . now from afar. . . are that there are as many divorces inside "the church" as outside.
Divorce is an act of selfishness. . . . that part of human nature is found everywhere.
Ciao
An interesting article. Sicilian is right, divorce is a selfish act. And while selfishness does exist in "the church," one would hope that those that are more devoted to God (and attend more regular) would be less selfish.
It's been said, "If you're having problems in your marraige, work on your relationship with God. If you're having problems with your boss/employee, work on your relationship with God, If you're having problems with your kids/parents, work on your relationship with God.
"You cannot have a right relationship with God and be a bad spouse. You cannot have a right relationship with God and be a bad boss/employee/child/parent/person. The very nature of God won't allow for it."
Sorry for the long response. I should get my own blog!
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