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Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt
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http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/10/31/walking_the_walk_on_family_values/
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The state with the lowest divorce rate in the nation is Massachusetts. At latest count it had a divorce rate of 2.4 per 1,000 population, while the rate for Texas was 4.1.

More disturbing was the finding that born-again Christians have among the highest divorce rates.

The Associated Press, using data supplied by the US Census Bureau, found that the highest divorce rates are to be found in the Bible Belt. The AP report stated that "the divorce rates in these conservative states are roughly 50 percent above the national average of 4.2 per thousand people." The 10 Southern states with some of the highest divorce rates were Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. By comparison nine states in the Northeast were among those with the lowest divorce rates: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.


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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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Dude, how many posters from the right side of the aisle on this forum have ever gotten up and proselytized Christian fundamentalism? I know I sure haven't. Why do you have this invincible belief that anybody who supported Bush in this election just had to have a religious motivation lurking somewhere behind their vote?

Go to Free Republic and dip your foot into those threads. You'll get more than enough opportunity to observe the "Hail Jesus" wing over there.

K
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [big kahuna] [ In reply to ]
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The freepers and conservative radio have tainted my views, I'm sure.

But is that not what the republican platform panders to?
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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So what's the point?
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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Probably has to do with marrying age. The Southern tradition is to marry young. When I was single and dating in Pensacola (in my early 20's), most of the girls I met were either too young, but single and never married, or too old and recently divorced.

The younger you are when you get married, the greater the likelihood of it ending in divorce. Many Southern parents seem to push their kids to marry young and have grandkids. I love the South, but this is one Southern tradition I do not think is a good thing
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [tri_bri2] [ In reply to ]
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"Probably has to do with marrying age"

For once (or is it twice now) I agree with you. Alternatively, could be in some cases that only one partner suddenly becomes "born again" while the other doesn't. That's almost a sure prescription for divorce.
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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Would the Boston Globe use bad data to support a politically left position?

"Divorce rates ranged from 2.7 in Massachusetts to 10.8 in Nevada. Because of differences in reporting between States, there is no means for accurately ranking all 50 States."


Source: National Center for Health Statistics Advance Report of Final Divorce Statistics, April 1995
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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Here's something even more disturbing. Those floozy Europeans have lower divorce rates, STD rates, and teen pregnancies than the U.S>, much, much lower.

One might conclude that evangelical pandering makes for good politics but poor social policy.

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/.../factsheet/fsest.pdf
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [YabYum] [ In reply to ]
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" Europeans have lower divorce rates, STD rates, and teen pregnancies than the U.S>, much, much lower."

Good article. Having lived in both places, it only confirms what I already knew.
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [big kahuna] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Dude, how many posters from the right side of the aisle on this forum have ever gotten up and proselytized Christian fundamentalism? I know I sure haven't.

It's curious that more true conservatives aren't vocalizing their opposition to the Neo Con hijacking of the GOP. I guess it's hard to argue with a strategy that is working, but it's obvious many on the right aren't happy.

The evangelicals only make up about 15% of the electorate but they are well organized and powerful. One false word from a politician and Pat Robertson will label you the candidate of the devil. Portray oneself as a devout quixotic moralist and the opposition as a secular, homosexual sympathizer and your odds of winning multiply. Truly sad, but what's even sadder is that it is effective.

Retired congressman Doug Bereuter (R-NE) had the courage to call his party on it's evangelical pandering but basically zero GOP politicians are willing to speak the obvious as long as they have any intentions on getting elected in the future. He encouraged his party to remember that religion is a matter of personal conviction not a political platform. He remarked at how his colleagues have suddenly become devout christians in the last 15 years.

I really have very little antipathy towards the old-fashioned straight talking conservative, it's this new and oft disingenuous breed of neo-conservative that irks right and left alike, I just wish more on the right would speak up about it.
Last edited by: YabYum: Nov 15, 04 9:29
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [YabYum] [ In reply to ]
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That is a good study. I wonder about the abortion rates though. Is it because they carry more kids to term or just a function of not getting pregnant. The summary of the data on that chart is vague. Any ideas?
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [YabYum] [ In reply to ]
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are a huge problem worldwide (STDs are also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections in many parts of the world). Data for infection rates is hard to come by, especially in many developing countries. There is not one organisation that collates STD data worldwide and finding reliable data can be difficult because different countries have different types and levels of reporting systems. However the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released documents stating estimated prevalence rates of STDs across global regions, and their estimates form the basis of the data on this page.

Source: www.avert.org/stdstatisticsworldwide.htm

This website also cites STD rates per 1000 in North America as 19/1000, and Europe as 20/1000.

In the US, teen birth, abortion, and pregnancy rates are declining. Birth rates were 62.9/1000 in 1972, and 46.1/1000 in 2001. Abortion rates were 45.4/1000 in 1985 and 24.8/1000 in 2000. Pregnancy rates were 120.2/1000 in 1990 and 85.6/1000 in 2000 for all women under 20.

US syphillis and gonorrhea rates were 3 to 20 times higher during WWII and the mid-1970's than they are today.
Last edited by: tri_bri2: Nov 15, 04 9:33
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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     Slightly OT: I remember hearing awhile ago that the average age of someone born-again/signing an abstinance contract would first have sex was also delayed by about a few years...usually out of the high school age. While I think this a positive thing...that same group was also more likely not to use contraception once they did start having sex - which isn't necessarily a positive thing...depending if they are married or at least wanting kids. On the same show they had a guy who preached to teenagers and literally told them if you have sex and use contraception "you will definitely get pregnant"
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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I read that article in the paper this morning. It is interesting. I've read numerous articles showing differences between red and blue states, including the ones listed below. I'm beginning to see a pattern.





  • GDP: (http://blogs.iloha.net/...g/entries/1764.shtml) ("the states of California, Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts, the states that Republicans love to hate, comprise 29.1% of the US economy by themselves. All the "blue states" total 53.3% of the US economy. (If Ohio went blue, and it very nearly did, this would be more like 57%.) The economy of the area in blue on the map would have a GDP, at purchasing power parity, of $6.82 trillion. The red states, in contrast, would have a corresponding figure of $5.1 trillion. The blue area on the map would still be the world's richest country, by GDP. The red states would be third, behind China.")



__________________________________________________
What a drag it is getting old. -- Stones
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [rb5980] [ In reply to ]
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Who cares? That whole "moral values" thing is a red herring the Dems are using to explain away their piss-poor electoral performance in 7 out of the last 10 presidential elections and their rapid decline into an almost near-opposition party status.

They've gotta get their heads outta their okoles (butts) and figure out how they're gonna become relevant to more people than just those obssessed with gay marriage and taxing the so-called "rich".

James Carville is actually making the most sense for the Dems right now, and they're not listening to him. But, hey.....if they wanna focus on Bubba Clinton saying that gay marriage is what lost it for 'em, they're doomed to wander in the desert for at least another decade.
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Re: Massachusetts liberals have lower divorce rates than the Bible Belt [direwolf] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like the democrats have become the "New Republicans". Talk about party confusion.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --
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