Why do Christian conservatives have the highest divorce rate in the country?

Question

It is absolutely a fact through numerous studies.
Even Pat Robertson what talking about it with concern on his show, in case you doubt it.
Might it have something to do with the confusion surrounding sex, romantic love, marriage, and the "love of God", love of children, siblings, parents?

Or might it have something to do with marrying more often and younger?

and mr answer is absolutely wrong in his assumption that the secular world doesn't marry, I bet they marry just as often.

...and I have to say I love how "bud"
assumes he knows what goes on in people's heads and in their bedrooms just because he THINKS his religion promotes good sex......
I happen to think that if you demonize sex for that long in someones upbringing , it makes for MUCH confusion when you do finally have sex in marriage, even if your church tries to tell you it is a "gift" now and do it as much as you want.
ANd I do not think the cohabitation factor has anything to do with a higher divorce rate , I think it is because they were together longer.
I think the higher divorce rate is due to a combination of factors, feeling the "need" to marry, getting married younger and more often--since you feel the need to marry anyone you engage in sex with--,
Why else would "fudamentalist" christians, have a higher divorce rate than other christian groups?

In response to Rev. J:
It is true that they have a higher divorce rate, you can click on any of the links provided by other responders, as I see you are doubtful of it.
Yes I am married. No I dont' watch much tv, I just happened to fall upon what Pat Robertson said since I click by there once in a while to see what looney thing he'll come out with next.
I do know of what scripture states J, and I would like to see what you think
wasn't Jesus completely against divorce?
I believe there is much he stated about it.

Answer 1

I am not doubting your question, nor do I have a good answer for you. Matter of fact, I find it pretty funny. BUT, I think your question would have had more of an impact if you would have added real research onto it. Like a reference, besides Pat Robertson. Real statistics would have been nice. It doesn't seem to me like you've done your homework on this.

Answer 2

Really. This is nothing new, do a word study regarding divorce and see what Jesus has to say about it. He addressed the Jews on this issue. You can read Paul's epistles regarding divorce as well.

There are Christians and Christian conservatives. The first are followers of Christ and are not concern with this world (again see the New Testament). Christian conservatives are as followers of Christ but believe that Christianity should have some influence in the here and now.

Pat Robertson is a TV personality and is not God's prophet. If you want to know what God has revealed, you can find it in the Christian bible. No where in the bible will you find the philosophy that Pat Robertson represents. The criterion for a prophet is that he does not tell lies. Do you think Pat Robertson meets that criterion?

Another point: How do you know that Christian conservatives have the highest divorce rate? What studies do you have regarding Christian conservatives that would lead to believe that group has a higher divorce rate than any other group? You say it is a fact, and then cite the studies.

Are you married? Have you been divorce? Do you plan on divorcing? If you are, you know how divorce affects everyone around you. If you are not, then find something else to focus on.

Finally, I have left out citing the scriptures verses but I will leave you with one. Please get out your bible and read 1Cor 10:23-24 with emphasis on verse 24.

To live the Christian life, you need to understand God's word and applied it to your life. Sitting around watching Pat Robertson with his political agenda that includes killing other people will not get you to where you want to be. Name me one political statement that Jesus said to the Jews?

So my answer is focus on the Christian goals and stop worrying about goals that are not. Maybe it is time to turn off the TV and start reading.

Answer 3

One of the major causes of divorice of a born again Christian is that quite often the person becomes a born again Christian after the marriage vows have been taken.

Faith is a volatile subject. The war of words and attacks on this site testify to such as do the "religious wars' (whatever that means). Imagine what effect such a change like that would mean to a marriage.

This problem is nothing new. Paul wrote about it in his first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 7.

I don't believe it has anything to do with any confusion surrounding sex, romantic love, marriage of the "love of God." That confusion can be found in any religion including atheism.

It has little to do with "waiting till they get married" thing as divorice rates among those who cohabitate are higher than those who do not. http://members.aol.com/cohabiting/rate.htm

It has little to do with a "poor sex life" because Christians are taught that sex is a gift from God to bind a couple together and that it is not only condoned but an enjoyable, wonderful thing.

Thanks for the question and allowing for a forum to clear up misconceptions.

Answer 4

As a former attendee of a Christian conservative university, I think it has a lot to do with guilt in regards to sexual feelings and the pressure some feel to get married or conform to the "Christian lifestyle." Some marry young to escape an abusive homelife, to hide their homosexuality or because they had sex with someone and feel they must now marry that person (I've known people who did all three).
In many of these marriages there is a warped view of how marriage should be (usually based on their parents own failed marriages, their born-again status, and what they are told in bible class). I had a friend who got married and both threw out their TVs because they read somewhere that a Christian couple should spend the 1st year of their marriage getting to know each other without the distraction of the outside world in their home. Shouldn't they have gotten to know each other (and not even sexually) before they got married? Maybe I just liked TV too much.
Many of the kids(women) I went to college with were desperate to find a husband at our Christian university because that might be the ONLY place they could meet a man who shared their beliefs. The men they might meet at church later might not have gone to a Christian school, or God-forbid, went to a liberal Christian school.

Answer 5

I beleive it has to do with the 'wait until marriage' belief. They tend to get married to people they have not lived with, not spent a lot of time with, and not had sex with. When they do get married, it is a huge change with a lot to get used to at one time, and not everyone can handle it. Its a challenge to find out the guy you've dated is a big disappointment in the bedroom and doesnt know how to clean, cook, or take care of the house. Not that all christian men are like that, but the wife never gets a chance to find out until after they're married.

Answer 6

It may be they are more likely to marry in the first place.

Another reason may be the same reasons most couples get divorced, the conflict that arises out of one partner assuming the other will mold to their ways & thinking over time. Partners rarely do.

If your religious paradigm is based on one of intolerance to your own beliefs, it's likely your spouse will being going out the door at some point.

Answer 7

Perhaps it is because the husband takes his Biblically mandated Pauline 'headship' too seriously and the woman tires of always 'graciously submitting' to his high-handed 'god-given' tyrrany. What woman would want to stay in that arrangement- constantly being a third class citizen?

If you dig into the stats more deeply, you'll discover that most of these divorces are initiated by the women.

Answer 8

Ask my ex wife. :) I know from personal experience, it's one of the most divisive things in marriage. If one spouse is more fanatical than another, I could see that it would cause plenty of divorces. If it was two fundies marrying each other, I'm not sure if that would be good or bad. I would assume they would get along alright, though. (But their sex life would probably be a bit lacking :)

Answer 9

Another amazing fact is that since the godless do not marry , they just live together, they have no need of divorce. This includes the gay community. Because of this fact the godless worldwide have the highest "divorce" rate.

Answer 10

"Divorce rates among conservative Christians were significently higher than for other faith groups, and for Atheists and Agnostics."
Source: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

And divorce rates among:
< Born-again Christians 27%
Other Christians 24%
Atheists, Agnostics 21% >
from http://atheistempire.com/reference/stats/main.html

I'd like to know why conservative Christians are more likely to deliberately murder their children.

http://www.uchc.edu/ocomm/features/stories/stories04/feature_religiosity.html
http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/women_killers2/9.html

And why the prison population is overrun with Christians. Atheists account for only 2% of the entire prison population, while Christians account for about 80%. See http://www.holysmoke.org/icr-pri.htm for the stats.