S
StAnastasia
Guest
I recall that from the discussion about The Marriage-go-Round. Let me check and get back to you. The author said that while marriage is more popular int eh states, relationships are more stable in Europe.
- Status
R
ricmat
Guest
I was asking about the “suggested” correlleation between divorce, and belief in evolution. You responded with a suggestion related to religious belief. Did you not understand my question?
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
Well from my understanding fundamental Christians generally have the “highest” divorce rates (and they are generally the young earth creationist crowd). Obviously it seem absurd to posit a correlation between ones view of evolution and divorce (I couldn’t help but to laugh as I typed away here). However, to answer your question directly (I guess you’re right, I tossed a red herring in the pot) yes I suppose those who believe in literal biblical creationism do most likely have higher divorce rates than those who do not.
The biggest factor with divorce seems to be education level and age when married. If she’s 28 and he’s 33 and they both have at least an undergraduate degree, chances of a divorce (statistically speaking) are pretty low. Also, chances that a couple with that level of education will buy into young earth creationism are also pretty low (in fact it’s pretty rare to find a well educated and highly intelligent person who actually believes the earth is 6,000 years old).
J
josie_L
Guest
You might be interested in knowing that in my haste to make my point about certain mammals, I included penguins and swans inadvertently, but the point I was trying to make is that there are certain mammals like wolves who do mate for life, and although Cerad we are considered mammals, we are mammals with an intellect. As such I think we can do a lot better in the monogamy department than mammals who don’t have an intellect.
J
josie_L
Guest
**Church-going Christians Have Happier, Stronger Marriages **
This applies especially to the wives, according to sociologist Brad Wilcox–because the men are better husbands.
“Based on my earlier research, evangelical women tend to be happier in their marriages than other women, particularly when both the wife and the husband attend church on a regular basis. 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. . . . between 35 and 50 percent 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.”
WHY ARE SECULAR LIBERALS SO UNHAPPY?
Why are secular liberals so unhappy? This question is provocatively discussed in Arthur Brooks’ new book Gross National Happiness. Brooks is a sociologist and statistician at Syracuse University. I am reading his book while vacationing with my lovely wife on the beautiful island of Santorini. So it’s natural for me, watching the most beautiful sunsets in the world, martini in hand, to think about the question of happiness.
Brooks’ book is full of interesting data. We learn, for instance, that money does buy happiness, but only upto a point. Poor people and poor countries are unhappy, and by the self-description of the people involved. So the movement from grinding poverty to the comfortable middle-class brings a huge gain in happiness. But interestingly economic improvement at this point brings diminishing marginal returns. This is not to say that rich people aren’t happier: they are. But not by very much.
Brooks also shows that, in his own words, “people who say they are conservative or very conservative are nearly twice as likely to say they are very happy than are people who call themselves liberal or very liberal. Conservatives are much less likely to say they are dissatisfied with themselves, that they are inclined to feel like a failure, or to be pessimistic about their future.” Conservatives’ mental health is far better than that of liberals.
Equally fascinating, Brooks notes that “faith is an incredible predictor, and cause, of happiness. Religious people of all faiths are much, much happier on average than secularists.” Specifically, 43 percent of those who attend church weekly or more call themselves “very happy,” versus 23 percent who attend seldom or never. Observant Jews and Christians are by Brooks’ measure the happiest people in America.
news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2008/05/23/why-secular-liberals-are-so-unhappy/
Does Religion Make People Happier? Scientists Search to Explain Why People Believe in a God
Professor Andrew Clark, from the Paris School of Economics, and co-author Dr Orsolya Lelkes, from the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, analyzed the a variety of factors among Catholic and Protestant Christians and found that life satisfaction seems to be higher among the religious population. The authors concluded that religion in general, might act as a “buffer” that protects people from life’s disappointments.
"We originally started the research to work out why some European countries had more generous unemployment benefits than others, but our analysis suggested that religious people suffered less psychological harm from unemployment than the non-religious,” noted Professor Clark. “They had higher levels of life satisfaction”.
Data from thousands of European households revealed higher levels of “life satisfaction” in believers. Professor Clark suspects that a variety of aspects are at play, and that perhaps a “religious upbringing” could be responsible for the effect, rather than any particular religious beliefs.
The researchers say they found that the religious crowd tended to experience more “current day rewards”, rather than storing them up for the future. Previous studies have also found strong correlations between religion and happiness. The idea that religion may offer substantial psychological benefits in life, is in sharp contrast with another common viewpoint that religion is repressive and has a negative influence on human development.
Professor Leslie Francis, from the University of Warwick believes that the benefit might involve the increased “purpose of life” experienced by many believers that may not be as strongly felt among nonbelievers.
dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/02/does-religion-m.html
to be continued . . .
This applies especially to the wives, according to sociologist Brad Wilcox–because the men are better husbands.
“Based on my earlier research, evangelical women tend to be happier in their marriages than other women, particularly when both the wife and the husband attend church on a regular basis. 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. . . . between 35 and 50 percent 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.”
WHY ARE SECULAR LIBERALS SO UNHAPPY?
Why are secular liberals so unhappy? This question is provocatively discussed in Arthur Brooks’ new book Gross National Happiness. Brooks is a sociologist and statistician at Syracuse University. I am reading his book while vacationing with my lovely wife on the beautiful island of Santorini. So it’s natural for me, watching the most beautiful sunsets in the world, martini in hand, to think about the question of happiness.
Brooks’ book is full of interesting data. We learn, for instance, that money does buy happiness, but only upto a point. Poor people and poor countries are unhappy, and by the self-description of the people involved. So the movement from grinding poverty to the comfortable middle-class brings a huge gain in happiness. But interestingly economic improvement at this point brings diminishing marginal returns. This is not to say that rich people aren’t happier: they are. But not by very much.
Brooks also shows that, in his own words, “people who say they are conservative or very conservative are nearly twice as likely to say they are very happy than are people who call themselves liberal or very liberal. Conservatives are much less likely to say they are dissatisfied with themselves, that they are inclined to feel like a failure, or to be pessimistic about their future.” Conservatives’ mental health is far better than that of liberals.
Equally fascinating, Brooks notes that “faith is an incredible predictor, and cause, of happiness. Religious people of all faiths are much, much happier on average than secularists.” Specifically, 43 percent of those who attend church weekly or more call themselves “very happy,” versus 23 percent who attend seldom or never. Observant Jews and Christians are by Brooks’ measure the happiest people in America.
news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2008/05/23/why-secular-liberals-are-so-unhappy/
Does Religion Make People Happier? Scientists Search to Explain Why People Believe in a God
Professor Andrew Clark, from the Paris School of Economics, and co-author Dr Orsolya Lelkes, from the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, analyzed the a variety of factors among Catholic and Protestant Christians and found that life satisfaction seems to be higher among the religious population. The authors concluded that religion in general, might act as a “buffer” that protects people from life’s disappointments.
"We originally started the research to work out why some European countries had more generous unemployment benefits than others, but our analysis suggested that religious people suffered less psychological harm from unemployment than the non-religious,” noted Professor Clark. “They had higher levels of life satisfaction”.
Data from thousands of European households revealed higher levels of “life satisfaction” in believers. Professor Clark suspects that a variety of aspects are at play, and that perhaps a “religious upbringing” could be responsible for the effect, rather than any particular religious beliefs.
The researchers say they found that the religious crowd tended to experience more “current day rewards”, rather than storing them up for the future. Previous studies have also found strong correlations between religion and happiness. The idea that religion may offer substantial psychological benefits in life, is in sharp contrast with another common viewpoint that religion is repressive and has a negative influence on human development.
Professor Leslie Francis, from the University of Warwick believes that the benefit might involve the increased “purpose of life” experienced by many believers that may not be as strongly felt among nonbelievers.
dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/02/does-religion-m.html
to be continued . . .
J
josie_L
Guest
books.google.ca/books?id=3UDyhYBnT2sC&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=christians+are+happier&source=bl&ots=45DFKutoMQ&sig=tHr8s0gFZRWZsCqq6l3CWZj6IFw&hl=en&ei=Wjn3SbPQHY60MbTR5L0P&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3#PPA158,M1
Please view on page 158, tables and graphs for statistical analysis of who is happier, Christians or Non-religious.
Live longer, enjoy better health, gain better job prospects! Little-known aspects of Christianity!
It may be hard to believe, but dozens of studies have shown that regularly going to church and praying puts you in a group that has better health and a longer life-span.
Studies of more than 126,000 people have shown that those who regularly attend church are 29 per cent more likely to live longer than non-churchgoers. A University of Texas study found that church attenders live up to seven years longer than non-attenders, and the most regular attenders have the longest life expectancy.
A Duke University study of 2391 people who were at least 65 years old found that regular churchgoers who also prayed daily or studied the Bible daily were 40 per cent less likely to have high blood pressure than those who did not. Elderly churchgoers had better mental health and were less likely to have high degrees of a protein associated with age-related illness. (See our news archives for some news articles on these revealing findings.)
users.bigpond.com/rdoolan/christianadvantage.html
**Are Conservatives Happier than Liberals? By Jonathan J. Cooper 6/6/08 6:00 PM **
Thanks to the “pernicious influence of liberal ideas,” progressives are less happy, less generous, less honest and less hard working than conservatives, argues the author of a new book released this week.
Intrigued, The Washington Independent stopped by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation today, to listen to the author Peter Schweizer talk about his book, which has the longest title we’ve ever seen: “Makers and Takers: Why Conservatives Work Harder, Feel Happier, Have Closer Families, Take Fewer Drugs, Give More Generously, Value Honesty More, Are Less Materialistic and Envious, Whine Less … and Even Hug Their Children More Than Liberals.”
Schweizer, a fellow at the conservative policy think tank Hoover Institution at Stanford University, pointed to a study he cites in his book which shows that conservatives are less likely than liberals to agree with statements like, “It is OK to cheat on your taxes” or “It is OK to cheat on your spouse.” He explained conservatives are more willing to accept absolute, as opposed to relative, truth, but he did not explain how rejecting moral absolutes makes someone dishonest.
“Studies have shown that certain demographic groups that tend to be more Democrat-oriented in their politics tend to be more dishonest,” Schweizer said. Liberal contributions tend be less compassionate, donating to cultural causes like museums and symphonies rather than human-service organizations that conservatives prefer. A comparison of charitable giving by the radio talk host Rush Limbaugh and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proved the point, Schweizer argued. According to his analysis, Limbaugh gives to organizations that help Alzheimer’s patients, hospice residents, orphans and children with AIDS.
Conservatives are more generous because modern liberals believe the government should take care of the less fortunate, Schwiezer argues. “Conservatives believe responsibility is a good thing, you can improve your lot in life,” he said. “Modern liberals do not.”
Schweizer did find one area where liberals were stronger than conservatives. Progressives are more interested in looking for new experiences. They’re more likely to travel abroad and look for diverse cultural opportunities. But will this make them happier?
washingtonindependent.com/1117/are-conservatives-happier-than-liberals
’Believers are happier than atheists’
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent Last Updated: 2:29AM GMT 18 Mar 2008
People who believe in God are happier than agnostics or atheists, researchers claimed yesterday.
A report found that religious people were better able to cope with disappointments such as unemployment or divorce than non-believers.
Moreover, they become even happier the more they pray and go to church, claims the study by Prof Andrew Clark and Dr Orsolya Lelkes.
The research, presented at the Royal Economic Society’s annual conference, echoes academic studies that have found religion can improve people’s sense of wellbeing.
Using data from Britain and Europe, the study found believers enjoyed higher levels of satisfaction and suffered less psychological damage from unemployment, divorce or the death of a partner.
However, it also found that religious people across Europe tended to be more socially conservative and opposed to Government intervention in areas such as employment.
Believers, for example, were less likely to look for a new job if they were out of work.
Countries with a more religious electorate had lower unemployment benefits.
The study, Deliver Us From Evil: Religion as Insurance, found that less than a sixth of churchgoers in Britain believe it is better to divorce than stay in an unhappy marriage.
The authors of the study said: “Religion tempers the impact of adverse life events.”
telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581994/Believers-are-happier-than-atheists.html
Please view on page 158, tables and graphs for statistical analysis of who is happier, Christians or Non-religious.
Live longer, enjoy better health, gain better job prospects! Little-known aspects of Christianity!
It may be hard to believe, but dozens of studies have shown that regularly going to church and praying puts you in a group that has better health and a longer life-span.
Studies of more than 126,000 people have shown that those who regularly attend church are 29 per cent more likely to live longer than non-churchgoers. A University of Texas study found that church attenders live up to seven years longer than non-attenders, and the most regular attenders have the longest life expectancy.
A Duke University study of 2391 people who were at least 65 years old found that regular churchgoers who also prayed daily or studied the Bible daily were 40 per cent less likely to have high blood pressure than those who did not. Elderly churchgoers had better mental health and were less likely to have high degrees of a protein associated with age-related illness. (See our news archives for some news articles on these revealing findings.)
users.bigpond.com/rdoolan/christianadvantage.html
**Are Conservatives Happier than Liberals? By Jonathan J. Cooper 6/6/08 6:00 PM **
Thanks to the “pernicious influence of liberal ideas,” progressives are less happy, less generous, less honest and less hard working than conservatives, argues the author of a new book released this week.
Intrigued, The Washington Independent stopped by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation today, to listen to the author Peter Schweizer talk about his book, which has the longest title we’ve ever seen: “Makers and Takers: Why Conservatives Work Harder, Feel Happier, Have Closer Families, Take Fewer Drugs, Give More Generously, Value Honesty More, Are Less Materialistic and Envious, Whine Less … and Even Hug Their Children More Than Liberals.”
Schweizer, a fellow at the conservative policy think tank Hoover Institution at Stanford University, pointed to a study he cites in his book which shows that conservatives are less likely than liberals to agree with statements like, “It is OK to cheat on your taxes” or “It is OK to cheat on your spouse.” He explained conservatives are more willing to accept absolute, as opposed to relative, truth, but he did not explain how rejecting moral absolutes makes someone dishonest.
“Studies have shown that certain demographic groups that tend to be more Democrat-oriented in their politics tend to be more dishonest,” Schweizer said. Liberal contributions tend be less compassionate, donating to cultural causes like museums and symphonies rather than human-service organizations that conservatives prefer. A comparison of charitable giving by the radio talk host Rush Limbaugh and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proved the point, Schweizer argued. According to his analysis, Limbaugh gives to organizations that help Alzheimer’s patients, hospice residents, orphans and children with AIDS.
Conservatives are more generous because modern liberals believe the government should take care of the less fortunate, Schwiezer argues. “Conservatives believe responsibility is a good thing, you can improve your lot in life,” he said. “Modern liberals do not.”
Schweizer did find one area where liberals were stronger than conservatives. Progressives are more interested in looking for new experiences. They’re more likely to travel abroad and look for diverse cultural opportunities. But will this make them happier?
washingtonindependent.com/1117/are-conservatives-happier-than-liberals
’Believers are happier than atheists’
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent Last Updated: 2:29AM GMT 18 Mar 2008
People who believe in God are happier than agnostics or atheists, researchers claimed yesterday.
A report found that religious people were better able to cope with disappointments such as unemployment or divorce than non-believers.
Moreover, they become even happier the more they pray and go to church, claims the study by Prof Andrew Clark and Dr Orsolya Lelkes.
The research, presented at the Royal Economic Society’s annual conference, echoes academic studies that have found religion can improve people’s sense of wellbeing.
Using data from Britain and Europe, the study found believers enjoyed higher levels of satisfaction and suffered less psychological damage from unemployment, divorce or the death of a partner.
However, it also found that religious people across Europe tended to be more socially conservative and opposed to Government intervention in areas such as employment.
Believers, for example, were less likely to look for a new job if they were out of work.
Countries with a more religious electorate had lower unemployment benefits.
The study, Deliver Us From Evil: Religion as Insurance, found that less than a sixth of churchgoers in Britain believe it is better to divorce than stay in an unhappy marriage.
The authors of the study said: “Religion tempers the impact of adverse life events.”
telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581994/Believers-are-happier-than-atheists.html
R
ricmat
Guest
“…from my understanding…generally…generally…”
So what you have above is really just wishful thinking.
Good. Please take it up with StA then.
“…I suppose…”
Ah. More wishful thinking.
“…seems to be…”
More wishful thinking and speculation. Do you have anything real?
At least Josie_L posted some links to real studies.
P
PJM
Guest
The answer lies in proper understanding ofwhat our Blessed Loed Hismself teahes us about sin in The Bible.
1 Jn. 5:16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.
Translation: According to God there are two general catagories of sin. 1. Non-mortal [less serious] and 2. “Mortal.” God will NOT “give live” (Salvation) to one who dies with unConfessed, unrepented, unforgiven MORTAL sin on their soul. PERIOD! A “Moral Sin” like a Mortal wound, always ends in DEATH!
This is confirmed futher by logicaly understanding that God is and has to be “all everything good,” God has to be Fair and Just. [Which are good, correct?]
**Here is an example:
You steal $50.00 from me. It’s not going to take any food off my table but in anger, I demand my money back. You refuse to give it to me, so I kill you. Right after killing you I run out of your house into the street and get hit by a passing car and die.
Now we both have unrepented and unconfessed sins on our souls. Obviously yours in far less serious than mine.
So is God who is and HAS TO BE all-Fair and Just going to reat us the same?
OF course not! What kind of God would do that?
So your sin is NOT mortal, My sin Is Mortal
I’m hell bound for dying with unconfessed unrepented Mortal sin. Agreed? YES!
So what happens to you? Do you go directly to heaven? NOPE! Again God has to be fair and Just with all of humanity!**
Mt.5: 48 “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
*Why must we be made perfect? Because God is Perfect and will not permit anyone who has not been perfected, to enter into heave. * Cleary we MUST be made Perfect in order to get into heaven.
Mt. 16: 19 “I [Jesus] will give you [singular-St. Peter ] the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you [St.Peter] bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you [St. Peter] loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
One can choose [at the risk of their own Salvation] to ignore these bible verses, but that in no way changes their TRUTH!
Just in case you think this is simply a Catholic Bible; feel free to look them up in the KJV, but then what’s your excuse?
Jn. 20: 21 "Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
translation: point 1… We all [the bible does not specify only Catholics] MUST Confess our sins! … point 2. Only Catholic Priest and Bishops have the power to FORGIVE SINS! [Let me point out here that in verse 22 Jesus sends the HS who actually does the forgiving of the sins, as we know only God can, and God clearly is the one who does the forgiving. The Priest, on behalf of God must determine if you are sincerely sorry, give absolutation and assign a pennance all in the Name of and while standing in for God. as MANDATED by Jesus Himself! ] **
So your God is some vengeful God! Not very fair either. I assume your not Catholic, so your saying anyone actually everyone except Catholics who die w /o Mortal sins are going to hell? Because they are the only ones with biblical access to Confession! Right?]
While we agree that salvation has to be through Jesus, your completely ignoring the Bible verses I have just shared. Your authority to do that is from where:shrug:
One final Biblical warning:James 5: 16 “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
Friends, either we believe Jesus is Lord or we parish. Either we accept ALL of God Word or we choose to put pur personal Salvation at risk! That friends is not my advice, that is what the Bible say’s!
2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
So friends are you going to continue in your unbelief, or takr Jesus at his WORDS?
Love and prayers,
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
OK I was lazy (didn’t feel like sourcing authority); but here’s something:
Non-denominational/ Evangelical Christian (62% MORE LIKLEY than general population to get divorced.)
Baptists (38% MORE LIKELY Than the general population to get divorced)
Protestants (19% MORE LIKELY Than the general population to get divorced)
Mormons(14% MORE LIKELY Than the general population to get divorced)
Catholics/ Lutherans (No difference between these groups and the general population)
Atheists/Agnostics(10% LESS LIKELY Than the general population to get divorced)
Hey, look at that Catholics and Lutherans have the same percentage of divorces. You guys are on our heels … but your still in SECOND PLACE!!!
Atheists (and our agnostic slightly more chicken hearted friends) divorce less than everyone else.
More from the article I cite:
*“These findings confirm what I have been saying these last five years. Since Atheist ethics are of a higher caliber than religious morals, it stands to reason that our families would be dedicated more to each other than to some invisible monitor in the sky. With Atheism, women and men are equally responsible for a healthy marriage. There is no room in Atheist ethics for the type of ‘submissive’ nonsense preached by Baptists and other Christian and/or Jewish groups. Atheists reject, and rightly so, the primitive patriarchal attitudes so prevalent in many religions with respect to marriage.”
The Associated Press computed divorce statistics from data supplied by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health. The data showed the highest divorce rates were found in the Bible Belt. “Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Oklahoma round out the Top Five in frequency of divorce…the divorce rates in these conservative states are roughly 50 percent above the national average.”*
christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=ARTICLES&id=1235365349
J
josie_L
Guest
Did you or are you going to read what I posted? It might change how you view things if you did. And I mean that in a good way.
This is just a thought but how many atheists get married anyways, I mean do most of them choose to live with each other instead (co-habitating). Could this be why they are being underrepresented?
P
PJM
Guest
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
all the stuff you cited were from biased Christian web sites (although mine is from a biased cite as well, at least it cites studies from the Associated Press and US Census Dept).
There hasn’t been any large scale empirical studies on whether theists live longer than atheists, however, there are studies that suggest having a “support group” can help recovery (and perhaps longevity).
Moreover, the one study you’re referring to only looked at church goers (and did not look at the question of faith; and obviously many who do not regularly attend any church services have faith).
In other words, it’s seems to correlate with the support group statistic (rather than illuminating anything with regard to faith in a higher power). Moreover, the churchgoers were apparently not confined to Christians. It was simply the act of going to church, community involvement, having a network of friends, prayer or meditation, etc.
There’s nothing new here.
J
josie_L
Guest
Again, Christians acting out their faith, which by the way is what we are exhorted to do, have low divorce rates. And I don’t understand the part you wrote which I emboldened.
J
josie_L
Guest
Atheists tend to cohabit in large numbers. According to Barna, " Forty-two percent of adults who associate with a faith other than Christianity had co-habited, while atheists were the most likely to do so (51%).[4]
“A study of 3,300 cases based on the National Survey of Families and Households, (NSFH) found that in marriage, prior cohabiters “are estimated to have a hazard of dissolution that is about 46% higher than for noncohabitors” (DeMaris & Rao, 1992). Larry Bumpass, who has overseen NSFH studies, concurs” [6]
atheismexposed.tripod.com/atheists_divorce.htm
Code:
It is critical to stress that it is a well known fact that cohabiters experience a very high number of "breakups" before getting married. "Millions of people ... believe that cohabitation is a prelude to marriage. And for many, it is. However, Smock reports that 45% of cohabitations break up with no marriage. Another 10% continue cohabiting."[5]
Barna did not include this enlightening fact in his research. Thus, if 21% of atheists divorce after marriage, and 45 % break up once or more before marriage, what we have is the astounding rate of about 66% of atheist couples experiencing "at least" one break up. If, however, the number is 37%, then we have a shocking figure of 82%. How is that for success in relationships?
What needs mentioning is the fact that many atheists do not cohabit as a prelude to marriage. They in fact see cohabitation as "equivalent" to any marriage relationship. Therefore, their cohabitation break ups are to be seen as the end of what was to be a committed relationship. These break ups were not included in the Barna research, thus giving an incomplete picture of the true state of relationships among atheist couples.
It should also be stressed that, unlike what atheist propagandists preach on the Internet, it is a well established fact that people who live common law before marriage have a greater, not lesser chance of divorce than couples who don't live common law. Thus, given the fact that atheists' cohabitations rates are 51%, it is quite possible that their divorce rates are actually higher than the 37% mentioned by Barna.
Code:
These facts totally shatter atheists' contention that cohabitation is a good thing, and that it is one of the reasons why they have a low rate of marital dissolution. The truth is the very opposite.
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
Is there anything you won’t say to try and win an argument? Anything not too logically absurd? I mean geesh … atheists date before marriage (and sometimes live with their partner without marrying them). Hmmmm … but nahhh Catholics never do that do they?
All Catholics are virgins before they get married (and never live in sin … yeah right)??? What planet do you live on Josie? I heard Canada was a little behind the times, but I didn’t think you guys were still living out the Puritan dream up there
Lest you forget I grew up Catholic, I know hundreds of American Catholics, and let me assure you nearly everyone I know has lived with an opposite sex partner at some point (and yes they were sinning as often as physically possible). You might say, urrr they’re not real Catholics. Well then don’t take their money on Sunday …
nearly every atheist I know is either married or looks forward to marriage. I don’t know where you’re getting these ideas from, but it’s not from the real world that’s for sure. You’re starting to sound pretty sheltered to me??
common law marriage has been abolished decades ago in nearly every US jurisdiction … darn you almost had one
of course that survey didn’t distinguish between theists and atheists did it … so it’s logically irrelevant to this discussion (nice try … if I was an idiot that is).
Come on Josie … you’re skewing statistics to try and make a fallacious and fictitious point.
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
basically if you’d like you can call every Christian who ever gets a divorce a non-Christian (that way you could say you have a 0% divorce rate). Of course church will pretty empty on Sundays now won’t it.
As far as living longer, yeah smarter people always have higher stress levels (and all the problems associated with stress, like high blood pressure, heart problems, etc.). You know what they say, knowledge is power – but ignorance is bliss!
J
josie_L
Guest
I much prefer wisdom to knowledge.
H
humble_in_doubt
Guest
that sounds real profound and all … but what is wisdom without knowledge? I say it’s foolishness. If wisdom is remaining preoccupied with ancient myths and fables, I’ll take knowledge over wisdom (if that’s even a logically consistent statement).
J
josie_L
Guest
I said I “prefered” wisdom to knowledge. I think that wisdom can/does refine knowledge. And what is knowledge anyways? How do you know you have it?
S
StAnastasia
Guest
Humble-in-doubt, what do you mean by “preoccupied with ancient myths and fables”? Do you reject the truth found in previous human interpretations of existence? Do you only accept current interpretations? If so, how do you avoid cultural amnesia?
StAnastasia
- Status