Liberal MA, Conservative TX

[TexasTiger 13,045]

PRESIDENT Bush and Vice President Cheney make reference to "Massachusetts liberals" as if they were referring to people with some kind of disease. I decided it was time to do some research on these people, and here is what I found.

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.

But don't take the US government's word for it. Take a look at the findings from the George Barna Research Group. George Barna, a born-again Christian whose company is in Ventura, Calif., found that Massachusetts does indeed have the lowest divorce rate among all 50 states. 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.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial..._family_values/

[bigsixfive 328]

I do not believe that stat AT ALL. The divorce rate for Christians that regularly attend church is 1:1050. (Don't have a link, it was quoted by my pastor last Sunday). Having lived up there for a period of time, its quite obvious that more families are divorced.

Just curious... I've always heard the divorce rate among married couples is almost 1:2. The stat I listed is following those lines. Wouldn't that be a better indication of the divorce rate, rather than divorces per capita? There are a lot of other demographics that get lumped in by doing that, rather than actually looking at Christian divorce rates. I guess I take back my previous comment, I will believe those stats, but they are quite misleading.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Maybe the Mass divorce rate is so low because the gay couples who just got "married" are skewing the stats and haven't had time to get pissed off with each other enough to ask for a gay divorce.

[CCTAU 3,350]

Maybe the Mass divorce rate is so low because the gay couples who just got "married" are skewing the stats and haven't had time to get pissed off with each other enough to ask for a gay divorce.

117658[/snapback]

That and the fact that most people call themselves "Christian" having no idea of the meaning of the word.

[AUJarhead 70]

Another fact is that Mass is very Catholic. Us Catholics tend to frown upon divorce. That might also be a factor in a low divorce rate in Mass.

From your link:

Southern states have a lower percentage of Roman Catholics, "a denomination that does not recognize divorce." Barna's study showed that 21 percent of Catholics had been divorced, compared with 29 percent of Baptists.

The Northeast corridor, with Massachusetts as the hub, does have one of the highest levels of Catholics per state total.

I grew up in LA, another state that I would consider very Catholic, here's what your article said about that:

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.

So LA isn't one of the top 10. I'm betting that being Catholic has something to do with it.

However, of the two men running for president, I know Kerry is divorced (and Catholic!).

[AirForceforAU 0]

Maybe the Mass divorce rate is so low because the gay couples who just got "married" are skewing the stats and haven't had time to get pissed off with each other enough to ask for a gay divorce.

117658[/snapback]

That and the fact that most people call themselves "Christian" having no idea of the meaning of the word.

117666[/snapback]

who are you to judge people...?? Thats not a very good comment

[CCTAU 3,350]

Maybe the Mass divorce rate is so low because the gay couples who just got "married" are skewing the stats and haven't had time to get pissed off with each other enough to ask for a gay divorce.

117658[/snapback]

That and the fact that most people call themselves "Christian" having no idea of the meaning of the word.

117666[/snapback]

who are you to judge people...?? Thats not a very good comment

117796[/snapback]

I am who I am. And my opinion is as valid as the next guys.Studies and polls have shown that many of the folks out there calling themselves Christians have no idea what the true definition of it is.

You may subscribe to the "don't say cause it might hurt somebody's feelings" crowd, but I do not. If I feel it is a valid point, it must be stated. Sorry you had to endure a different version of the truth.

[AirForceforAU 0]

It doesn't hurt my feelings, I'm just so sure your perfect christian. I was always told that god should be the only one to judge people for who they were...

[CCTAU 3,350]

It doesn't hurt my feelings, I'm just so sure your perfect christian. I was always told that god should be the only one to judge people for who they were...

118150[/snapback]

Now who's being judgemental? GOD does judge them. But we must not walk around blind either.

Just pointing out a different view. I may even be one of the poeple who are confused. But that doesn't mean to stick your head in the sand and not say anything because you might feel you are being judgemental. If everyone ignored everyone else, evil would eventually take over. It's man's nature. So you go and hide, and the rest of us, who are willing ot openly discuss the negative issues, will help fight for your rights.