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I question the author's conclusions, at least by looking at comparative divorce statistics within the United States.

These statistics show no evidence that social conservatism, as generally understood, reduces divorce rates. Rather, the very strong correllation is to education and economic status.

Percentage of weekly churchgoers, views on abortion and other "social issue" touchstones, etc., tend to correllate positively with the WORST divorce rates, whereas places like Connecticut and New Jersey, which score very poorly on the social issue measures, have much lower divorce rates.

This makes perfect sense to me. The catalyst to many divorces are money problems or substance abuse -- which are going to effect those of lesser education or status with far greater frequency. The thing that keeps many unhappy couples together is the way that divorce can simply ruin a middle class family financially -- losing a house or the ability to have a nice vacation to Europe each year simply doesn't figure to a family that lives in a rented 2-bedroom apartment.

only1percent said

This makes perfect sense to me. The catalyst to many divorces are money problems or substance abuse -- which are going to effect those of lesser education or status with far greater frequency. The thing that keeps many unhappy couples together is the way that divorce can simply ruin a middle class family financially -- losing a house or the ability to have a nice vacation to Europe each year simply doesn't figure to a family that lives in a rented 2-bedroom apartment.

Whereas Servant of the Nine said

Why is the USA the World's Divorce Leader?

Because we can afford to be.
Divorce is facilitated by afluance.
If others could afford it, they would.

OK Freepers. You tell me whose right ;-)

Percentage of weekly churchgoers, views on abortion and other "social issue" touchstones, etc., tend to correllate positively with the WORST divorce rates,

I suspect Aberta's Child would say that weekly churchgoers, etc, get married more (instead of cohabitating), and thus get divorced more.

Recently, someone posted on the "Double Income No Sex" thread that couples who pray together daily have a very low chance of breaking up. I Googled it up and found this:

Christian Divorce Statistics

They claim the rate is an astounding .1/100

They also say that those who go to church regularly, as opposed to at Christmas and Easter I suppose, have a 1 in 50 chance of divorce. This is at odds with other statistics, but they may have a far more strict definition of churchgoing.

I haven't looked into the original source or tried to validate this astonishing claim in any way (I have to confess to some skepticism), but if daily prayer is taken as an indication of commitment to your faith (rather than just church-going), maybe the truly faithful are doing OK after all.