The latest findings from a prominent religious pollster, the Barna Research
Group in the U.S.:
The group’s findings for December 21, 1999 though examine divorce and
religiosity, and yield some interesting results. To wit…
“Born again Christians continue to have a higher likelihood of getting
divorced than do non-Christians…” and
“Atheists are less likely to get divorced than are born again
Christians.”
The Barna survey interviewed nearly 4000 adults, and indicated that
11% of the adult population is currently divorced, and 25% of adults
have had at least one divorce during their life time. Divorce rates
for born again Christians register at 27%, which is three percent over
the range of adults who are not born again.
In addition, the Baby Boomers — that generation often criticized for
sexual indulgence, moral relativism and other pernicious behaviors —
has a lower rate of divorce (34%) than the preceding generation
(described as “Builders”), who hover at 37%.
Other findings from Barna:
* “Surprisingly, the Christian denomination whose adherents have the
highest likelihood of getting divorced are Baptists.” Twenty-nine
percent of the Baptists have been to the divorce court, although
non-denominational Christians (small sects, independents) show an even
higher rate of 34%. Catholics and Lutherans have the lowest
percentage of divorces, 21%. The mainline Protestants “experience
divorce on par with the national average (25%),” notes Barna.
Interestingly, Mormons — “renowned for their emphasis upon strong
families”– come in close to that average, at 24%.
“Among non-Christian groups the level vary,” claims Barna. “Jews, for
instance, are among those most likely to divorce (30% have), while
atheists and agnostics are below the norm (21%). Mormons, renowned
for their emphasis upon strong families, are no different from the
national average (24%).”
* “Among the characteristics that do not seem to be related to divorce
are educational achievement, household income, and political
ideology.”
Barna does not attempt to explain why atheists have a much lower
divorce rate than our religious counterparts. The research, according
to the Barna report, “also raises questions regarding the
effectiveness of how churches minister to families” and “challenges
the idea that churches provide truly practical and life-changing
support for marriage.”
There are likely many interpretations of these survey results which
were gleaned in interviews conducted throughout 1999 with 3854 adults
from the 48 contiguous states. The estimated sampling error for the
data is 2 percent points (plus or minus) with a 95% confidence level.
At the minimum, though, this data — if correct — suggests that one
of the snoopiest religious denominations in the country, one that has
become infamous for its determination to convert other religious
believers to its particular flavor of Christianity, boasts a higher
divorce rate than a group that it excoriates and denounces —
atheists.
Naturalism and Religious Experience 