Christian Divorce Rate Not What You're Told

By Douglas V. Gibbs

In the argument supporting gay marriage, one of the quips you will hear by those that support homosexuals hijacking the institution of marriage is that Christians divorce as much as everyone else, so the Christian defense of marriage is hypocritical. The power of accusation dictates that since it was said by some liberal leftist, it must be true. Problem is, the Christian divorce rate is not as high as that of the general population. In fact, it isn't even close.

This is not to say that divorce does not happen in the Christian Community. Sure, it does. And biblically, there are grounds for divorce, though "infidelity" is for the most part the only acceptable excuse, making the range of reasons for divorce in the Christian World not nearly as liberal as what we see in the non-Christian part of society. And yes, Christians divorce for other reasons, which is a shame, because the contract of marriage between a man and a woman is supposed to be for a lifetime - and that very fact should make people think long and hard before making that leap.

According to Baptist Press writer Glenn T. Stanton, "people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith -- be it Christian or other -- have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population."

Religious commitment and practice, therefore, apparently plays an important role regarding the success of a marriage. Religious behaviors and attitudes, such as attending church, praying together, and generally taking their faith seriously, most often leads to a lower chance of the marriage winding up in divorce.

However, professed Christians who do not regularly attend church, or participate in behaviors not consistent with their faith, experience a sharp rise in their divorce rate. Christians who rarely go to church subject themselves to the fact that 60 percent of these people have been divorced. Of those who attend church regularly, 38 percent have been divorced.

Values of family and religion, therefore, are important ingredients to a stable marriage. Placing the relationship in God's hands, it seems, is a winning strategy when it comes to a marriage successfully navigating through the stormy waters of life.

The difference in divorce rate is even more staggering when compared to secular Americans.

This is one of the reasons for the Christian position against gay marriage. Not only because homosexuality is considered an abomination by biblical text, but because the stability of the institution of marriage depends on the definition of marriage remaining consistent. The family unit is one of the driving forces of freedom in America, by no accident. The building blocks for a successful society has been given to us, and a large part of that foundation is a stable family unit which is dependant upon a virtuous society that believes marriage is an important commitment between a man and a woman.

And apparently, being a committed, faithful believer, makes all the difference in the world when it comes to a successful family unit, and a stable marriage. In turn, the success of society hangs in the balance.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

FIRST-PERSON: The Christian divorce rate myth (what you've heard is wrong) - Baptist Press