Hello nairalanders,

I'm new to this site So I dey greet all of una
I wan to know if it is christians, muslims or atheists that keep matrimonial home best.

obabs:

Hello Nairaland users,

I'm new to this site So I dey greet all of una
I wan to know if it is christians, muslims or atheists that keep matrimonial home best.

Atheists

@KAG

Statistically,religious people, from surveys in the US and the UK,have lower rates of divorce and claim to be happier.

I-man:

Statistically,religious people, from surveys in the US and the UK,have lower rates of divorce and claim to be happier.

I'm not so sure I can agree with that. I have some knowledge of statistics and demography; and sadly, the US and UK have very high figures of divorces - even among Christians.

The ratio for any kind of statistical measurement is too skewed, considering those who number among the various elements - Christians, atheists, Muslims, etc.

What we can argue for is that there certainly are very good Christian families. You will also find non-Christian people having good families as well. The question is a very dynamic one, and the argument can fall either way.

Telly B:

I'm not so sure I can agree with that. I have some knowledge of statistics and demography; and sadly, the US and UK have very high figures of divorces - even among Christians.

The ratio for any kind of statistical measurement is too skewed, considering those who number among the various elements - Christians, atheists, Muslims, etc.

You don't seem to get the point.On average, divorces are lower among religious people than among non religious people.It doesn't mean that the divorce level is low among church going Christians but that it is on average lower vis-a-vis atheists and non-churcg goers

Okay. So that I don't misquote you, could you offer me the values of measurement you used to arrive at the "average" results?

Telly B:

Okay. So that I don't misquote you, could you offer me the values of measurement you used to arrive at the "average" results?

I didn't arrive at the results myself.I am only referencing 2 studies I have come across

Right. That is why I said that those "studies" are not scholarly. I'm a Christian; and I'm not trying to becloud the Christian testimony at all. But my concerns rather are that we endeavour to state things as they really are (even though some of those issues might be a bit embarrasing for us).

Telly B:

Right. That is why I said that those "studies" are not scholarly. I'm a Christian; and I'm not trying to becloud the Christian testimony at all. But my concerns rather are that we endeavour to state things as they really are (even though some of those issues might be a bit embarrasing for us).

You would think that studies conducted by think tanks and Universities are "scholarly".They must be credible to make the Economist.

Is it really difficult to believe that the average religious person has a longer marriage than the average non-religious person?I would think its obvious why that is the case.Whether they have "happier marriages",I have never seen anything in that regard

I-man:

@KAG

Statistically,religious people, from surveys in the US and the UK,have lower rates of divorce

US stats.
Religion % have been divorced
Jews 30%
Born-again Christians 27%
Other Christians 24%
Atheists, Agnostics 21%

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

and claim to be happier.

I don't think I've seen any statistics for that.

Variation in divorce rates by religion:
Religion % have been divorced
Jews 30%
Born-again Christians 27%
Other Christians 24%
Atheists, Agnostics 21%

Ron Barrier, Spokespersonn for American Atheists remarked on these findings with some rather caustic comments against organized religion. He said:

@KAG

Should i also find links on sites run by the Christian Right about studies on the divorce rates of religious people vis-a-vis the non religious

I-man:

You would think that studies conducted by think tanks and Universities are "scholarly".They must be credible to make the Economist.

It is true that some highly respected persons have published "scholarly" researches; only to be arrested and stripped of their accreditations when their works were found to be fraudulent - disgracefully fraudulent.

I-man:

Is it really difficult to believe that the average religious person has a longer marriage than the average non-religious person?

It is not difficult to believe that at all. But are we talking of "belief" or what's on ground as reality?

For me, I have seen the "average religious person" collapse under the burden of raising a family. I have also seen the same thing happen to non-religious people (which I define slightly differently than the average "atheist". The thing is that, there are a lot of people who have very strong, successful and happy homes and lives - and it doesn't have to be a question of being religious or not.

I-man:

I would think its obvious why that is the case.Whether they have "happier marriages",I have never seen anything in that regard

I have seen very happy marriages (you should see my parents - they still think they're kindergartens. . . after so long a time together!!   )

On the whole, I look forward to some of those demographic features that might have been applied in the studies being referred to.

Cheers.  

I just decided to google this point.I came up with this article,not much I admit- http://www.pobronson.com/blog/2006/06/will-this-marriage-last-religions.html

If i find something,I will paste it tommorow.
From the article-

Studies have repeatedly found that increased religiosity increases marital stability. Those without any religious affiliation have a higher divorce rate than those who are religious, no matter what religion it is we're talking about. Religious affiliation also seems to be a general indicator of increased marital satisfaction.[/i]

I-man:

I didn't arrive at the results myself.I am only referencing 2 studies I have come across

Could you post them please.

I-man:

Is it really difficult to believe that the average religious person has a longer marriage than the average non-religious person?I would think its obvious why that is the case.Whether they have "happier marriages",I have never seen anything in that regard

Why do you suppose that the average religious person would have a longer marriage than the average non-religious person? It really isn't obvious, at leat to me.

I-man:

Ron Barrier, Spokespersonn for American Atheists remarked on these findings with some rather caustic comments against organized religion. He said:

@KAG

Should i also find links on sites run by the Christian Right about studies on the divorce rates of religious people vis-a-vis the non religious

If you want, but be sure to make sure they include references and independent sources. By the way, if you bothered to read most of the page, you'd have noticed that they included quotes from Christian spokespeople too, not just from an atheist spokesperson.

I-man:

I just decided to google this point.I came up with this article,not much I admit- http://www.pobronson.com/blog/2006/06/will-this-marriage-last-religions.html

I agree it's not much; although, it's enjoyable rhetoric laced with probable hypotheses, it doesn't do much to dent the findings I posted.

If i find something,I will paste it tommorow

No problem.

From the articleStudies have repeatedly found that increased religiosity increases marital stability. Those without any religious affiliation have a higher divorce rate than those who are religious, no matter what religion it is we're talking about. Religious affiliation also seems to be a general indicator of increased marital satisfaction.

[quote][/quote]

Any sources or references posted so we can check out the stats.?

@KAG

The bewildering thing is that the study you posted asks whether a person has been divorced,without asking whether they have ever been married.

I have never been divorced but I have never been married either.Given that atheists/agnostics are less likely to marry,its hardly surprising.

General Social Survey (GSS, 2000-2004)—one of the best known sources of sociological data. “Frequent” is attending church about once a week or more.

58%, non-frequent Black Protestants
54%, non-frequent Evangelicals
51%, no religion (e.g., atheists & agnostics)
48%, ALL NON-CHRISTIANS
48%, non-frequent, other religions
47%, frequent Black Protestants
42%, non-frequent, mainline Protestants
41%, ALL CHRISTIANS
41%, non-frequent Catholics
39%, Jews
38%, frequent other religions
34%, frequent Evangelicals
32%, ALL FREQUENT CHRISTIANS
32%, frequent mainline Protestants
23%, frequent Catholics

http://brewright..com/2006/12/christian-divorce-rates.html

I-man:

@KAG

The bewildering thing is that the study you posted asks whether a person has been divorced,without asking whether they have ever been married.

I have never been divorced but I have never been married either.Given that atheists/agnostics are less likely to marry,its hardly surprising.

That is bewildering, if it is true.

General Social Survey (GSS, 2000-2004)—one of the best known sources of sociological data. “Frequent” is attending church about once a week or more.

58%, non-frequent Black Protestants
54%, non-frequent Evangelicals
51%, no religion (e.g., atheists & agnostics)
48%, ALL NON-CHRISTIANS
48%, non-frequent, other religions
47%, frequent Black Protestants
42%, non-frequent, mainline Protestants
41%, ALL CHRISTIANS
41%, non-frequent Catholics
39%, Jews
38%, frequent other religions
34%, frequent Evangelicals
32%, ALL FREQUENT CHRISTIANS
32%, frequent mainline Protestants
23%, frequent Catholics

http://brewright..com/2006/12/christian-divorce-rates.html

Fair enough. Not that it matters, but are the stats. are for the US?

KAG:

Fair enough. Not that it matters, but are the stats. are for the US?

The GSS study is for the US.I have seen a couple other similar studies before, but not online,coming to the same conclusion.I will try and find them so I can post them here

I-man:

The GSS study is for the US.I have seen a couple other similar studies before, but not online,coming to the same conclusion.I will try and find them so I can post them here

No problem.