Politics and Demographics
- Some Surprising Data
From e-mail, 11/16/2005
Okay, so this won't be politically correct, but it will explain some things.
Some solid demographic data I've studied helps explain what's behind some of the political and religious trends in the United States.
| In the last election George Bush carried 19 states with the highest birth rates and John Kerry won the 16 states with the lowest birth rates. |
The birth rate among conservative political and religious people in southern and rural areas of the U.S. is high, while the birth rate among better educated, affluent liberals is low.
The data shows that the difference in fertility rates accounts for 70% of the decline in mainline Protestant church membership since 1900, and the simultaneous rise in conservative church membership.
Meanwhile, all is not well with "red state" religious conservatives.
A major study* recently found that this group has, in general, the highest rate of divorce, illegitimate children, murder, crime, sexual disease, and illiteracy...
*The study, which I assume is being cited, was headed by Gregory Paul and was reported in the Journal of Religion and Society in late 2005.
More specifically, this study found that there is a correlation between religious belief and higher rates of "lethal violence, suicide, non-monogamous sexual activity and abortion."
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