The non-religious are often skeptical towards Christians that say one thing about divorce (“not!”) and doing (“I’m outtahere!”) and in many cases, rightfully so. David French at The Corner has a good post on this seeming contradiction – but then puts up this chart as part of the explanation:
It’s pretty simple: When it comes to marriage, church attendance matters more than church affiliation.
I’ve often heard the South described as “God-haunted,” in the sense that there are millions of men and women who identify as Christians, who attend church at least semi-regularly, and who at least aspire to live a Christian life as they understand it. Within that “God-haunted” culture is a very large subculture of the “God-fearing,” in the sense that they hold to the orthodox tenets of the faith, attend church regularly, and –furthermore — immerse themselves in the larger life of the church, from Sunday School to mission trips to small-group Bible studies.
It turns out that the God-haunted lifestyle is terrible for marriage. The God-fearing lifestyle is excellent. The reasons are not difficult to discern.
You know, I have had the perfect title roaming around my head for years: “Everything in politics I first learned in church”.
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