One factor I like about finding out faith is that it impacts each facet of social life. How folks vote, the place they stay, what sort of jobs they pursue, are influenced ultimately by their non secular beliefs and behaviors.
One selection that’s clearly formed by faith is when (and if) adults have kids and the way giant they need their households to be.
In the USA, the fertility fee in 2008 was 2.06 kids per lady. In 2023, it’s projected to be 1.78 kids per lady. Forty-nine out of fifty states had a decrease fertility fee in 2020 in comparison with 2010 (North Dakota was the one one to buck the development.)
Clearly, there are a ton of things that result in a drop in fertility. Economics is normally thought-about to be a number one perpetrator for a drop in fertility. The Nice Recession is meant to result in an enrollment cliff in increased schooling within the subsequent 5 years as a result of folks determined to delay being pregnant.
However right here’s one other rationalization that could be enjoying a noticeable position within the drop in American fertility: the growing secularization of the USA.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam all encourage their adherents to marry and have kids. However a number of Individuals don’t adhere to these faiths anymore. I wrote an total e-book (truly two of them) in regards to the rising variety of Individuals who reject faith completely or, at the very least, organized types of religion.
Does this truly matter, although? Can we see within the information a distinction in parenting charges for atheists in comparison with Latter-day Saints, as an illustration?
The reply is: sure, with out a shadow of a doubt. Atheists are the least more likely to be dad and mom in comparison with every other non secular group and it’s cheap to deduce that among the drop in American fertility is because of rising secularization.
The Cooperative Election Research asks of us, “Are you the father or mother or guardian of any kids underneath the age of 18?” Now, this query wording makes it inconceivable to know what share of atheists won’t ever have kids nevertheless it nonetheless can provide us some perception into how few of them are at the moment dad and mom.