Birth Rate Among Christians Almost as Low as Secular


It used to be said Christianity would succeed over secularism because Christians have more children. That may not be the case much longer. The rate among Christian women is almost the same as that of Christians.

The rate for the non religious population is 2.1 per 1,000 women. That for evangelicals including Catholics is 2.3. This is still 8% higher but the trend for toward equality.

It is thought world overpopulation is affecting attitudes of couples including Christians. Inevitably affecting the trend also is the two income family and waiting some years to have the first child.

I think religious conservatives who want more Christian babies have shot themselves in the foot because of their romance with corporations. Corporations lobby for fewer services and lower taxes. A deal has been struck with religious conservatives where corporations lobby for fewer abortions and Christian conservatives lobby for lower taxes.

This romance has forced public schools to charge for many child services that used to be rolled into the school's budget. Parents who want their children to be have access to formerly funded activities must now pay extra. Higher expenses for raising children result in rational decisions, fewer of them.

Most people like having children. It's my guess that would have more if they could afford them. Higher taxes and larger subsidies for raising children would make it easier to have more of them. Supporting higher taxes would mean less corporate lobbying against abortion and anti abortion zealots cannot understand they have been maneuvered into a losing position.

The high cost of raising children tip the economic balance in favor of abortions. Anti abortion zealots have been successful in making useless procedures, like ultrasounds, required. This has added a little to what abortions cost. Still abortions cost pennies compared to raising a child.

This helps explain why there are fewer babies.

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