Conservative Religion: Not Lowering Teen Birth Rates in the Bible Belt

Higher teen birth rates are found in states characterized by more conservative religious beliefs, according to a new report analysizing data from the Center for Disease Control and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Researchers state that these findings hold even taking into consideration a higher rate of abortion in less religious states; they hypothesize that religious influence is reducing use of contraception without preventing teenagers from having sex. Though the causation has not been proved to accompany the correllation, it calls attention to an issue neglected by the current abortion debates.

All the controversy of late over whether or not abortion will be covered by the new health care bill obscures the fact that unwanted pregnancies, especially in minors, are not incidents anybody should want happening–and neither denying federal funding, ramming abstinence education down students’ throats, nor indoctrination with conservative religious threats will solve that. Frank Schaeffer blaming Roe vs. Wade for the strength of the conservative movement, as discussed in last week’s post, also fails to aid young people.

Proper comprehensive sex education, not undermined by religious dogmaticism, is a start. Collaboration on contraceptive programs and support is a start. Significantly, researchers note that these findings may not hold true for states characterized by liberal religious beliefs. There is plenty of room for collaboration between secular and religious groups. Consider the Ryan-DeLauro bill, which has received support from both Faith in Public Life and Planned Parenthood, which is geared toward reducing unplanned pregnancies and the need for abortion. Too bad Republicans can’t see the beauty of compromise and win-win situations: they’ve refused to endorse the bill which in reality crosses the religious divide.

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