The american family is in a state of decline as research shows

The American family is in a state of decline as research shows. In the year 1950, the birth rate of unmarried women was 14. 1 per thousand. This increased to 43. 8 per thousand in the year 1990. This is a three hundred and ten percent increase.

In the year 1950, illegitimate babies were approximately 150, 000 while in the year 1990 they were 1, 150, 000. This was a high rise. Research in United States indicates that between the years 1950 and 1990 there was a tremendous increase in the number of unmarried teenagers aged 15-19 years. This increase was from 12. 6 percent to 42. 5 percent in the year 1990. (Biblarz, 1993)

In the last decade there has been a sixty percent increase in number of births out of wedlock. Research shows that divorce rate has also increased tremendously over the last decade.

This is greatly attributed to the United States marriage rate. This has steadily grown for the last twenty five years. Today the break ups in the married couples has increased and there are normally no official records to show for this even when children are involved. The divorce rate in United States accelerated during the 1960’s and peaked in the year 1981.

In the year 1970, four percent of the entire adult population had gone through a divorce. In the year 1992 this rate had increased to eleven percent. This was a tremendous increase within a span of twenty two years only. This was approximately a 226 percent increase. Today approximately 50% of the marriages in United States end up in divorce. With this kind of divorce rate, it is very clear that one million American children over a span of twenty years are victims of divorce. (Biblarz, 1993)

Research indicates that the break up of Woody Allen –Mia Farrow family was never counted in the divorce statistics in as much as it was really publicized. These statistics clearly indicate the decline in the American family.

All these have led to children engaging in drug use, homicide, homosexuality and lesbianism. This is because the traditional family of husband, wife and children no longer exists. All these things show that there is family decline in United States of America. People no longer value marriage. In fact there is even marriage contract where people just get married for some period. This clearly shows that the American family is in a state of decline.

My personal experience in America has proved to me that the entire American family is in a state of decline. This is because I have seen thirteen families in my neighborhood break up in the last five years. In one of the families the woman said that she never wanted to bear children while the man was for the idea of having babies. For this reason they broke because they just could not reach a compromising situation. In another incidence, the man claimed that marriage set up was boring and confining. (McKay, 2000)

He said that he wanted space for himself where he could hang out with friends and do whatever he wanted at whatever time without being accountable to anyone. This led to breaking of the marriage. A friend of mine who had been married for five years and had one baby just decided that she wanted to further her studies and therefore marriage was just no longer a priority to her. She divorced the husband last year.

These incidences are just the tip of the iceberg. Ladies no longer view marriage as important. They prefer to have children out of wedlock than to get married. This clearly shows that the American family is really in a state of decline. (McKay, 2000)

The church has also not been spared of the same. Research carried out in some churches in United States shows that pastors encourage homosexuality and lesbianism among the brethren. The pastors or rather priests have open gay relationships. They don’t mind joining and blessing the marriage between same sex spouses.  This is the case in as much as the bible clearly gives instructions concerning marriage between a man and a woman.