The Bible Belt and Sexual Morality in the American South
In short
The Bible Belt is a mainly Southern US region associated with fundamentalist Protestantism; Merriam-Webster dates the term to 1924. Several states still carrying fornication or cohabitation laws lie there. Attitudes track faith: Pew found in 2019 that 35% of white evangelicals accept unmarried couples living together without plans to marry.
What the full article will cover
- Where does the term Bible Belt come from?
- Which states are in the Bible Belt?
- How did religion shape Southern morals laws?
- What do Bible Belt believers think about sex before marriage?
- Is the Bible Belt changing?
Frequently asked questions
- Who coined the term Bible Belt?
- Is the Bible Belt only in the South?
- Do Bible Belt states still have fornication laws?
Sources
- merriam-webster.com — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bible%20Belt
- pewresearch.org — https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/11/06/marriage-and-cohabitation-in-the-u-s/
- pewresearch.org — https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/08/31/half-of-u-s-christians-say-casual-sex-between-consenting-adults-is-sometimes-or-always-acceptable/
General information, not legal or religious advice.