Utah’s heavily LDS-influenced culture has long promised that “families are forever” for those who join the church.

Unfortunately, new data provided by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Utah has the 5th shortest marriages in the nation, topped only by quick hook-up places like Nevada (Las Vegas) and Washington D.C. Utahns are not only failing in marriage at a rate like the nation as a whole but are getting out of them quicker than 90% of the other states. (“The 10 U.S. places with the shortest average marriages,” CNBC Make It, 7-25-23)

The problem cannot be laid at the feet of the liberal rabble in the state. Many within the church who assiduously check off the appropriate church credential boxes during courtship fail in marriage multiple times. They get married and find out they are not compatible with partners who have character issues, addictions, or problems with social skills they failed to notice during the church’s notoriously speedy decision-making process.

Families staying together “forever” is a laudable goal, but a great majority of places outside of Utah get closer to forever than Utah does.

Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross

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