Absentee Fathers Are Destroying the United States

The most damaging conspiracy today is the one against fatherhood.

Family breakdown has brought widespread fatherlessness to the United States. According to the latest figures from the Census Bureau, over 27 percent of children in the U.S. lived without a father in their home in 2017.

This percentage has nearly tripled since 1960. It means that more than 20 million children now live in a fatherless household.

The epidemic of fatherlessness is worse in many major cities. In places like Baltimore, the statistics indicate that over 70 percent of families are fatherless. The National Center for Fathering reports: “If it were classified as a disease, fatherlessness would be an epidemic worthy of attention as a national emergency.”

Why Is This Important?

There is a movement in America today claiming that fathers are not necessary for effective child-rearing. But the cold, hard facts prove otherwise. The statistics show that children who grow up without a father are four times likelier to be poor, nine times likelier to drop out of school, and 11 times likelier to commit a violent crime.

A state-by-state analysis conducted by the Heritage Foundation found that a 10 percent increase in the percentage of children living in single-parent homes typically leads to a 17 percent increase in juvenile crime. Of course, these correlations are not exact. Many children overcome the effects of fatherlessness with the help of a grandparent, uncle or other male role model. But it is naive to think absentee fathers do not have an effect on society.

There is a direct link between family breakdown and major societal problems. It is no coincidence that the per capita rate of violent crime has doubled in the United States since 1960, and the percentage of Americans living in a home that receives some form of means-tested welfare has also doubled.

The vice president of the National Fatherhood Initiative summed up the situation for the Washington Times: “America is awash in poverty, crime, drugs and other problems, but more than perhaps anything else, it all comes down to this: Deal with absent fathers, and the rest follows.”

What Does the Bible Say?

The foundation of a strong nation is strong families. The Bible tells of a time when upside-down families would cause great societal problems: “Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths” (Isaiah 3:11-12).

This chapter shows that when there is a lack of strong, male leadership in a nation, women rule and children rebel. This leads to the land becoming desolate. This is exactly what is happening in America today.

The greatest and most damaging conspiracy today is the one against fatherhood. To learn more about a father’s role in society, request our free booklet Conspiracy Against Fatherhood by Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry.