I am trying to convince a friend that Utah really isn't the best place to raise a family. She is waffling - I think her parents are saying she needs to raise her kids in nice, safe Utah but my friend isn't so sure she wants to move back there. Here are the statistics I've told her but I know there are more. If you have links to actual news stories, please include the links. Thanks.

Utah has the highest rate of internet porn usage
Utah has the highest rate of per capita in plastic surgery
Utah has one of the highest bankruptcy rates in the nation (anyone know the exact rank?)
Utah ranks lowest in women who graduate from college - I think they are dead last.
Utah has the highest rate of depression (almost twice the national average, I think) and the most prescribed medicine in Utah is anti-depressants.
I think I read somewhere that they have a surprisingly high rate of child abuse and sex crimes per capita. But I can't find the article right now.

Any others?

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,136836,136836#msg-136836

It has a lot of details and links.

1. The internet porn usage stat that I have seen thrown around focuses on paid subscriptions to Internet porn. I don't see why anyone would pay for porn, but who cares? Internet porn usage throughout the US and around the world is high. I don't understand the significance except to point out that Mormons, like the rest ofthe human race, do view porn.

2. What's the significance of plastic surgery? Sure, Utahns tend to be shallow. So do Americans in general.

3. Tithing plus keeping up with the Joneses = BK. Living in a state other than Utah won't keep a tithepaying Mormon out of this trap.

4. http://www.uvu.edu/wep/ Not dead last, but below the national average. On the other hand, the national average of 57 percent (as opposed to Utah's 50 percent) is nothing to write home about. Both the national average and the Utah average will likely continue to decline as the costs of college presently considerably outweigh the benefits.

5. Anti-depressants = Mormon booze.

The single biggest social problem in Utah is white collar crime and fraud, bar none.

Utah is what you make it. I'm not recommending it, but the problem is not Utah so much as Mormonism. Most of my non-Mormon friends here (in Salt Lake - they wouldn't live in smalltown Utah) are quite happy If your friend is Mormon, she'll have the problems that stem from Mormonism wherever she goes.

but in her TBM mom's opinion, Utah is the best place to live because you can protect your kids from the evils of the world.

It seems to me that there are just as many evils in Utah as anywhere so her mom's argument doesn't hold water. Also, I agree with what you said about Mormonism but Utah is interesting because of the high percentage of Mormons. If the church were what it claimed, you think Mormonism would make Utah significantly better statistic-wise. Maybe not perfect or best in every area but it's a good indicator of how Mormons live Mormonism in a Mormon area.

If living in Ut is what is in the cards, well so be it.

Personally I recommend a reading of the book of Galatians in English, after doing so she will realize what is Killing Utahns and she can go and be happy!

Being good is just a fable and now that I know I am not able...it is freedom knowing Christ took care of that and well I can focus on being real, loving people whether they have undergone plastic surgery or not and giving people the benefit of the doubt.

life is good! God is good...not the Mormon capricious, imbalanced god?????

Sounds like California...