Life and Tradition
The Church plays a central role in the life of Bijbelgordel communities and they typically oppose the liberal practices of Dutch society, such as euthanasia, gay rights, abortion etc. In Bijbelgordel communities, strong religious tone in public life is accompanied by conservative outlook, preference for large families (the region has relatively high fertility rates), and an emphasis on traditional values. An aspect of Bijbelgordel society that has drawn the attention of the Dutch general public in recent years (when concerns of a measles epidemic emerged) is the suspicion of parents towards state-run vaccination programmes.
The Bijbelgordel provides a base of support for Christian Democratic parties, especially the two (small) Christian parties; SGP and ChristenUnie.
Read more about this topic: Bible Belt (Netherlands)
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