Understanding Baha'i Singles

Here is a very nicely done report. In 2007 these folks did an internet questionnaire to find out what Baha'i singles are doing to be happily involved with being in happy productive marriages:

"And when He [God] desired to manifest grace and beneficence to men, and to set the world in order, He revealed observances and created laws: among them He established the law of marriage, made it as a fortress for well-being and salvation . . ."⁽⁹⁾

Here is a little summary:

1.Educating and Changing Beliefs

• It shouldn't be a bad thing to actively search for a marriage partner - it's a normal thing, it's just how we do should be discussed and developed. The more we understand what marriage is we will be able to help the members of society go about it successfully.
• Study Gender Equality - it's not a clear paradigm for most of us. It's a desire in some of us. As we study it together and discuss it we can step by step work towards it. Men are needed here.
• Encourage a culture of learning - be open to studying together - men and women about marriage and other related topics - as groups, couples, families, etc.
• Engage Single Baha'is - invite them to serve together, work together, learn together, be friends - learn how to be friends...
• Understand singles' struggles more...

2. Facilitating Courtship

• Facilitate more discussion be open to it, talk about it, plan talks about it, dinners and discussion, etc. - open and non embarrassed about sex, marriage, dating, problems, solutions, consultation, loyalty, jobs, money, relationships, sexuality, etc. rather than avoiding them.
• Encourage social activities between groups of singles - where they can have fun and get to know each other. Movie nights, pool days, cooking, pancake parties, play clue, whatever....you name it
• Invite singles to work together on service projects and on committees from different communities and the same ones.
• Add more activities to calendar to allow people to get to know each other.
• Organzie inter religious activities for singles to get to know each other across those 'boundaries'.
• Ask singles to do service activities along with married couples for more bonding and learning and observing and having fun while serving.