"Why aren't you married yet?" Being single is a stigma in faith-based communities which extol marriage and family. Guest host Justine Toh and the God Forbid panel explore why being single doesn't mean going it alone.
In this episode:
Churchgoers are far more likely to marry compared to the general population, but if you are Christian and single your community might not know what to do with you. Dr Katherine Grocott studied singleness in Christian churches and the results are pretty damning. So are other faith traditions doing any better?
Marrying outside of your faith is usually frowned upon. This is especially true for religious communities that blur the line between religion, culture and ethnic identity — like Jews and Zoroastrians. But when these communities make up a such a tiny fraction of the Australian population, how are you meant to find the right match?
In our sex-saturated society, it's difficult to believe some people find empowerment in singleness and celibacy. But many do, and they're not all monks or nuns.
More Information
Hear consecrated virgin Zara Tai's full interview with ABC's Siobhan Hegarty on Soul Search.
Guests:
Hawraa Kash, Muslim performance poet and mental health advocate.
Rev Kamal Weerakoon, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales and staff member at Macquarie University's Christian Union. He is pursuing a doctorate in multicultural ministry.
Sebastian James, member of the Catholic church and freelance video journalist. He runs the Opus Dei-affiliated Mirrabooka Study Centre, which provides study and spiritual support to young men in Western Sydney.
Presenter:
Justine Toh
Producer:
Rohan Salmond/ Hong Jiang