Why so many single people (18+) in the World /Church today

[laskara]

I'm just curious why there are so many single people in the church and in the world today than ever before? Is it because we are more pickie these days for: Looks (appearance), IQ, Wealth, Status etc... What is Gods Will for us single people in the church and in the world? (in relation to finding spouses, or being in a relationship)

[sweetspirit11903]

This is a very interesting question. I have learned a lot watching my children go through the dating thing. One problem that I see is that there are a lot of people that don't know what it means to make and keep a covenant. We have all become very selfish. Because of the example of others, kids are scared to make a commitment. They see how parents, grandparents, other relatives and friends have been hurt by the skyrocketing divorce rate and don't want to be hurt like that. One thing that I know about being married is that is takes two to make it work. Both people in a relationship have to be willing to communicate and sometimes compromise. Too many people in marriages today think that if things aren't the way they had anticipated or expected them to be that, that is grounds for a divorce. After the pain of the divorce, they don't want that to happen again, so they determine that the next person that they marry will tow their line and they never find anyone that will do that. I liked what Elder Uchtdorf said in a talk one time. You make your soul mate not find them. That take time, effort, communication and some compromise.

[dadood]

I think the reason there are less marriages today is because there's no longer a need for marriages. The main reason people got married in the past was for procreation and survival. With all the wars and plaques, we needed to make children to repopulate the village and country. Today, we're dealing with over population in a world with limited resources.

As for survival, we now have 401K and retirement plans. We don't need to make kids to take care of us when we're older. Women no longer need a man to stay alive. She has her own job and career.

So what do people get married for nowadays? For love? What happens when the love is no longer there? They get a divorce. For companionship? They have friends and Facebook For religion? Oh yeah, people still get married because they're supposed to or else they can't reach the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom. And they they have to make as many babies as possible so the spirits in heaven can have a body.

The world has changed and evolved. The call for marriage and making babies is not as urgent as before.

[JoiceJoker]

I'm simply not complete in a way without that special someone. Sure, I took a break from approaching a serious relationship after separation and divorce due to several obstacles I had to work out first.
But now with everything running smoothly I miss that togetherness. And it tears me apart.

[micslick]

I'm just curious why there are so many single people in the church and in the world today than ever before?

Well first off, is this statement true? And second, if it is true it could easily be due to the fact that we have over 13 million members now and that will bring in a lot more single people, and people of all types for that matter...

[dadood]

Mickslick, I don't think that's true either. I think there are more singles (not getting married) outside the LDS world, but I don't think that's true for LDS community. I mean I don't know many churches or institutions that try harder to get singles together and give them reasons to get married. There might be less 18-year-old marriages, but they're still getting married a little bit later.

Wouldn't it be funny if they chained the doors during a single adults sacrament meeting and say, "The door is not opening till everyone here has found a partner and proposed"?

[JoiceJoker]

NO!
I don't want to marry anyone from my ward nor my region!!!!! (my head swims)

And dadood,
if you put me through some crap like this once more, I'll give YOU away to a FRIEND of mine and I promise, it will be HELL!!!!!

[Sariel]

Well, to pitch in the 2 cents of a 18 year old girl who has never been in any form of a relationship, it's hard even in the church to find people who are willing to work together to make a good relationship happen. While it is good to meet and marry someone who shares your interests, a good marriage is founded on people giving things up for each other and serving. I don't think that many people my age get that yet.
The culture that many people grow up in certainly may have an affect on people being single. Media, social life, even home life doesn't emphasize family values. (Or, at least where I come from that seems to be the case.) My parents do not have a very happy marriage. I must say, the conflicting views and lessons they both have drawn from the experience has troubled me greatly on the matter of relationships. Not that I was interested in relationships before- but it only adds to my befuddled situation.

[amberlurvzz]

people in today's world are pretty dumb...i'm not going to lie. they do stupid crap and ruin their lives and these single 18 year olds don't want to be affiliated with them. heck man, i know i don't. i see how screwed up they are, i don't want to be like that, i don't want to get involved in something that wouldn't be worth my time. ya, a relationship is something that i should probably start looking into, it's something i want and needs to happen but i'm not worried about it - i'm waiting a worthwhile person and not some one night standing

[LittleBear]

In my point of view there are numerous variables in this equation... If I think about myself and why I'm not married at 24, I could not really give a good answer for that. People are different and situations in life are different. I was 19 when I joined the church and had never even dated! So, for some people even dating can be a real challenge. Then there is this question of mutual interest. One can like someone, but if that someone does not return the feeling, then there goes that chance down the sewer.. Of course I could go on and on with the list of things why it seems that way, but all in all I still believe that many LDS young adults do marry. Compared with non-members our youth is usually united with a goal of marriage. Of course it is sometimes hard to explain someone "why someone is single", but I do believe that if we are trying to lead our lives the best we humanly can and aim for temple marriage, then a day will come for each one of us to enjoy that great blessing. But it all starts with a choice! A choice of trying to be the best person one possibly can be, to be worthy to enter the temple.
I believe that as LDS we should always have the eternal goal in mind even when it comes to marriage! I am the only member in my family and I don't even have an eternal family yet. Still if the choice was to be married to someone who is not even a member or to be single, happy and having a meaningful life, I'd choose to be single. Just "being married" is not an answer in itself. What kind of a marriage one enters to matters as well. And as for myself, I know what it means to be without the light of the gospel and its vital ordinances. I know that I want to have an eternal marriage and an eternal family. And no matter how long it takes to have it, I say, it is better to wait (and be single) a hundred year than to enter in a hasty marriage.

[emilayskie]

I couldn't agree more to what LittleBear has said.

Most singles in our ward are now very cautious about getting married because they want to get the best (partner, education, career) and doesn't want to enter into a "hasty marriage" as LittleBear said. Sadly, some of them might appear to be single at church but might already have nonmember partners.