Why don't Christians practise Arranged Marriages anymore?

Question

If Christianity itself preaches that a man and woman's feelings of lust has to be restricted within marriage, then why even allow people to date? Aren't dating and having sex, in themselves, expressions of lust?

Why not have an Arranged Marriage system where two people are chosen to be married by the priest & then they can do whatever they want?

Answer 1

Can I fetch your pipe and slippers sir? You aren't too uptight.....

Can you imagine American women allowing someone to pick their "mates"...wait, I guess you can, let me re-phrase that.. Did you know that fewer women are married right now than ever before in history? That if women were given a choice to go back and do it over with their husbands...they wouldn't...That most widows chose not remarry whereas widowers can't wait. Arranged marriages indeed.

Answer 2

Arranged marriages have never been a Bible supported practice of the Christian faith. At times when it was the norm of society, the Christian has permitted (and sometimes even encouraged) it. But it has never been a "doctrine" of the Christian faith.

For a marriage to work properly, it requires two people who are committed and compatible with each other. The purpose of dating is to find out if a couple is a good match. Having sex is an expression of lust. Dating is not. It might surprise you, but there are people who have "dated" and not had sex. Sex is not "dating", it is screwing around.

Dating is spending time learning about each others like, dislikes, dispostions, dreams, visions, hopes and fears. See if you have a common vision from God for your lives. And then deciding whether he has called you to follow that vision together. It is nothing to do with "lust".

Answer 3

Because so many want to do it their way and not the good way. Would really work a lot better but would have to have laws also that it is not so easy to divorce and marry again. As for a priest telling me who to marry when they don't do it, if you are talking of the Catholic priest, that would be like a mechanic telling someone how to cook a great meal when he has never been in a kitchen before. Parents used to make the choice and still do in some cultures and in those the divorce rate is almost non existant.

Answer 4

There is a huge difference between lust and love.

My Grandmother is from Italy, her marriage was arranged. My Grandfather was very abusive to my Grandmother and family. I would never put someone in a situation that they were not comfortable with. Arranged marriages should not be allowed.

Answer 5

There are some who still do practice a stricked dating or rather courting process. Where the two individuals will not allow themselves to be alone with each other so they will have chaperones of some degree or other always escorting them or monitoring them in an inconspicuous way. It works too.

Answer 6

You can have an arranged marriage anytime. All you have to do is send out a word to all your friends and relatives that you are looking for a partner and the offers will come pouring in.
I think you have not thought this through.

Answer 7

Interesting theory. I wonder if arranged marriages would last ? My church teaches that a couple should never be alone until their wedding night, so when a dating couple goes on a date, there's always a chaperon with them. I think its good, so that one, there's no chance of you losing your purity until you say I do.

Answer 8

I think that Arranged Marriages were more a cultural thing than a religious thing

Answer 9

Some do...just not in the US. There are several couples at my church whose marriages were arranged, but they are from India. They do, however, have happy marriages. I think it can work either way.

Answer 10

We tend to think people have a little more control over themselves and can think for themselves and even pick there own spouses under the assumption that they do not get ticketed for run on sentances.