Marry My Daughter

In a million years, you probably never pictured proposing to someone on your first date. After all, it takes time for people to get to know one another, right? That might be true of conventional dating, but some young fundamentalist Protestants would prefer to become “betrothed” by their families.

Here’s what happens: a young man and woman, at the suggestion of one or both of their families, agree to a binding commitment of marriage to each other. The pair may have met, but it’s more likely that they’ve never interacted or even seen a photo of one another. To people who find this method of “proposing” acceptable practice, it is about placing faith in a higher power to deliver an appropriate partner, rather than relying on one’s own desires.

It’s certainly a different way of finding a life partner. Do you think betrothal is a good idea, or a practice that is out of step with finding romance in today’s world? [Wall Street Journal]