Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The French Revolution

Home
Politics and Religion
Will “The Mormon Bachelor” Create More Marriages than ABC’s?

Will “The Mormon Bachelor” Create More Marriages than ABC’s?

Last updated on: July 24, 2012 at 12:36 am by Nancy French

Will “The Mormon Bachelor” Create More Marriages than ABC’s? 2012-07-24T00:36:31-05:00 Nancy French

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Does religion play a role in the type of person you date? If you’re an evangelical Christian, would you date a Muslim? If you’re a Jew, would you date a Mormon? On ABC’s popular reality television show, “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” one person is presented with a couple dozen options of potential spouses. All of the contestants are attractive, physically fit, and in the same age range. But there’s one factor producers don’t seem to consider: faith.

The current Bachelorette, Emily Maynard, is an evangelical Christian, but one of her suitors, Jef Holm, attends a Mormon church. (He says he is not an “active Mormon,” but attends church services regularly.) Wouldn’t this be an issue for one – or both – of them? After all, marrying outside of one’s faith is a major reason for divorce. The American Religious Identification Survey of 2001, indicated that “people who had been in mixed-religion marriages were three times more likely to be divorced or separated than those who were in same-religion marriages.”

Yet, ABC producers don’t seem to be sensitive to this “faith factor.” For example, when Jason Mesnick was selected as the first Jewish Bachelor, producers set him up with 25 non-Jewish women. On Jewish websites, fans complained, “Intermarriage, brought to you by ABC.” Later, when the non-religious Bachelorette Ashley Hebert was cast, she showed interest in Bentley Williams, a 28-year-old divorced Mormon from Salt Lake City. However, Bentley wanted to marry someone within his religion and was indifferent to Ashley. (His cruel lack of interest got him branded a super-villain, and she later picked Jewish J.P. Rosenbaum. She later converted to Judaism.)

However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a solution to all of this religious-confusion: The Mormon Bachelorette, an online spin-off of the ABC Bachelor/Bachelorette series. The show was created after Erin Elton and Aubrey Laidlaw applied to be on ABC’s show, but weren’t chosen as potential suitors. Realizing their faith was a central of their dating choices, they created the Mormons-Only web series. Aubrey was the first Mormon Bachelorette, and — sure enough — ended up with a temple wedding. (That’s the ultimate goal. In fact, studies show that marriages which take place in the temple are some of the most successful. According to a 2000 study, only 6% of those who undergo the demanding temple marriage break up.)

After three seasons, hers is the only wedding that The Mormon Bachelor has produced. Yet, this is still a much higher percentage than ABC’s The Bachelor’s track record of zero successful marriages. In fact, only four couples have stayed together from this franchise: Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter, Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney, Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum, and Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertso. Sadly, even host Chris Harrison is divorcing.

Will other religions follow suit and create their religion-specific dating shows?

And take note, ABC. If you are really interested in creating successful marriages, maybe you should pay attention to a contestant’s faith as much as their hair extensions, abs, and dental veneers.

Here’s hoping successful marriages are ultimately created in all of these shows. To watch The Mormon Bachelor, tune into their YouTube channel MormonBachelor on July 5th. Meet The Mormon Bachelor here:

You might also enjoy these Bachelor-related posts:

Jef Holm Explains to Good Morning America that He and Emily Aren’t Living Together

Sean Lowe: My Faith in Jesus Helped Me Get Over Heartbreak Over Emily

Jef from The Bachelorette: “I’m Not a Practicing Mormon”

Religion on The Bachelorette: Just Under the Surface

The Bachelorette Won’t Shack Up Before Marriage

Is Jef Holm Shy? Why Appear on The Bachelorette?

Southern Bachelorette Vows: No Hot Tub Kissing Sessions

W hat happened to Jef’s last “F?”

Jake, The Moral Bachelor?

The Worst Season Finale of The Bachelor Ever?

Conservative Christian Parents Finally Reject The Bachelor

Connect with Me Further by:

Friending me on Facebook

Following me on Twitter

Buying my Books!

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Divorce

Emily Maynard

Is Jef Holm a Mormon?

Previous Post

July 4, 2012

Faith, Freedom, and the Fourth

Next Post

July 5, 2012 Are We Becoming a Nation of Cowards?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christmas faith family ministry music Television Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz