Is it better to stay single or to get married? Society in the United States encourages marriage. And here in the United States most persons do choose to get married at some point. 

Of course, when boys and girls reach a certain age, they typically do feel sexual attractions, and dating and marriage are ways of dealing with them. But children typically go through puberty years before they are qualified to raise children, support themselves financially, etc. 

Persons have three choices: get married, be celibate, or commit fornication. 

My personal views about fornication were discussed in another article I wrote, titled "Sexual Abstinence Until Marriage: The Right Thing." 

Therefore, for reasons I cited in that sexual abstinence article, I feel the two best choices are either marriage or being single and celibate. Therefore, I focus on these two options in the rest of this article.  

Some Advantages of Singleness 

• Singleness offers an opportunity to devote and dedicate oneself fully to a particular calling or purpose.
• A single person doesn't need to budget time for family commitments.
• Also, a single person doesn't need to consider their spouses when contemplating career changes, moves to another location, or even where and when to eat meals. 

I doubt the Wright brothers would have been as successful in their development of aircraft if they were married. And I doubt that Jesus or Paul would have succeeded as well in their ministries had they been married and divided between seeking to please God and to please a spouse. 

Some Advantages of Marriage 

• Being married provides another person who can help with meeting living expenses and share household duties such as cleaning, cooking, maintenance and repair of the living quarters, etc.
• Married persons also have a companion for conversation, social activities, and to help care for one during times of sickness or injury.
• And if one desires children, marriage provides a partner for that as well as stability for the children and the household. 

Numerous successful men and women credit their spouses for enabling them to succeed. 

My View 

For persons who enjoy the discipline to control sexual urges, I feel that it is better to remain single. Personally, I enjoy being single. I enjoy being able to cook my own food the way I want it (especially nice since I try to adhere to a vegan diet). And I can make my own decisions about my time and activities. 

Even for those who end up being married, I think it is far better if they can delay marriage and serious romantic involvement until they are older than their teenage years. 

As I see it, many people could be much happier in their marriages and more successful in their lives if they remained single and celibate at least until graduating from college (or trade school, high school, or whatever their highest formal educational attainment is). It could be even better if they can wait a few years longer to be established in a career path. 

A married couple is probably more mature and better able to support children in their mid20s or late 20s than during their teenage years. And not being divided between schoolwork and a spouse/romantic attachments during their educational years might help persons in their studies and other extracurricular activities.

What do you think?

NOTE: I made a couple of minor revisions to the article about 7:20 p.m., EST, December 21, 2012 to correct two typographical errors.