By Rachel
My family moved to a new area, Colorado, when I was a teenager. I was quite different from most of my classmates and had trouble fitting in. I eventually was able to find and make friends in art class.
Dating was always a battle between two competing forces: the desire to experience what others experience and to follow the Bahá’í Faith. I didn’t understand why the Bahá’í chastity law existed or how to handle challenges when attempting to follow the law. I don’t remember having a clear and honest discussion about chastity. I now know that the law exists to protect us from ourselves especially when we are young and emotionally ill-equipped to handle the potential life-changing repercussions of not being chaste. I also now know the most important parts of relationships are spiritual, emotional, and intellectual. It is easier to think clearly when physical intimacy is not part of the equation.
