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14/02/2009Faith-based online matchmaking sites are flourishing in Germany

Faith-based online matchmaking sites are flourishing in Germany Across the country, Christian, Jewish and Muslim online matchmaking sites are becoming increasingly popular and, apparently, successful.

In the age of busy lives and big cities, Christians, Jews and Muslims are increasingly turning towards faith-oriented online matchmaking sites to meet their mates.                               

"For most people, the Web is as much a part of life as shopping," says Friedhelm Hensen, Jr., who launched his SingleChrist.de website in 2007.

Hensen's service, The Singles Site by Christians for Christians, reaches far more people than a regional newspaper's lonely hearts column ever does, say media experts.

In August this year, over 2 million people visited the site looking for a partner. Hensen says he is delighted when he receives a wedding announcement from a couple that has met through SingleChrist.de.

This happens about once a month, but the figure is probably higher because not all couples get around to informing him when they have found their life partner, he says.  

Another Christian online matchmaking outlet, Christian Soulmates, provides an easy way for its members to meet other singles on the net. "We ask every user to fill out a questionnaire that will assist other users in getting to know you," it states.

"Once members create their profiles, our matching technology can provide them with instantaneous matches based on their pre-selected dating criteria," explains an official.

"It's true Internet romances can and do happen,” their website proclaims. It goes on to add a cautionary note from the Bible (Romans 8:25): "But, if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Fierce competition
 
However, competition is fierce in the lonely hearts business.

Christian sites like agape24.de, christpart.de, cpdienst.de, feuerflamme de (fire flame), christ-such-christ.de and GermanFriendFinder.com are all in the business of helping people find partners with whom they can share their faith and love.

Members’ profiles often contain details about a person's church congregation, his or her favorite song or Bible passage, as well as information about their home, age and hobbies.

"Catholic matchmaking is very much alive,” one Catholic website declares. “We are living at a time when people are too busy even to find time to mingle with each other. For this reason Catholic online matchmaking has grown to great heights!"

Sites for all faiths
However, Christians are not the only religious group cruising the Internet for love. Increasing numbers of Germany's 200,000-plus Jewish population now make use of the Web when seeking partners.

Jewish-singles.de and Jewish-dating.de are two online sites offering help for people looking for lasting love.

Munich-based Samer Fahed, who is of German-Palestinian descent, created Germany’s first Islamic marriage institute in 2005. His online site has attracted thousands of clients including, in some cases, recent female converts to Islam, he says.

The institute specializes in matching people belonging to the Germany’s nearly 3.5 million-strong Muslim community. When non-Muslim men eager to marry Muslim women show interest, they are politely told that Muslim women are not permitted to marry non-Muslim men unless they convert to Islam, says Fahed.

The muslimlife.eu helps match those who are genuinely interested in starting a family, he says. Occasionally their profiles reveal whether they read the Koran on a regular basis or have ever made a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Clive Freeman/DPA/Expatica


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