Unwed Mothers

If it is necessary for your Assembly to deal with such a case, the birth of the child out of wedlock does not necessarily lead to loss of voting rights. The questions to be considered are whether the party is guilty of blatant and flagrant immorality; whether such conduct is harming the Faith; and whether the believer has refused or neglected to improve his or her conduct despite repeated warnings.

In response to your request for any available reference material for use in counselling young unmarried expectant mothers, the Universal House of Justice wishes us to convey its comments and advice on this and related matters. While there is no material for the first purpose specified, there is an abundance of general guidance in the Sacred Writings and in the works of the beloved Guardian which can be referred to for such cases. The House of Justice cannot set forth guidelines covering every situation in the currently disordered area of sexuality and marriage. Rather, it is the task of the institutions to provide both counsel and education for the believers, and thereafter it is for the individual Bahá’í to determine his course of conduct in relation to the situations of his daily life.