Do you believe that it is OK for a Christian to use online dating if he does not currently have any options where he goes to church or where he works?\u00a0 The few whom I would be interested in at church are simply not interested in me. (I understand that I’m not everyone’s “type”)<\/p>\n
If it is morally right, can you elaborate some about the ethics of online dating?\u00a0 Is it OK to have communication with more than one woman at a time?\u00a0 I don’t want to hurt anyone but at the same time, I have no idea if any given relationship will work out. The bottom line: Is it OK to have “options” to see which one works out?<\/p>\n
I’m looking forward to your answer online. Thanks for what you do on the website – it is a great resource for Christians on the Internet.<\/p>\n\t
The problem with online dating is that you really don’t know who is on the other end. It is far too easy to pretend to be someone you are not. Thus, while online dating can get you acquainted with a number of people, it won’t truly tell you who they are until you actually meet them and spend time with them.<\/p>\n
What I usually tell people to do is instead work at increasing the circle of people whom they know. Visit area congregations, go to meetings, singings, and other get-togethers. The more people you know, male and female, the more chances you have of running either into another person looking or someone who knows of someone who is looking. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother<\/em>” (Proverbs 18:24).<\/p>\n Online dating should be treated just like meeting a person in a group of other people. This is a chance to have some initial conversations to see if there is mutual interest. There should be no expectations of exclusiveness because you don’t know the other person well enough. One of the problems in modern-day dating is a strong rush to exclusiveness that often ends up bring strong temptations to go too far. You are better off taking your time. “Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet<\/em>” (Proverbs 19:2).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Do you believe that it is OK for a Christian to use online dating if he does not currently have any options where he goes to church or where he works?\u00a0 The few whom I would be interested in at church are simply not interested in me. (I understand that I’m not everyone’s “type”)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[149],"class_list":["post-34198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-dating"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43378,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-ok-to-ask-a-girl-for-a-date-who-is-seeing-someone-else\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":0},"title":"Is it OK to ask a girl for a date who is seeing someone else?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi There was a discussion in which I'd like you to help out. Suppose one is interested in a certain lady who happens to be in a relationship with someone else. Is it OK to try to 'displace' the other gentleman? After all the two aren't married, so technically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86961,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-ok-for-a-christian-to-be-a-sugar-baby-or-to-engage-in-sugar-dating\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":1},"title":"Is it OK for a Christian to be a “sugar baby” or to engage in “sugar dating”?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it OK for a Christian to be a \"sugar baby\" or to engage in \"sugar dating\"? Answer: \"Sugar Dating\" is described as one partner who is wealthy and often older, giving financial support to someone in exchange for companionship and sexual intimacy. The relationship puts pleasure before righteousness.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49832,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-talking-to-a-man-who-only-wants-to-talk-about-disciplining-children\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":2},"title":"I’m talking to a man who only wants to talk about disciplining children","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Jeffrey, I hope you are fine. Please, I need your advice. I met a man online. He started initiating the conversation. He has a son and is very interested in children's behaviors. We have been talking for several months, but he never talks about us -- he only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42245,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-proper-for-my-boyfriend-to-flirt-with-other-women\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":3},"title":"Is it proper for my boyfriend to flirt with other women?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read one of the answers you gave\u00a0a girl about kissing her old boyfriend while she was dating another guy, and she felt guilty about it. You said they were not married so it was OK. If my boyfriend and I have an understanding that we're not going to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19103,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-difference-between-courtship-and-dating\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":4},"title":"What is the difference between courtship and dating?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What is the difference between courtship and dating? I don't see any difference. Answer: Dating in American culture is when a boy and a girl see each other regularly and go out on outings together, one-on-one. The purpose is to get to know each other and to decide if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36562,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-want-to-marry-a-christian-but-there-is-a-girl-who-attends-a-different-religion-whom-im-interested-in-what-do-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":34198,"position":5},"title":"I want to marry a Christian, but there is a girl who attends a different religion whom I’m interested in. What do I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I grew up in the church my entire life. My dad is a preacher. I say all of that to give you a quick background. I have been dating a girl for about a month now and have really started to like her. 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