Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry
On the restrictions of dating, in my own youth I witnessed double-standards at play. Yet generally, those who submit to restrictions of dating (which includes any social interactions with the opposite gender), though the intentions of restrictions is noted, the result is young people becoming socially inept in relating to the opposite gender.
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My restrictions of dating were taught to me as on the job training; learn as you go, sort of thing. The whole thing was a closely watched setup.
We weren't allowed alone together. We always had to be chaperoned.
Even back then I wondered, "If two devoted Christians can't be trusted to go to the movies together then what does that say about the Church they belong to?" (Like the flesh is so strong the Spirit doesn't stand a chance, and, we'd jump each other if left alone for a single little minute.) It was funny to me, but I was young and dumb, and very head in the clouds spiritual, and the whole meeting at one point prayed for it to be God's will. What was I to do? It had to be God's will -- even the dating restrictions -- romance (and love) had nothing to do with it.
But the restrictions were a very far cry from making me gay. I wasn't made like that, thank God, I conjecture. In those days I roomed with a gay brother in the basement of an elders house. He would have liked to make me gay. But just the idea of it grosses me out, and always has. I can be friends with with guys, but not romantically, or otherwise.
Come to think of it, maybe that's one reason I was able to be moved by the elder -- 'elders' on both ends, her end and mine - and an elder's wife in the middle -- to marry a sister I didn't even know.
That marriage began with LC support and required the same support to keep it going, unfortunately.
Dating restrictions? What a joke? And they don't clam to be a cult. Don't make me laugh. I may be dumb but I'm not stupid ... nor blind.
But apparently, not so back then.