So the conclusion appears to be that dating is something done in the fullness of time by two people commited to sacrificing for each other in Christ. These are two people who have both developed emotionally and physically and are ready to meet with one another in a very guarded but friendly way. The aim of sharing in one anothers company is not a reason to fulfill lusts but a time to see if God is directing these two people to be together. If a person does have contact it is for the purposes of building the relationship as an act of love to the other person not a submission to evil desire. Younger people should use their youth as an opportunity to be with and feel comfortable with persons of the opposite sex in a group environment but understand that they still have to develop and learn many life skills before they can consider having a partner. Dating outside of the rules of the church opens the door to relationships that are either emotional or physical but not spiritual. These can do damage as bad experiences with the other sex can form lead us away from being able to form pure relationships at the correct time.
hi! i agree with all that everybody said. i myself have never dated and tried to influnce and convince my friends that it is wrong. However, i always dont get through. the problem is that teenagers think that they are ready for a serious relationship and have found the one. I know people who have gotten engaged, girl hs and guy in college. and it still doesnt work out. how do we get it through to these people htat no matter what at this age it is wrong to date for the fact that maturity is still occuring and most importantly that God does not approve of it? any comments would be greatly appreciated.
I totally agree with EgyPrincess.... Youth today just dont get the point that it's wrong!!! they're so caught up in what they call the "american life" they forget who they really are... God's Children and the shameful part is that once they've forgetten... it's hard for even their teenage friends to pull them out of this trap... any suggestions would be very helpful... it's such a loss to the coptic community that it's next generation is falling withing the devils trap
i fully understand that this topic has been "forum"ed to no end ;)... but i must quote H.G Bishop Moussa... at a lecture i attended once, the topic came up yet again, as it does with a lot of youth. His answer summed it up in four short points. You know you're ready to start looking for you potential spouse only when you are financially stable (when you have a steady job to support a family), emotionally stable (stability comes with age), spirtituality is progressing (for the Bible commands that one must build a church within their own home)... that's only three, but i'll post the fourth one as soon as i remember it ;D
Speaking of Anba Moussa... i remember he mentioned once that another bishop, or someone had said once that unless u are a malek and she is a malaka (excuse my spelling, i mean angels btw) then u may go out but since none of us are malakia, then none of us should date (again, it was directed towards youth...)
[quote author=jp link=board=1;threadid=22;start=0#msg42 date=1059204433] What are the Coptic views on dating. I am very interested.
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
GoDiSiNmYhEaRt, Do you mean for older couples that are preparing the engagement process, or young lost youth that can easily fall into the trap of sexual sin? Just as a little reminder... how many couples have you known in your lifetime that have reached stages beyond kissing? and what are the chances of a couple staying 'clean'? Dating leads to temptation and lustful thoughts... so why place yourself in that situation?
Well, im talking about older couples who are getting prepared, cause if i talk about teenagers, i would be talking about whole different creation, with all due respect for them and no offense. I have known some couple ppl who didnt even kiss. and i know many who went beyond the border lines. This is were self control comes and plays role. and may be god is testing u, who knows. u should know whats right and whats wrong to do so. I mean love is greater then anyone can ever expect it to be, and if two ppl dont know each other well enough and end up divorcing, thats what i call a sin. Just my humble opinion. god bless
gottia... n no offense to us teens being a different creation... we are! ;) (and sadly, some of us are proud of it) i agree with you about love is greater than anyone can ever expect it to be... afterall, its the greatest gift... right? but it can only exist between older couples...thank God!
[quote author=SMS link=board=1;threadid=22;start=45#msg1119 date=1083386653] gottia... n no offense to us teens being a different creation... we are! ;) (and sadly, some of us are proud of it) i agree with you about love is greater than anyone can ever expect it to be... afterall, its the greatest gift... right? but it can only exist between older couples...thank God!
well u see im a teenager myself lol so doesnt offend me much lol. Love can also exist between young ppl, but it depends on how serious you are and how mature.. cause that small love can develope over years to a bigger love just like what happened with my parents :)
btw u r a very mature guy/ girl keep it up. God bless
Wow, SMS, u are sooo right about everything u said before and what u said just now (i'm new).
Godisinmyheart, have u been reading all the things everyone has been saying? let me sum it up: Dating is BAD! And dading almost always leads to even worse things. It implies sin and we all know this (just look at society, it's chock full o'sin!) I really don't like an americanized version of our sacred coptic laws and rules. we need to hold on to them as firmly as we can, especially in America.
Mark423, u are the man! I agree with every single bit of everything u said. If I were to respond to some of these postings, I would say everything that u previously stated, but that would be a waste of time since everyone has already read them. Your words of wisdom are a refreshing change from some other things I've been hearing lately in church and in society in general. God Bless You! Keep up the right moral thoughts and keep the wisdom coming please.
and why let society get into u? its just like stay slim and thin just because of those movies we watch and have an impact on us. but some tends not to care about them, so just do the same and keep clean and be happy urself :). And no i didnt read what others said. i have my opinion and they got theirs, and all my respect to them :) cause they are really high educated ppl like urself.
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
God Bless
Whoa whoa, you are very sadly mistaken. You just said that there should be no sexual contact. What do you think kissing is; a game of chess? Last time I checked, kissing is a sexual act. Mmhanna said it best… “Dating is BAD!” Kissing only leads to other things just as SMS said. When you give your body a taste of something, it will crave more. If you are in a position where it is okay to feed this craving (married) then its no problem because these urges are natural. But while a person is dating they shouldn't be doing so. An “innocent kiss” is anything but innocent. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin.
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
God Bless
Whoa whoa, you are very sadly mistaken. You just said that there should be no sexual contact. What do you think kissing is; a game of chess? Last time I checked, kissing is a sexual act. Mmhanna said it best… “Dating is BAD!” Kissing only leads to other things just as SMS said. When you give your body a taste of something, it will crave more. If you are in a position where it is okay to feed this craving (married) then its no problem because these urges are natural. But while a person is dating they shouldn't be doing so. An “innocent kiss” is anything but innocent. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin.
Thank you for your kind words mmhanna.
and what happened to self control? if ur a very weak person and u cant control those things, then dont do anything. As long as i know i can control myself, an innocent kiss wont get me no where wrong. Humble opinion, take it or throw it. God bless
Thanx btw... but i still have some more input (of course) dating is just one of those topics that gets me all furious and agravated... and in my opinion, i wish that happened with all teenagers today Being a girl... i have several, and i mean SEVERAL guy friends... older, younger, same age... u name a state or church on the east coast... i'll tell u i know the name of a guy from there before i know a girl... i'm not just telling you this, but i'm trying to reach a point here... guys are meant to be our brothers, nothing more (unless ur 20+ and willing to get married, etc...) but right now, at our age, we dont need to date guys or kiss them or even hold their hands... we just need them to be there for us as our coptic and pure brothers... that's y God put them here and that's why God, i dont want to say destined, but for the sake of not having a thesauraus, i will, put them here so that they may know u and may become ur friend... same goes for girls also. and if u think kissing is innocent... it's not if ur a grl, especially a teenage one, u know how hard it is too control as something as small as a crush! (trust me... i sound mature, but i know wut im talkin bout here; and for those of u that are servants, listen up n ull know wuts wrong with the youth in htis day n age (PLENTY!!!)) so if u cant control something as small as a crush... wut makes u think that stupid darn old devil won't make u think something of an 'innocent kiss' as u say? guys (and grls) are meant to be nothing more but brothers... perhaps best friends... but just try to avoid getting thoughts into ppls heads
GoDiSiNmYhEaRt ... no offense, but i think ur a bit confused... if ur a teen... im sure u know several of ur friends, coptic or not, that had appeared and thought they were strong at first and got caught into the game of dating... and i dont think i have to go into detail of what half of them have done... or wut half of them have lost. Dating is a game... it's written on nearly every profile u c...'dont hate the playa, hate the game'... i mean COMEON NOW AND GROW UP, i dont mean that towards u alone, i mean that towards anybody that thinks dating is right... cause its [glow=red,2,300]WRONG!!![/glow] i dont think i could express my anger here! and as for the ppl who know its wrong, it's hard for them to do the right thing! it's a tough world we're living in now... and it takes coptic grls like us that can tell the difference between a precious heart and a worthless game... to make the difference here... so plz, read wut everybody has read if u havent yet... i know u want to be convinced that dating is right, cause comeon now... dont we all? but face the facts hun... dating is one of the most sinful games in society today... maybe even worse than gambling! cause ur gambling with ur virginity here... and when i say virginity, i mean the pureness of ur heart and mind... not just of ur body... so understand plz and try to convince ur friends even, dating is WRONG WRONG WRONG, if i could come over to wherever u live and prove it to u, i will... but being a teen that doesnt exactly drive yet or have a car... i sorta cant
mmhanna, welcome... im quite new too, but considering i havent been buzy lately, i've been posting things left n right (im a jr member now!!! (obalaq/obaleq)) and society is a chock full o' sin... it takes strong servants to guide us throughout this world... and i hope that ur the kinda ppl to do that! as someones quote says... something like may God guide you to guide me... ull c it
plz reply back if u have any opinions, etc... i dont mean to attack anybody and i hope nobody took anything offensive, its just that we're such a small population in the lands of immigration, but with a powerful message and a strong force, we can spread our word so much i know that sounds very optimistic... but y not? rite?
It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin. Excellent quote mark!
one last thing... we're young, we're hip, n we're crazy... do u seriously wanna miss out on all the fun and worry over some jerk of a guy/grl that u know will end up leaving with some random part of ur heart? excuse me for my language there... but as i said, no thesauraus... and i cnt think of a better word that doesnt sound that bad
Ummmm, I’m gonna take throw it… The devil doesn’t come to you and say “im going to make you sin!” he isn’t straight forward. Nobody commits a sin with intentions of committing a sin. It is something that you get dragged into and manipulated into doing. Your “innocent kiss” will surely lead to other things. No matter how much control you have, you are not more powerful than the devil and won’t be able to overcome the devil on your own. The only way to defeat the devil is to let god into your heart and let him take care of everything. Taking parts in any sexual acts with somebody isn’t the way of god and it isn’t something you should be doing. PERIOD
Good point Mark423... i meant to say that the Devil comes in all looks and shapes and sizes.... it can look good at first, but the outcomes are endless whips of hell (not sure if that last part made sense... but i know u guys understand anywyaz!
The devil doesn’t come out and tell a person that he will make them fall into sin. He makes the sin look appealing, he sugar coats it, and he makes you feel like you’re missing out on something. But in the end, this sin will only lead you towards a downward spiral. This is true for any sin, from an “innocent kiss” to lying to your parents, ect. It might seem insignificant but in truth will lead you away from god. Don’t be fooled by the false joy it brings, it is only followed by sorrow and a feeling of emptiness.
LOL, I don't know what you guys angry about because I'm not angry at all. its just a discussion to be learned from. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and facts. I don't think dating is wrong at all... well if you really think that kissing is gonna get u into other things, then dont do it. u can date without sexual contacting at all. Im sorry, i dont know about you all, but I know im not gonna marry someone I dont know, in order for me to get engaged i have to know the person cause i certainly dont want to destroy my marriage and ending up divorcing which is a sin also.
Who is getting angry?? :D:D you are absolutely correct! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, however it’s sad that so many people are misguided and their opinions are far from right. If you date somebody without any sexual practices, then what’s the idea behind dating them? If there are no sexual actions taking place then how does that separate them from a friend? What’s the point of giving yourself the negative label of “dating” if you these people are nothing more than mere friends?
I have this overwhelming feeling you aren’t Egyptian…
[quote author=Mark423 link=board=1;threadid=22;start=45#msg1157 date=1083456405] Who is getting angry?? :D:D you are absolutely correct! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, however it’s sad that so many people are misguided and their opinions are far from right. If you date somebody without any sexual practices, then what’s the idea behind dating them? If there are no sexual actions taking place then how does that separate them from a friend? What’s the point of giving yourself the negative label of “dating” if you these people are nothing more than mere friends?
I have this overwhelming feeling you aren’t Egyptian…
God bless -Mark
Well I never said i am egyption. :) but close from there ;).
a friend is different, and someone u like is different. ur friend is gonna be ur friend, and u have a feeling of friendship. someone you like, has a different feeling then a friendship feeling. Do you like ur friend as u like some specific girl u will call oneday ur wife? Dating is to get to know someone better, someone u know u gonna spend ur life with. would u risk your life with that? i wouldnt i know that. :)
Please elaborate on this “feeling” that you would have with somebody you’re dating. I think it would be correlated with sexual feelings, which you should try to dismiss and keep away from. Suppressing these feelings is safer at a young age, rather than feeding them and causing them to get stronger.
As I’ve previously posted in another reply, you don’t have to be dating somebody to get to know them. There is nothing wrong with being fond of a person of the opposite sex, but you shouldn’t date them because it will only lead to the things that we previously mentioned.
There is no need to beat a dead horse. I hate to sound like I’m giving up, but like you said; you’re entitled to your opinions and anything you please. I’ll pray that god intercedes and opens your eyes to the negative effects of dating. And I highly recommend that you reread all the posts thoroughly.
GoDiSiNmYhEaRt... without knowing u, ur my beloved sister in Christ Jesus whether u be egy or not, coptic or catholic or WUTEVER... ur existince is still present... no offense or nything, but u r clearly the confused one u r convinced that dating is the proper way to meet ur future and potention husband, and u are quite adamit about it but i do have to ask you, that if u think that kissing and dating is right, that u personally interact with one of us through AIM or e-mail... and not post it up in public to confuse the rest of the youth of this church, because we were raised up to believe that it was wrong, for the several reasons i have listed in previous posts i have read all ur posts and find them clearly contradicting, so i think u should read wut we have said in previous posts and not just follow ur own opinion, because often our own opinions are not right. so if u have not read previous posts, i highly recommend that u do its a shame to c another one of my sisters go down the drain because she feels some immature 'love' for some guy that for all she knows, can be talkin her out for something more than just some relationship... from previous discussions, i understand taht ur a teenager...if ur a teenager, thne theres no need for u to be looking around for some hubby, cause chances are that the man u will marry u may know when u get older, and the chances of u marrying some guy u dated in ur teen years... are very very very unlikely i must say, i have not seen it happen yet, to americans or to egys if ur not egy or coptic, i do not believe i am including any cultural significance when i talk about dating. if u haven't read teh book, i kissed dating goodbye, i also highly recomend that but if ur one of those ppl that r stubborn and convinced ur right, i really really cant help u there because at this point, u need to take the blindfold off of ur eyes and allow the Lord to come into not only ur heart, but ur mind and to allow his light to guide you. May the Lord Bless You in all you do and I wish that He opens Your eyes towards a better and more wise understanding.
[move]Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. Proverbs 27:22[/move]
I hope i have not offended u or anyone else in any way, but as i said... this is a very serious matter for me and i believe for the rest of the Coptic congregation and as i said, even if ur not egyptian, dating is still not recommended for teenagers in the american society... it's looked down upon in our society, yet americans seem to bypass it easily.
Please reply with ur opinion, I'd like to see what you think...but b4 u reply, c wut everyone elses opinion is also
[quote author=SMS link=board=1;threadid=22;start=60#msg1163 date=1083467583] GoDiSiNmYhEaRt... without knowing u, ur my beloved sister in Christ Jesus whether u be egy or not, coptic or catholic or WUTEVER... ur existince is still present... no offense or nything, but u r clearly the confused one u r convinced that dating is the proper way to meet ur future and potention husband, and u are quite adamit about it but i do have to ask you, that if u think that kissing and dating is right, that u personally interact with one of us through AIM or e-mail... and not post it up in public to confuse the rest of the youth of this church, because we were raised up to believe that it was wrong, for the several reasons i have listed in previous posts i have read all ur posts and find them clearly contradicting, so i think u should read wut we have said in previous posts and not just follow ur own opinion, because often our own opinions are not right. so if u have not read previous posts, i highly recommend that u do its a shame to c another one of my sisters go down the drain because she feels some immature 'love' for some guy that for all she knows, can be talkin her out for something more than just some relationship... from previous discussions, i understand taht ur a teenager...if ur a teenager, thne theres no need for u to be looking around for some hubby, cause chances are that the man u will marry u may know when u get older, and the chances of u marrying some guy u dated in ur teen years... are very very very unlikely i must say, i have not seen it happen yet, to americans or to egys if ur not egy or coptic, i do not believe i am including any cultural significance when i talk about dating. if u haven't read teh book, i kissed dating goodbye, i also highly recomend that but if ur one of those ppl that r stubborn and convinced ur right, i really really cant help u there because at this point, u need to take the blindfold off of ur eyes and allow the Lord to come into not only ur heart, but ur mind and to allow his light to guide you. May the Lord Bless You in all you do and I wish that He opens Your eyes towards a better and more wise understanding.
[move]Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. Proverbs 27:22[/move]
I hope i have not offended u or anyone else in any way, but as i said... this is a very serious matter for me and i believe for the rest of the Coptic congregation and as i said, even if ur not egyptian, dating is still not recommended for teenagers in the american society... it's looked down upon in our society, yet americans seem to bypass it easily.
Please reply with ur opinion, I'd like to see what you think...but b4 u reply, c wut everyone elses opinion is also
I never said I was right, and I never said Mark was wrong or right either... till now, no one gave me some good reasons why dating is wrong... all u guys talking about is sexual contact. And like i said, if ur a weak person dont get urself into a thing u dont know what u doing in it. If dating is not the proper way to find ur future husband then which one is the right way? I'm sorry if my opinion is offending u guys, but this is what i think. God bless.
i agree wit SMS n mark....theres not much to add because they pretty much covered it...well wen ur datin sum1, alot of ur time and energy goes into the relationship, u spend alot of time thinkin about the person, etc. in doin this ur takin ur focus away from God...also, u do not really "love" the person...alot of the time "love" is mistaken for "lust".
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall noy fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."(Gal. 5:16-17)
it also takes self control not to date. like others have said, you can get to kno those ppl wen u hang out in groups, plus as a teen u r not goin to meet ur future husband or wife by datin now...u still have a while till u even start thinkin bout marriage. and i kno u are entitled to ur own opinion i juss thought id give u sum more reasons as to why datin is wrong from a christian point of view and i also highly recommend u to read "i kissed dating goodbye" by joshua harris...u dont have to agree wit his ideas, juss gives u a different perspective on datin...well ive bored u guys enough... God Bless..& please pray fer me
Godisinmyheart, my friend, we have given an abundance of reasons why dating is wrong. I strongly suggest that you read all the posts on this thread! They may be long, but will be highly beneficial for you. God Bless -Mark
Comments
just hope everyone has enough patience to read it all... lol
How does that sound? ???
and the shameful part is that once they've forgetten... it's hard for even their teenage friends to pull them out of this trap... any suggestions would be very helpful...
it's such a loss to the coptic community that it's next generation is falling withing the devils trap
but since none of us are malakia, then none of us should date
(again, it was directed towards youth...)
What are the Coptic views on dating. I am very interested.
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
God Bless
Do you mean for older couples that are preparing the engagement process, or young lost youth that can easily fall into the trap of sexual sin?
Just as a little reminder... how many couples have you known in your lifetime that have reached stages beyond kissing? and what are the chances of a couple staying 'clean'?
Dating leads to temptation and lustful thoughts... so why place yourself in that situation?
I have known some couple ppl who didnt even kiss. and i know many who went beyond the border lines.
This is were self control comes and plays role. and may be god is testing u, who knows. u should know whats right and whats wrong to do so.
I mean love is greater then anyone can ever expect it to be, and if two ppl dont know each other well enough and end up divorcing, thats what i call a sin.
Just my humble opinion.
god bless
(and sadly, some of us are proud of it)
i agree with you about love is greater than anyone can ever expect it to be... afterall, its the greatest gift... right? but it can only exist between older couples...thank God!
gottia... n no offense to us teens being a different creation... we are! ;)
(and sadly, some of us are proud of it)
i agree with you about love is greater than anyone can ever expect it to be... afterall, its the greatest gift... right? but it can only exist between older couples...thank God!
well u see im a teenager myself lol so doesnt offend me much lol.
Love can also exist between young ppl, but it depends on how serious you are and how mature.. cause that small love can develope over years to a bigger love just like what happened with my parents :)
btw u r a very mature guy/ girl keep it up.
God bless
Godisinmyheart, have u been reading all the things everyone has been saying? let me sum it up: Dating is BAD! And dading almost always leads to even worse things. It implies sin and we all know this (just look at society, it's chock full o'sin!) I really don't like an americanized version of our sacred coptic laws and rules. we need to hold on to them as firmly as we can, especially in America.
Mark423, u are the man! I agree with every single bit of everything u said. If I were to respond to some of these postings, I would say everything that u previously stated, but that would be a waste of time since everyone has already read them. Your words of wisdom are a refreshing change from some other things I've been hearing lately in church and in society in general. God Bless You! Keep up the right moral thoughts and keep the wisdom coming please.
but some tends not to care about them, so just do the same and keep clean and be happy urself :).
And no i didnt read what others said.
i have my opinion and they got theirs, and all my respect to them :) cause they are really high educated ppl like urself.
God bless
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
God Bless
Whoa whoa, you are very sadly mistaken. You just said that there should be no sexual contact. What do you think kissing is; a game of chess? Last time I checked, kissing is a sexual act. Mmhanna said it best… “Dating is BAD!” Kissing only leads to other things just as SMS said. When you give your body a taste of something, it will crave more. If you are in a position where it is okay to feed this craving (married) then its no problem because these urges are natural. But while a person is dating they shouldn't be doing so. An “innocent kiss” is anything but innocent. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin.
Thank you for your kind words mmhanna.
[quote author=GoDiSiNmYhEaRt link=board=1;threadid=22;start=30#msg1112 date=1083383929]
Well i dont know about Coptic views, but i know about christianity... there is nothing wrong with dating as long as the couples keep it as a clean relationship and no sexual contact between the two, i mean kisses are no big deal. but other things i dont believe in it.
God Bless
Whoa whoa, you are very sadly mistaken. You just said that there should be no sexual contact. What do you think kissing is; a game of chess? Last time I checked, kissing is a sexual act. Mmhanna said it best… “Dating is BAD!” Kissing only leads to other things just as SMS said. When you give your body a taste of something, it will crave more. If you are in a position where it is okay to feed this craving (married) then its no problem because these urges are natural. But while a person is dating they shouldn't be doing so. An “innocent kiss” is anything but innocent. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin.
Thank you for your kind words mmhanna.
and what happened to self control? if ur a very weak person and u cant control those things, then dont do anything.
As long as i know i can control myself, an innocent kiss wont get me no where wrong.
Humble opinion, take it or throw it.
God bless
dating is just one of those topics that gets me all furious and agravated... and in my opinion, i wish that happened with all teenagers today
Being a girl... i have several, and i mean SEVERAL guy friends... older, younger, same age... u name a state or church on the east coast... i'll tell u i know the name of a guy from there before i know a girl... i'm not just telling you this, but i'm trying to reach a point here... guys are meant to be our brothers, nothing more (unless ur 20+ and willing to get married, etc...) but right now, at our age, we dont need to date guys or kiss them or even hold their hands... we just need them to be there for us as our coptic and pure brothers... that's y God put them here and that's why God, i dont want to say destined, but for the sake of not having a thesauraus, i will, put them here so that they may know u and may become ur friend... same goes for girls also.
and if u think kissing is innocent... it's not
if ur a grl, especially a teenage one, u know how hard it is too control as something as small as a crush! (trust me... i sound mature, but i know wut im talkin bout here; and for those of u that are servants, listen up n ull know wuts wrong with the youth in htis day n age (PLENTY!!!)) so if u cant control something as small as a crush... wut makes u think that stupid darn old devil won't make u think something of an 'innocent kiss' as u say? guys (and grls) are meant to be nothing more but brothers... perhaps best friends... but just try to avoid getting thoughts into ppls heads
GoDiSiNmYhEaRt ... no offense, but i think ur a bit confused... if ur a teen... im sure u know several of ur friends, coptic or not, that had appeared and thought they were strong at first and got caught into the game of dating... and i dont think i have to go into detail of what half of them have done... or wut half of them have lost. Dating is a game... it's written on nearly every profile u c...'dont hate the playa, hate the game'... i mean COMEON NOW AND GROW UP, i dont mean that towards u alone, i mean that towards anybody that thinks dating is right... cause its [glow=red,2,300]WRONG!!![/glow] i dont think i could express my anger here! and as for the ppl who know its wrong, it's hard for them to do the right thing! it's a tough world we're living in now... and it takes coptic grls like us that can tell the difference between a precious heart and a worthless game... to make the difference here... so plz, read wut everybody has read if u havent yet... i know u want to be convinced that dating is right, cause comeon now... dont we all? but face the facts hun... dating is one of the most sinful games in society today... maybe even worse than gambling! cause ur gambling with ur virginity here... and when i say virginity, i mean the pureness of ur heart and mind... not just of ur body... so understand plz and try to convince ur friends even, dating is WRONG WRONG WRONG, if i could come over to wherever u live and prove it to u, i will... but being a teen that doesnt exactly drive yet or have a car... i sorta cant
mmhanna, welcome... im quite new too, but considering i havent been buzy lately, i've been posting things left n right (im a jr member now!!! (obalaq/obaleq)) and society is a chock full o' sin... it takes strong servants to guide us throughout this world...
and i hope that ur the kinda ppl to do that!
as someones quote says... something like may God guide you to guide me... ull c it
plz reply back if u have any opinions, etc...
i dont mean to attack anybody and i hope nobody took anything offensive, its just that we're such a small population in the lands of immigration, but with a powerful message and a strong force, we can spread our word so much
i know that sounds very optimistic... but y not? rite?
It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothes that will only cause you to fall into more sin.
Excellent quote mark!
one last thing... we're young, we're hip, n we're crazy... do u seriously wanna miss out on all the fun and worry over some jerk of a guy/grl that u know will end up leaving with some random part of ur heart? excuse me for my language there... but as i said, no thesauraus... and i cnt think of a better word that doesnt sound that bad
The devil doesn’t come to you and say “im going to make you sin!” he isn’t straight forward. Nobody commits a sin with intentions of committing a sin. It is something that you get dragged into and manipulated into doing. Your “innocent kiss” will surely lead to other things. No matter how much control you have, you are not more powerful than the devil and won’t be able to overcome the devil on your own. The only way to defeat the devil is to let god into your heart and let him take care of everything. Taking parts in any sexual acts with somebody isn’t the way of god and it isn’t something you should be doing. PERIOD
May God bless you and guide you
-Mark
(not sure if that last part made sense... but i know u guys understand anywyaz!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and facts.
I don't think dating is wrong at all... well if you really think that kissing is gonna get u into other things, then dont do it. u can date without sexual contacting at all.
Im sorry, i dont know about you all, but I know im not gonna marry someone I dont know, in order for me to get engaged i have to know the person cause i certainly dont want to destroy my marriage and ending up divorcing which is a sin also.
God bless, and also cool down ;).
I have this overwhelming feeling you aren’t Egyptian…
God bless
-Mark
Who is getting angry?? :D :D you are absolutely correct! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, however it’s sad that so many people are misguided and their opinions are far from right. If you date somebody without any sexual practices, then what’s the idea behind dating them? If there are no sexual actions taking place then how does that separate them from a friend? What’s the point of giving yourself the negative label of “dating” if you these people are nothing more than mere friends?
I have this overwhelming feeling you aren’t Egyptian…
God bless
-Mark
Well I never said i am egyption. :) but close from there ;).
a friend is different, and someone u like is different.
ur friend is gonna be ur friend, and u have a feeling of friendship.
someone you like, has a different feeling then a friendship feeling.
Do you like ur friend as u like some specific girl u will call oneday ur wife?
Dating is to get to know someone better, someone u know u gonna spend ur life with. would u risk your life with that? i wouldnt i know that.
:)
As I’ve previously posted in another reply, you don’t have to be dating somebody to get to know them. There is nothing wrong with being fond of a person of the opposite sex, but you shouldn’t date them because it will only lead to the things that we previously mentioned.
There is no need to beat a dead horse. I hate to sound like I’m giving up, but like you said; you’re entitled to your opinions and anything you please. I’ll pray that god intercedes and opens your eyes to the negative effects of dating. And I highly recommend that you reread all the posts thoroughly.
God Bless You
-Mark
Then i think ppl should just get married without an engagment either, because it is exactly like dating too.
anyways u dont need to reply. but i had fun discussing that with u.
God bless u and take care
no offense or nything, but u r clearly the confused one
u r convinced that dating is the proper way to meet ur future and potention husband, and u are quite adamit about it
but i do have to ask you, that if u think that kissing and dating is right, that u personally interact with one of us through AIM or e-mail... and not post it up in public to confuse the rest of the youth of this church, because we were raised up to believe that it was wrong, for the several reasons i have listed in previous posts
i have read all ur posts and find them clearly contradicting, so i think u should read wut we have said in previous posts and not just follow ur own opinion, because often our own opinions are not right.
so if u have not read previous posts, i highly recommend that u do
its a shame to c another one of my sisters go down the drain because she feels some immature 'love' for some guy that for all she knows, can be talkin her out for something more than just some relationship...
from previous discussions, i understand taht ur a teenager...if ur a teenager, thne theres no need for u to be looking around for some hubby, cause chances are that the man u will marry u may know when u get older, and the chances of u marrying some guy u dated in ur teen years... are very very very unlikely
i must say, i have not seen it happen yet, to americans or to egys
if ur not egy or coptic, i do not believe i am including any cultural significance when i talk about dating.
if u haven't read teh book, i kissed dating goodbye, i also highly recomend that
but if ur one of those ppl that r stubborn and convinced ur right, i really really cant help u there because at this point, u need to take the blindfold off of ur eyes and allow the Lord to come into not only ur heart, but ur mind and to allow his light to guide you.
May the Lord Bless You in all you do and I wish that He opens Your eyes towards a better and more wise understanding.
[move]Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. Proverbs 27:22[/move]
I hope i have not offended u or anyone else in any way, but as i said... this is a very serious matter for me and i believe for the rest of the Coptic congregation
and as i said, even if ur not egyptian, dating is still not recommended for teenagers in the american society... it's looked down upon in our society, yet americans seem to bypass it easily.
Please reply with ur opinion, I'd like to see what you think...but b4 u reply, c wut everyone elses opinion is also
GoDiSiNmYhEaRt... without knowing u, ur my beloved sister in Christ Jesus whether u be egy or not, coptic or catholic or WUTEVER... ur existince is still present...
no offense or nything, but u r clearly the confused one
u r convinced that dating is the proper way to meet ur future and potention husband, and u are quite adamit about it
but i do have to ask you, that if u think that kissing and dating is right, that u personally interact with one of us through AIM or e-mail... and not post it up in public to confuse the rest of the youth of this church, because we were raised up to believe that it was wrong, for the several reasons i have listed in previous posts
i have read all ur posts and find them clearly contradicting, so i think u should read wut we have said in previous posts and not just follow ur own opinion, because often our own opinions are not right.
so if u have not read previous posts, i highly recommend that u do
its a shame to c another one of my sisters go down the drain because she feels some immature 'love' for some guy that for all she knows, can be talkin her out for something more than just some relationship...
from previous discussions, i understand taht ur a teenager...if ur a teenager, thne theres no need for u to be looking around for some hubby, cause chances are that the man u will marry u may know when u get older, and the chances of u marrying some guy u dated in ur teen years... are very very very unlikely
i must say, i have not seen it happen yet, to americans or to egys
if ur not egy or coptic, i do not believe i am including any cultural significance when i talk about dating.
if u haven't read teh book, i kissed dating goodbye, i also highly recomend that
but if ur one of those ppl that r stubborn and convinced ur right, i really really cant help u there because at this point, u need to take the blindfold off of ur eyes and allow the Lord to come into not only ur heart, but ur mind and to allow his light to guide you.
May the Lord Bless You in all you do and I wish that He opens Your eyes towards a better and more wise understanding.
[move]Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. Proverbs 27:22[/move]
I hope i have not offended u or anyone else in any way, but as i said... this is a very serious matter for me and i believe for the rest of the Coptic congregation
and as i said, even if ur not egyptian, dating is still not recommended for teenagers in the american society... it's looked down upon in our society, yet americans seem to bypass it easily.
Please reply with ur opinion, I'd like to see what you think...but b4 u reply, c wut everyone elses opinion is also
I never said I was right, and I never said Mark was wrong or right either... till now, no one gave me some good reasons why dating is wrong... all u guys talking about is sexual contact.
And like i said, if ur a weak person dont get urself into a thing u dont know what u doing in it.
If dating is not the proper way to find ur future husband then which one is the right way?
I'm sorry if my opinion is offending u guys, but this is what i think.
God bless.
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall noy fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."(Gal. 5:16-17)
it also takes self control not to date. like others have said, you can get to kno those ppl wen u hang out in groups, plus as a teen u r not goin to meet ur future husband or wife by datin now...u still have a while till u even start thinkin bout marriage. and i kno u are entitled to ur own opinion i juss thought id give u sum more reasons as to why datin is wrong from a christian point of view and i also highly recommend u to read "i kissed dating goodbye" by joshua harris...u dont have to agree wit his ideas, juss gives u a different perspective on datin...well ive bored u guys enough... God Bless..& please pray fer me
God Bless
-Mark