I’ve been meaning to tackle this subject for some time. It was reading Tim Fall’s post about the “Purity Culture’s” lists of oppressive rules that finally goaded me into collecting my thoughts.
Although it was on a different subject, Tim’s reminder that we have freedom in Christ also applies to the issue of dating.
Tim cited Colossians 2:20-23:
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
His excellent point was that heaping additional rules (especially when those rules are not against anything sinful) does not keep us from sinning. His explained that the Purity Culture is filled with the “commandments and teachings of men” and relies on list of don’ts rather than the Holy Spirit to lead/teach/convict of sin.
I highly recommend reading his post. But I’d like to build upon that and address a different subject. It is my opinion that those man-made teachings about “purity” affected the larger Christian dating culture negatively. I know other people have shared this view and even written on it before now. Continue reading
