This is not another talk show where women sit around and discuss things that catch their fancy. Well in some ways it is actually, nothing new under the sun and all that. However, this is different and I promise it’s not just the delightful Scottish accents that you hear when these four ladies start talking either! At the Stark’s Table four women comprised of a sexual health educator, a trained marriage counsellor, preacher/teacher that’s also a pre and post marriage counsellor and a delightful single nineteen-year-old millennial bringing the Gen Z perspective. Emma Stark, Ali McFarlane, Deb Finch and jessie Stark kickstart the first episode with The Dating Game.
The question for the maiden edition was typical and appeared to be
mundane. Are Christians Meant to Date? Some people might wonder what
sort of a question this was and whether it’s worth pursuing at all. When the
ladies start sharing various personal experiences whilst solidly staying
biblically grounded, you’ll see why it is not as blah as you imagined it to be.
Jessie is 19years old and currently studying in Edinburgh and her
description of the dating scene sounds like an excerpt from a really bad B movie.
The club scene in Edinburgh is replete with a lot of date rape drugs, needle
stabbing with date rape drugs, lots of male advances, unsolicited and deeply
inappropriate. In light of this Emma (Jessie’s mom) has bought four rape alarms
and would have bought pepper spray too if it was legal! Furthermore, Jessie discussed
what it meant to be singled out as a pastor’s kid, being in ministry, coming in
and out of relationships, being seen in those relationships and navigating it
all.
The simple question the ladies try to answer is not quite as
simple as it seems. This is because it depends on the lens through which dating
is viewed, because everyone has a different view of what it is exactly. There’s
the one opinion that Christians shouldn’t date, rather they should ‘court’ for
marriage. The other point of view is that you date to gain experience of who
you are and what a relationship is and learn to maneuver life generally this
way. So, do remember this when next this question about whether Christians
should date pops up in conversation, because it is certainly more complicated
than you first thought.
Dating is about choices, choosing and if you wind up marrying that
individual, learning to live with those choices. The dating game is a gift to
discover weaknesses that you otherwise cannot live with. When dating, weaknesses
are not immediately obvious, as people are adept at hiding them. As a result of
this sometimes you might end up having to date for some time. The real issue is
learning how to live with someone’s weakness, and when you figure out how to
accommodate this that’s the crux of the matter.
Watching this episode will be a good investment of your time.
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