Well perhaps not entirely, but I am becoming very wary of a certain side-effect inherrent in the rapidly-becoming-a-popular-norm-in-Christian-circles courtship/serious dating perspective. Wishing to eschew the casual dating philosophy of the world in order to stand apart and remain pure (in the intimacy sense), many single Christians are either accepting for themselves or being prompted into accepting a different, more "Christian" way of pursuing a mate. This newfangled approach may consist of anything from full-blown courtship ritual (wherein potential couples might meet together only in the presence and at the whim of the girl's parents) to simply a more stringently commitment-based dating relationship (that is, dating wherein potential marriage always looms heartily in the forefront of the relationship). All well and good. I suppose. When it works out. But I have a growing suspicion that there is an uncounted danger lurking just below the surface of these approaches. I think that when the Christian scorns casual dating, he both gives up on a helpful tool for finding a mate with whom he might well match and places himself in a position by which he can more easily choose poorly. So, I suppose I ought to explain this.