“I’m seeing this new guy,” my friend told me on the phone. “And I told him right up front that I’ve taken a vow of purity until I’m wearing a wedding ring.”

“What did he say?”

“He agreed and said that’s exactly what he’s decided, too.”

I was a little skeptical. If I had a dime for all the guys I’ve dated in the past who agreed with me completely using their words but then lived out something else—especially when it came to sexual purity—I’d be retired on a Tahitian beach right now, sipping non-alcoholic pina coladas. Okay, I exaggerated a bit to make a point, but I could at least afford the pina colada!

Now, please understand. I’m not singling out guys as being the only insincere singles … I know it happens plenty on both sides. But hearing her tell me about the conversation with her new guy brought back memories of Matt, the guy I met online and dated for a few months, if you can call cross-country get-togethers “dates.”

Right from the start, I spilled out many of my spiritual convictions, including my plans to keep myself pure until marriage. And he so perfectly agreed with everything I revealed to him. I thought to myself, Wow, this guy seems really strong in his faith. I can’t believe how much alike we are spiritually. We have all the important things in common.

Time went by, and I noticed at some point that he wasn’t coming up with any original spiritual thoughts or opinions. It did seem a little weird that we didn’t disagree about any theology issues, large or small, which doesn’t even happen in my own family! Instead, everything I said would be answered by these annoying echoes on the phone, “Uh huh. Yep, I agree … that’s just what I think, too. …” 

Doesn’t this guy have any of his own convictions?

As it happened, he had plenty of his own under-the-surface ideas about dating, but none of them jived with mine. Instead of being upfront with me about how we were different and moving on to find a gal who was better suited to him (which would have been a lot less trouble for both of us), he merely strung me along, telling me what I wanted to hear. The best reason I can figure was so that he could get what he wanted from me, which included sex. I know this because, as early as the first time we got together, he was pushing me already, despite our many conversations to the contrary. So much for all his earlier heartfelt declarations. I also think he was looking to fill up emotional holes, and he was willing to put up with me and my convictions in order to not be alone.

Lessons Learned

I learned some valuable lessons from Matt and others like him in my single days. There are many people who call themselves Christians, but don’t really live any differently than the rest of the world. When you date them, they are good at telling you what you want to hear, instead of being honest and upfront about their intentions and values. Afraid of being alone or not getting what they want (like sex), they pretend to be something they’re not.