For many Irish Christians, the goal of dating is to find a lasting relationship with someone who shares the same values. At EliteSingles, we understand that the happiness that such a match can bring, which is why we aim to provide a dating platform that can help Christian singles connect, emotionally, spiritually, and for the long-term.
Christian dating in Ireland
Considering that Ireland boasts the one of highest percentages of practising Christians in Europe,1 there is no shortage of Irish singles keen to find a compatible Christian partner. Yet, although millions of Irish men and women identify with the faith, the Christian dating pool can still seem limited. Indeed, these days it can be surprisingly difficult to find a partner who shares your values, let alone an Irish man or woman who you actually want to date!
Christian blogger Rebecca Vandemark (33), who says that “my partner’s faith is the most important aspect when considering who I date,” thinks that part of the complexity of Christian dating is age, saying that the “church is not equipped to handle singles over the age of twenty-five.”2 Christian author Carrie Lloyd (34) agrees, adding that gender can also come into play. She says “not every Christian may have access to a healthy community of single Christians. There appears to be more men to women in the ratio of singles so there can be a sense of competition or futility in pursuing dating in the church.” But, says Carrie, all is not lost. In fact, ”we can take the matter into our own hands.”3
Taking the search for love online
One powerful way to do this is to head online to find a suitable partner. Indeed, many Irish Christians are now turning to the internet to find a long-term, spiritually-connected mate. In the words of Jenell Paris, social anthropologist at Messiah College; “Christians should look online for dates…because that’s where the people are!”5
Truly, online dating for Christians does make sense. Not only does the creation of a personalised profile allow a chance to be upfront about the importance of God in one’s life, various matching systems mean that singles are free to actively seek someone who has similar priorities. This means that those you do meet will already be singing from the same hymn-sheet: wonderful news for those who wish to live a Godly life and thus don’t want to bother with those who are less active. After all, as many spiritually-minded Irish singles could tell you, there is a big difference between being a ‘cultural’ Christian and actually being a follower of Christ.
For Irish singles in the second camp, online dating is the smart way to seek lasting love. Wherever you are in Ireland from Donegal to Cork why not start your journey with EliteSingles today?
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Irish singles who share your values
”Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” – 1 Corinthians 13:7
Christian dating can indeed require belief, forbearance, endurance, and above all, hope. Hope you’ll meet someone who shares your dreams of mindful, Christ-filled life; someone who may not be perfect but who is perfect for you. Happily, online dating is one way to make these dreams a reality.
Indeed, sites like EliteSingles let you get very specific about what compatibility means for you, enabling you to find someone with whom you can build a truly rewarding life. For those serious about finding long-term love, such shared values are worth going this extra mile for. Rebecca Vandemark agrees, saying ”because my faith is at the central part of who I am I need to be able to share that with my partner.”
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Dating with marriage in mind
“As God by creation made two of one, so again by marriage He made one of two.” – Thomas Adam
Singles like Rebecca Vandemark, whose own ”heart longs to be married,’ will agree that marriage remains the ultimate goal of Christian dating. As it happens, such goals are well suited to EliteSingles. After all, our members tend to date with long-term commitment in mind.
Moreover, research by Harvard and Chicago universities has shown that dating online can provide a firm basis for marital success, with lower divorce rates and higher satisfaction levels than those who meet by traditional means.5 Internet dating has also proven effective for religious couples, with research revealing success rates of marriage using Christian dating services to be 10% higher than the average.
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Finding happiness together
”So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13
Carrie Lloyd says “my faith decides my core values. My core values are the epicentre to how I live my life, so faith in the other person bonds that spiritual connection.” Indeed, a purposeful, Godly meeting of minds is one of the most precious things about dating as a Christian.
Yet, true compatibility does involve more than just sharing a belief system. This is why EliteSingles matches you based on more than just your values: we also take life goals, locations in Ireland and personalities into account, giving you the best chance to discover lasting love with us. If you’re looking to build a life with someone who shares your hopes and dreams, join EliteSingles today.
Sources:
1 Christianity by Country: Wikipedia statistics taken from various censuses. Found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_by_country, accessed 25.02.14
2 Rebecca Vandemark is a Christian blogger and author at http://www.caravansonnet.com/. All of her quotes are from an exclusive EliteSingles interview, 2013.
3 Carrie Lloyd is a Christian relationship expert from http://herglassslipper.co.uk. All of her quotes are from an exclusive EliteSingles interview, 2013.
4 Jenell Williams Paris: Christianity Today: Is Online Dating for Christians, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/october/online-dating-christians.html, 2011.
5 Cacioppo, J.T., Cacioppo, S., Gonzaga, G.C., Ogburn, E.L., and VanderWeele, T.J. ‘Marital satisfaction and break-ups differ across on-line and off-line meeting venues’, PNAS. 2013.
6 Croucher, R. (2010). ‘Christian Dating Sites’. Published online on jmm.org.au
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