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So you are a Christian Teen and you want some advice about dating. Let's open up the bible to see how the heroes of old handled the dating scene.

We can start with Adam and Eve. After they ate from the tree of knowledge they both realized they were naked from which we can derive the first rule:

1) keep You're clothes on. Sex can wait. don't rush into it. You'll have plenty of time once you get married.

Then there is the other story in Genesis of Lot and his wife. God told Lot's wife not to look back at the city of Sodom which he was destroying. She did and she was turned into a pillar of salt. Which makes the second rule:

2) Don't be stupid, if you are having sex wear a condom. You don't want to be pregnant and you don't want syphilis.

The same story of Sodom is often seen as a warning against homosexuality. So rule number 3 would logically be:

3) Only have sex with women.

However in the ten commandments it says: "Love thy brother". Maybe we'd better forget rule number three and make a new one.

Moving right along there is the story of Jacob who wanted to marry the youngest daughter of Laban, but after seven years of working he was tricked into marrying the oldest. He eventually married the younger one too. Which leads us to the following rules.

3) Buyer beware. Make sure you're with the right person before you commit to anything.

4) Don't even think about it, that's illegal nowadays. Kids today, I mean really.

Then there is the story of Samson and Delilah. He told her his weakness and he ended up blind and being crushed by a building. So to recap:

5) Wear a cup, oh and again a condom.

Then there is king David. He put his best soldier in mortal danger, because he was in love with his wife and when the soldier died he made the wife his own. Maybe what we can learn from this is:

6) Don't be jealous of other peoples' girlfriends. (by the way David got his comeuppance)

Then there is of course the song of songs from which we learn one thing:

7) Be passionate

Oh, and then going back a bit to Exodus there is the story of Rachel the Whore who helped the scouts of Joshua conquer Jericho. What we can learn from this is maybe:

8) Don't judge a book by its covers. There might be more to certain woman than you think.

As you can see the bible is full of great advice about dating. Things happen you can't predict and no set of rules can make them go away. Be smart and be careful and follow your heart.

Oh, and if you think abstinence helps, ask Mary. We all no what came out of that story. We celebrate it every year.

Learn more about this author, Joost Steffensen.
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