Through research for the highest good of our members, we felt it was important to give strong consideration to these items. On-line dating brings technological advancement to our fingertips, but responsibility and awareness is key in all pursuits, spiritually oriented or otherwise. Please pay special consideration to the following:

Consideration #1: Personal Information
If the person is sharing or asking for personal information in the first few meetings, that should be considered seriously. No matter how friendly the person is.

Consideration #2: No solid contact number
The person does not have any solid contact numbers. If any of the following situations sound familiar, be prepared to further investigate and increase alertness:

1. You progressed to contact them over the phone, but the problem is you can't ever reach them!
2. You have to page them for them to call you back. They will call you, but you cannot call them back.
3. They use a separate line. If so, try calling their main line at random times.
4. You can only call during certain periods of time. Again, if this applies to you, try calling at different time periods to see who answers the phone.

Consideration #3: Asks for financial help
Avoid getting into financial trouble by following a simple rule; "don't lend or borrow money".

Consideration #4: The efforts to continue the relationship….
Are you the only one making an effort in adjusting your lifestyle to keep the dating relationship ongoing? Do you notice a lack of effort on other's part? This can be a telltale sign of things to come if you develop an off-line romance.

Consideration #5: Feeling of Insecurity
Is your potential partner overly insecure about your off-line or online activities? Just as in any relationship, a person who is overly insecure about something can end up being an emotionally draining experience.

Consideration #6: Eager to get married
If you think that your potential partner wants to get married prematurely, think about it seriously. His/Her eagerness to marry may be a sign of loneliness, rejection or feelings of resentment toward others.

Consideration #7: Pressure for sex
One of the biggest warning signs while dating is when someone is constantly pressuring the person they are dating to have sex. If your date pushes you to engage in sexual favors, be highly cautious. For additional guiding principles regarding dating and sex see our position paper on Spirituality and Sexuality.

Consideration #8: Reality vs. Fantasy
There are many different viewpoints towards a dating relationship founded through the Internet. To save future hurt and embarrassment, make sure you know your potential partner's philosophies. Do they view an Internet dating as a real relationship, or is it a way to live out a fantasy life? If it's the later, avoid being their latest cyber-fling.

Consideration #9: Provides inconsistent or false information about age, interests, appearance, marital status, profession, employment, etc.

Consideration #10: Fails to provide direct answers to direct questions.

Consideration #11: Appears in person to be significantly different from his or her online persona.

Consideration #12: Never introduces you to friends, professional associates or family members.

Further Reading:

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