Evangelical Protestant Dating is Friends with Benefits

I have several blogs. One about traveling, one about singleness, and one about Christiany stuff. Sometimes they all seem to meld together, and I am not sure what to put where. For example, one of my more popular posts on my "travel" blog is about Hipster Christianity. And in general, I think topics of religion and relationships are much more dramatic and heated and therefore, fun to read compared to "Making Travel Videos." Anyway, all that to say: What is Evangelical Protestant dating?

Personally, I have done little to no official "dating," but I have had some, what I would call, significant relationships. So much so, that even though I wasn't necessarily "in an official relationship" it felt like it, looked like it, functioned like it, I even had to end it like it, and THAT IS Evangelical Protestant dating. (Or maybe I'm just crazy.)

I have had this happen to me, and I have a friend who this is also happening to. You talk all the time. You text all the time. You visit each other. You go out on dates and fight about who is going to pay. You meet each other's family. You know each other. But, as my friend explained, you are not crossing and physical boundaries. Meaning, pretty much no kissing and beyond. You might sit close to one another, hold hands while praying, bat eyes at one another, drink together, cry together and hold one another.... But God forbid you use the "D" "G" or "B" words (Dating, girlfriend, or boyfriend), cause that means you have to want to get married and make babies.

Evangelical Protestant dating is friends with benefits.