A lot of my friends are surprised when they find d out that I give out Christian dating advice.

Many of them don't understand it. They wonder why dating advice for Christians would be any different from any other good advice. After all, Christians face many of the same dating issues as Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and members of any other religious group.

Some Christian dating singles extremely devout, of course, but other ones are quite secular. They come from many different denominations, and have many different interests. Some Christian dating singles want to settle down quickly, while others want a fun fling with someone else raised in their faith.

So the question remains, what makes Christian dating advice different from other forms of advice on dating?

In one sense, nothing. Christian dating advice deals with the same dating romance issues as anything else. Sometimes, it can be more conservative than many other sorts of psychological advice for meeting singles, but it doesn't have to be.

In another sense, however, there is a difference. Christian dating advice tries to draw inspiration and guidance from the Bible. Christians may take on the same lessons as members of another faith at the end of the day, but they like to find them in the proper book.

You see, my devout Christian clients like to link every aspect of their life to biblical teaching. Whether they are buying a home, inviting a neighbor over for dinner, finding a college for their daughter, or doing something else entirely,they like to see what the Bible has to say. By coming up with dating advice for Christian singles, I can help them live their lives according to the teaching of the Bible.

The Bible was written a long time ago, and sometimes it is hard to see the relevance to some current issues such as modern dating. By making dating advice for Christians available, I help people continue on their traditions.

Of course, not all Christians agree on dating protocols. Some Christian singles are very modern, preferring to meet romantic interest in the bar, date multiple partners at the same time, and take a casual approach to love and romance. Most of the people I know who seek out Christian dating advice, however, are more traditional than that.

They see dating advice for Christians as a way to stay away from the modern world and have a more conservative lifestyle. I don't judge. I just try to serve my clients as well as I can.

Whether a secular Christian or religious one, you can draw inspiration about love and relationships from the teachings of the Bible. That is the message that I hope my clients draw at the end of the day.

Tips on safely participating in chat forums

Millions of people go online for a fun break in the day's activities, to talk with people all over the world without leaving home. This venue, the chat forum, has achieved immense popularity with people of all ages and interests.

One of the most popular types of chat forums is the online relationship or dating forum. Both adults and teens are avid participants, hoping to meet that perfect someone online. However, due to the anonymity provided on the net, you need to be aware that some of the people you'll meet may not be who or what they say.

Teens need to be particularly careful, as there are predatory individuals looking for a young person they can mislead and subsequently meet in person, with ill intent. Adults have more experience in social situations, but are still vulnerable. Here are a few pointers to help you screen potential chat friends and find chat forums which result in an enjoyable experience.

When searching out a forum that suits your age group and interests, look at a dozen different ones before you start posting. Get a sense of the people posting by going online at different times, both at day and night. You'll start to notice the regulars who spend a lot of time in the chat room.

Observe how various posters treat new posters. You may see that certain individuals are consistently mean spirited or simply don't have much to say.

On the other hand, you'll find people who have a great sense of humor or usually have something interesting or substantive to chat about with others. You'll also start seeing patterns of conversation which can reveal personality characteristics, both good and bad.

When you've found a chat forum you like, start posting your remarks on a see-what-happens basis. Don't start out with highly personal thoughts. Begin with more general conversation that invites general greetings or opinions.

If someone flames you, just ignore them. These people aren't worth a response.

As you become more familiar with the forum members, it's likely you'll regularly converse with a few. It's a good idea to set up a separate email account to communicate with people from the chat forums. If you give out your regular email, you might end up having to shut it down to avoid a single individual who turned out to be a loser.

If you're a teen and find a few people who seem likable, ask your Mom or Dad to check out their posts and give their opinion too. They've got a few years on you and can give you some insights or spot suspicious people you might miss. If they say so and so is suspicious, ask them why. They'll tell you.

Believe it or not, your parents can help you weed out undesirables. You might even agree!

Using these few precautionary guidelines can help assure fun and friends in chat forums, not a disaster. Keep safe and enjoy.