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Dating Vs. Courting


catholic3in1

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PhuturePriest

The difference between dating and courting is really just what you define as "dating". Both mean different things to different people. To some, dating represents just having fun and being with someone for the sake of it, whereas courting is a serious relationship where the end goal is marriage. It's really a matter of opinion.

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The definitions of the two given by futurepriest are what they're generally presented as within Catholic/Christian culture. From my perspective (and I don't think that Catholic teaching/judgment would disagree with me, if not agree to a degree) one is necessarily better than the other. The quality of either really depends upon those involved more than the methods of finding a mate themselves. I don't believe that anyone dates with no intention of finding someone with whom they would like to spend the rest of his or her life, even outside of Catholicism/Christianity at large (the practice of having limitless romantic encounters more suitably called "hooking up"). One may call dating a method of finding a mate that is more "modern", with which I would agree and wouldn't necessarily think a bad thing. With the effects that industrialization and urbanization has had on the world, I think it naturally grew out of the older tradition of courting. Courting, in addition to the definition futurepriest gave, is more old fashioned and is rooted in the tradition of not only two individuals coming together to become one, but of two families coming together to form one family. As far as I can see, that generally isn't something facilitated by today's culture as it's more rooted in the idea of the nuclear "immediate" family and then exterior, not-so-connected-yet-acknowledged "extended" family rather than just "family".   

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FutureCarmeliteClaire

I don't care what you call it as long as you have a chaste relationship, have the intent of getting married, and make your relationship about God and family, not sexuality.

My two cents.

But as for the definitions among popular Catholic culture, I'd say courting. That's the kind of relationship I'd want to have if the time comes.

Edited by FutureCarmeliteClaire
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I don't care what you call it as long as you have a chaste relationship, have the intent of getting married, and make your relationship about God and family, not sexuality.

 

Mostly this. I am not sure I could see dating someone long term whom I was completely not sexually attracted to at any point, since that is how babies are made (after you say yes and see a priest about a wedding of course).  God has to come first in a relationship, or the relationship isn't right.  I figure asking sometimes if this is the kind of guy I want to be the father of my children is probably a good thing.

Edited by Light and Truth
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  • 3 weeks later...
Spem in alium

I don't care what you call it as long as you have a chaste relationship, have the intent of getting married, and make your relationship about God and family, not sexuality.


Pretty much this, with a few more things considered.

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Dating will win, because when Courting starts to say "Very well, let's step outside," Dating will sucker punch Courting right in the throat.

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Well, The definitions of these two words should indicate such. Even with the most common definitions.

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