Are Jehovah’s Witnesses allowed to date? (Jehovah’s Witness’ dating and relationships?)

Last year, I was particularly drawn to learning about the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ opinions about dating when one of my students fell in love with one of the members.

He asked me for advice on what he should do because he was unsure if that denomination allowed their members to date.

Although I had learned about the group during my last year at Theology school, I was not so well informed about whether they allow dating and their dating rules, so I could not give good advice without further research.

So, I decided to research by asking their clergy and other Jehovah’s Witness members. After getting the first-hand information, I advised my student accordingly and decided to share this article to help others understand what Jehovah’s Witnesses hold about dating.

So, are Jehovah’s Witnesses allowed to date?

So join me in this article as I write about Jehovah’s Witnesses’ opinions about dating. I will also discuss the relationship rules among Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Read on to find out more.

What are Jehovah’s Witnesses’ opinions about dating?

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that dating should be done between people of different genders because they believe that homosexuality is a sin.

Also, their opinion is that dating is not for leisure, but it should be done with an intention to get married; that is why they have opinions on how dating people should conduct themselves.

People of the opposite gender, especially those who are dating, should not be in the same room, at night, and alone because they explain that they may be tempted to do what is not allowed, i.e., any type of sexual activity.

Jehovah’s Witnesses say involvement in such activity is punishable by being shunned. Also, they believe that just because two people are dating does not mean they can masturbate.

Furthermore, they believe there should not be much touching and caressing, especially in the breast area, among people dating.

Lastly, they believe that dating should only be between people past the youth age where youths are sexually active.

What are the relationship rules among Jehovah’s Witnesses?

One of the rules is said to be that they hold dating with so much seriousness; there is no such thing as dating for fun.

They explain that dating is a process that leads to marriage, which is supposed to be a permanent union. Therefore, the Jehovah’s Witnesses insist that members must be at the right age of marriage for them to start dating.

It is explained that whoever wants to date should have passed the youth age that has the highest sexual desire.

Also, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not allow divorcees to date. It is explained that dating is not for fun but is meant to lead to marriage.

When it comes to divorcees, Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot allow them to remarry because, as they explain, the divorcees were immoral, which led to divorce.

Therefore, since they cannot get married, there is no point in dating.

Also, Jehovah’s Witnesses say that they cannot date people who are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They explain that they take it as a command from God to date from people who share and practice their beliefs.

Also, one of their most strict rules is that parents have a say in their children’s relationship. The parents are said to have the right to decide what age their children should date and what they should do in the relationship.

The explanation is that Jehovah’s Witness applies the commandment that children should obey their parents in dating.

Also, they prohibit any form of sexual activity among people who are dating because it is immoral. Therefore, they advise couples to avoid being in tempting circumstances.

Lastly, many Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that in a relationship, each party should be responsible.

How old do you have to be to start dating a Jehovah’s Witness?

Although there is no exact age to start dating among Jehovah’s Witnesses, they believe that members can start dating at the age when they feel they are ready for marriage.

Since there is no specific age at which someone knows they are ready for marriage, Jehovah’s Witnesses offer guidelines that can help members determine if they are the right age.

First, they ask the members in question to analyze how they relate with other family members and if they can control their anger and such things.

The second thing they believed is necessary is the financial behavior and capacity of the people in question. Lastly, the members are advised to analyze their spiritual attributes.

If the answers are positive, then it is concluded that the member is ready for marriage; therefore, they are at the right age to date.

Can you date someone who is not a Jehovah’s Witness?

Jehovah’s Witnesses are not allowed to date someone who is not a Jehovah’s Witness. They restrict dating and marriages to their faith because they believe that the rest of the people are worldly.

However, according to different Jehovah’s Witnesses, not all Jehovah’s Witness families follow these rules.

Also, they believe that when a person disrespects their parents and goes on to date a non-believer, they are committing the sin of disobeying their parents.

Can Jehovah’s Witness couples go on dates alone?

According to their beliefs about dating, Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot go on dates alone. They believe that there needs to be a chaperon supervising them.

Also, the elders from the church are to guide and counsel the new dating couples, and they make sure to stress that they should not go on dates alone.

The chaperone’s role is to ensure that the couple conducts themselves well so as not to fall into temptation. They explain that when the chaperon is involved, the couple is creating a background that honors Godly marriage.

If the couple is disobedient and decides to go on a date alone, they are to face certain consequences because they consider such behavior as a conscious decision to disregard the church’s rules.

Some of the consequences include being shunned or being reproved privately.