Psychology

Dating refers to the activity where two people share together with the opinion of getting to know each other better on potentially romantic level. People who are said to be dating must have shared several dates together and have made it clear to one another they are interested in more than just friendship, even though the exchanges between them is of friendly nature. Dating essentially is to know someone over an extended period of time to determine if a relationship is something worth pursuing. Most importantly, dating opens up a whole new world of opportunities and responsibilities that we usually do not realize, it also gives us the chance of making a huge impact with little actions in the life of another human being (Kelli, n.d).

On the other hand, mating is the process whereby an individual seeks out another individual with the intention of forming long-term intimate relationship or marriage, but sometimes for casual relationship or just friendship. Human mating is a process that encompasses the social and cultural processes whereby one person may meet another to assess suitability, the courtship process and the process of forming an interpersonal relationship. Some subjects like biology can define mating as the paring of opposite sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation and in social animals it includes the raising of their off springs (Kelli, n.d).

The main similarity between mating and dating is the fact that both promote building of relationships in society and in humanity precisely. They involve learning of one anothers inner being in social matters, and they entail growth of relationships is the parties tend to like each others ways. This is always a resulting conclusion made on each persons mind in the event of seeing each other more often than normal.

In the modern contemporary society the dating patterns have changed and over along period of time they have evolved differently from what used to be there. Today preferences on mate selection have totally changed with the changing global trends coupled with the rampant cultural erosion and loss of traditional values, norms and principles. In the modern society, mate selection is more inclined to material wealth and possession. The concept of comparative advantage has therefore been moved from business to even selection of intimate partners. Today the choice of mates is therefore defined by a persons social class, level of academic performance, amount of money earned on monthly basis, and the like (Kelli, n.d). These values are unlike the traditional times when selection of mates was equally based values, and quality of person. However, today one can date more than three persons in the process of finding the final couple. Before, and according to the traditional times, one was only supposed to identify a partner and date himher through courtship till marriage.

From a religious perspective, the bible does recognize the concept of marriage as a holy contract between a man and a woman. Therefore, in Genesis, 2 24, the bible states that,  at a particular point in time a man shall leave his mother and father and move out to be united with his wife and they shall therefore become one flesh. Marriage is a holy union between two anointed ones. In mate selection the bible holds that each and every man has a rib created for him who shall act as a helper (Kelli, n.d). However, getting a prudent wife or husband we need to pray for Gods guidance in order to make choices. Therefore, having been directed by God on who to marry, then it should be done out of love. Sex should not be practiced outside marriage since this is fornication and adultery. To emphasis on this point the bible states further in Corinthians 13- 4-7, that love is kind and patient. It should wait and it should not therefore delight evil.