By Bukola Hameed
Dating as exported from the Western culture and practised in the African soil today is one of the major reasons the spate of rape cases keeps increasing on a daily basis in the society.
This was the position of a family life coach, Pastor Oyalakun JETHRO at the third edition of Oyo Singles and Couples Day organised by Dr Ayo Sanda Ladigbolu of RAMTAQ Development Centre.
The programme which held at Starlight Event Center, Unique, Oyo, according to the convener aims at enlightening singles and couples about relationship concerns.
Pastor Oyalakun however said that dating, according to Wikipedia, is a stage of romantic relationships practised in Western societies… and hence, goes against both African cultural tenets and biblical principles, stressing that erotic, erogenous and amorous moves by the dating partners usually lead to fornication.
Citing from 1 Corinthians 2:9 which says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him”, he affirmed that dating is usually deceitful, in that none of the partners really can tell what the relationship bears tomorrow.
On the correlation between dating and African culture, Pastor Oyalakun reiterated that there’s no any glyph of correlation between the two, as our culture frowns at premarital sex largely occasioned by dating and/or longer period of. courtship. Moreso, scripturally, the Bible is not in support.
He said, “most of the cases of rape in our society today are caused by dating. And that’s why some people in different quarters have thrown their weight behind castration as punishment for any man caught and found guilty of rape”.
