SD
I think it is great that you don't want to polarize the group. Unfortunantly it is never those that are on the other side of this polarization that make an issue of it and publically displays their beliefs is it? It is the christians amongst us. I wish this was not so but it is. When was the last time an American indian knocked on your door and tried to pursuade you that watanka was the way to go? Right never. Can you remember the last time a Buddhist pushed his way into your life and tried to force you to believe in reincarnation? That is right never. It didn't happen.
Then what right do you or Monk feel that you have to display christanity or christian 'values' here. I aplologize but I agree whole heartedly with Toad and Spirit. Faith is an excuse to abandon your intellect and I for one don't like being subjected to it. I don't like this, excuse me, nonsense being publically displayed. Leave me out of your fantasies. If you want to talk about how to do something specifically I am your man but there is no place here for religious prosletizing no matter how sideways it is. Next Monk will be telling me that God should bless me.
Please don't think that I am angry because I am not. Neither do I think that you have no right to your views, of course you do. However you have zero rights to bring them here.
The rest of us especially those that have been to FSU know the reality of the situation and these fantasises have no place there. Frankly your chances of finding a woman there with this unrealistic attitude is close to zero. The only hope for you is through some kind of international christian group. I wish both of you well and the best of luck.
Taking self righteous high ground is not a way to win friends and influence people. Especially when the rejection is then morphed into martyrdom. It isn't it is just iritating. I wish you well and I hope you find what you want it will be a bloody miracle but nevertheless good luck.
False prophets...every single one of those trying to corner the market on 'values', 'righteousness' and 'integrity'...
When it's all said and done the only difference between bible thumpers and the rest of us is that the rest of us do not mind that you believe in something different. And we're not threatened by it like you are about our beliefs, diametrically opposed as they very well be.
Please DO follow Izi's suggestion to seek an international christian group to assist you.
Although I have it directly from the horse's mouth that these groups in FSU are not exactly into inviting social interaction with the 'natives'...only 'winning their souls into the kingdom'.
Aren't there enough good christian american girls in your local churches to satisfy your needs and goals??????
I gotta tell the truth. When I attended church,I often went with women on my mind,and I know that God probably didn`t intend for me to pick up women at church. Often church people are just as messed up,and especially need the congregation to help stimulate their belief system. But remember it really only takes 2 people to form a congregation-and the church is the house of God whether it is in a building,or out among the stars,talking about watanka-the great mystery. I really do think it is good for children to learn some social skills and values through church. And although I do not attend,I would go with my family. I would go to Catholic mass with my mama,because I love her enough that I respect the beliefs that are important to her. Just as I would more then likely go with an Orthodox woman to services if this helped her to feel supported and loved by me. It is not good to close your mind off to the great mystery. It is there that we were formed,and there we will return. My life has been an incredible series of "baby step" revelations,and maybe a couple of seismic impressions. I feel fortunate for this,although I am impatient for breakthroughs in thinking. Whatever you might think or believe --may the woman of your dreams be at the same level of belief as you!!
Honestly, it is surprising to me to hear that the only way to marry one of these ladies is to have sex with her first. Maybe that is the case. I don't know as I am new to trying to meet these ladies and get to know them. I am still learning about FSU and the ladies who live there. I am not advocating my plan for anyone else. I am just sharing my story, opinions and my realities.
I am divorced and I tried the sex before marriage method. I got lots of great sex before marriage and shortly into the marriage. But, the sex clouded my judgement and I ended up marrying someone who was good at using sex to manipulate, control, and obtain her objectives. Once her monetary objectives were achieved she was on to the next guy. I am not suggesting all women are like my ex. But, I did try the sex before marriage way and ended up with a pretty bad result. Again I am just sharing my results. Yours may be completely different.
I don't consider myself to be better than anyone else. I'm just on this forum to learn, share, and discuss the whole ladies from FSU experience with other guys going through the same thing. Please don't let my story offend. But, it is my story and my experience.
Continuing to share should be interesting. You may get to see me crash and burn and say I told you so. Maybe the FSU isn't the right place for me to meet the right lady for me but I still want to give it a shot.
I was just trying to give SD some support, I was not trying to annoy anybody, I understand we all have different backgrounds and see things from a different perspective, I respect each of your opinions and would be glad to listen to anyone.
D
Don't worry we are just a bunch of loud mouths. Do what you see to be right man.
You mustn't confuse American women with Russian women though. Your story is common among western women. The Russkies on the other hand have a different perspective. I am not going to labor the point but we all know that there is a shortage of men in FSU. Reduce the pool even further by alcoholism, disrespect and an inability to support a family. To boot their desire is not even genuinely there. The end result is a bunch of women that don't quite have the choices that their western sisters enjoy. Yes they want sex but with the right guy during the 'courtship' process. Although from what I can make out if a trip to St Petersburg or Kiev results in a virgin experience there is something wrong somewhere.
So besides a certain urgency on the womens part we have an accelerated process from our point of view. You can't ask her out to the movies on Saturday night then gradually get to feel comfortable with her and then the big one elizabeth. No, we are on the fast track. We write, we call, we visit for 2 weeks. We get laid!
Once sex has taken place, at least for me, a certain comfort zone is achieved. Now you really know one another. It is the ultimate intimacy. Everything speeds up at that point and you draw more close. They are trying to achieve the same thing we are and sex is part of that. It is not against the universal moral code whatever that is.
Another factor is that they really expect a man to be a man and that means proving it.
Look, Sunday I had a long conversation with my new friend Elena. It was the first time we had talked. I didn't ask her what her favorite color was we talked about English classes and what she expects from a man. How she will make a living in the USA and what difficulties would be faced by her son going to school, what will it take to look after her mother. Fast track right? Sex is part of that. We didn't speak of it but it is understood.
If you went out with an American woman the first date you definitely would not talk about life insurance, right? However with a Russian woman it can happen. Because we are in a special situation. I remember having this exact conversation with Marina. This is not the normal way of courting a woman. In many ways it is much better. As far as I am concerned it clears out the bullshit very early on.
Again sex is part of that. They don't have the inhibitions that a western woman has. Life is too short. Let us get on with it, I want to see how you are in bed, can you support a family. Will you be faithful, are you a drinker. This stuff happens rapidly. Fast track SD. If you try to do the coy lets wait and see kind of thing you will destroy much of the joy and spontenaity of this whole process. No doubt she will walk and probably think you are gay. You often see in profiles that they look for a real man. I have been told this on the phone and in letters and also to my face. Well when they talk about a real man they are not refering to your abilty to assemble WalMart bought book shelves!!
Many of these women lived for a good chunk of their lives under an oppressive communist regime. Now they are free and they see what happens in the west and they want a piece of that. You don't see hordes of western women vieing for the attentions of Russian men. No, it doesn't work in reverse. They are coming in and eating the western womans lunch.
Too bad as far as I am concerned. They asked for it because of the very things that happened to you.
In a way they have gone to an extreme. They seem to want to experience life and honesty and yes SEX. Why do you think they use the pictures they do? They want to attract you. They use what they have - their bodies. To my mind this is far more normal than the western womans approach. Yes I will wear this tight dress and low cut bra because it pleases me. Rubbish it is to get mens blood pumping. To turn men on. Russian women go for it, they don't screw around, they are more honest. They know exactly what they are doing. No pretense. You should see the nightclubs SD. These are ordinary women that bump and grind like grade A hookers. They are waaaay more sexy than American women. They know what they got and they use it baby.
As regards Russian christanity i.e. orthodoxy, don't get confused. Marina and I and some others discussed this. Their viewpoint (and Elenas as well) is not necessararily a christian one in the strict sense. The church is very mystical. Dare I mention Rasputin? I went to many churches and attended services. It was beautiful. I am not a christian. I have eastern beliefs but it didn't matter. The icons are no different from the Kuan Yins I have. Marina would make sure that when we left the church we did not touch anybody because of transference of bad energies.
Therefore do not expect that because a Russian woman says that she is orthodox that she will share your western christian beliefs. You might both believe the same basic story but their viewpoint is far more earthy and ancient. Sex is not affected by this. A Russian woman's christianity is quite different to an American woman's christianity. They have quite different roots.
Can we say schism? How about gnostic?
They have nothing to do with the western, tight assed, southern baptist, bible thumping, Jimmy Swaggert crying, over hair sprayed, tele evangelising, AMERICAN version of christianity. They are two different things. They are waaaaay more feeling and a lot less, in fact nonexistant, preachy.
The thought of not sleeping with their possibly future husband because of religious reasons will seem bizarre to them. Marina would have laughed at the thought. And she was very Russian orthodox.
SD you really need to go over there. Keep an open mind and remember that these women are not from Idaho or Alabama. They are very, very different.
I am going to shu
Thanks Izi, I appreciate your taking the time to explain your position and I definitly respect it and you for sharing it. I have been on here a little over a month and have learned a lot from you and the others. I regret that i did not join in sooner but just jumped in with both feet, again I was just trying to give SD some support. I will say that I will keep you informed on the progress I make on my search and what the reaction is to it. I hope I did not offend anyone that was never my intention. I must say though as a central Florida native I was tempted to take take offence at your comment about living in a trailer park there. According to James Carville, Clinton picked up some of his best trash in a central Florida trailer park.
I seem to recall meeting a westerner who had married a 47 year old Russian lady who had NEVER had sex. Not all the women are bonking for Breshnev.
Test the waters for yourself, SD. If you state what you are looking for clearly in your profile and letters and women respond, then you have your answer.
Monk
I also live in Florida and although I don't remember exactly what I said I think it has been misinterpreted. Basically I don't want to live in central Florida in a trailer. That is pretty much it. Yeah there is trailer trash but you don't have to go to Central Florida for that we have that right here in Broward County.
No what I was referring to is living in a single wide eeking out an existence on social security. That is the only way that could have been mentioned. Nope, I am off to the far east or even Russia for retirement.
Actually, prior to getting involved in all this one of my possible plans was to buy a small used motorhome and live deep in the Ocala National Forest on a private bit of land that my friend owns. We have discussed this at length and I am welcome there any time I want to go. He will never sell it. It is my retirement bolthole. Hopefully I can do better.
Franks and Beans :)))
Soccer,
NOBODY here (except Annika, perhaps) will kick you when you're down if you happen to crash and burn after trying to find, meet, love and marry any woman from any nearby planetary system.
We're more likely to go at other's throats sometimes about our obnoxiuos ideas or beliefs, even if we try doing it a teasing manner most of the time.
Believe whatever floats your boat and choose the most suitable aproach to reach these beauties.
And give yourself all the credit in the world when you succeed and accept the full burden of the responsibility if and when you fail.
What I do not agree at all with you or do not completely understand is the concept that avoiding premarital sex can and/or will prevent you from falling victim to the type of woman who will intentionally manipulate sex once you're hitchted.
That can happen to anyone no matter what kind of sex life you both choose before you get married.
Monk,
You did not offend anyone, no matter how much I may disagree with your ideas or beliefs. We're all thick skinned here...(or we better be to put up with this crowd..:)
I might as well weigh in here. Dale recollects me in another thread to be a church Deacon; actually am pastor of an evangelical church. Been here at fiance.com 1.5 years, with a 3 week visit to my Lucy in Moldova under my belt (Nov.) Am headed back next week for about a three week visit.
We will be making wedding plans for October or Nov. I found a wonderful woman, together we share the same hopes, dreams, values and purposes in life. She is of course Orthodox, but she is thrilled at the prospect of being a 'pastor's wife'. If faith and religion are important in your life it is vital to let the woman you are interested in know this. Let her know sooner than later so she dosent think you have been keeping it from her and are dis-honest; but don't come across as trying to convert her. Thou Lucy and I have quite different church experiences our faiths are both sincerely in the same One. I accept her faith without strings attached.
I brought up the issue of sex before marriage with Lucy. Because she cares deeply for me she respects my convictions. I will say that the idea did of abstinance seemed unusual to her. She is by no means promiscious tho, she beleives that if she truly loves a man she will give of her self in all ways. But if she dosent care for him then he can take a jump. So she was willing to follow my lead on this matter. It is important to her that I be romantic and affectionate. At the very least she deserves this (after all don't want her to question my sexual orientation - or my desire for her bod and all.)
There are non Orthodox Christians in FSU countries- lumped together as evangelicals they are usually either Baptist or Pentecostal. I met a Baptist freind of Lucy's over there, and there was also a Baptist church near her apt. in Chisinau. Lu asked if I wanted to go there, but I declined since I know scant Romanian. Many of these protestant FSUers have immigrated to the U.S., there are thousands of Russian, Ukrainian and Moldovan evangelicals in the area in Mass. that I live in.
Tho Lucy is Orthodox we share the important views of family, marriage and purpose of life together. Matter of fact I find Lucy's, and the general views of other fsu women on family and marriage, more 'biblical' than those of our own "Bible beleiving " gals here in the U.S.
Lucy loves the fact that I am a pastor, she has from the very beginning of our relationship; she figures that I must be an honest and faithful man because of this - I only hope and pray that I don't dissapoint her - cause man, she's everything I ever hoped, dreamed and prayed for in a woman!!
We had a brief but agreeable discussion about religion"
"Lena, as long as you don't try to covert me to follow on your adopted religious beliefs or do anything to force feed them to our children, I will do everything in my power to support, encourage and assist you in practicing your orthodox beliefs and customs while I stick out myleft elbow in praise to lord Bacchus or meditate a Tai Chi prayer.."
After that, I can't tell you what happened, ecept that wetook our clothes off...;)
Larissa knows my religious beliefs, she is Orthodox. I am a practicing Catholic, she really isn't, though when we were in Kiev she took me to a service at St. Sophia's Cathederal.She bought a medallion of her Patron saint. When I tried to pay for it, she said no, she must do it, it wouldn't be proper for me to buy it for her. Very interesting. I will not force my beliefs on anyone. Morality on the other hand has no religion. Faith is as personal as dying no one else can do it for you. Yes Izi, I am the worst of Catholics, being an Irish Catholic. I have two guidelines that I follow in my faith. One is from Christ's beautitudes. "Judge not lest you be Judged." I can be critical on political issues and issues of morality, but I will not judge a man for his beliefs or disbeliefs. Yes Toad I pray for you daily, you absolute hedonist! Well not absolute you still have porno VHS tapes that you plop into your VCR for you uninvited guests! The second part I keep to myself.
Personally I don't care about the religion thing. I have a very expansive, eastern view constructed over 32 years and it means that I am very tolerant. The main thing is that it must not interfere with family functioning. If a trip is planned fr everybody and it coincides with a 'church' event the event goes. No doubt in my mind. If the religion thing causes confusion in the mind of a young one then it stops. As far as morality goes and ethics etc I am quite capable of dishing those out myself don't need any organized religion to guide anyone. The religious variety tend to be a bit warped anyway.
The big thing here is I would never force my beliefs on anyone else and I think we all know where that path leads.
Thanks ensata that post was very encouraging to me. I have been very upfront with my religious convictions in my profile. So, far the profile info does not seem to have scared away the two ladies that I really like and have been exchanging letters with. It will take some time to really get to know a lady this way as there is a lag between when you send a letter and when they respond as well as their responses are usually not as detailed or nearly as long as one might hope given this is our only way to communicate. How long after you have been exhanging letters is is appropriate to send some sort of gift? Do the ladies expect something fairly early in the letter process? Or do they not expect something until you have been really exchanging letters for some time?
Here is another piece of bad news SD. Most of these women do not take this very seriously. It is for the very reason that you mentioned. They spemd hours and hours writing and writing and what?? Nobody comes to call. It isn't that very few guys go to FSU it is because of the choice. Look at me for example. I am writing to about 6 women. Eventually I am going to visit one. What about the other 5? End result ? An opinion forms that most American guys are full of it and don't come. It isn't true but it seems like it. Therefore part of the delay you se is
a. scepticism no matter what they say to you and
b. they spread dthe joy amongst many men in the hope that at least one will go.
This whole things take a mind like a coiled spring to figure out and I keep earning every day. I hope to God that it is over soon and I can settle down with just one and get to know her to the exclusion of all others. Just when I think I have it figured out something comes up. Sooner otr later you have to just take a deep breath and plunge. Especially when there are so many choices.
Don't sweat the delays in replys.