Online Friendships

[Dr T]

I've already posted my concerns around the time of her engagement and marriage. I want the best in her life-that's all. And I hope she is safe.

[StrawberryFields]

I've already posted my concerns around the time of her engagement and marriage. I want the best in her life-that's all. And I hope she is safe.

Amen.

[prisonchaplain]

My guess is that those in my situation would be the most cautious. I have a wife and three young girls. Also, I work in a place we detain those who misused the internet.

If I ran into some of you, I'd probably enjoy a good chat. It would be fun to put face and voice to some of the posters here. However, not sure I'd want to involve my family.

Maybe I'm getting old???

[StrawberryFields]

My guess is that those in my situation would be the most cautious. I have a wife and three young girls. Also, I work in a place we detain those who misused the internet.

If I ran into some of you, I'd probably enjoy a good chat. It would be fun to put face and voice to some of the posters here. However, not sure I'd want to involve my family.

Maybe I'm getting old???

Just curious PC. What if one of your girls wanted to meet someone she met on the internet..lets say that she was out of her teens.

[Gwen]

I one friend who thinks of friends she knows on the internet as her make believe or invisible friends...

so SF, i knew you wanted me to comment on this one, but that was just mean. lol some friend you are.

yes i'm the one that said that, so now i feel obligated to clarify. because i've heard there are some that take offence to being called "make believe friends". lol

anyone who has ever had or had a child who had an imaginary friend knows that it is a term of respect. they are always there for you, you can be you, no expectations to be perfect or someone you are not. you can check in when you have time, but they don't get mad if you "put them away" to take care of the "real world".

so when i say that it truely is out of respect for the friendship. i don't have a face and a name to put with most of you, like imaginary friends, i can come and go, if we disagree no big deal, just move on to the next topic, and when we do agree we can joke and talk about it. i feel like i know some here very well (i prefer chat), though i've not been here long compared to some of you. that kind of support and understanding is wonderful.

i also like to watch ppl and how they enteract with eachother, but this is my first experiance with it on the internet. i've enjoyed watching how things work out, how misunderstandings arrise and resolve, things like that. i've enjoyed being here. i value my invisiable friends, and would definatly meet some if the occasion arrose, but i don't really think it would/will ever happen.

for me there has been another benifit here. how i teach my kids, sometimes we have a tendency to just say that can be dangerous so don't.. but i'm seeing that the world we are in that's not really realistic. i need to teach them how to be safe, keep the comunication open with them so if they get it in their heads to meet someone they talk to me about it, let me help them do it safely, rather than sneaking off to do it behind my back. keeping the secrets can be the most dangerous part. i want to know how to use and navigate things and have my kids include me, i've accepted they will experament. and if they can share it with me it's better than a lot of things kids can experiment with. lol

[the_jason]

[Did she meet you alone? That thought scares me... not you, Jason, but just a woman meeting a man for the first time alone. But I guess if you meet in a restaurant or other place, it's not so bad. What type of place did you meet at? Was it nervous and awkward, or did you hit it off instantly? Sorry, don't mean to be nosey... just curious.

We talked on the phone for a couple of days, then she picked me up at my house and we went on our first date. It was awkward for me, but only because I realized she was special, so I was nervous. She was unlike any other woman I had dated. We both felt comfortable with each other after a short time.

[prisonchaplain]

Just curious PC. What if one of your girls wanted to meet someone she met on the internet..lets say that she was out of her teens.

I suppose that by the 2020s I oculd get used to that. :-)

[StrawberryFields]

<div class='quotemain'>

Just curious PC. What if one of your girls wanted to meet someone she met on the internet..lets say that she was out of her teens.

I suppose that by the 2020s I oculd get used to that. :-)

I am sure you are a great father PC. :)

[Dr T]

That is scary to me. Because of the anonymity of it all, some other sites get down right rude and very inappropriate and I worry about that for my children.

[prisonchaplain]

That is scary to me. Because of the anonymity of it all, some other sites get down right rude and very inappropriate and I worry about that for my children.

Meeting for lunch in a public place--perhaps as part of a group date--wouldn't be too dangerous for a woman in her early 20s, me thinks.

On the other hand, isn't there a religious movement striving to bring back courting?

BTW: Watch out for Bible studies--that's where my wife met me!

[StrawberryFields]

To me it's all about the interigation given.

[shanstress70]

<div class='quotemain'>

When I read your last post, Berry, I thought "Great she stopped by" as in you physically saw her. Then I realized that you meant stopped by here. That does not comfort me. Was it too tall that was in her ward or someone else. Pale, yours? Has anyone seen her lately?

She has told me not to worry that she is happy.

What are your concerns?

To Tall lives close by and was in attendence at her wedding.

The concern for me is that she hasn't posted since then... that I've seen. I like to think Lindy was a friend of mine... however, I sent her a message and she never answered. I then sent a message to her husband and he told me that her computer was messed up so she hasn't been posting. I was thinking, "and she couldn't use yours?" I have yet to hear from her.

I agree with Dr T that it is concerning. Anyone can update anyone's blog if they can get the password.

And if you remember, this is coming from someone who respected her decision all the while, and maybe got onto some of you who did not.

<div class='quotemain'>

[Did she meet you alone? That thought scares me... not you, Jason, but just a woman meeting a man for the first time alone. But I guess if you meet in a restaurant or other place, it's not so bad. What type of place did you meet at? Was it nervous and awkward, or did you hit it off instantly? Sorry, don't mean to be nosey... just curious.

We talked on the phone for a couple of days, then she picked me up at my house and we went on our first date. It was awkward for me, but only because I realized she was special, so I was nervous. She was unlike any other woman I had dated. We both felt comfortable with each other after a short time.

That's cool, Jason. She got lucky though... you could have been a murderer. (You can see the skeptic in me, huh?)

[Dr T]

That was funny PC

[the_jason]

That's cool, Jason. She got lucky though... you could have been a murderer. (You can see the skeptic in me, huh?)

You? Skeptical? I never would have known :)

[Palerider]

We have 3 couples in our ward that met over the internet...... B)

[Dr T]

My wife knows someone from her university days that met someone online, they decided to make it serious after 3 days of chatting, and then were engaged to be married 9 (or 10) days after that. They are still married.

[Palerider]

Like I mentioned earlier.....it would be a riot to meet some of you and to chat face to face......

[StrawberryFields]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

When I read your last post, Berry, I thought "Great she stopped by" as in you physically saw her. Then I realized that you meant stopped by here. That does not comfort me. Was it too tall that was in her ward or someone else. Pale, yours? Has anyone seen her lately?

She has told me not to worry that she is happy.

What are your concerns?

To Tall lives close by and was in attendence at her wedding.

The concern for me is that she hasn't posted since then... that I've seen. I like to think Lindy was a friend of mine... however, I sent her a message and she never answered. I then sent a message to her husband and he told me that her computer was messed up so she hasn't been posting. I was thinking, "and she couldn't use yours?" I have yet to hear from her.

I agree with Dr T that it is concerning. Anyone can update anyone's blog if they can get the password.

And if you remember, this is coming from someone who respected her decision all the while, and maybe got onto some of you who did not.

I miss my friend.

[Dr T]

Can anybody on LDS Talk confirm that she is safe and sound? Physical evidence not just written text?

[shanstress70]

<div class='quotemain'>

That's cool, Jason. She got lucky though... you could have been a murderer. (You can see the skeptic in me, huh?)

You? Skeptical? I never would have known :)

[begood2]

When I was younger, I promised my mom that I would not post identifiable personal information on line or get aMyspace account, or meet people that I had met on line and I never did.

Now that I'm older I still haven't done it. I can see ways in which it could be done safely though.

I have a 15 year old sister that looks up to me and I care dearly about.....so when my mom and I tell her about the dangers of the internet and how to avoid them.....I'm able to say.....not just do as I say, but do as I do!

[StrawberryFields]

Can anybody on LDS Talk confirm that she is safe and sound? Physical evidence not just written text?

Lindy was here and post in her blog and made a comment on my blog on April 2. She also was here and picked up a message I left for her on April 21.

It is probably no secret that I have been concerned about her since her now husband moved in with her in the later part of November. Those of us who know Lindy feel that her leaving us the way she did is totally out of character for her and thus left some with reasons of concern.

I know that her blog and comment on my blog was from her. I know my friends 'voice'. I also spoke to her the phone in February. She does tell me she is happy.

[Dr T]

I value the phone call over the written material. Has anyone "seen" her though?

[StrawberryFields]

I value the phone call over the written material. Has anyone "seen" her though?

[Dr T]

I'm not trying to be difficult Berry. I thought one or two people were in her Ward. I would like to get confirmation that somebody has seen her, in person.