GLOBAL PRAYER NETWORK: New Dating site for Asian Christians could provide romantic pathway to safe asylum

Sabtu, 25 Juni 2016

New Dating site for Asian Christians could provide romantic pathway to safe asylum

By Kaleem Dean, Special to ASSIST News Service

UNITED KINGDOM (ANS – June 21, 2016) -- The world has changed so much in the 21st Century, with different cultures and social taboos being dissolved in accommodating our daily lives. In the past, certain societal issues were dealt with customary traditions linked to the respective groups, tribes and families.

However, this present globalization has affected every single individual living in this world of ours.

Fast-growing social media, Internet and wireless links, have given us an easy access to even to the remotest parts of the globe. Even Developing Countries, people are enjoying the blessings of this era of fast communications. And now, the Internet has made life easier to sort out with such family issues as marriage which, in some South Asian countries, can be a complicated affair.

But now there is a solution. Recently, I encountered a new social site (https://shaadi4christians.com/), which has been launched by the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), and is fast becoming an Internet link for young Asian Christians to be exposed to a wider world, and possible marriage.

The BPCA website (http://www.britishpakistanichristians.org), explained, “In response to numerous e-mails from Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Pakistani Christians, the British Pakistani Christian Association has created a new matrimonial website -- https://shaadi4christians.com -- which seeks to change the dynamic of arranged marriages, whilst also creating global links that can stoke more independent romantic relationships leading to wholesome marriages.

London-based Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the BPCA, who was born in Pakistan and whose own marriage to Juliet, was arranged, said that “a reoccurring problem” for many Christian families from Pakistan, India, and other South Asian countries, who have arranged for their sons or daughters to be married to suitors in America, Europe or the United Kingdom through other websites, is that they have often been misled by suitors.

“After marrying vulnerable Christian daughters men prevent communication of their wives with families in their respective homelands and have been known to be extremely brutal. Many of these men hold a very nominal Christian belief and simply want a wife who is domesticated, rather than career-driven and one over whom they can exert control. This site will enable parents to better understand the nature of the suitor.”

Chowdhry says that there is “no rush” on the new website, which “provides space and opportunities for you to review site members, contact them and arrange safe meetings.”

He went on to say, “This site represents the best forum for you, your son or daughter to source the right choice, with, or without, help. So work with them to create an easy-to-set up profile and being the dating quest today! Recognizing the growing desire for ‘love marriages in the Asian subcontinent, the site has the full functionality of any western dating site.

“Moreover, being part of the entire body of Christ, we are encouraging non-Asian Christians to join up too. Whether you’re black, white or brown if you are Christian and want to meet up or engage romantically with Asian Christians or vice versa, then this is the matrimonial site for you.

“Advice is supplied on how to conduct initial meetings and the site will send regular corporate messages to help inspire a stronger focus on Christian conduct within romantic relationships. We trust God that thousands of Christians will login onto https://shaadi4christians.com every day, sending waves and messages, and getting to know each other through the message boards and local meetups.”

As a way of explanation, Christian marriages in many South Asian countries are arranged by parents, and this tradition has travelled with them to the Western countries after they settled in various places, or were compelled to leave their homelands because of the ever-growing Christian persecution.

Even up until this day, most of the South Asian Christian parents are facing difficulties in finding suitable individuals for arranged marriages for their sons and daughters because of their traditional approaches. Also, much of the younger generation now believes in “love marriages.” And, for them, dating among youngsters is not considered a harmful activity, while every young individual knows the pros and cons of unnecessary involvements with strangers.

You only have to watch adverts on TV to realize that there are many dating sites that claim that they can help people get the best choices for their marital lives, but https://shaadi4christians.com/, is one of a kind as it is aimed a Christians so they can find best choice for them, as well as fulfilling parents’ requirements of arranged marriage settings.

I am assured that the data and information provided by individuals who sign up, is Christian-oriented, and parents relative and extended family members located in different regions of the globe, can see, and monitor, the growth of relationship of their children and, to an extent, young people can look to understand that their would-be partner in the atmosphere of love and understanding.

I was also glad to discover that advice is supplied on how to conduct initial meetings, and the website sends regular corporate messages to help inspire a stronger focus on Christian conduct within romantic relationships.

I have to say that this website is unique in its approach to engaging with Christians from the South Asian Diaspora. It’s free to join and there is no cost for a basic profile membership. Upgrading to their full membership will only cost £5.00 UK pounds (about $7.33 USD) per month, and profits raised, says BPCA, will go towards “helping persecuted Christians in Pakistan, Thailand and Malaysia.”

Photo: 1) Picture from the new website. 2) Wilson Chowdhry. 3) An arranged marriage. 4) Juliet and Wilson Chowdhry on their "arranged" wedding day. 4) Pakistani girl possibly looking for a husband. 5) Kaleem Dean.

About the writer: Kaleem Dean is a Christian journalist and human rights activist from Pakistan presently living in the UK. He published the Christian Monitor in Pakistan, which covers news of Christian Persecution. He now writes for different Pakistani newspapers and the focus of his writing is advocating for minorities and women rights in Pakistan. His e-mail address is: kaleem.dean@mail.com .