The 5 Commandments of Dating

This is a summary of an article from a book that i haven't read, but i found it very direct and thought provoking - so i'm sharing! I'm curious - what do you guys think?

Despite what many of us have been taught, there is nothing inherently wrong with dating. But like any freedom—driving, voting, drinking—it can lead to disaster if you do it recklessly.
The purpose of dating is to find the "right one" with whom to spend the rest of your life. If you simply want to have fun, meet interesting people, or learn about yourself, don't do it within the context of dating, but in the context of friendship.

1. Thou shalt not group date.
When you hang out in a group, it isn't dating—it's socializing. Or mingling. Or entertaining. Whatever it is, it is not helpful. Nothing of any substance ever gets discussed in a group of co-ed friends when the intention of the get-together is to date. Emotional intimacy cannot be cultivated between two people if they are surrounded by ten of their best friends. While I'll agree that a group setting can be an excellent way to meet someone new, it is a terrible way to get to know someone's heart.
One of the biggest problems with group dating is that it allows men to be passive. One-on-one dating is the training ground that men desperately need to learn how to lead. Men learn perseverance by being rejected, strength by battling for a woman's heart, and initiative by asking a beauty on a date. Isn't it more intimate, you ask? Yes, but that's the point!

2. Thou shalt commit to the fight.
You are either dating or you are not dating. But the current Christian model is quite different. Our model looks like this: become friends, hang out, get to know one another, see where it goes, talk about possibly getting involved, discuss the north wind and how it may affect the relationship, talk to the youth pastor about it, pray about it, fast over it, court (which may mean dating), date (which may mean courting), and finally, date.
There is nothing overly spiritual or holy about camping somewhere between friendship and intimacy. In fact, when you attempt to know someone's heart without committing anything to them, you are doing them a terrible disservice.
Courting has the connotation that the relationship is definitely leading to marriage, putting undo stress on the couple. Women often think that if they are being courted, they are guaranteed a proposal. But that is not necessarily the case. While you can hope the relationship leads to marriage, courtship is no guarantee that the man will get down on his knee. Conversely, dating is about committing yourself to a developing, exclusive relationship to determine if your partner can be your soul mate.
If you are not sure whether or not you are dating, discuss it. If she or he hesitates or tries to stay in that awkward middle ground, jump from the moving train immediately.

3. Thou shalt expect nothing.
The number-one reason men don't want to commit to a relationship is because the only thing higher than a woman's heels on a first date is her expectations. If you think that the next guy has to be "the one," don't be surprised if he doesn't call you again.
When you first start seeing someone, give yourself three to four dates to decide whether or not you want to date him exclusively. Even if you think you know after the first date, give him time to realize how wonderful you are as well. Desperation is an ugly suit, and you certainly don't want to wear it on your first date, Cinderella. Both individuals should have three to four dates to decide if they want to commit to an exclusive relationship.

Ideally, the man should address the issue of dating, but if he hasn't initiated the conversation after the allotted four dates, feel free to bring it up, ladies. Ask an open-ended question along the lines of, "What kind of relationship do you see us developing?" or "Where do you see our friendship going?" Regardless of who brings it up, if the other person wavers and doesn't commit to getting to know you and only you, move on. You deserve better.

4. Thou shalt be patient.
Above all things, unconditional love is patient. When you experience a fresh and exciting new romance, you take a big swig of dumb-dumb juice. In all other instances, you would think rationally and logically, but when Cupid's arrow hits you in the backside, you begin to have outlandish visions of grandeur and romance.
No matter how much you love someone, there is no substitute for life's experiences. Walking through different seasons of life with your partner is an invaluable indicator of how he will handle the unpredictable moments of marriage. If you are planning on being married for the next seventy-five years of your life, a couple more months of dating certainly won't hurt you.
If we are really honest with ourselves, the reason that most of us are impatient is because we don't want the person we are dating to get away. We are simply afraid of being alone. But is that love or is that self-interest posing as love? When I get discouraged about my love life, I remember one thing—there are over six billion people in the world and I need only one. God is more than capable of finding me the perfect mate among that many choices.

5. Thou shalt always follow the King.
Instead of simply submitting to our feelings and emotions, it is more important to follow the passion and direction that the Lord instills in us. Why follow your heart when you can follow the Creator of your heart?
Many of us need that simple reminder because we all have a choice to make. We can either take love into our own hands and try to decipher between the millions of potential mates, or we can hand our hearts over to the Lord and trust that He who is Love will act in our best interest.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind61011.html

the link if you want to read the expanded version...