I’m most likely going to get engaged soon, but here’s the thing… I don’t like precious stones. I especially hate diamonds, because of the whole “blood diamond” thing, and because diamond miners typically get paid sub-poverty wages. I don’t want to contribute to that industry. I don’t even know if I want something that LOOKS like a diamond.

Some people have suggested using other gemstones (rubies, sapphires, etc) for my engagement ring, but the problem is, many other stones are mined in similarly awful conditions, and I don’t really want a wedding ring with a colored stone anyway.

Does anyone know of a pretty ides for an engagement ring/wedding band combo… that DOESN’T feature precious stones in the design?? I don’t want a totally plain band… maybe something Celtic?

ugh, I don’t know… help!!

Little black dress:
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=EG-193557&cgname=OSCLODRSVIL

Gorgeous Jewelry:
http://www.kaneesha.com/KaneeshaJewelry/bridal-store.cfm?pid=6623

- I don’t want to wear the set together, because I feel like its too much.
But I thought I could just wear the earrings alone and find a matching bracelet.
And finding shoes doesn’t look good either…

Any advice? Or does anyone want to “link” me some ideas?

Little black dress:
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/onlineProductDisplay.vs?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=EG-193557&cgname=OSCLODRSVIL

Gorgeous Jewelry:
http://www.kaneesha.com/KaneeshaJewelry/bridal-store.cfm?pid=6623

- I don’t want to wear the set together, because I feel like its too much.
But I thought I could just wear the earrings alone and find a matching bracelet.
And finding shoes doesn’t look good either…

Any advice? Or does anyone want to “link” me some ideas?

* Matt. 15:19-20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man.”
* Acts 15:29, “…that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.”
* 1 Cor. 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
* Heb. 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

So, very clearly fornication is condemned in scripture and there is no provision for it being acceptable just because someone loves another person. Besides if this couple is so much in love, then why don’t they carry out what true love is and marry each other? True love is when you put another person first, not when you take something from them. When a man and woman engage in fornication they declare that such love for the other person is more self-centered, rather than other-centered.

* Matt. 15:19-20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man.”
* Acts 15:29, “…that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.”
* 1 Cor. 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
* Heb. 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

So, very clearly fornication is condemned in scripture and there is no provision for it being acceptable just because someone loves another person. Besides if this couple is so much in love, then why don’t they carry out what true love is and marry each other? True love is when you put another person first, not when you take something from them. When a man and woman engage in fornication they declare that such love for the other person is more self-centered, rather than other-centered.

* Matt. 15:19-20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man.”
* Acts 15:29, “…that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.”
* 1 Cor. 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
* Heb. 13:4, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

So, very clearly fornication is condemned in scripture and there is no provision for it being acceptable just because someone loves another person. Besides if this couple is so much in love, then why don’t they carry out what true love is and marry each other? True love is when you put another person first, not when you take something from them. When a man and woman engage in fornication they declare that such love for the other person is more self-centered, rather than other-centered.