You’re a good person. Not perfect. But, you work hard, try to do the right thing, take reasonably good care of yourself, and abide by most of the laws, rules and conventions of polite society. Yet, when it comes to online dating, your reputation might suffer, if anyone knew. Thank goodness what happens on Match.com stays on Match.com (or any other dating site where you habitually trawl for a soul mate), you sometimes think.

But, here at flirtysomething, we know you better. Why? Because we’re you. We, or I, flirtysomething’s Queen Bee, speak from experience. The anonymity of online dating can bring out the worst in our nature. Here are some handy pointers regarding the 7 deadly online dating sins. Adapted from Wikipedia article.

1. Lust — obsessive or excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. Please note, we are sexy, hopefully. We like to flirt. We’re not prudes. Just seems to me, if someone wants to tell you about his/her sexuality within the first 10 minutes of meeting, it’s generally a red flag! Freudian stages of psychosexual development.

2. Gluttony — unreasonable or unnecessary excess of consumption, Gluttony could also include certain forms of destructive behavior, such as substance abuse or binge drinking. Addicts are not catches. If she drinks so much that she can’t remember the love making, doesn’t bode well!

3. Greed like Lust and Gluttony, is a sin of excess. However, greed applies to the acquisition of wealth in particular. Gold-diggers, male or female, do not true soul mates make. Don’t care how much money someone has. Watch out peeps if the “other” tries to rope you into a full course meal at a 5-star restaurant and concert tickets on the first date. Inappropriate. Pushy. Greedy.

4. Sloth is the sin of laziness, of an unwillingness to act, an unwillingness to care. One sure sign: from the beginning, he complains about driving all the way down to Long Beach from Santa Monica to meet you, even though he finds you so interesting. He has a go-nowhere job. His place hasn’t been cleaned since the pigs ate his sister. Lazy. Forget about it!

5. Wrath. Residual anger about an ex…let go of it, or at least keep it to yourself. Not a good idea to talk about ex’s very much to someone new. E.g., “After five years of my unwavering love and support, he just up and left one day. No warning. What an asshole! And he wasn’t the first….” Okay, now you’ve revealed your smoldering anger, and if your new prospect is smart, he’ll run for the door. Increasing your wrath…

6. Envy. You have no right to get jealous. You have a right to your feelings of course. But, just because you want some guy to be into you, doesn’t give you the right to punish him if he isn’t. Online dating has created a new social order. And some of the rules of the road are still in the formative stage. Often dating sites enable people to pry into each other’s online business. You can see if someone you’re interested in is online. Watchout! You can become an e-stalker if you don’t check your jealousy at the login screen.

7. Pride. Overweening self-love, self-esteem. Sure, it’s good to accept yourself, and there is such a thing as too humble, too self-deprecating, I suppose. But what’s up with people who love themselves to pieces. I’m reminded one JDate gentleman who described himself as “very handsome” — which by any stretch, he was not. The sin was not his appearance, but his blind pride in it — big turnoff.

Okay, this Easter weekend exposition on sin is done.

Coming soon, ruminations on rebirth, rejuvenation, freedom…more uplifting Spring themes.

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