In most every situation I encounter (churches, Christian dating sites, forums, etc.) it seems to be a given that older men, Christian or not, almost unanimously want a much-younger woman.
This post seems to tally up the vast majority of reasons:
Please note that I DON'T want this thread to be a debate over whether or not this is right or wrong.
Rather, I'd like to concentrate on something I never hear talked about in any of these discussions.
Let's say Bill, age 60, marries Susan, age 40 (Bill was really hoping for a 27-year-old, but hey, he supposes that Susan will do.) For simplicity's sake, let's just say the two had former marriages but no children, and have not had any children together.
The two have had various health issues, and both are struggling with cancer, but Bill's issues have grown much more severe. At age 70, he can no longer walk, and while both have tried to help each other, Susan has always been the primary caretaker. Bill has tried to help but for over 10 years, Susan has done everything, because Bill lost the ability to do anything for himself -- including using the restroom.
Susan, still fighting cancer and losing mobility herself, is now left a widow at 60 years old.
* Should Susan be looking after a younger man to take care of her? Obviously, men her age won't be looking to marry her.
* Who would God say is now responsible for her care? Or is it simply, "Tough luck Susan, you've worn out your usefulness as a younger woman who could take care of an older man... Time to fend for yourself. You'll be fine. After all, it's the church's responsibility to look after old hags like you."
* When Adam and Eve were created, and especially when they fell into sin, Eve was now seen as the "weaker, fairer" sex to be looked after in a marriage. When does that change and the woman's usefulness should actually be to care for and look after a much-older man?
* If God looked at Adam and said, "It's not good for the man to be alone," would He then turn around and say, "It's perfeclty fine that Susan is alone now -- surely she can look after herself."
I understand that if men want younger women, that's just what's going to happen -- I can accept that part. I've brought this subject up in the past and I am always accused of being a bitter old had who can't accept reality and couldn't get a date to save her life.
My own reality is that when I last visited CC friends in 2022, their relatives thought I was around 30, and to my shock, it's often guys who are 15 years younger than my biological age who ask me out, but so far I haven't felt that's where God was leading me. But through these experiences, I can understand the appeal of having someone younger to "look after you."
But for some reason stories like Susan's plague my heart. I feel an increasing draw towards people who have been "left behind" by a spouse who has been called home, and there are usually man more women in this situation than men (at least in my personal surroundings.)
Several have been abandoned by family and friends and truly have no one.
If the men are out looking for daughter-age brides to be their saviors...
What is to become of the women of the women who are looked over, or left behind?