📚 Word Bank: Definitions to Know Before You Dive In
1. Affection – Deep feelings of love or care. In Colossians 3:2, it means setting your heart’s desire on heavenly things, not worldly distractions.
2. Deceitful – Misleading or dishonest. Jeremiah 17:9 warns that our hearts can trick us into thinking something is good when it’s actually harmful.
3. Diligence – Careful and persistent effort. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts with diligence—meaning we must be intentional and alert.
4. Instant Gratification – Wanting pleasure or reward right away, without waiting. Many apps feed this desire, but God teaches patience and purpose.
5. Superficiality – Shallow or lacking depth. Dating apps often encourage judging people by looks or profiles, not by character or faith.
6. Conviction – A strong sense of right and wrong, often prompted by the Holy Spirit. It’s that tug in your heart when something doesn’t feel godly.
7. Commodity – Something bought, sold, or traded. When affection becomes a commodity, people are treated like products—not souls.
8. Exploitation – Taking advantage of someone for selfish gain. Some apps lead to emotional or physical harm by encouraging selfish behavior.
9. Algorithm – A computer program that decides what you see online. It’s not neutral—it’s designed to keep you hooked, often by feeding your flesh.
10. Purity – Cleanliness of heart, mind, and body. In Scripture, purity is not just about avoiding sin—it’s about being fully devoted to God.
11. Validation – Seeking approval or worth from others. True validation comes from knowing you are loved and chosen by Christ.
12. Spiritual Warfare – The battle between good and evil that affects your soul. It’s real, and it often shows up in subtle ways—like through your phone.
🕵️♂️“Swiped: The App That Changed Dating—and Our Souls”
An Investigative Documentary by Lance Whitaker, Baptist Christian Reporter, Husband, Father, and Defender of Truth
📍Introduction: A Father’s Burden, A Reporter’s Calling
My name is Lance Whitaker. I’m a Baptist, a husband to my beloved wife Ruth, and a father of two precious children—Caleb and Abigail. I write not just as a journalist, but as a man burdened by the spiritual erosion I’ve witnessed in our culture. I hold the King James Bible close, and I believe in truth, righteousness, and the power of testimony. What you’re about to read is not entertainment—it’s a wake-up call.
In 2015, a dating app called Tinder exploded onto college campuses. It was marketed as a way to “connect,” but what it really did was redefine intimacy, commitment, and even identity. Fast forward to 2025, and a movie called Swiped—a dramatized biopic of Whitney Wolfe Herd, co-founder of Tinder and later Bumble—has reignited the conversation. I’ve spent months investigating both the film and the cultural fallout of these apps. What I found is disturbing, illuminating, and deeply personal.
🎬 The Movie: “Swiped” and the Rise of the Girlboss
Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg and starring Lily James, Swiped chronicles Whitney Wolfe Herd’s journey from idealistic entrepreneur to tech mogul. The film opens with Wolfe Herd pitching a charity app, only to be lured into the testosterone-fueled startup world of Hatch Labs, where Tinder was born.
The movie touches on her harassment by Tinder’s co-founder Justin Mateen, her lawsuit, and her eventual creation of Bumble—a dating app where women make the first move. It’s framed as a redemption arc, a “girlboss” triumph. But beneath the glossy montages and startup jargon lies a deeper story: one of spiritual confusion, moral compromise, and cultural upheaval.
📱 The App: Tinder’s Cultural Shockwave
Tinder’s swipe-left/swipe-right mechanism reduced human connection to a reflex. It gamified romance. It turned courtship into consumption. And it did so with chilling efficiency.
Let me share the testimony of Daniel, a 22-year-old college student I interviewed in Ohio:
“I used Tinder for two years. I thought I was just meeting people. But I ended up feeling emptier after every date. It was like I was collecting experiences, not building relationships. I stopped praying. I stopped caring. I felt disposable.”
Daniel’s story is not unique. Studies show that dating apps have contributed to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness among young adults. The illusion of endless options has eroded commitment. The Bible says, “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth” (Proverbs 5:18). But Tinder teaches the opposite—never settle, always swipe.
💔 Emotional Fallout: The Cost of Convenience
I spoke with Rebecca, a 29-year-old single mother who met her child’s father on a dating app:
“He seemed perfect. We matched instantly. But he ghosted me after I got pregnant. I thought the app would help me find love. Instead, it gave me abandonment.”
Apps like Tinder and Bumble promise connection, but often deliver exploitation. They’ve normalized hookup culture, blurred gender roles, and commodified affection. And while Bumble claims to empower women, it still operates within the same framework of instant gratification.
🧠 Thought-Provoking Truths: What Are We Really Swiping Away?
Let’s ask the hard questions:
Are we trading depth for dopamine?
Are we raising a generation that confuses validation with virtue?
Are we building relationships on algorithms instead of prayer?
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Dating apps conform us to a world of lust, comparison, and superficiality. They teach us to judge by appearance, not character. They train us to seek pleasure, not purpose.
🕵️♂️ Other Apps of Concern: The Silent Spies
Beyond dating apps, others pose spiritual and privacy dangers:
| App Name | Concern | Spiritual Impact |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Data harvesting, addictive loops | Vanity, distraction |
| Snapchat | Disappearing messages | Secret sin, deception |
| Comparison culture | Envy, pride | |
| Whisper | Anonymous confessions | Isolation, shame |
| Grindr | Hookup-focused, location tracking | Exploitation, lust |
These apps don’t just spy on your data—they spy on your soul. They shape how you think, feel, and relate. And they do so without accountability.
🗣️ Character Witnesses: Real People, Real Pain
Pastor Jim, Akron, OH: “I’ve counseled more young men addicted to Tinder than I can count. They come in broken, ashamed, and confused. These apps are spiritual warfare.”
Sarah, Youth Leader: “Our girls are bombarded with messages that their worth is in their looks. Bumble didn’t fix that—it just rebranded it.”
Elder Thomas, Retired Missionary: “We used to teach courtship. Now we teach damage control.”
🙏 Conclusion: A Call to Repentance and Restoration
I’m not here to condemn technology. I’m here to call for discernment. We must ask: Is this drawing me closer to Christ or pulling me away? The movie Swiped may glamorize ambition, but it also exposes the cost of compromise. The apps it portrays have reshaped our culture—but not always for good.
As a father, I pray for my children’s purity. As a husband, I cherish my covenant. As a reporter, I vow to tell the truth. And as a Christian, I urge you: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Let us swipe away the lies. Let us swipe toward truth.
📖 Written by Lance Whitaker, Baptist Investigative Reporter For the glory of God, the protection of families, and the restoration of hearts.
Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025© LanceReport MPMBCPANNABENGEORGEKBPBNMRMPM77767##
