Hey Julianna,
Great idea for a thread!!
I completely agree with you concerning the issue of someone who is rude to service workers, won't leave a decent tip, etc. Good manners and courtesy is very important, and I would never want to marry someone with such highly selective social graces (or lack thereof.)
Most people who read my posts also know that an immediate deal-breaker for me is someone who regularly engages in watching porn, going to strip clubs, etc. People would be shocked if they knew how many Christian guys are into this. I once knew a girl who worked in a strip club and she said you'd be surprised how many guys there were leaders in their local churches. I have compassion for anyone struggling with this addiction, but I could not marry someone with it.
Most of us have seen things we wish we'd never seen, and that includes myself. The reason I'm so adamant about this is because my entire life, even in childhood, people have been opening up to me about the abuses they've been through, and I feel one of my callings is to talk to and pray for people who have gone through sexual abuse. I have participated in many classes that deal with helping people heal from these kinds of traumas and hope to re-join a ministry that works in this field sometime in the future. I could not expect to continue this work if I was married to and coming home to someone who is regularly seeking out and watching sexually explicit and abusive materials.
Admittedly, sexually explicit materials are so tough to avoid nowadays--I was on a plane with individual TV screens and was absolutely shocked by the music videos they were playing--I grew up in the Madonna generation, and the young female singers now make Madonna look like a nun. You can't stay away from all of it, but I try my best not to go chasing after it.
Yup, this is probably why I've been single for so long!! People say I'll never find a guy who isn't into porn. I keep praying that if such a guy exists, God will please send him my way.