Quizzical Curiosity

Author’s note:  In the following column I discuss an online quiz found on Twitter. It has been reported that these quizzes should be avoided due to the fact that many online quizzes, on and off social media, are using your answers, as well as your likes and dislikes, to get insights into your interests. I encourage all readers to be diligent and avoid sharing personal information online.

While taking a glance at the current tweets and getting my news fix for the morning, I became intrigued with the latest quiz presented in my feed.

“Which Biblical couple are you and your spouse?”

This was different than the usual “Which famous Disney couple are you?” or “Which character from The Office would you date?” quiz that normally fills my feed and I quickly ignore. For research’s sake, I decided to take a look.

“This informal online quiz compares your personality to one of the Bible's most famous pairings. Are you like Adam and Eve, literally made for each other? Or are you more like Mary and Joseph, with life having thrown you unexpected challenges? (We'll just hope if you get Jacob and Rachel it's not because a scheming father-in-law made you marry his other daughter first...).”

I proceeded to look at the questions, all presented in a multiple choice format.

• What is the most important aspect of maintaining a healthy relationship?

• What do you and your partner fight about the most?

• When you met your partner, was it love at first sight?

• Would you ever go through your partner’s Facebook or text messages if they left their phone out?

• Do you consider yourself a romantic person?

And finally, I came to the last question:

• If you could give any piece of advice to another couple, what would it be?

The choices that followed were sweet, if not clichéd: be honest no matter what, never go to bed angry, etc. They gave me a reason to pause, reflect and realize that all of the given choices could be both correct and wrong, depending on the day. (Not a good idea to be brutally honest with your newlywed wife who is struggling to learn to cook...just saying.)

Before I clicked the button to tabulate the result, I felt myself hoping for the best; a little less Ahab and Jezebel, a little more Ruth and Boaz.

I was well aware of the fact that nothing in this quiz could possibly be used in an algorithm that would have any true insight into my personal relationship. Still, I felt relief and a tad bit of pride when it was determined I was part of the couple Joseph and Mary.

“Just like the relationship between Joseph and Mary, yours is built on trust and honesty. It was  humble and dedicated Joseph who stood by Mary’s side when she was pregnant and scared. But rather than succumb to fear, the courageous couple did whatever it took to provide support and love for one another! You and your partner understand that love always conquers fear and you’ll do anything for each other!”

The results, obviously created for entertainment value with a positive spin, may be less than scientific. But for this one moment, it was enough to inspire me that we’re doing ok.