Clearly there are differing views on this around here. It's really a personal decision. I have thought a LOT about this and my conclusion is that there are 3 "shades" of divorce. There is emotional divorce (where the WAS emotionally separates from the LBS) that occurs at BD. There is spiritual divorce (IE, divorce against God's will, the families, society, etc.) when separation occurs and then there is legal divorce when papers are filed. I think the 3rd one is the least important. When people are separated, basically the marriage is dead and gone. What we are working on is not restoring our marriage, it is trying to lure the spouse back to prospects of a newer, better marriage and relationship. So personally, I do not believe that dating when separated is in any way a violation of the marriage covenant, because the WAS has already killed the covenant- stomped and spat on it, crumpled it up and thrown it in the trash.
However, whether one is emotionally ready for dating is another matter entirely. After you've been put through so much pain and misery, it's not so easy to open up and trust a new person. My brother got divorced years ago and has never dated since, he just can't bring himself to trust women. Others are dating within weeks or months. So it's different for each person.
I am not dating or seeking to date. But if the opportunity fell in my lap, I would think seriously about it.
