Daniel: I see reading further that you are 21 and she is 16. If you get to know her in a biblical way and her parents find out. In a state like florida, you may very well get a ticket to the big house and a record for life as a predator and sexual offender which will preclude you from employment in a wide arrary of jobs that provide gainful employment. For the next couple of years she is jail bait my friend. They call it statutory rape. I would say it is foolish to even look and dream. I would say your back to "there are many fish in the sea." In your recruiting for Mrs. Daniel ,standard number 1, since you are 21 she should probably be 21, unless its someone you went to school with in your class and they are 20 and your 21.
21&16 = the big house with a stop at county on the way..
The age difference alone may be why the parents are discouraging you. It is possible that it has nothing to do with the religion.