March 22, 2006
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Marriage and Faith
I met a lady who was talking about her marriage and how it broke up. She cited the number one reason for the breakup as the differences in their faith. She was raised from a different religious background than he was. They fought about how they were going to raise their children.
Is it wise to marry someone of a different faith?
Comments (199)
I wouldn’t think so…
no
Hmm… wow. ^^;; I got first for the first time, haha.
I’m realizing my answer sounded kind of vague, so… I don’t know. I think faith is one of the most central things of a person’s character, and when that differs, it’s hard to match up with other things. For example, I’m Christian, and Jesus is the one who I want to be my center. I have nothing against people of other faiths, and I would be more than happy to be friends with them, but I don’t know if we could really click if that central thing was so different. If I married someone who didn’t want Jesus to be first, he could easily be offended because I’m not willing to make him my “life”, etc. If that makes sense…
God bless you today
it depends on the faiths and the people.
i used to think that it didn’t matter until i experienced religiion down south. now i wouldn’t marry someone with very different religious values.
I am an Agnostic. My lady is a Christian. We get along just fine.
no
If you love & respect each other. If the person of one faith is VERY religious than I think it would be difficult. I could not marry someone very religious of ANY faith (including my own).
Not wise ….
no, not at all
I think it is.
Why be narrow minded?
usually no, but it depends on how accepting you are. So far it works for me and my family.
id say no. recently ended a relationship for that reason, not fun…
Depends on how willing you are to compromise on things where it might be a problem.
As a Christian, I say it unwise. The basic fundamentals of marriage itself that stem from a Christian interpretation would make it difficult to unite with someone not believing the same. And how can two people join together in a strong marriage when both have differing views of that act alone?
no i dont think so. i was raised that you should marry someone who has the same beliefs as you. i have nothing against other religions, but i would want to marry someone who is a christian like myself. someone once told me that you can’t be with someone you can’t pray with. but thats only for people who have a decided religion
Chrissy
Hello! I’ve posted on here before, and have to thank you for the people that have found their way over to my blog.
I noticed before that we have discussed the media’s fascination with negative news out of Iraq. I apologize for putting this here, but I can’t figure out how to email you directly. I’m not much of a computer person
Anyway, if any of you saw the Pres’ press conf today, a woman asked him why the media is too focused on the negative news. Well, I just happen to be an army public affairs officer working at Fox News on a one-year fellowship. We’re going to have her on “Your World with Neil Cavuto” tomorrow talking about the good things that soldiers are doing. We’re also going to show some of the footage her husband shot while in Iraq.
I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t balance the scales..but hey, it helps!
If you’re offended I posted this here on your blog: I REALLY apologize. It absolutely was not my intention to insult or abuse the privilege. I love your blog and it’s the reason I decided to start my own.
Hell, it was the only way I was ever gonna be first to post something
thanks,
Mike lawhorn
no.
yes. don’t let things like that [even though it is very important to some] get in the way of being with the person you love and want to be with for the rest of your life.
No, unless you aren’t serious about your own faith.
Honestly, for me….it wouldn’t affect things at all. Dan, I was raised with ZERO religion in my life. Zero. It’s embaressing to admit it often to people, but I know basically NOTHING about religion, and what different faiths believe. I send my children to a Christian school (for Elementary school–Ash. in 7th grade is now in public) that is a Lutheran school…..I have no clue what the difference is between Catholic and Lutheran and such……so I just liked this school and sent them there. they have been baptized Lutheran……but yet still I know nothing…..the girls teach me things. I mean, I know very much about the Jewish faith….have many Jewish friends (I live on long island in ny…..most of the island is jewish…..tee hee hee), and have experienced “Hannukah” and “yom Kippor(sp?) and such in their homes…..all our public schools close on every single Jewish holidays (not my yoounger daughter’s Christian school though, of course) ….but to me it makes no difference. When I was a child many friends went to “religion” classes, and the others went to “hebrew school”–I went NOWHERE……and vowed never to have my daughters in that position and feeling they didn’t have/know what other kids did, hence my decision for a Christian school…..
I guess it depends on your tolerance and open-ness to other faiths. If you have no problem with the other’s beliefs then there shouldn’t be a problem. If children are something that you have both agreed you want after marriage and you are of different faiths it would be wise to talk about that sort of thing before tying the knot – hence avoiding divorce. I would think that is you were THAT strongly opposed to a person’s faith that you couldn’t agree or even compromise on how to raise your child and it effects you enough to resort to divorce then it probably would have come to be a problem in other areas of your life sooner or later – regardless of children.
RYC: Just a little bit, yes.
Yeah, as long as they’re not conservitives or radicals.
Well, since the bible tells you to not be unevenly yoked, then i would say no.
Oops, that was my personal beleif, not general beleif. Sry
if you are both open minded people.
I would think it would be alright, but i guess it just depends on the people involved. Everyone has different ideas on what you should and shouldn’t do in a marriage.
<3 Giovanni
I think there is wisdom in marrying someone who has the same thoughts on religion as oneself. From my own experiences the differences, even if they seem small at first, do tend to become magnified under some circumstances – especially if it is in regard to how the hypothetical, then all of a sudden “real,” children are to be reared. That may be the problem though…not many people think enough to go into an in-depth discussion before they get married have the kids.
No offense, but your friend probably should have discussed that issue with her beloved BEFORE they got married and ESPECIALLY before they had kids
It depends on how deeply religious they are. For example, I’m pretty religious. It would mean a lot to me if my kids were taught another religion from birth. On the other hand, people who just recognize the bigger holidays of their religions could probably figuire something out. Maybe even the deeply religious could sit and talk and work something out. That might be asking a lot, but I think, with a little love and a lot less “YOUR GOD IS SILLY!”, it could happen.
It depends on how muture the couple is. If they believe that God speaks through all faiths then there shouldn’t be a problem. If, on the other hand, they believe that their faith is the only correct faith then they are headed for trouble.
possibly.
depends, are u so low u will let your FAITH come in the way of someone u may truly love?
why dont you ask people about drugs?
like whats the use?
sierra
ohh n p.s. thx for being my friend!!
Nope. Do not be unequally yoked. Don’t marry outside the faith.
Dan,
They can work out fine….as long as one person is not a member of a cult.
Candy
Depends on the people. Although, religious beliefs shouldn’t be a problem when you’re thinking about marrying someone.
it depends on how much you respect the person you love. if you respect someone, then you can allow for them to be themselves with their own views, religious or otherwise, and values.
there are some faiths, though, that i could not mix with on a regular basis, let alone an intimate one. i could not be in a relationship with someone who practiced live sacrifice as part of their worship, nor someone who worshiped a devil or any entity they knew was evil.
and they would have to be willing to discuss the differences in our faith traditions > i don’t do well with separate and quiet about it.
okay then.
and to answer the question… it might get in the way of things sometimes. i wouldn’t marry someone who was like a religious fanatic, that would drive me crazy, cause i’m agnostic/atheist.
strength of faith aside…it makes things tougher, yep. i suppose it can be done, but i won’t do it, and i don’t think it is necessarily a good idea. Cheers!
megan
No, specially if you are serious about your faith and religion.
I guess for people of most faiths it wouldn’t matter. I wouldn’t recommend it, though, because if your faith is the center of your life, then you should probably share it with the person you’re sharing that life with.
Personally, I couldn’t because the Bible says not to marry non-Christians, and I’d need someone who understood that no matter how much I loved them, I would always love God more and that God would have first place in my life.
it’s proven difficult, but if you love someone… you love them
I married someone of a different faith. We discussed it before we were married and decided how to raise our children. As long as you have open communication I don’t think it’s a problem. I have a friend who is Christian who married someone Jewish. They discussed it before they were married and worked out how they would raise their children and it has not ever been an issue for them.
it depends on how devoted the two people are to their faiths. personally, i can’t imagine marrying, or even getting into a relationship with someone who doesn’t share the same passion for Christ that i have. its too big a part of my life.
**** NO! ****
NO.
depends.
If you’re talking Christian with Muslim, maybe not, but Lutheran with Catholic, that should work.
I think it would be pretty difficult to marry someone of a different faith. I think it takes more work on each person’s part to work on views. I don’t think I could do it because as I’m looking for that life-long partner I Need and Want someone that I can discuss my religious beliefs with and I can help them grow and they can help me grow religiously. I don’t think I could handle someone having completely different viewpoints from me.
It depends. If they are both open to the idea of compromise, then it might not be an issue. If their beliefs are radically different, however, it may not work. These things should be discussed before one enters into marriage. (… in a perfect world….)
no
It depends on the temperance of each individual.
I have thought about this alot seeing as how I am an atheist and it’s a bit harder to find atheists where I am from. It all depends on the people and how they react to people of a different religious background or no background at all. It hasn’t worked too well for me dating people of a faith.
sure…like the person above said, as long as they’re not radical in their beliefs then you should get along fine. If you have different religious beliefs, then you should know that waaaaaay before considering marriage. Thats one of the major things in any relationship. I’m an atheist, but if way into the future I met a religious gal who didnt try to push her beliefs on me then I think it would be dandy.
I think that differences viewpoints in ANY major element of life can lead to disaster in a marriage, but religion is certainly one of, if not THE most important ones.
If you are Buddist and they are Catholic…
If you don’t believe in corperal punishment and they already have a paddle with holes in it…
If you eat meat and they are a member of PETA…
If you want children and they are already fixed…
If you are a penny-pincher and they can’t keep two nickles to rub together…
Getting back to faith… If you have differing ideas of the afterlife, or how to live in THIS life, that can lead to all sorts of issues. The Bible says to not being unevenly yoked. The example comes from taking two oxen and hitching them together. Suppose one is much stronger than the other. When you try to plow a straight line, it is difficult/impossible because the weaker one can’t compensate for the stronger one when it tries to pull towards it’s side.
Being alike in the major areas in life will/should make things easier.
nooo
It depends. If someone is a hardcore Christian, it’d be difficult for them to marry a passionate Muslim and try to raise their children as both. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it would be difficult for both involved.
A lot of my friends from high school are giving me shit about me not dating a Christian. But last time I checked, I wasn’t a Christian, so the whole “unequally yoked” thing doesn’t apply to me. I keep telling them this, and they don’t know what to say.
Zach (boyfriend) is an athiest, and I’m agnostic. That’s pretty close. However, if/when he has children, he wants them to be raised Jewish. If Zach and I end up together long term, then I have no problem with that whatsoever. Except that I’m going to put my foot down and demand that there be a tree in our house in December. I don’t mind if he just wants to celebrate Hanukkah, I just want a tree!
wisdom says, do not be unequally yoked…
– It is wise to heed wisdom. 
No. Because there will always be fighting. I could do another race, but another religion, NO.
It would be nice if the family can worship together. However, belief is not important. When belief keeps us separate from each others, it is time to discard it.
I think being a person of faith should make you love more, not less. For example, as a Christian, the Bible does not endorse divorce over religious differences, but rather submission and love.
I think it might help if you were of the same faith. If you weren’t, it would be better if you had faiths that kind of worked together and weren’t complete opposites.
But isn’t that something that they should have known before they got married?
I don’t think people with extreme religous values, such as a conservative baptist and liberal agnostic can do that, there is some aspect of morals getting in the way. So, in cases where the faith is a problem, I think it may be because there is an underlying moral to the religous belief, one that does not go along with the other’s morals. However, if there is some disagreement on faith, its not a crisis. A couple can be together and have different opinions, much like friends. and in my opinion if you share your faith with another, that relationship will grow and become very strong.
I wouldn’t personally because my faith is so important to me and I want someone who can share such a big part of my life with me. However, I think it depends on the individual. Some people’s faiths aren’t as important to them, and so they can comfortabley agree to disagree, and let their children figure it out for themelves. Also, I would think for people who didn’t want children, it wouldn’t be quite as big of a deal.
It really just depends on who you are and what you do or don’t believe.
oddly enough, i was just thinking about this last night
i was thinking that they could never talk about religion unless they were both very open minded, i had never thought about how they would raise their kids
interesting
Wouldn’t you know it… I’m actually on Featured Content and not one person visiting comments.
nope
i dont know, i am a christian and i k now the bible says your not supposed to be unequally attached with an unbeliever, and its an age old question of marrying someone who isn’t a christian when you are. i guess it depends on alot of things, but i definitely wouldn’t marry someone of another faith. talk about conflicts….it would be harder to marry someone who was another faith than to marry someone who wasn’t christian at all. But mind you here im talking about other faiths like buddha and islam….denominations don’t really matter to me.
i talked about this a little while ago with one of my friends, asking her if she would marry someone who wasn’t a christian and she said yes, assuming she loved them except that she wants her husband to be someone with whom she can talk about everything etc (duh) and if they cant relate to your beliefs or faith then its kind of a problem….but i think there’s to many variables to have a definite answer to the question:P
No, it’s definitely not wise. To get along, one or both would be forced to sacrifice some of their morals and views, or at least suppress them to the point they may as well not even exist. Not only that, if there were children involved, that would create a very bad situation.
-Jared
depends on how religious you are
Sure, why not.
never.
No, different faith = different views on practically everything. if you do, at least sort it out before you get married or even engaged
sure its wise as long as you are willing to compromise and be understanding. it will be tough but love is worth it.
No.
no i dont think it is wise
No. Too much conflict.
I think it’s alright, if both people can work out differences.
Sure, if you know not to set any expectations upon future children.
I dont really think marrying someone of a different faith is a big deal….I mean they can practice their religion as well as I.
No,
Pesky
if neither of you is a committed believer- ie- my sis is by culture Christian- her husband is by culture Jewish- they get along great cause deep down they are both athiest. if you are committed to your faith i do not think a marraige can work- unequally yoked!
No, I do not believe it would be wise to enter into a relationship wiht soemone of a different faith. It can only lead to compromises, and so one or both of you will no longer be as true to their faith as they once were.
I just wouldn’t marry anyone who was TOO into their religion. I would marry a christian, but not if they were one of those that believes everyone should be one, including their kid, because I do not want to raise my child (if I ever were to have one) with any particular religion. I want to give them all the facts and let them pick when they’re old enough to make their own descions.
i dont think it should matter…im young, haha. and my gf is catholic.im buddhist…i dont want to worrry about that till later.if we get far enough..to talk about marriage…then….yea.aha
It depends:
How strong is your faith? How strong is your significant other’s faith?
How strongly do each of you feel about having your children be brought up in your own faith?
Can you respect each other’s differing beliefs, or are you always deep down going to wish the other converted so their soul could be saved?
It can seem like a trivial thing at first, but religion can be such an essential part to a person’s core that it certainly can drive a huge wedge between 2 people.
My husband and I grew up under 2 different churches, but they’re not that different (methodist and lutheran). We’ve grown to have very similar beliefs about God, etc by now. But I do wonder what we’ll do when we have kids. Especially since I know my parents will be very dissappointed if we don’t raise our children in *a* church at least.
(that can be another huge factor… the in-laws bearing down on the couple making the religious differences and the tensions they cause even worse).
NO
ryc: During the beta service applications can be buggy and shaky because its still on the development life cycle.
No, it’s stupid to. Stay with your own.
EDIT
Actually, I think the more religious parents gets the kids and spouse into their religion.
It is unwise
I don’t think it would be wise to marry someone with a completely different faith…..but if they were similar, then the two people could comprimise about how to raise their children. It depends tho….
no. Because , God is LOVE. And Someone who does not know God (someone who is not a christian, or is but does not have a strong relationship with God) will not know HOW to love another person. They may think they know what love is and how to treat a person. But that just lust in disguise as love. And why would you want to marry someone who can’t or won’t love you? Not wise at all.
<3
RYC: Maybe you could do it Dan….You know you want to….And you’re famous…The King of Xanga…hehe
Candy
It can be done…my parents are Jewish and Christian…. 37 years happily together.
Not unless you are both prepared to set out the ground rules about all aspects of married life, like kids, chores, finances, etc, beforehand and that you can come to an agreement on those issues and stick to them…
Never marry someone who doesn’t respect your faith completely, or if you don’t respect theirs.
no. my pastor says its like oil and water mixing lol.
I believe that you should not choose not to marry someone just because they have a different faith than you. You can’t fight love… But in regard to choosing the religion by which to raise the children, hopefully I would be able to bargain with my husband to raise the children by both faiths and then when they are ready they can choose what it is they really believe… It’s a bit confusing, but a friend of mine was raised both Jewish and Christian, so it must be possible…
From personal experience…no
No way Jose`.
It says in the bible that we are not to be yolked unequally to someone of another faith. It’s like the Christian is the
Ox, and his mate is a goat. Imagine a Ox try to pull the plow and the goat is flying off the ground. lol
no. that is really to hard. to have people who thing that there are two differant ways to go with raising the kids would be the hardest part of that.
I think it depends on the faiths. I am baptist…My faith would never work with say Jehovah Witness. But it depends on how faithful you are. I know a couple who have opposite faiths on the scale totally and they just go to different churches on sunday…they are, however, not extremely religious. But kudo’s to those who try.
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS QUESTION!I just resently got engagged to my best friend.he would say he beives in Jesus and does not have the slightest resntment for my faith.He knows Christis first in my life.however as open as he is there is still somthing there,as far as having a personal relationship with Jesus,he does not claim that.he would be willing to make me the first in his life i and i will not.i have talk to him many times about this.so please any one who reads this keep us both in prayer.~kristina
Are we talking about different faiths or different denominations? Denominations can work out, but I believe religions wouldn’t. People may still love each other, even when they are married with different religions, but a marriage is not just two people. A marriage consists of each partner’s family as well as the couple’s future children. With such variety and discrepancy, I don’t see the happiness and the keepign of a close relationship working out very long.
Not if one partner feels strongly about the ways they are going to raise their children and the beliefs that they are going to instill upon their children…
I think as long as both people are open-minded about each other’s religion and are open to compromise, it can be fine.
No. I think there would be huge issues about raising kids if you and your spouse were committed to different religions. How can one be raised both Muslem and Christian? Comprimises are possible, but how could you compromise and let your kids be raised in a faith that you believe is wrong. However, if you are in a faith that believes that “anyway” is the right way to God and your spouse is as well, then I suppose it would be possible. I cannto imagine how I would raise my kids with a spouse that was not Christian. The kids would see me go off to church either taking them or not and leaving my wife…not a good way to promote family unity and harmony. Is it possible yes. A good idea no. Why not use that as a criteria when dating….not my religion…see ya.
Nooooo…
cause for a lot of people, and myself, my religious faith is a core part of my life…if we can’t agree on something that major, very little else will fall in line…like where and how to get married, where to attend church, how to raise children, habits to have in life…gosh most of the things in life can be based around religion…so no I wouldn’t risk it…
as long as they don’t try to convert one another, and have a complete understanding and agree about that rule, then fine. but if they’re constantly talking about their own faiths like it’s better than their spouses’, then it’s not going to work. but it seems like it’ll be hard either way.
i think it’s important to learn as much as you can about your spouse’s faith to fully understand it and their beliefs. also, communication is necessary– especially when it comes to discussing how your children will be raised and how the two of you can find a happy medium of both faiths. it’s a lot of work, but it can be done.
i think i could marry someone of a different faith. the only time i couldn’t is if they were an atheist, because i can’t imagine a life without having faith in a higher being.
nope, not a wise idea. the Bible says not to be “unequally yoked”….meaning, don’t hitch up with someone that has a different standing and could bring you down, or lead you in a different direction that the One in charge says to follow….
RYC: There was a very short time I was actually hoping to make Featured Content when I hit 60 props the first time. It didn’t happen though and I kinda lost focus. It was cool to actually get it this time, for whatever reason it was. I couldn’t figure out the process. I just saw your comment on Eric’s about how he made it. It all makes a little more sense now. Question… I post at noon. You mentioned there’s a sweep at 2pm and at 11pm. Is noon a bad time in that or does it even matter?
DAMN THESE RELIGOUS PEOPLE. if you really love them, you should both give up your religion if there very diffrent, or, they could just not speak of religion and not make the other go to church. If you are restricted to just those people you can find that are with in your religion, can you really find true love?
its’ un-biblical.. so i’m saying no it isn’t wise
Hey, maybe they should’ve had that discussion before they got married, huh?
oh my, i’m so scared about that since I’m Wiccan.
I think it’s perfectly fine but it makes things hard and the couple would have to be really open about their faiths.
It is not wise to marry someone with whom you can’t agree relating to such an important matter. Or any important matter.
no, not really
Eh, not really, especially if they are passionate about their faith.
I don’t think it’s wise, and it has nothing to do with being narrow-minded or judgemental. I would think you would want the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with to have the same morals, values, and beliefs as you. Someone who had the same ideals as you as far as raising kids and what faith to raise them in.
I personally want to be able to talk to my husband about my faith, any struggles I might be having, and have him be able to encourage me in that and pray with me about it, and have us be in agreement about it. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but since faith is such an important part of my life, I want my husband to share that with me.
nope.
I think it depends on the people, their faiths and how devoted to their faiths they may be.
If they consider it important then no…
not really.
but i’m not against it. u’ll just have to over go harder obsticles in life.
I met a couple in Wyoming who had been married for over forty years. The husband was a very faithful Catholic, the wife was a very faithful Mormon. Faith isn’t what will split a marriage; it is a choice the people in the marriage make.
All I know is that everyone that I know who have been married for many years and still love eachother have the same faith. They ALL have faith. I always thought this was interesting.
No
You need someone with the same beliefs as urself
That would depend on the relative importance of faith in each spouse’s life, it seems to me. For example, for me, I couldn’t even date someone who wasn’t a Christian (I tried, it failed miserably), and I would have difficulty marrying someone who didn’t share at least most of my religious beliefs as well. Moreover, I couldn’t see myself marrying someone who was nominatively Christian, but didn’t believe as strongly as I do.
Depends on how cross-cultural you actually get. I don’t think that mixing “close” religions, Methodists and Lutherans, as an example, is an insurmountable mix. But if you are going widely cross-culture and religion (i.e., mixing Jewish and Baptist, Muslim and Catholic, etc….) you’d better have hammered out decision points on how the religions will meld together as your family grows. So, good idea? Maybe not. But that won’t stop people from making it work out fine if they put effort into it.
I don’t think it’s wise, but it could prove to be a difficult situation to deal with. I would marry someone of a different faith as long as we could agree to not push our respective religions on each other, to do our best to understand each other’s religion, and to raise our children to learn both faiths and make their own decision about it when they’re old enough.
depends… I married someone of a different faith (I’m atheist, he’s Christian)… you just have to be flexible. I don’t think it is a big deal for a lot of atheist (and more especially in agnostics) because they aren’t usually going to say “no you can’t teach that, the truth lies in this other gospel”. Cpurse there are always exceptions.
If your religion (relationship to God) is something you value highly, then you should not compromise it by marrying someone of a different faith — especially if you belong to an exclusive faith. If you think your religion is right and your partner’s is wrong, much grief can, and probably will, result.
If your religious beliefs are a relatively insignificant part of your life, then such compromise probably wouldn’t be much of a compromise at all.
Then there is a lot of gray area when I couple has similar beliefs but with some obvious differences. You then need to decide how central those beliefs are to your faith.
My parents are both Christians but from very different churches. When they got engaged, their counselour suggested they find a church they could both agree on, rather than choosing one of their own longtime denominations over their partner’s.
Mine is a marriage of differing faiths. It works for us. We both have made a considerable effort to understand each other. I think that is the key.
depends on the two people and how strong they feel if they can avoid mentioning how they feel about the others religion or thier own then thier love is just that love but otherwise then no
i would also like to add if two people of different religions come together and have a kid then i say why not let the kid decide what faith he wants to be as long as the faith that he chooses isnt anything hurtfull to themselves or others
it can work as long as your both willing to make compromises every now-and-then.
heck no
2 words: HELL NO
Faith is something that should have been discussed prior to getting married. I am a christian and the Bible says not to be unevenly yoked.. That is enough for me..
hmmm.. tough question!
i guess my answer would be yes… the relationship will work if the couple have respect with each other…
have a blessed day.. ingatz lagi
Definitely not a wise decision to marry someone of another faith. Usually, that brings many arguments and the spouse will end up pulling each other away from their religion. When that happens, that small sin only grows and causes more problems. It will be a strong test. I know many families that have parents of different religions and it tends to be very disfunctional. The wife will not understand a Christian man spending more time with God and putting God first, and vice versa. It will cause confusion, lack of trust, and the feeling that she or he is not loved.
No, it is definitely not a smart move.
It would make it a struggle on a relationship that’s for sure. My hubby was raised Catholice and I was Baptist. Our kids started out in the Baptist church (mostly because it was easier)…then we decided to compromise and meet in the middle and we all went non-denominational and that’s where we have all been since.
Ha no. I am evidence of that.
it is not wise… and Jesus said to not marry outside your faith… but if you find yourself “unequally yoked” (as I am), you must work even harder to make your marriage work. I work hard to make my marriage work, for His sake.
Nope, not wise at all. It is also not wise for a religious person to marry a non religious person.
I could not marry someone from a completely different faith than myself. For one, the Bible forbids it. For another, we, like the lady you mentioned, would probably fight a lot. :-/
A different denomination however, we may have our differences, but I think that we could overcome them as long as we both held God’s Word to be our highest authority on deciding those things.
I think it can. There’s this chick…er… sorry. There’s this wonderful, amazing, perfect woman out there. She’s christian. I’m not. I don’t really know what you’d classify me as, but whatever. She hates UCC’s. That’s cool, ’cause i do too. She’s open minded, and i am too. So that’s spiffy. That’s how it’s agota work if it happens like that. It’s not going to work if you have some domineering, converting, stuck-in-their-ways… fuddle duddle and someone that thinks differently. They’ll both be driven nuts. If ya gots open minded people that still believe in different things, then you’re good. And about kids. We’ve talked about what our kids’ll be. And (as far as i remember) they’re gonna be baptized (important to her, and i don’t think it could hurt), and then we’re basically let them decide. So that’s all good.
no
I think not
No…. No it’s not. It causes so much strife. What church will you attend? What church will your kids go to? Will he/she push the kids toward one faith, and downplay the other? It’s endless.
It all depends on the people involved and what faiths they have. However, faith is a huge deal and it usually helps to define one’s personality so it usually isn’t a good idea. I was in a relationship before with drastic varing degree of faith and it didn’t work out. Basically because we couldn’t relate to each other on the parts of life that really mattered.
the 2 would have many obstacles to hurdle over, but if they love each other then it doesnt matter .
No….it’s best to have a common faith…especially in the essentials.
The Bible says that a Christian should not marry a non-Christian, and since I’m a Christian I’ll say I won’t marry a non-Christian. As far as other religons, I’m not sure. Many people are religious in title only, and for them I don’t think it’d be as big of a problem as with two people who are serious about their religious faith.
Unless you are narrow-minded enough to only associate with people who think exactly like you about everything it shouldn’t be an issue. New points of view are good. If you can’t expand your horizons what can you do?
Faith is not something that should be cited as a reason for a marriage’s failure. I was born and raised Baptist. My first husband was a non practicing Catholic. My second husband worshiped only his next drug fix or alcohal binge. My present husband was also raised Baptist. Does the fact that we are both Baptist make our marriage? No it doesn’t. We didn’t marry because religous belief made it. We married because we love each other and being with the other complete’s us. We did not see the future including us not being together. My first husband insisted that our children be raised Catholic. At the age I was then I let him have his way. I wasn’t a very strong person back then.
Neither of my 2 failed marriages failed because of religious belief or lack there of.
OK, well, I havent looked at all the comments but, In my opinion this goes beyond just being Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, etc…. I think that even diffrent “denomonations” of Christianity can cause certain disputes, so, it is in my opinion that the even denomination or the people be willing to compromise for eachother.
I dated a mormon for 6 months. It was terrible.
its not necessarily wise but it helps and decreases friction. I think it depends on how each person is open and tolerant to one’s beliefs. you have to be at the same level.
If you have enough love to see you through the obstacles then yes
I think having a solid foundation is necessary for any relationship. That said, religion may not be a factor in that foundation. but, i will say, if religion is very important to one of you, it should be important to both.
nope
not if you’re a woman anyways
Depends on the diversity.
It was not an issue in our realationship.
If you can find a middle ground it could work but there are usually outside influences that get in the way.
If your mature enought to “accept” each other and not judge…
I dont think it matters, as long as you are willing to study and celebrate both religions
not as a christian
I guess it depends on who you think.
My mom is methodist and her husband is catholic. They make it work, they just take turns going to each other’s churches.
I think it is very unwise. Religious beliefs are the foundation of our other beliefs and opinions, and if those don’t mesh, it’s going to be harder to keep other things together.
I think it’s difficult bc marriage at its heart is about a shared commitment, a sense of partnership. And faith is a huge part of who people are esp. in mid life even if when they were young, they don’ tthink so.
But you can’t stop young people from thinking they are so in loooooove!! LOL
I think it’s up to the couple mostly.
Not really…If you marry someone from another faith, and assuming you have children, they will be torn between two religions…this would upset one of the parents and end up a big mess that could destroy the space time continuom.
I second (third, fourth, and fifth) the opinions here–if neither of you are super religious, shouldn’t be a problem. But if one’s Super Christian and the other’s Wacky Liberal, wellll. . . I don’t see that one lasting.
1 Corinthians 1:10
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
I just don’t think it is right to compromise your faith for the love of a human being. I have had many opportunities to date someone of another religion but its just not possible for me. I love my church, my faith, and my beliefs. I even have a friend who just came from a 3 yr relationship with someone of another religion and she said its just not possible. I believe that as well. If it is God’s will for you to move churches and change religions, then you shall know, but there is a peace with knowing your loving God and in His will with your relationship decisions.
I don’t think it wise to. In today’s religions, so many issues are interpreted differently and given varying levels of importance that it would be hard to compromise. I’ve watched two very good friends, who are perfect for each other and love each other, fight a lot because she is Catholic and he isn’t. Her parents refused to give their blessing on the marriage unless he became Catholic. Maybe it is different for different couples, but I could not see myself marrying someone who did not share the same beliefs I do.
NO UNLESS THE 2 AGREE AT THE VERY BEGINING AND MAKE SURE IT WILL NOT BOTHER THE 2 OF THEM IN THE FUTURE
Well, IT all depends… For instance i’m christian and i would marry a catholic or someone else of a different faith if i felt they were the one for me…. Religion shoudn’t get in the way of Love…
Signed,
Allison
for lots of people it would not be wise.
I don’t know, but I can say that I would never even consider it. It’s hard enough with my family, but I don’t want that tension with a spouse.
Well, love conquers all and so I believe, just as long as there is requirement of conversion then I am a happy camper…
Very unwise. Unequally yoked and all that. Marriages can suffer trouble enough without the faith thing coming into question. That’s a killer.
L,r
no.
like sarah said, i think it’s dependent on the person’s character and your character. whether you’re open-minded or not. i’ve known people who celebrated both christmas and hannukah and their parents got along fine.
NO! definately not. it usually just doesnt work..
i would say marrying someone of a different faith is a bad idea. just as it would be unwise for someone in a certain faith to marry someone who had no religious faith at all.
then again there are always exceptions.
It’s not very wise at all. It will cause many disagreements.
[ariana]
>.<
um… it depends on the people. of its a really big part of their lives, maybe not. but u should also love people for their differences and embrace that so… depends on the people i guess.
it’s not one bit wise.
the bible tells us to be equally yoked.
its not wise to marry someone if you or them isn’t open to other religions
Absolutely not wise. I would imagine this the #1 reason for breaking up.
Hmm, I’d say if both individuals were strong in their (opposing) beliefs, there’d be some problems, but then again, if both were strong in their beliefs at the beginning of their relationship, they probably wouldn’t have gotten together initially.
I totally believe that story & the reason why they split. People who are die-hard believers are not going to compromise with another die-hard believer. Especially in a marriage. For instance, my husband is Christian & although I am learning the Gospel, we are going through tough times b/c of our different beliefs. Good thing though b/c I am realizing a whole new realm of truth. So my answer to your question, talk about faith with each other before marriage.
Religion always ruins everything! Bible, Torah Kuran or whatever other fairy tale book you’re quoting from it’s all such a heap of rubbish. The other thing that kills marriages is when she won’t swallow. That really ruins it for me personally; I been through 4 women now cause uh that.
I think that faith is what a relationship should be based on… depending on what that faith is and what it is in…
aer you gay yes yes or yes
It can work, but in general it should be avoided if one’s faith is an important part of their life.
Yes, that little detail shouldn’t matter. If they were really ment for, or loved each other they would find some way to work it out.
Never. Too many possible conflicts.
People who marry with different Religious beliefs, should Let there children explore the religions for themself when there older. Same with people in the same religion. But when there Babies still the parents should just take time to think. There babies they don’t know religion. Don’t force it on them or they could possibly turn away from it all together when there older. But no, Religion shouldn’t Matter in a relationship if you use your head and think.
This site is the first one i’ve founded old enough. i’m a new comer here from China.i suppose the hosts of many sites are much more younger than me. i like the style and the colour of the site.