Would you consider dating a person with different religious beliefs?

I don't see how a relationship between people of two different religious beliefs can become serious without having some severe flaws. I consider religion an important issue because it permeates society, how it can very much contribute to who a person is, and, in some people's minds, it can affect what happens to them after they die. People who profess a religion but don't take it seriously probably don't take life seriously as a result. While you can say that religion is a private issue, it's important to note that intimate couples share their most private parts of their lives together. Now, you may say that not all people are alike, but they shouldn't differ on such a vital issue like religion. Religion should be something that couples share or avoid together and with their children if they decide to have any.

Being that I am nonreligious, I would not ideally want to date a religious woman because I would be reprioritizing my religious beliefs to make room for love, which can have devastating consequences to my morale and my religious beliefs. I also feel that worship is a service for the entire family to participate in and having her date me would require her to betray her religious beliefs. Now, I would open to dating a religious woman for the experience as long, but if there are flaws that show up that can't be worked out, then the relationship is through. Ideally, the person who I would date and eventually marry would be a nonreligious, nonspiritual naturalist like me. However, I'm fine with a nonreligious, nonspiritual freethinker. It's okay if she believes in God as long as she's not spiritual, religious, or mystical about it.

Now, I have considered the possibility that people can change and if my wife adopts a religion after we're married, I'm not sure if I would divorce her. I'm seriously contemplating that possibility, but I wouldn't really know unless the situation actually happened to me. I would probably love her less though even if I did stayed with her. Gosh, that sounds like a good reason to get a divorce now that I think about it.

Anyway, would you consider dating a person with religious beliefs? Why or why not? Would you marry her if it was possible you felt that such a commitment was appropriate? If you wouldn't marry a person with different religious, if your wife changed religions or adopted one, would you stay together and if you would, would you love her more, less, or the same? If you're alreay married, answer these questions as though you were actively single unless your experience with your spouse is pertinent to your answer.

im not reading that.

but i don't think id get on with a religious GF. i think it would lead to too many arguments and she just would not like the fact that i though her whole belief was utter nonsense. just wouldn't work.

lucky my current gf thinks its a load of **** too

Date - yes. Marry - no. Marrying with a mindset of "love is all you need" is incredibly short-sighted.

Date - yes. Marry - no. Marrying with a mindset of "love is all you need" is incredibly short-sighted.

Oleg_Huzwog

I am a white, repentance preach'n, Christian seminary student, and for a week I dated a bi-sexual, spiritually-curious as to all religious faiths, black girl. We got along great, but issues arise when you must head home so that you can go to church the next morning and your girlfriend wants to stay up late at a strip club.mindstorm

Somebody turn this into a sitcom.

AS long as she has no problem celebrating Christmas, I'd have no problem.

I don't really care that much about religion, so it wouldn't bother me.

[QUOTE="mindstorm"]I am a white, repentance preach'n, Christian seminary student, and for a week I dated a bi-sexual, spiritually-curious as to all religious faiths, black girl. We got along great, but issues arise when you must head home so that you can go to church the next morning and your girlfriend wants to stay up late at a strip club.Oleg_Huzwog

Somebody turn this into a sitcom.

Would, and do. In fact, the lady I am currently courting is catholic, and I am a protestant that doesn't believe in organized religion. So, we just don't talk about it, mainly.

Depends on exactly how those religious beliefs influences the rest of her personality.

I don't even want to befriend someone who cares about something as ridiculous as that. I can have my beliefs, and you can have yours. Nothing good can come of arguing about it, and I don't really want to. If something like that is a deciding factor in whether or not you want to be with someone I don't want to have anything to do with you.

Yes. I'm a life-long atheist, but I'd prefer to date a lightly Christian girl (one that still wants to **** before marriage and I can convince to get an abortion).wstfld

Depends on whether or not their beliefs are that of "tolerance" and "acceptance" of other systems. I don't see the inherent issue with varying beliefs coming together, hell, Sikhism promotes men seek out women from other traditions. The major problem I think religion causes isn't from itself, but from misconceived interpretations. Too many people interpret their religion literally, taking it as a history and legal code of law, and not a mythology (parables to teach), philosophy (ideas to compel understanding) and moral guidelines (to show how virtue helps others and sin hurts others).

I don't see how anyone who takes their religion non-literally can feel "out-of-place" with someone of another tradition, or no tradition. Their beliefs are their own, and their compassion will only help them realize that they don't need to force others to see it their way, but accept that there are other ways of seeing... which, as I've found out, only makes a relationship stronger. Disagreement and reconciliation is what keeps people together.

Yeah. Why not? Not having kids, and I am not the one going to hell. (Seinfeld reference on that last part)rawsavon

[QUOTE="rawsavon"]Yeah. Why not? Not having kids, and I am not the one going to hell. (Seinfeld reference on that last part)mindstorm

Yes to dating and yes to marrying. I don't discriminate.Hemmaroids

[QUOTE="mindstorm"][QUOTE="rawsavon"]Yeah. Why not? Not having kids, and I am not the one going to hell. (Seinfeld reference on that last part)rawsavon

[QUOTE="Hemmaroids"]Yes to dating and yes to marrying. I don't discriminate.-Big_Red-

Technically speaking, according to Christian theology you are worshiping Satan even if inadvertantly if you are not worshiping God.mindstorm

[QUOTE="rawsavon"]Yeah. Why not? Not having kids, and I am not the one going to hell. (Seinfeld reference on that last part)Genetic_Code

I'd consider dating a watermelon if I could get it to put out on the first date. :[grape_of_wrath

[QUOTE="-Big_Red-"][QUOTE="Hemmaroids"]Yes to dating and yes to marrying. I don't discriminate.mindstorm

I don't think I could tolerate somebody who's a jesus fanboy, especially if they tried to convert me.XilePrincess

Sure, as long as she kept her beliefs to her self and didn't try to force them on me or our potential future children.

Yes, and i'd marry her..

Although, we'd have to come to some sort of agreement so we're not arguing about religion and such all the time..

I would. I'm not very religious, but I don't mind if others are. So long as they aren't extreme in their beliefs or anything (that can be said for a lot of things though).

[QUOTE="grape_of_wrath"]I'd consider dating a watermelon if I could get it to put out on the first date. :[-Big_Red-

No, absolutely not.

I can only see myself marrying somebody who loves the Lord more than me. Someone who is willing to go where ever the Lord would take us.

Depends on how fanatical about their beliefs they are.

Only if she's not some hardcore extremist. But marriage, definitely no.

Anyone with the same beliefs as me is a grade A weirdo. So my answer is yeah.