Interfaith marriages-do they work?

sharnad

Many Christians marry people who aren't Christian it usually works out fine

Angelicdevil

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Personally I could never have married someone of a different faith and could only think that if you did then compromises regarding your faith would be necessary. How can anyone marry someone who disagrees about something that is fundamental to your way of life which makes me wonder if those that do are possibly nominal.

Sorry if that sounds harsh but certainly Christians are specifically advised at the very least not to marry a non Christian.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Oh, Torry!

My father is Protestant, my mother is Hindu. They have been very happily married for 35 years and their individual faiths are as strong as ever.

It comes down to mutual respect and tolerance.

But then they're not preachy types and understand that faith doesn't have to control every aspect of their lives.

Reading comments like yours actually makes me a bit angry. To be a "true" Christian you don't have to be so arrogant about your faith and have it control every aspect of your life.

Being a child of mixed denomination parents......I've seen the good and the bad of both religions and I made my choice to be an atheist. I was christened and practised for a while but I learnt I don't need faith/belief to live a happy and fulfilled life.

My father would never push me into being Christian but the same can't be said or some of my Hindu relatives. I don't think they'll ever get over me not being more like them.

Spendless

I met a woman who was Hindu and her husband Catholic. They seemed happy together, though I didn't know her well.

Torry_Quine

peachyprice wrote: »

Surely that would only happen of one of the couple were trying to convert the other. Why can they not live blissfully following their own faiths and respecting each other's beliefs?

No it wouldn't. I honestly can't get my head round sharing my life with someone who doesn't share the very essence of who I am.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

It depends, though. My mother's a very devout Christian - attends Church very regularly, choir, PCC, the whole 9 yards.

My dad's an aethist.

I think that causes less trouble than if he were to have been of a different religion, as opposed to none.

Honest question, how can you marry someone knowing that from your perspective you won't spend eternity with them?

Angelicdevil wrote: »

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Oh, Torry!

My father is Protestant, my mother is Hindu. They have been very happily married for 35 years and their individual faiths are as strong as ever.

It comes down to mutual respect and tolerance.

But then they're not preachy types and understand that faith doesn't have to control every aspect of their lives.

Reading comments like yours actually makes me a bit angry. To be a "true" Christian you don't have to be so arrogant about your faith and have it control every aspect of your life.

Being a child of mixed denomination parents......I've seen the good and the bad of both religions and I made my choice to be an atheist. I was christened and practised for a while but I learnt I don't need faith/belief to live a happy and fulfilled life.

My father would never push me into being Christian but the same can't be said or some of my Hindu relatives. I don't think they'll ever get over me not being more like them.

It's not a case of being arrogant but following what the bible says about not being yoked to non-believers!

I think one parent believing that they will go to heaven while the other believes in reincarntion seems a compromise too far for me.

As I said before something has to give when two religions come together, it's impossible for both to give the full worth

Angelicdevil

Torry_Quine wrote: »

It's not a case of being arrogant but following what the bible says about not being yoked to non-believers!

I think one parent believing that they will go to heaven while the other believes in reincarntion seems a compromise too far for me.

As I said before something has to give when two religions come together, it's impossible for both to give the full worth

So do you also only wear garments of one thread? Do you never eat pig? Have you stoned your children for being stubborn?

Nah didn't think so.

It's about love, that trumps beliefs.

neverdespairgirl

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Honest question, how can you marry someone knowing that from your perspective you won't spend eternity with them?

because my mother believes that "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you."

lostinrates

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I think one parent believing that they will go to heaven while the other believes in reincarntion seems a compromise too far for me.

As I said before something has to give when two religions come together, it's impossible for both to give the full worth

I don't believe that you get what you believe and I get what I believe. I think chances are we all get the same. I think if their are deities or a deity he or they are as loving as many Christians believe than their love and forgiveness greater than ours and would find the petty bickering rather silly and probably sort the wheat from the chaff in a way we cannot fathom.

I think if its reincarnation it doesn't matter whether you and I don't believe int it, its going to happen to us anyway, regardless of what our spouses believe.

My personal belief is actually different again, and quieter. And I believe it to be fallible.

I think my time with my husband is precious and probably short. I don't think that makes it less wonderful. Maybe it makes it even more beautiful. I don't know.

I'm glad your soul mate is your faith, as it suits you, but I'm sad you feel the need to question the strength of others' marriages. Shared beliefs in marriages can come from books we make ourselves, and these books can be broader 'churches'. Or narrower, as suits the couple.

Torry_Quine

Angelicdevil wrote: »

So do you also only wear garments of one thread? Do you never eat pig? Have you stoned your children for being stubborn?

Nah didn't think so.

It's about love, that trumps beliefs.

I'm Christian not Jewish so that doesn't apply.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

because my mother believes that "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you."

Which doesn't mean people of other faiths get to heaven. You seem to have forgotten that Jesus Himself said ' I am the way, the truth and the life and no-one comes to the father except through me'.

peachyprice

Torry_Quine wrote: »

No it wouldn't. I honestly can't get my head round sharing my life with someone who doesn't share the very essence of who I am.

But you are extremist in your belief, not many people are. That doesn't make their beliefs any lesser that yours though.

Torry_Quine

lostinrates wrote: »

I don't believe that you get what you believe and I get what I believe. I think chances are we all get the same. I think if their are deities or a deity he or they are as loving as many Christians believe than their love and forgiveness greater than ours and would find the petty bickering rather silly and probably sort the wheat from the chaff in a way we cannot fathom.

I think if its reincarnation it doesn't matter whether you and I don't believe int it, its going to happen to us anyway, regardless of what our spouses believe.

My personal belief is actually different again, and quieter. And I believe it to be fallible.

I think my time with my husband is precious and probably short. I don't think that makes it less wonderful. Maybe it makes it even more beautiful. I don't know.

I'm glad your soul mate is your faith, as it suits you, but I'm sad you feel the need to question the strength of others' marriages. Shared beliefs in marriages can come from books we make ourselves, and these books can be broader 'churches'. Or narrower, as suits the couple.

I certainly don't want to be seen as questioning the strength of anyone's marriage, none of us can ever know what really happens.

I'm just trying in my ham-fisted way to explain the Christian position as I understand it. My soul-mate could only ever have been a Christian.