how do relationships work out when the couple shares slightly to more than slightly different religious views?

Question

...and why did yahoo answers want me to put this in the gay and lesbian section when i went to post it?

Answer 1

For these relationships to succeed it takes respect and tolerance.

And Yahoo! has a new system they are trying out. I don't like it.

Answer 2

Depends on what those differences are, and how important they are to each person. If they are such that one person would be angry or insulted if the other were to practice their beliefs, then it is a big issue. If they are minor things that you can both live with - it may not be a big issue.

You also need to think about children. If your children are going to have a religious faith, they can not see their parents fighting and disagreeing over it and still be expected to accept it. Are your difference such that you will still be able to present a unified faith to your children?

Or is it a case where one of you has a strong faith and the other does not? If you have such a faith, why would you even consider marrying someone who does not? You would be unable to share together the deepest experiences of God's presence. You would be unable to go together to him for help when trouble comes. And your children would be taught that religion really isn't important, because neither parent cares enough about it. One does not practice it, and the other does not stand up for what he/she claims to believe when choose a spouse. A sure way to destroy your children's spiritual life.

You need to do some talking and some praying before making a committment to marry each other. And realize that if this is NOT the person for you, it just means God has something even better waiting for you...if you listen.

Answer 3

We get a lot of relationship questions at LGBT 'cause we can't post them anywhere else without getting sh!t for it. So that's why the "suggestion" came up, I'm sure.

That said, I'm in an interfaith relationship--I'm Pagan, my wife is atheist. When we met, I was Assemblies of God and she was Eastern Orthodox, so we've never entirely agreed, ever.

What we agree on are core principles, such as loving the natural world, curiosity, and mutual respect. We love to learn. We know not to debate each other on personal terms. Also, we don't have to think about raising children, which I think adds an entire new layer of potential trouble in an interfaith relationship.

I know a married couple that consists of a Jewish woman and an atheist man. The couple lives in Florida, where they take college football very seriously. They decided--I am not kidding--to raise the kids with her religion and his team, and they're happy about the compromise six years and three kids later!

Answer 4

I am an Atheist, and my husband is Agnostic. He believes in a god, I don't. Things get interesting, but since we both respect each other and our different views, then it's fine.

We actually had about a 30 minute conversation last night. He had some good points, I had some good points. But in the end, just respect your significant other's beliefs, and things will be fine in the end.

Answer 5

I don't quite think they do. I"m CAtholic and I've dated a lot of pagans. It's only ended in hardships. It's hard on a relationship when one (or even both) are faithful to their religion. The more that person believes, the harder it becomes. I was very faithful to my religion (church on sundays and no sex before marriage) and my exes couldn't handle it. I was told by all of them to stop going to church (it cut into our time together) and to stop fighting my feelings. I dumped them because they expected me to be respectful to their religions, but they couldn't be respectful to mine.

As for where Y!A wanted you to post, was it because you hit "Ask" while in that section? It just naturally assumes that if you're in there, you're asking a question for there.

Answer 6

Depends upon the couple, how adult they are capable of being, and how much they respect one another. Sometimes compromises are called for, and not everyone is willing to compromise. People of different faiths make their marriages work every day, though, so it can certainly be done.

Answer 7

they don't work out very well...eventually those differences can become big issues in a relationship. If neither person is really practicing their religion then it might go unnoticed, but usually at some point it can come up, especially if the relationship gets to the point of say marriage or even child rearing.

Answer 8

if i can make a relationship between a hippie/deadhead and sorority girl work, well, most of the time anyway, i don't think religion or gay and lesbian should be a problem.

Answer 9

Well.... from personal experience.... I'd say that any number of things can happen based on the personalities involved.... but where I'm concerned, I tend to bring the other person around to my way of thinking.

My ex-wife was originally pagan.... a witch, in simple terms.... (NOT wiccan though). I ended up stripping her of her spirituality... basically consuming her karma and leaving her much more reasonable, rational... and nihilistically inclined.
The person I was with last December was a wavering catholic.... and though I was only with her for a month, I managed just about to pull her as far as agnosticism.

You see... when people are together and care for each other's thoughts and feelings... they will adapt to suit each other.... but generally the one with the stronger will does the least adapting.... and my will is harder than adamantium (reference for X-Men fans).

Answer 10

to answer ur first question: i don't believe in such relationships. i just think that everybody should stick to his/hers own religion and find a mate of the same kind .............. but i'm not saying it's impossible - i have witnessed many healthy marriages between 2 different religious ppl (except that my personal opinion is that neither one of them is very religious)

second qst: have no idea, happens to me also, i guess it has to do with the word ''relationship'' contained in ur qst ........... as if only gay ppl have relationships hahahah