Do you and your spouse/partner share the same religion or beliefs?

Question

If you don't, do you take the time to learn about their religion? Do you ask questions about issues you are unsure of or do you form your own opinions? Have you read whichever book is considered holy to them? Or do you simply ignore your differences? I know many couples where the husband and wife are different religions. Many agree to disagree but do so in a respectful manner and some completely avoid the issue all together. Sadly some feel it is acceptable to insult and degrade each other's beliefs. How do you (or would you) handle being with a person who has beliefs very different than your own?

Answer 1

No, I'm a Christian and my husband is agnostic. I've been pretty fair about his path; I don't preach at him, and I don't try to force him to convert. Some Christians have told me that I ought to be more forceful, but I know that if I am, that will scare him away, rather than bring him closer.
He's had to learn to be more open-minded about MY choice though. He's a lot better now than he was when I first became a Christian.

We handle it okay. I wait until he brings it up, otherwise I don't discuss religion with him. The important thing is that we love each other, and both of us try to be respectful.

Answer 2

I too know couples who don't share religions. In fact, in 2 of these couples (good friends) one is Jewish while the other is Christian.
This is baffling to me. I don't understand how someone can marry someone who believes so differently about such a fundamental part of being. I truly could not have married a person (no matter how much I loved him) who was not my same religion.
The only conclusion I can draw from it, is that to go so far as to marry someone with whom you don't share the same religious beliefs, is that those "beliefs" were not very strong to begin with.
I don't think that it would ever be "acceptable" to insult or degrade your spouse's beliefs----in that case (assuming they loved one another enough to marry) I would think the issue was really something else, and the religious beliefs were only the lightning rod for other significant problems.

Answer 3

My husband and I have different beliefs. I have read the book that is considered holy to his religion; I do not subscribe to one faith, so he has not had need to learn about my beliefs.

We talk constantly about spirituality, though - we're both people who like to question, and since questioning religion is often discouraged outside of the home (in whatever country, not just ours), our home is a place where we are both free to discuss God, doctrine, and faith.

Of course, there are disagreements - but I find that more often than not, despite our differing beliefs, we agree on fundamental things.

I think the biggest problems often come up when people of different faiths choose to have children. We don't plan to, but if we did, I think it would be necessary to create a dialogue about how they are to be raised.

Answer 4

When I was younger (before i got married), i thought that differing religions didn't matter in marriage.

When I had children, I realized how important it is to have one faith in the family- to build a sense of belonging, and lessen confusion for the children.

As my marriage went on ... I found how tough it was to get by when two partners were of different levels of faith...or when one stopped "actively" believing.

Now that I am divorced (the reasonings were NOT due to faith)...I understand the importance of being equally-yoked that i didn't when I was young. what a joy it would be (should I ever marry again) to be able to worship and serve next to the person I choose to share my life with. I can't imagine anything different now.

Answer 5

Me and my partner have the same religion. We're both muslims. Thats the first thing that i look for in a guy. ^^ If you think about family, and having kids. The foundation of a good family is religion. If you have two religion, what about your kids. They will be confused!I have a friend that dates a guy with different religion. I talked to her about it. Like are you serious with him?What about the difference in religion?She says, she just wants to be happy. She doesn't want to think about it...YET...well it turns out, they broke up a year later because.."he's a muslim and i'm a catholic"...Can't say anything to that...

Answer 6

me and my fiance are in the same religion..because if you are different from each other it would be difficult,you are different views and belief,surely the relationship will not work.same as my religion doctrines we believe that the man live in the dark or not belong to the church of christ never unite with the rightiousness where the woman inside of the church..these is the reality we believe.

Answer 7

i'm a christian, and the last time i had a relationship with a non-christian guy, he had a complete lack of respect for my beliefs and actually spent time telling me how stupid i was for believing what i do. i could accept the fact that his beliefs were different to mine, but apparently he couldn't do the same, so since then i have stuck to dating christian guys, because then these issues can't ruin things.

Answer 8

Yes, we do. It was his family who witnessed the truth to me to begin with, as I was a lost catholic headed for hell. Because my brother in law took the time to talk to me and show me the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and taught me about being born again, and took me around to meet many other true, saved Christians who also talked to me, I am very grateful to him. I renounced the catholic religion and am now a born again, Bible believing Christian, and am on my way to Heaven now. AMEN!

Answer 9

Yes... we share the same beliefs now. When we got married, my wife was agnostic, but after a few years she decided to join me.

Answer 10

me athiest - girlfriend born again christian - we tend to avoid the issue. marrage and children how we bring up our children could become a big issue though.