I was just curious how much your beliefs interfere with personal relationships. Would you be friends with, date, marry a person with different beliefs? opposng beliefs? no beliefs? How different could they be?
2007-08-27 07:47:34 · 39 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Oh and don't turn this into a debate... thats not what I am looking for
2007-08-27 07:48:08 · update #1
preys jesus...
Wow... thats all I can say to the females role comment...
and doesn't the bible tell you not to have sex before marrriage?
2007-08-27 09:04:10 · update #2
I called them theorists so as not to show my personal beliefs... enough people have answered... I am agnostic, I believe in evolution.... and I appreciate that most of you did not make this into a religious debate.
2007-08-27 09:11:00 · update #3
I respect others' beliefs, and I expect the same. If they don't respect my beliefs, then they don't respect me. You cannot build a relationship without respect for one another. Conversion (or attempted conversion), to me, is way to show a lack of respect.
2007-08-27 07:58:28 · answer #1 · answered by Rachel the Atheist 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quite a bit for me...though I prefer to think of them as intervening (positive) rather than interfering (negative) with my personal relationships.
Friends...many of my friends have different beliefs and even opposing beliefs. However, these people are not my closest friends. My closest friends, the ones I go to for advice and encouragement, are those that share my basic beliefs (not necessarily practice them or even believe everything the same, but the same foundation).
Dating and marriage...100% intervention. I choose not to "date" (meaning going out on a traditional date with a man) because of my beliefs. In my experience, dating is an inefficient and often invalid way of learning about another person's true nature and beliefs. The most effective method is to get to know a person as a friend with no romantic trappings that can blind you to what the other person is really like.
...and if through friendship, I find a man who shares my beliefs about how to have the kind of marriage God described, then I will consider marriage. I would not date or marry anyone who had no beliefs or opposing beliefs...I wouldn't even marry someone who had similar beliefs but disagreed on points I consider unarguable!
...and before some smart alec suggests I'll have to wait a LONG time, that's fine with me. In fact, I'm fine with the idea of remaining single the rest of my life (see 1 Cor. 7: 27 - 35)...sounds much better to me than feeling trapped in a dysfunctional marriage (been there done that) or dragging my child through a series of divorces!
2007-08-27 08:22:49 · answer #2 · answered by KAL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can get along with all kinds of people, but I won't get into discussions about religion or politics. Science is up for grabs, though. I like associating with intelligent people and it is just one of the things that attracts me to a person. In this day and age, there's no excuse for being stupid. If I find that a person is too far afield from what is common knowledge, I will tend to not want to be around them. We would not have enough in common. I think that we pick all our friends in this same way. But then, we could also have other things in common and our friendship or relationship could be based on that. It depends on the person and what they have to offer. I married someone with different beliefs. At the time, I was a Mormon and he was an atheist. We each knew where the other stood and it was not up for discussion. We made it work. He stayed completely out of my search and journey and listened patiently as I learned and shared along the way. I could not have found a better person for a mate.
atheist
2007-08-27 07:54:52 · answer #3 · answered by AuroraDawn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolution theorist? *lol* That's a new one. I kind of like it, though ...
I can be friends with anyone of any religion, as long we can agree to disagree. As long as we can both be respectful of each others' opinions. For example -- I'm an atheist, and although I have several christian friends, there are a few people (one in particular, here on Answers) that I just couldn't continue to pursue a friendship with ... every time I talked to this person, regardless of the direction of conversation, they would always work in how Jesus changed their life and they just wanted that for me too, and couldn't I just give it a chance?
The same goes for relationships. Of course, it comes down to how big a part religion plays in their lives. If I were to date a person who wants to be in church/temple/etc everytime the doors are open, it might cause a problem because I wouldn't be going with them.
2007-08-27 08:07:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be almost impossible to discuss this question absent a debate, but a simple answer, from my own point of view, is that no, I would not date a person with dramatically different beliefs, and certainly wouldn't marry her. As for the "no beliefs" category - there are no such people. Anyone who says otherwise is being disingenuous, to say the least.
2007-08-27 07:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is difficult being married to someone who has no belief. Although a couple cannot walk and grow together in Christ, one can hope the other will follow by God's love in you. However, one can be a witness to the other and accept the other person as God accepts everyone of us. I believe that a Christian should extend a hand to an atheist to inspire them by living Christ-like. Atheists deserve the free love and grace that God gave us Christians.
2007-08-27 08:41:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Man did you hit a nerve! Evolution theorist! I love that!! Every year or two they find another fossil, and some scientist comes on the boob tube and states "we may have to re-write the theory of evolution", yet the people on this forum shout that it is fact. You are going to get hate mail for sure!
Oh yea your question, I try to give everyone that I meet a chance. If the person rubs me the wrong way then so be it, move on.
2007-08-27 07:57:19 · answer #7 · answered by Al a voter 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it doesnt interfere unless the other person lets it. and i mean they continue to push their beliefs and views on me. i do enjoy talking about my beliefs and their beliefs, but the moment they begin preaching and telling me how im wrong, the moment they begin to get upset in the discussion i do not like it.
i am agnostic, and all of my friends are christian. i have nothing against, and they are real cool people. they respect my beliefs and i respect theirs.
yes i would be friends, date, marry a person of different beliefs.
2007-08-27 07:53:13 · answer #8 · answered by Chippy v1.0.0.3b 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I certainly wouldn't be one to encourage such a relationship. Their will inevitably be problems due to religious views. I would be more concern about the impact all this would have on our Children.
The Bible declares not to be unequally yoke. How can two walk together unless they agree?
Have faith dear friends in God
Romans 10:9
John 3:16
2007-08-27 08:11:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was going to marry a guy of a different religion a few while ago. It was ok (of course it's better to share the same religion and beliefs but when they are different, it's not a big problem for some) but it was a very difficult moment when he told me that he wishes me to convert to his religion. That can be a problem i guess
On the other hand, i have friends of many different religions and many atheist friends. It's really not a problem. I like seeing their view points and i like sharing mine to them
2007-08-27 07:53:44 · answer #10 · answered by larissa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋