The God Delusion Wife?

Question

For believers, would you divorce your wife if she became an atheist after reading the God Delusion?

For atheists, would you divorce your wife if she became a believer of God?

Answer 1

I am not married, but if I were, I would NOT divorce my wife if she started believing in God. You base a marriage on more than mere ideological agreement. Other things, of a more personal and intimate nature, are necessary for the maintenance of a happy and healthy marriage, such as the willingness to sacrifice for each other, likeminded goals for what you want for the future of your marriage, how you would like to rear your children, your personal likes and dislikes, compatibility of personality strengths and weakness, etc.

The only exception, to where conversion to a religious belief system could warrant a divorce is if that conversion is to some fundamentalist belief system. When I say fundamentalist, I am referring to those individuals who don’t merely relegate religion to some pageantry or perfunctory practice they perform on Sundays. When I bring up the term fundamentalist, I am talking about your diehard literalist, who stringently tries to follow all the moral precepts of their religious faith, and coercively mandates others to do so as well. Such a dogmatic fidelity to inane and antiquated doctrines of old time religion – which is the hallmark of fundamentalism – can in fact be deleterious to the tranquility of a marriage. In such cases where such religious fervor encroaches on the day to day aspects of married life, and most importantly compels the adhering spouse to impose their views on the other, then I can see how a spouse’s conversion to a belief in God, could be grounds for divorce.

However, in most cases philosophical and theological differences between partners rarely spark friction in most couples. Generally moderate believers, entertain the notion of God, because it imparts some meaning to their lives, and saves them from despair. Though I don’t consider this to be legitimate grounds to subscribe to something, I can empathize with the mentality.

This moderate version of theism, is deeply personal, and generally doesn’t affect their behavior towards others. Since, such a personal belief, even if completely delusional, is fairly innocuous, I see no reason why I would divorce someone that I love because they believe in such a fantasy.

Just as an aside, I noticed some Christians, who have responded to this question; state emphatically that they would divorce their spouse if they became an atheist. To me this is truly appalling. What does it say about the morals of an individual, who would desert their most significant other – an individual who would take care of them in sickness and in health – just because of an ideological difference?

To me, it illustrates two defects in the mindset of these so called Christians. Number one, it puts ideological concerns over that of love, thus contradicting the very foundation of proper morals. Secondly, this compulsion to separate oneself from those who think differently than you, might underscore the fact that these believers are insecure in their belief, and need constant reinforcement from likeminded believers. A belief that cannot withstand opposition, even from those who love you and are closest to you, should be discarded.

Answer 2

Was this question for men only? LOL. Well, I AM a wife, so I couldn't divorce mine.

My husband and I do not share the same view on religion, but no, I wouldn't divorce my husband either way. And it's pretty obvious he wouldn't, because I became a Christian after we'd been married for three years (a year ago). My husband was an atheist when we met (he is now a non-religious theist), and I married him anyway.

As a sidenote, if someone became an atheist after reading "The God Delusion", their faith must have been weak. To question, that's understandable; "Delusion" is well-written and witty. But Dawkins sets up a lot of arguments that are one-sided, and some are downright fallacious.

Answer 3

i'm an agnostic, and that i delight in the smart, nicely concept out nature of your submit. I understand "own reports of God" plenty better than I understand arguments based on the Bible or organic reason. i do no longer see unusual, unexplained phenomena as "acts of God." I see them as basically unexplained. Who is acquainted with why somebody all right now gets cured of diabetes or maximum cancers? Is it a miracle? nicely, how come I by no potential see rather intense "miracles" like somebody growing to be a sparkling limb? The miracles I pay attention approximately are extremely diffused, to make it easier to be attentive to the actuality. additionally, the flexibility of advice could be very effective. In each and every scientific learn, researchers are compelled to offer some sufferers a placebo (inclusive of a sugar pill) besides to different sufferers getting the real therapy so as to account for the flexibility of advice whilst human beings get greater useful. To skeptics, the belief of God is a capture-excited by the unexplained and has a tendency to close the innovations off to the opportunity of exploring extra, and attempting to locate extra motives. this is a (psychological) ineffective-end. yet once you in a roundabout way basically sense/intuitively think of that God is real, arguments prefer no longer sway you.

Answer 4

Wait, You mean you can divorce your wife if she believes something you do not?
Just a second.

Shouting over shoulder:
"Hey, Honey, pack your suitcases, you are going to visit your mom for a while!"

Thanks. You should have let me know about this years ago.
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In seriousness, religion or lack of it is not a reason to divorce. Treating each other like crap over beliefs or habits likely is a reason to divorce though.

Answer 5

you would divorce your wife if she became an atheist??? then you don't love her!!! it's her choice! she's a free person to do and to believe what ever she wants!!
but to divorce her because of that??!! weird
where's the love???

Answer 6

Lucid, you give yourself too much credit.
No, I would not divorce my wife because she became a non-believer. I would show her by example of the love that I have for her. I hope Lucid would feel the same way.

Answer 7

You raise an interesting point with this question. I have known numbers of women who are members of LDS, JW, and Pentecostal religions who have husbands that are alcoholics, womanizers, and non-believers. Their faith teaches them to "hang in there" and pray.

When men become believers, they appear more likely to demand their wives submit... they do not sit by and pray for their spouse to "see the light."

Religions tend to have very specific gender roles. and... Yes... religion can be the downfall of a marriage. We've all seen it happen.

I, for one, could not remain best friends and companion to a fundie... it would become a significant problem.

Answer 8

1Cr 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.


1Cr 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.


1Cr 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Answer 9

well im not married but i love my girlfriend a lot.
i wouldnt divorce her over something like religion as long as we have a good time, similar values and agree on most thing im happy with her. besides who am i to be so judgemental if i left her that just shows i didnt care for her too much.

Answer 10

I can answer from the other side of the fence from experience.

My ex-husband became a born-again Christian, got baptized, started wearing a suit all the time, smashed his entire music collection including most of mine (LPs), ripped up all the photos from my youth (in a bikini etc), etc, etc. Then he began to try and convert and control me. After years of verbal abuse, lock-ins, control-freakery, out-of-control misogyny (women are sent from the Devil, I was Satan etc etc) and extreme mood swings (from him), I finally left. You could say he re-awakened my lesbian side...

Everyone is different, that was just my experience.