Should A Marriage Partner Convert to the Other Partner's Faith/Religion?

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Draco69
A rather interesting article regarding faith and marriage. Should one mate convert to their other mate's faith/religion just because they're married?


http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=3224&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=544657&menuid=8&GT1=6898

I find it...intriguing.

finti
so if a protestant and a catholic should marry which one should convert and why is that.........and which faith has a "right" to deceide over another

Sadako of Girth
Each should respect the other's religious preference if love is truly involved...
Besides, if your spiritual center lies on a certain view, then HOW shallow would your faith be if you were to sell it out because of the wishes of another....? Believe your beliefs is what I say.

Fire
what a BS idea is that, faith shouldn't matter in a decent relationship the first girl to ask me to convert to "something" would be in trouble!

finti
well put

Sadako of Girth
Besides, Faith and organised religion are two different things sometimes..

Imperial_Samura
Yes, a good point, why should one person convert to the others faith? Somebody is going to miss out, and it ends up ultimately that one person has had to change religion while the other hasn't. How do they choose who has to change?

Hmmm. But really I guess it depends on how serious a person is about there faith. The most Orthodox and fanatical believers probably wouldn't change, but then they probably wouldn't be considering marrying a person from another faith. Some people aren't that serious about religion, so probably wouldn't mind. But eh, as long as both couples care about one another, and everybody is happy, well that's the most important thing, religions shouldn't stand in the way. As they say love transcends such things...

Clovie
If they love each other. Love is all the matters..


(but eg one person believes and the other doesn't..and the non-believer starts to believe thanks to that other person.. confused )

debbiejo
that's tough question...in my opinion, it shouldn't matter, but unfortunately it does for many people...Can create a great deal of problems especially when the couple starts having children...

In my family growing up, my father Was Roman Catholic, my mother was Pentecost....She won, and my dad tried, but there was a lot of resentment....Caused many of their marriage problems...

I feel that when looking for a mate, one should also look for someone who is open minded about such things.

FeceMan
I don't think it should be forced, but it would be easier in the long run, both on the parents and the children.

Sadako of Girth
Originally posted by debbiejo
that's tough question...in my opinion, it shouldn't matter

I feel that when looking for a mate, one should also look for someone who is open minded about such things.

Wise words indeed....

Alpha Centauri
Both should drop their religions if they wanna be together and religion is stopping them (although it shouldn't).

OR! Alternatively just do what you want.

-AC

Storm
No. Don' t try to convert your spouse to your beliefs. Conversion only works long term when the change is truly desired by the converting spouse and the decision to convert was made without pressure.

Afro Cheese
Depends on if they are serious about their religion or were just sorta born into it but never really devout. I mean say they want to get married in a Catholic church and one of them is a Protestant.. if the Protestant isn't really serious about their denomination they could just make things easier by converting so they can get married in the church they want to. But it should be volunteered by the one who is to convert, not proposed by the one who wants their partner to change denominations. Cause that's just inconsiderate.

botankus
If you marry someone and they're gay, should you convert too?

Echuu
Originally posted by Storm
No. Don' t try to convert your spouse to your beliefs. Conversion only works long term when the change is truly desired by the converting spouse and the decision to convert was made without pressure.

Agreed

Also I think when looking for a mate you should take into consideration what his/her beliefs are before getting involved.

debbiejo
Originally posted by Afro Cheese
Depends on if they are serious about their religion or were just sorta born into it but never really devout. I mean say they want to get married in a Catholic church and one of them is a Protestant.. if the Protestant isn't really serious about their denomination they could just make things easier by converting so they can get married in the church they want to. But it should be volunteered by the one who is to convert, not proposed by the one who wants their partner to change denominations. Cause that's just inconsiderate.

Funny thing is that even if 1 or both people were not strong in their belief, after kids come...It could change...Seen it happen lots of times....You really need to talk about it before you get so involved.

Asking one to change ones belief just isn't right....

Here's a question....If both had the same belief and one changed to something else should it he/she be forced to stay in their old belief system?....Curious..

Bardock42
No I don't think they should if they don't want to....except if except if the convertion would be to agnosticism......they should be forced to...indeed

Shakyamunison
When I became a Buddhist, my wife became a Buddhist also, but I did not make her do that, she did it on her own. I told her she could make the decision for herself and if she didn't become a Buddhist, I would support her choice.

It makes it easier for both of us to be Buddhist.

Bardock42
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
When I became a Buddhist, my wife became a Buddhist also, but I did not make her do that, she did it on her own. I told her she could make the decision for herself and if she didn't become a Buddhist, I would support her choice.

It makes it easier for both of us to be Buddhist.

When did you beco<e a Buddhits? ...Did you ever read Siddhartha by Herman Hesse......it's such a great book...kind of aboot Buddhism....then again only half-way.....

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Bardock42
When did you beco<e a Buddhits? ...Did you ever read Siddhartha by Herman Hesse......it's such a great book...kind of aboot Buddhism....then again only half-way.....

Siddhartha is on my reading list, but it's a long list. big grin

Bardock42
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Siddhartha is on my reading list, but it's a long list. big grin

Might be one of the best Books I ever read....really, really good stuff......

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Bardock42
Might be one of the best Books I ever read....really, really good stuff......

I have a friend who is a Zen Buddhist, and he recommended the book to me also. He says it puts a human face on Buddha.

Spelljammer
Though I believe it helps to have a simaler faith, for political arguments.. it isn't nesscarey for a stable, loving, relationship. All religons bassicaly preach the same thing, they just do it differantly. Who cares in the end? The fact is you're inlove, and your purpose in this life is be happy and with God, whatever you call God doesn't make a damn bit of differance. It's not how you believe that matters, it's that you believe. I could care less what doctrine of faith my girlfriend was as long as it wasn't a pompus athiest, a quiter agonostic, or a wannabe Satanist.. they are the atagonists of religoun and spirituality and I can assure you they are ALL annoying..

If anything, the differance would intreague me. It would allow me an oppurtunity to learn more about another religon, find information and likeness, and things would start to make more sense as connections are made. It's no quincidence differant religons share the same characters just give them differant roles..

olchik
I don't think so. Each person should keep his own religion and faith views and not change it because of marriage. It's stupid. The only reason why a person can do that is his own wish to do that.

lil bitchiness
Actually conversion is for many not as big of a problem as children.

You can have partners still believe in different things, but when kids come, thats when the REAL problem start.

With which religion should a child be brought up?

Ya Krunk'd Floo
I say "Fuuck all religion and go sit under a tree." If anyone has to convert to copulate then consider this conundrum:

Black-Black-Yellow-White-Brown-Stinky-Hole-?

Answers on a postcard to the usual address.

sailormoon
No, if they can't find a way to work out their religions then more than likely it wasn't met to be.

AdventChild
no it's not nessecary...

Spelljammer
Originally posted by lil bitchiness
With which religion should a child be brought up?
My mother never raised me as anything in particular. She was Wiccan, my family was mostly Christian, and I was exposed to everything and anything. She never said a word when I read a Bible, or a book on Buddhism, or even Satanism. She saw that my mind thirsted for knowledge and was thankful for that. I think if anything, they should teach thier child both aspects of each religon, and allow that child to make his or her own descision, perhaps even look elsewhere. A religon should be a personal thing, something you feel comfertable with and are proud to consider yourself a partof. No amount of family upbringing is going to change what's inside you.

Havn't you noticed alot of die-hard Christians are BORN AGAIN Christians? They weren't Christians from the start, but they turned into it cause of something dramatic happening. Alebit they take it a little far with preaching the gospel, but there is something to that. If you look for God, you will find Him. In whatever form He takes.

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