Would you become romantically involved with someone with vastly different religious views?

[email protected]

Here's the fun thing about that question; it's basically 'Would you date someone you considered mentally insane?' Whether you are atheist considering dating Hindu, a Catholic considering dating a Zoroastrian, or a Buddhist dating a nihilist, this is a person who has a fundamentally different understanding of reality. Here's the real kicker; 'Is someone who has a distorted sense of reality capable of giving consent?' Can you even date them if you value consent?

[email protected]

As a former evangelical Christian, who also dabbled in atheism, antitheism, etc, I settled into something that's probably closest to Zen Buddhism mixed with atheism. I've been on dates with people, many of them I probably never knew their religion, but the gung-ho Christians and the Mormons showed their incompatibility very quickly. Funnily enough, ex-catholics dig me and I like them.

I don't see myself dating someone who is theocratic, doesn't believe abortion should be allowed, or wants me to go to their church with them. I sometimes tell the story of the time I was figuring myself out and ended up going on a date with a girl who didn't believe in dinosaurs. I call her dinosaur girl. I wish her well, but man did I dodge a bullet!

[email protected]

I'm a Buddhist/Atheist. There is far less to fight about here than between Christians/Atheist. I'm sure I'm a "bad" Buddhist too because I take the philosophical bits that make sense to me and leave all the deities and supernatural stuff alone, but Buddhists don't seem to mind and most atheists don't either.

[email protected]

I'm laic.

What beliefs a person holds to themselves is indiferent to me. And it should not matter to anyone. Relationships are a negotiated endeavour, from both parts, where everyone gives a little to reach a mutual understanding.

Unless a person subscribes views capable of leading to individual, personal and socially harmful and regressive thought and action, it does not matter.

Removing the religious view from your question: would you date a vegan, not being one? Would you date a non vegan, being yourself one?

Zealotry goes both ways. Both the believer and the non believer can entrench themselves in their views so deeply they become fanatics.

[email protected]

I'm a Satanist. I would be fine dating an atheist, depending on their morals and ethics. I would probably be okay dating someone that was agnostic, since technically most atheists are agnostics. I could date most reform Jews, since for most of them it's a cultural religion, rather than a literal one.

I would not be able to date anyone that sincerely believed in a supernatural deity, because I would not be able to respect them, or trust any of their conclusions.

[email protected]

No. Spirituality is a very core value. I wouldn't negotiate it.

[email protected]

It depends. Probably, as long as they didn't think I was going to hell, or believe something I found awful, or were evangelistic, needing me to believe what they did.

My mom's family was Methodist, my dad's family was Catholic, my mom stayed Methodist, Dad became just open-minded general Theist but not specifically Christian, I am not religious but not capital A Atheist.

[email protected]

I'm an aethiset, she was christian. I moved on fairly quickly, it's just looppy shit i would have started to laugh..

I assumed she'd come to her senses, she assumed I could be indoctrinated.

[email protected]

I wouldn't get involved with someone from any religion.

[email protected]

Irreligious Agnostic here. As long as they don't have extremist views I don't care.

[email protected]

Irreligious agnostic as well.

I think I would have difficulty depending on how devoted they are. Like would I need to pretend to pray beside them at every meal? Or do they just keep most of that to themselves?

Also, I do find the little rituals and habits that religious people go through a bit silly so I feel like I would not be able to just silently sit by and watch it for years and years.

[email protected]

If they were personally religious (spiritual) rather than socially/dogmatically religious, then it could work out. As an atheist, I'm not against spiritual beliefs, but their core values must align with mine - that is the important bit here.
Obviously, communication about these things would determine where we align, and help determine if we could sustain a relationship, but it's certainly a possibility.

Note: I include a love of nature, humanism, etc. under the 'spiritual' label, as well as traditionally religiously spiritual.

[email protected]

Note: I include a love of nature, humanism, etc. under the 'spiritual' label, as well as traditionally religiously spiritual.

Huh. Why?

[email protected]

Religious people are generally dogmatic, but then there are people who think they're religious but don't actually believe most of the concepts they grew under, besides one or two traditions that essentially just become culture

[email protected]

I was raised Christian and am now atheist. I would have a very difficult time being romantic with anyone who calls themself Christian. I have come to despise all levels of it. I don't believe in the existence of the super natural. I don't believe in the Christian creation myth. I don't believe in the resurrection or any miracles of Jesus. I believe most churches are cults that we give a free pass to be cults because it's more socially acceptable. I believe religion did great harm to me growing up and I believe it does great harm to many other young people. I could go on, but that's the gist. If someone was somehow Christian and agreed with me on all of those points there might be a chance but I'd still view it as strange that they didn't see the whole thing as a scam and renounce their faith.

People from other religions I may have similar problems with because even though religions are different their effects are often similar. Even a staunchly pro LGBT church/religion I would have difficulty meshing with because my problems go so much deeper than that.

An exception would be people who are "spiritual" but not "religious". While I myself am quite skeptical, I am still open to the idea that there's more. And even if there's not, sometimes it's fun and/or beneficial to pretend that there is. So long as they themselves are similarly open to the ideas that they could be wrong and that others could be right I think I could get along quite well with people like this. The truth is I still have moments I would call religious experiences, but I don't believe they're revelations of truth. They're still interesting and fun to talk about. Like dreams.

[email protected]

As a former Christian, I would have a hard time dating anyone who is Evangelical, Protestant, or mainstream Catholic. Other than that, it's not so much the religious views that are the issue for me.

For what I am ... it depends on which end of the elephant you want to look at. For this crowd, let's say pantheist with pagan and Buddhist leanings.

[email protected]

Honestly it's a hard question to answer by text. Depends if they expect me to make room for them to practice their faith or expect me to to eventually follow in their spiritual path. Because these 2 are very different. I find the rituals offputting too even though I understand the logic behind them, but that could be because of internalised prejudice from my part. Also assuming this is a serious relationship would this person assume that in case you decide to have kids they will educated/indocrinated since an early age? That would be an absolute no for me. I'm certainly up for presenting them with the option when they come to an appropriate age but not raising them up to the idea that it is the only certainty in life. It's complicated for sure and there a number of things to take into account but that doesn't necessarily mean you should avoid being with someone you cherish because they find joy in a way of spirituality I/you may find archaic.

[email protected]

People dive different things "spiritual", whether it's mystical or natural in origin. And "spiritual" can mean different things to different people.
So, my label is inclusive.

[email protected]

As an atheist: no.

[email protected]

No, Im not a believer and that is unlikely to change

agnos.is Forums

Would you become romantically involved with someone with vastly different religious views?