Religion and dating

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I'm an atheist but I wouldn't rule out dating someone who was religious providing they could accept my beliefs and make no effort to convert me.

No, it doesn't. 2 Corinthians 6:14 does not specifically apply to the spiritual beliefs of two people for marriage. It would be a very narrow, short-sighted and almost ignorant interpretation of the Scripture to limit it just to spiritual beliefs for marriage. Having that equality is important, from priests to their clergy, parents to their grown children, leaders to their people, and even husbands and wives. The strength must be match, determination must be matched, work must be matched, rewards must be matched. There must be equality.

Should a Christian marry a Christian? It's preferred. But people love who they love. When Christians are charged to love everyone, it's unrealistic to think they won't ever fall in love with someone who doesn't believe the same thing as them, or that people who believe differently wouldn't be attracted to a genuinely loving Christian natured person.

1 Corinthians 7:14 specifically addresses religious belief in marriage for Christians, wherein it says that if the unbeliever is an otherwise good person, the spouse who believes is enough for both of them.

There's a scripture in 1 Peter that instructs believing wives to be awesome to their unbelieving husbands so that it's easier for unbelieving husbands to think Christianity is awesome and change their minds. Even though that's kindness with an ulterior motive of conversion, it still sends the message that people can believe different things and be perfectly in love and married... it's just the the Bible instructs its people (Christians) to be cool with it and not worry.

But, you know, that's not good enough for some people so they find some other scripture, pervert it and say THAT's what Scripture says. Not the first time, won't be the last.

All this talk of Bible quotes about relationships reminds me of this:

LOL! There's lots of those passages in there, too. Yay for King Solomon! I think it gets good little Christian boys off when they don't have access to anything else.

The whole mess with baptism begs the question: Why can't Christians just agree to be glad that they don't have to be circumcised?

As for me, I'm an atheist through and through. My attitude toward religion: Keep that stuff at home.

Saves them getting off the priest I guess

Good question. Even more: Why are there Christians who have continued to have their sons circumcised? Granted, I do prefer the aesthetic but I hardly think that's why it's continued for centuries.

Oh, Laz, not every Christian is Catholic.

Amen to that!

I totally respect the views of others (who knows? they may be right...)

Just because I'm a non-believer doesn't make me an a-hole.

Child molestation isn't exclusive to catholics either.

Can there be a version of you that's single and 10 years younger? Actually forget the 10 years younger, just someone who has beliefs like yours and is single? I'd date a woman like that in a heartbeat if she'd let me...

I keep on feeling like, outside of my own church (which has only 30+ married couples and their kids), most christians are the hellfire and brimstone kind of christians, and most athiests I keep hearing about are the militant variety that think anyone that believes in something that can't be proved through scientific experimentation is a wackjob...

You might do well with a Unitarian or a Quaker or a liberal Catholic (yes, there are lots of liberal Catholics, ).

Go find ye an Episcopalian girl, ToadOfSteel!

I think circumcision became something accepted by culture, less religious.

However, there are some Christians who are Torah observant or don't believe that the NT speaks against circumcision. It's kinda who you side with.... the disciples who wanted to hold onto Jewish customs or Paul who made it largely a Gentile religion. *shrug*

There are MANY liberal, open minded Christian churches. Liberal Anabaptists, progressive Lutherans, Quakers, UUs, Emergent Church, some Catholics... I belong to one of those.

I have atheist friends (mostly NT males). None of them have any desire to marry a woman who believes in something. It's just not a great dating situation. I don't date just to be with someone. I date in hopes to settle down. If I want to raise my children in my church, but my atheist partner opposes it, it will cause issues in a marriage. It can be a huge roadblock. If I care about a man, why subject him to a relationship where we are one two completely different pages from the start? This is one of those things we're taught in courses for couples counseling.