Dating/marrying outside your religion
 

There was an interesting segment this morning on one of the radio stations I listen to. Someone emailed in looking for relationship advice. She and her boyfriend had been dating for about 5 years, and they were thinking about marriage... problem: she's Catholic, he's not and doesn't want to convert, and she's having trouble with the idea of intermarriage.

This led to some interesting conversation, people calling in, etc. with varying opinions... people who had no problem dating/marrying outside their faith, people who'd marry outside their religion as long as the kids were raised in their own faith, people who would date outside their religion but break it off if it became serious unless the other person wanted to convert, people who would only date within their own religion.

So where do you stand?

I would date outside my relgion. I think I have only dated one catholic girl. Maybe because there are not as many in the south? But I say why not as long as I am not asked to convert.

I was raised Catholic but am now agnostic. I married an atheist (who grew up in a Pentacostal household). So I guess I married outside my religion :)

My husband's ex wife is Catholic

I wouldn't date outside my religion. Only Christians for me (or Catholics in a pinch).

My boyfriend is Catholic and I'm Jewish. I guess that tells you where I stand. :)

Well, since I was raised without a religious tradition, dating anyone would be dating outside of my religion! :p Luckily the boy was raised the same way too.

I guess it depends on how important your religion is to you.

Catholics are Christians if you didn't know . ;)

I wouldn't date someone who is religious.

I would date someone outside of the denomination or religion I was raised in, but I wouldn't get serious with someone if they didn't share my beliefs and values. Whoever I marry will have to be of similar faith.

I always told myself I would never marry a Catholic...

At least he's non-practicing Catholic.

And it's not that I'm just being closed-minded, I went to 4 years of Catholic HS, so I know what it's all about.

I'm Catholic... It's really never been a major deal with me. It was a nice bonus though when it happened.

I have to say that I pretty much agree with you.

It really depends completely on their religion, how deeply they are into it, how much of their time it takes up, whether or not it's going to alienate me from their family . . . there are so many factors.

A few things I know:
I would be more likely to date someone who's from a more liberal branch of their religion than a more conservative/fundamentalist branch.
I could never date someone who was really, really into their religion and saw it as the only answer -- although people like this probably wouldn't be too into dating me, either, so I'm not too worried.
I feel more at home with certain religions than others -- I would be more okay with Judaism or Buddhism than, say, Mormonism.
Anybody I marry has to be okay with compromising on the kids' religion. I'm perfectly okay with him taking the kids to church/temple/whatever as long as he's okay with me exposing the kids to other religions (or lack thereof) too.
I would be very uncomfortable getting seriously involved with anybody whose family would disapprove of me because of my religious faith being different from theirs. Not saying I wouldn't do it, but I would definitely think twice about it.

Oh I know ;). I am currently dating someone that is Roman Catholic.

You know what they say:
Once you go Jewish,
You never are prudish.

-Rudey
--I made it rhyme :)