Religion and dating

[morgan(:]

No. I think it depends on how mature you are as a person and couple. I'm Christian and my SO is athiest. We do not agree much religiously (obviously) but we agree on everything else. Our first fight was about him making fun of my beliefs honestly, and I told him I would break up with him if he did it again lol. It hasn't happened since, and it's been almost 2 years. We can discuss things without getting heated. We love each other too much!

[bluishskin]

For me and my SO, definitely yes. We are both Muslims and I'm happy that we are on the same page.

[Moon]

No, I think it's more important to have similar values than religion. I'm an atheist, but I'd date a believer so long as they weren't too fundamental and had an open mind, and we were respectful of our individual beliefs. I wouldn't date someone who didn't show kindness to animals, or didn't look up into the night sky and wonder what was up there, or who didn't question life's big mysteries. For me, hose type of things are more important than religion, ymmv.

[morgan(:]

No, I think it's more important to have similar values than religion. I'm an atheist, but I'd date a believer so long as they weren't too fundamental and had an open mind, and we were respectful of our individual beliefs. I wouldn't date someone who didn't show kindness to animals, or didn't look up into the night sky and wonder what was up there, or who didn't question life's big mysteries. For me, hose type of things are more important than religion, ymmv.

I'm glad someone else agrees!

[Rosebud]

No. I think it depends on how mature you are as a person and couple. I'm Christian and my SO is athiest. We do not agree much religiously (obviously) but we agree on everything else. Our first fight was about him making fun of my beliefs honestly, and I told him I would break up with him if he did it again lol. It hasn't happened since, and it's been almost 2 years. We can discuss things without getting heated. We love each other too much!

I strongly disagree that maturity has anything to do with wanting to spend the rest of your life with someone who believes in the same as you do when it comes to something that can be as highly personal as religion (whether you have one or not).

[starsprinkled1984]

For me, it doesn't matter. As long as they don't think I'm crazy for what I believe in (I'm a Christian Spiritualist -- which involves beliefs from Christianity, Catholicism, Paganism, and Buddhism), then we shall get along. And also if they don't shove their religion down my throat. My boyfriend is an atheist, but it doesn't bother me because he doesn't think I'm stupid or crazy.

[Tabitha]

I strongly disagree that maturity has anything to do with wanting to spend the rest of your life with someone who believes in the same as you do when it comes to something that can be as highly personal as religion (whether you have one or not).

I agree. Maturity has nothing to do with it. Religion can be a very divisive issue, regardless of maturity level.

[Darth_Taco]

Unless it's a friends with benefits situation, I don't think I could. I want to be able to discuss religion and be able to openly speak about my beliefs in God and Jesus Christ with whoever I'm with without boring them to death or making them feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, with the whole gay and transgender thing, it can be very hard to find a good religious gay or bisexual man xD. They're out there of course.

Unfortunately, I fuck myself even harder because I also take nothing too seriously. I love really offensive religious jokes. I refuse to believe in a God who put me here to be miserable or one without a sense of humor. I will tell the most messed up religious jokes simply because I find them funny, hence why I have so many Atheist friends xD. I want someone who can take the jokes and not be offended or question my faith.

Then...there's the Satanist thing. I defend Satanism and people's right to practice it. It is not an evil cult based on the devil or anything, it's a religion that celebrates indulgence and not restricting oneself from the world's pleasures. The stories of human sacrifice of child torture are just that, stories. Most Satanist are law-abiding citizens who wouldn't hurt a fly. I am also a believer in no one religion is right. Not everyone can follow the same path, so many paths to God and heaven (or whatever that faith's interpretation of both) makes sense. Unfortunately, most religious people hate me for these beliefs xD. I epicly cock-block myself :P.

Every single day, I thank God for Enrique @_@. He can take all this crap and even join in on the horribly offensive religious jokes, and doesn't mind my creepy cynicism and odd love of cheese. He also likes my food :d.

[FadedSunrise]

Yes, I would say so. But similar religious beliefs are good enough, don't have to be the same. My boy's...I'm not quite sure whether to label him agnostic or atheist. I'm agnostic, I guess. But religion is not that important to either of us, so I agree with Moon when she says beliefs and values are more important. But if religion were an integral part of someone's life and they practiced daily/faithfully, I could not date that person. On the flipside, although my boy cares even less for religion, he doesn't think I'm crazy for making the occasional mention of a God or the afterlife.

[BoogleBee]

I couldn't date someone with strong beliefs. I am agnostic myself and I just know I couldn't date someone who wanted to go to Church often, or read the Bible and stuff like that.

[Lina]

Religion, like it or not, plays an important role in a relationship, mostly 'cause of its daily life implications. Religious beliefs are engraved in ourselves, both mind and soul. Me and my SO are of different religions but we both believe in the existence of a superior power (either call it God, Allah, Buddha, ect.) and in the importance of being good. So the difference doesn't bother us at all, we're both ok with it

[Silviar]

No, because I am open and tolerant of being with someone of a different opinion than mine, provided we can work out the details of raising kids/interfaith existence and are both happy with it.

[krabuzh]

I am a very tolerant Catholic and my SO is an Atheist, but we found no troubles from it as long as both of us doesn't try to convince the other about their belief and respect each other belief.

[nic&matt]

For those who keep saying they would never date people who read the Bible, memorize memory verses, and go to church every Sunday, that's really hurtful...
I do all of those things because it brings me peace and joy. I never shove it down anyone's throat. If staying 50 miles from any church and chosing not to believe in any system works for you, I will never try to talk you out of that. I don't think anything I do, or others, is wrong.

For me personally I couldn't just because I am strongly religious. I would never want anyone else to compromise my faith. I need someone (like my SO) who is a pillar when I fall from my God and brings me back on the path I was on. Walking a religious journey together is very benificial and connects us on a deeper level. That isn't to say I'm not open-minded. My SO and I have different ideas on different things and I get a rush from those conversations and have changed some of my opinions.
However, for others, I've seen different religions work and have nothing against it. Especially those with open minds and those not as serious in their faith, I think it works out to have a different companion with different beliefs for the better! To each his own!

[bluishskin]

...I do all of those things because it brings me peace and joy. I never shove it down anyone's throat. If staying 50 miles from any church and chosing not to believe in any system works for you, I will never try to talk you out of that. I don't think anything I do, or others, is wrong.

For me personally I couldn't just because I am strongly religious. I would never want anyone else to compromise my faith. I need someone (like my SO) who is a pillar when I fall from my God and brings me back on the path I was on. Walking a religious journey together is very benificial and connects us on a deeper level. That isn't to say I'm not open-minded. My SO and I have different ideas on different things and I get a rush from those conversations and have changed some of my opinions.
However, for others, I've seen different religions work and have nothing against it. Especially those with open minds and those not as serious in their faith, I think it works out to have a different companion with different beliefs for the better! To each his own!

I agree.