How does one end a relatively good relationship based on differences of religion? The core belief of one is a mockery to the other person therefore they both know the relationship will be doomed in the end but they both don't want to give it up. They are afraid to be alone or whatever. The fact is, it's a bad thing to keep dragging it out but how would you end it?

Questions, comments and opinions welcome.

See, this is why people need to understand that dating is a preparation for marriage, whether one is compatible for one another or not.

Even though the two are not married, this situation reminds me of (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), which makes it sooooo clear.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.' 'Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'"

With Christians understanding that what they believe is truth, to be with a nonbeliever who mocks what Christians belief is just unwise. My advise is to end the relationship but say that the person will still be there for each other. Also, if this Christian really loves this person, that person would continue to talk to the person about God and the hope that lies within him, with the possibility that the nonbeliever would come to know God.

I agree with play4fun.... if this person you are dating has no intention of converting or giving up the contentious beliefs they hold then the relationship is likely going to fail with or without you ending it sooner. Better to get out and move on to someone who is more compatable with your belief system.

I know some people don't think religion is a big factor in a relationship... which is true if neither person has a strong belief system. However, for someone who is strongly into any religion then it can become a real problem. More often than not in a relationship like this you are more likely to give up some of your beliefs to make the other person happy rather than having them adopt yours..... and I don't think you should have to change your religion for a realtionship.

I agree with both points. I have 2 more scenarios to present/ask. ( I think each will be separate questions pertaining to this same topic)

1. How does one end it? I mean if they both started dating as non-believers and one person got saved and the other didn't? It's hard to just throw 2 years away. How do you remain friends? How does one prepare for this (other than the obvious of praying to God)

2. Geeogree said that you (the believer) will give up some of your beliefs for the non-believer to make them happy. Why is it that when 2 people are in a relationship (one being a believer the other not) that it's always the believer who gives up something and not the non-believer? That leads me to believe that we don't think Jesus is stronger than the non-believer. We don't think he can help us be victorious in the relationship. Why does it always work this way and not the other way around where the non-believer is giving up something to make the believer happy?

I agree with the other posters. Not only is it Biblically wrong but I personally know what its like to live in a family where one parent is christian and one isn't. I can tell you that it sucks living in such a family.

Rachelle : I think the believer gives up things because the non-believer has little or nothing to give up. You are more likely to skip going to church, or skip saying prayers or whatever else to appease the other person.... you'll make little concessions over time to maintain the "status quo" in the relationship except that those concession are actually changing the relationship.

In the end it's a choice between God and man. Is your relationship with God more important than your relationship with 1 other person. I'm not suggesting that just because they aren't a believer at this moment that you should end the relationship. I've heard many stories where the other person has converted because of the example of the believer.... but it's not an easy road.

Oh, and this doesn't mean Jesus isn't "stronger". Jesus can only help you if you remain true to him. He can't/won't force anyone to do anything or to change. He can put things in your path and in other people's paths that might encourage them to change but in the end the invitation from God must be accepted by the person.... God can't make that decision for them.

Not only those problems but also a lot more fights happen I would say in part because they both share radically different points view.

several factors come into play one is that either party could be in a religion for the wrong reasons and maybe dating someone of a different religion may help them to see a different side and find that they need to reevaluate their beliefs. another is that maybe the love the 2 share is strong enough that it doesn't matter if either party converts to the others religion.

but i believe that one should be grateful that they could find someone that has beliefs at all and even a belief in just a basic idea is enough to have a common religion.

i myself do not believe in any one thing other than the indescribable energy that is in all... that and the sweaty undergarment of doom cult.

Comment on my personal self. I am not Christian. I am Jewish, but I hold God in the highest respect. My boyfriend, who I have been with for quite some time, is not a believer of God. However we have been vary happy so far and will (unless something dreadful happens) remain so.

My view is simple, he may believe as he wishes, in the end God will decide if he is to be forgiven or punished.

However, he also respects my religion, so if the person you are with does not respect your view then you will have an issue.

Thank you all for the responses. I love to hear all the sides to an issues before jumping to conclusions. I know in the end it's God I answer to and my decisions will remain that, my own. I have to make them and no one can decide for me. But I will answer to big guns upstairs. But he also loves me and forgives me of my stupidity if I am willing to humble myself.

All in all, it's still a terribly hard decision to make and I am at that cross roads. I will post more once I decide what to do and how I did it. Hopefully I can make some sort of sense of this all. I hope God uses this for good and I don't end up worse off in the end.

It really depends on how religious you are and how picky you are when someone close to you is not the same thing. It should work just as long as the other person follows similar rules loyalty to you. If the other person forces you into or out of a religion that is probably not a good sign.

I remember having to say grace before eating when I went to my grandmas house a few times. I went along and did it just to be nice. So it takes sacrifices and respect. I would not stand up and say oh this is non-sense and start a whole fight.

I think what is more important here is how much of a fighter the other person is and how much they argue, if your with someone who argues about every little thing probably wont work out to well. It takes sacrifices from both people, the christian person should not be uptight and the non-christian person should also ease up on there beliefs to make the other person happy. Once that happens you'll get along fine, unless there are other non-religious issues at hand

It all depends on seriously you take Christianity. If you follow it down to the tee, here's what the bible has to say on the subject.

2 Corinthians 6:14 "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"

There's another scripture somewhere that's more explicit. I know it's New Testament and I'm pretty sure it's toward the end somewhere.

I See Nothing Wrong With It If You Break Up Or Something Based On Religon It Must Have Not Been True Or You Or/And Your Partner Are Being Stuborn Because You Can Always Compramise.

I personally don't understand why someone would end a relationship based on that. I'm Christian, and I'm dating a Buddhist. I really don't care, let her believe what she wants.

I agree with "not to be unequally yoked", however I think it means not to seek a relationship with a non-believer after you've accepted Christ. It's different if you've been committed to someone and then become a believer.

I've been in the same situation, and quite simply, we just grew distant from each other because of our different points of view. If it's not in your case where this will happen, differing beliefs of faith or none shouldn't matter unless the relationship is coming before your relationship with God.

sadly, those relationships tend not to work out. I know from first hand experience.

I am an atheist who ha dated multiple christians.This is because as it stands the majority of our population is Christian. This kinda sucks for me, because in the end, they always want me to convert. I have no intention of ever converting because as it stands I see the Bible as a fabrication. Don't get me wrong, I respect their religion, and I will take part in their religious services out of respect, but I myself do not believe in it.

Every time I tell the girl I will not convert, that ends it. They refuse to date a non christian most times, and the few times I run into a good one, the daddy does not approve. He will not let me "taint" their daughter... in all likeliehood I'll taint her less than the majority of guys. No offense to anyone.

It really sucks for someone who is always single and just wanting to fit in and belong. (personally I don't think it's worth compromising my own beliefs/nonbeliefs though)

I really hope people as a whole evolve past the need for everyone to be under the same religion, but I am not holding my breath on this one. There are just too many people out there who make religion a breaking point. The few who don't are a dying breed and that's unfortunate.

Does anyone follow me here? Am I even making sense anymore? I've had a bad day so I'm hoping what I think is considered valid.

legacyme3 : I can understand that. There are people who have this understanding that maybe they can use dating to be able to lead someone to come to God. That is a horrible understanding of both dating and evangelism. If you are in a relationship, you are actually liking the person, and you are actually considering if this person could be someone that you can be with in the future forever. It would harm both sides of this relationship

That being said, you should understand that, concerning Christians, they believe that what they believe is truth, and with that understanding, you can't blame them for wanting people to follow God. I mean, if you know what they believe, you would understand why Christians would want to convert people. It's because they think that all of those things in the Bible would actually happen. You can agree or disagree, but at least understand why they would do that.

Finally, I'm sorry if you had a bad day. I know that you don't believe in God, but if there is something that you want to share about, that we might be able to pray for you, the "prayer wall" on this forum is always available.

Well, I personally don't see a problem if your in a relationship with someone of another religion, I mean who cares! It's up to a person who they are involved with, and you can't let something as silly as some religious differences get in the way if that's the case. I mean, if your not likeing the relationship, that's different, then just end it like you would normally end any relationship, it's really no different.

play4fun :

I understand how Christians believe their path is what the true path is. I was once a Christian myself, before I switched over to what I have.

I do not openly oppose Christianity on any real matter, until the Christians that like to pick fights over religion get involved. However, I maintain my own beliefs (or disbeliefs) and it's fully understandable that Christians, Buddhists, etc do the same. I understand why a Christian would try to convert others to Christianity, after all, if I believed in God, I would want me and all my loved ones to spend eternity in his ever lasting garden of freedom, or heaven. That's a noble intention for sure, but some people take it over the top, some people just don't want to be "saved"

And my day was bad, but it got worse, to the point where now I'm just laughing at how bad it was. Just when you think it can't get worse it does. haha.

legacyme3 : It's very sad and unfortunate that some people don't want to be "saved," however, Christians don't make their own interpretations for their "new" lives, what they practice is from what they read in the Bible simply put.