Any atheists here in a relationship with a believer? (born, baptize, Christ)

[icametodropbombs]

Just curious as to how your relitionship goes in terms of the faith and religion. Do you guys talk about it or is it off the table? Does your other half attend church serices? Do they think you're going to hell because you don't believe?

Also, have you considered what you'd say to kids if you had any? Would you baptize them (if that is what their religion called for)?

[llowllevellowll]

I recently dated a Christian for the very first time.

I'm an outspoken atheist (a respectful, thoughtful one, though, if I do say so myself). I'm also a bit more liberal politically (socially, anyway). And she's a Conservative Christian. She sings in church. She went to Liberty University, for Christ's sake. =)

But it was as close to love at first sight that I can think of.

As we've progressed into the relationship, I think we've compromised on a lot of things. I don't think either one of us really thought that it was possible to be dating a person from the opposing philosophy the way we've been doing, but it seems to be working. As an example of compromise, she started taking an interest in space and astronomy with me while I began going to church services with her. Oddly enough, I actually have been enjoying the church services. Some services are filled with a lot of positivity than a person of any persuasion could agree with.

There are occasional philosophical spats, but I think as time goes on, they're getting easier and easier to avoid.

I'd say our biggest spat that comes about is Evolution. She isn't a Young Earther which is nice, but she does tend to go for the whole Adam and Eve story, so evolution is a topic we tend to avoid. The only other thing that comes up sometimes is the idea of moral relativism, whereas she tends to think in terms of universal truths.

Going forward, I'd say she would probably question the religious difference more than I will before a possible marriage because her parents and most of her friends are also religious. For me, I don't mind the difference and I think I sort of like it in some way.

We've broached the topic of children. We joke that maybe one of our kids will be religious while the other one won't be. On a serious note, I think that's too hard of a conversation to have, but I think we'd try to teach them about her religion and others, and also the idea of not having one also.

My best piece of advice is: patience and mutual respect. I also took an interest in things with her just as she did with me. When you love someone, I think you're willing to put some things aside.

Just my thoughts.

[TRANSPONDER]

Ive sorta got started with girls who were church - attenders. If any were irreligious theists, the subject never came up -well, you will see what's coming. When Church- going came up and I said I didn't, that was It.

[Stijl Council]

My husband is a theist, but he was brought up in a very live-and-let-live liberal Christian denomination and is not religious at all. Interestingly we've never really been on the same page religiously; when we were first together and married I was a very observant Catholic, and now I'm an atheist.

It has never been an issue whatsoever in our relationship or marriage.

[Miss Crabcakes]

Oh definitely not! That was a dealbreaker for me.

After my last Christian ex, never again!!

[ElizaTeal]

Originally Posted by nana053

Fascinating - what I have seen is that Christians and in particular, those who advertise their Christianity to get customers for their businesses tend to be much more unethical than any atheists I know.

Yep, I stay away from a store with a fish on the door. A merchant's religious beliefs are none of my business.

[eponabri]

Both my husband and my father are Atheists. Neither one has ever done anything illegal or unethical in their entire lives. In fact, compared to most people they are the most thoughtful and honest, they care for their fellow man, would be the first to give you the shirt off of their back and ask nothing in return. If they make a mistake, they admit it and apologize. When my parents married, my mom was a Christian, although rarely attended church. My siblings and I attended several different churches but were never baptized. Over the years I tried many different denominations before I realized that Christianity was not for me. I would say that this comment "What I notice and no offense to atheists is that those who are not believers seem more lawless and unethical than believers" is not only totally off base but very offensive. Would you like someone to make such a generalization about you?

[icametodropbombs]

Originally Posted by Miss Crabcakes

Oh definitely not! That was a dealbreaker for me.

After my last Christian ex, never again!!

Care to expand? What differences or issues did you encounter? Do you think it was the person or the difference in ideologies?

[candijdixon]

My boyfriend is a born again apologetic Christian. He knows I'm agnostic. We talk about it ... we joke about it ... he is firmly rooted in his beliefs, and I think his are way out there. He did say that I would go to hell since I'm an agnostic, and that if I did pray to God he wouldn't listen to me anyway because I'm an agnostic. He doesn't go to church anymore though. He's a Young Earther I believe it's called ... earth less than 10,000 yrs old, humans created in the form they are now, and fossils came about because of a giant flood.

[Haaziq]

Following several bad experiences with dating believers, I am 100% sure I never want to date another one.