Religion And Relationships

[Sonthert]

Once again Eric, you properly take what I was trying to say, and give it the words it needed to make a sounder point. I've often felt that religion has a tendancy to be a cop out in people's lives, and more so, it removes an individuals power. Its never someone's own hard work and determination that mattered, it was God's will that let them achieve whatever. Something bad happens, God must've meant it for a reason. Pray to God for guidance and strength, instead of finding that power inside yourself.

What Eric did not say, and what I don't think is true, is that he has not based his non-belief on the behavior of believers or what he sees as their bad arguments. In other words, I don't think he has arrived at his atheism because those who believe can be hypocrites, or as a reaction to the bad arguments of believers. He is not saying, in other words, that he chooses not to believe because one too many believers for his tastes have committed adultery. Too, he is not saying that he won't believe because religious folk aren't logical. His non-belief remains a distinct conclusion from a set of arguments having to do only with the reasonableness (or, as he sees, possibly, the unreasonableness) of belief in God.

Even if true, the tendency of religious folk to use God as a cop out does not amount to an argument for non-belief. It does stand distinct, as an observation you have made, no doubt. It cannot, however, serve as an argument of any sort to address whether and why you don't believe in God - if it is the case that you don't.

Nor would I. I don't believe that most religious people are hypocrites. Some are, but judging them unfairly in that light would be the equivalent of racism. In general, religious people are good, decent people whom I don't agree with on one particular point.

[TizaNabi]

This is always hard...Im jewish, and most of the guys Ive dated arent. At first its fine, but once you get into the whole wedding, kids, family thing, then it gets more complicated.
If the love is strong enough to get through it, then youre golden, if not...shit happens...

Is the problem "dating"? (oh are you an archeologist)? "Engagements" (I seem to be stuck in gear). Most relationships change the day you marry. Its a fact, or if not why get married at all? Both sides must want that change or you are in for trouble. Married 32 years . I knew things would be different, but even stronger and it did. now religion . If you are athiest and marry a Jew, Catholic, Mormon or believers of something that have a church its a problem. "Mommy, why don't you come to Synagogue with us"? "Daddy, the pastor asks for you, will you come". People always change. If one of the spouses gets more serious about going to religous services because granny had her effect, or whatever lets say, being saved from a car crash, you have to think hard before all this happens. Do you Catholic want to see your children going to synagoge simply because you are lax in your faith? And as a Jew, how would it be if you saw your children hearing New Testament stories and "Daddy will not go to heaven if he doesn't accept Jesus as his personal Saviour?"
Besides, as a practicing orthodox religous Jew myself, we don't even believe that we are going to heaven since we can't be the accused, the policeman and the judge all at the same time. We go in for reincarnation until we've literally "fixed" what needs to be done.
As a matter of fact, with such large percentage of non religous Jews becomming religous Jews in the last 2 decades the problem sometimes gets hairier. You and your Jewish wife or husband could become believers and strain the marriage. It happens though rare. These things should be understood. Can you add (maybe) in a pre-nupital agreement "Our children will only go no where or to the local Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints. If this agreement is not met, the beligerant party must pay the ammount of $1 million dollars" Nowyou are getting a bit more serious.Belief can be beautiful or very ugly. Religous faith can ruin or build up.