As a Christian, would you date an atheist?

[Widlast]

Unlike most of the long philosophical threads, this one's a simple question. As a Christian, would you date an atheist? Or as an atheist would you date a Christian? Why or why not?

Nope. Much more trouble than it is worth.
Most "Christians" behave badly enough. I certainly don't need to share a house with someone whose morals are based on "how they feel" or as changeable as the weather.

 

[slippinginfaith]

Yeah - that verse does not apply to your question. That is talking about someone who was married before coming to faith and then finds themselves married to an unbeliever.

I think this is why Christians are labeled as tight-ass people whom a lot of non-believers hate. I see your type of people when I was in college as your type of people even only want to be friends with fellow Christians. I think you should start learning how to loosen up a bit, enjoy life, and be a good person. Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

 

[slippinginfaith]

"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?" 2Cor 6:14,15

I think this is why Christians are labeled as tight-ass people whom a lot of non-believers hate. I see your type of people when I was in college as your type of people even only want to be friends with fellow Christians. I think you should start learning how to loosen up a bit, enjoy life, and be a good person. Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

 

[slippinginfaith]

Nope. Much more trouble than it is worth.
Most "Christians" behave badly enough. I certainly don't need to share a house with someone whose morals are based on "how they feel" or as changeable as the weather.

You're married. Probably with an S.O who is a fellow Christian/Catholic. So, psh.

 

[Widlast]

You're married. Probably with an S.O who is a fellow Christian/Catholic. So, psh.

psh?

 

[LinkH]

Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

Jesus said that not one jot or tittle of the law would pass away until all is fulfilled. He also said things like, 'and the scripture cannot be broken.'

If I were single, I wouldn't date an atheist, or a Christian who wasn't too serious about the actual words of the Bible.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

I think this is why Christians are labeled as tight-ass people whom a lot of non-believers hate. I see your type of people when I was in college as your type of people even only want to be friends with fellow Christians. I think you should start learning how to loosen up a bit, enjoy life, and be a good person. Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

an interesting response from someone who attempted to use that Word of God that shouldn't be taken seriously to justify their actions.

clearly you are going to do whatever you see fit regardless of what anyone says, including the God you claim to serve, so there's no need to discuss the matter further.

May the LORD extend mercy to you in bringing you to repentance and faith in Christ.

 

[LinkH]

I wouldn't date an atheist. Why?

1. I don't think my wife, or God for that matter, would be pleased with the idea.
2. If I were single, I wouldn't marry an atheist, so why date her?
3. You shouldn't date someone just for entertainment, if you aren't serious about marrying that person. Dating without an intent to marry if things work out is leading someone along or just draining another person emotionally, or worse, using a person as a temporary fornication partner.
4. Our values would be different. Marrying someone with different values is a recipe for stress. If she doesn't think the same way about what marriage is, and thinks divorce is no big deal, that would be a huge issue, too.
5. There are a lot of important things we couldn't share since faith in Christ is central to my life.
6. All who seek to live godly in this life will face persecution. Are you going to live with your most likely persecutor? It doesn't seem wise.
7. If you have kids, you'll have another parent there not supporting teaching the kids the word of God.

 

[Dave-W]

. I think you should start learning how to loosen up a bit, enjoy life, and be a good person. Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

God does not call us to be a "good person." He calls us to follow HIM and build His kingdom. Sometimes that includes some rather irrational moves and decisions if you are not in tune with His Spirit.

Trying to get a non-believer on board with that can be very problematic.

 

[slippinginfaith]

This is why Christians get a bad rep. You guys can live in your tiny little bubble of y'all that isnt flippin reality.

 

[LinkH]

If I were single, not only would I not date an atheist, but I probably wouldn't date someone who professed to be a Christian who:

1. held greatly different values from my own
2. believed much differently than I do about salvation
3. believed much differently than I do about water baptism
4. believed much differently than I do about spiritual gifts (I could go on and on on doctrinal issues.)
5. had different views on ethics or morality
6. thought it was okay to sleep around before marriage
7. thought homosexual activity was okay
8. did not believe in wives submitting to husbands
9. was materialistic
10. was not generous
11. did not like children
12. had tattoos or a manly hair cut.

The last one is more about ideas of attractiveness as anything else. Most of those are about values and real practical issues that effect your life later on. If I were single, I'd want someone I was physically attracted to, but now that I am older, I realize most of these other things are much more important. I considered my wife before I married her as to how she fit with my criteria, which was similar, but I probably wouldn't have been able to write it out in such great detail at the time.

 

[Widlast]

You're married. Probably with an S.O who is a fellow Christian/Catholic. So, psh.

I wasn't always married. The issue had come up several times. But I had the good sense
to not let my libido do my thinking for me.

What does 'psh' mean?

 

[LinkH]

This is why Christians get a bad rep. You guys can live in your tiny little bubble of y'all that isnt flippin reality.

Christians had a bad rep in the Roman Empire over such things, taking the words of Christ and the apostles very seriously, rather than rule of thumb, refusing to burn incense to the emperor as to a god. They got thrown to lions and burnt at the stake for such things.

What do you mean 'isn't flipping reality'? I live in reality right here in the real world. I married a woman who studies her Bible regularly. We are serious about the Bible and about living out our Christian faith. That's 'reality.'

Who defines 'reality'? drunk kids at frat parties?

 

[JoeP222w]

1 Corinthians 7:13

There is a difference there.

It is referring to a marriage of 2 unbelievers. The wife becomes a believer while the husband remains an unbeliever. The wife is not given license to divorce her husband just because he is an unbeliever in that situation, but rather to pray for her unbelieving spouse, that God would save him.

I did not completely accurately apply the verse about being unequally yoked, however, I do think it does apply to a person who is a believer, meets an unbeliever. The passage is not saying that you should have absolutely nothing to do with unbelievers as a Christian. However, you must acknowledge that you believe in completely different things. For the one who rejects the truth of Jesus Christ, the believer cannot pretend to walk in agreement with them, for they have completely different perspectives on the truth of God.

Contextually, the passage is referring to the church being closely involved in relationships with unbelievers. As Solomon has demonstrated, when a believer is intimately involved with an unbeliever, it is not the unbeliever that is persuaded to the others view, but rather the believer is distracted away from the truth of God by the unbeliever.

I honestly believe that this does have application in romantic relationships. If a Christian is dating an Atheist, the Christian will be, not might be, will be distracted from the truth of God, and their walk with Christ will be challenged continually by being in a close relationship with one who rejects the truth of God.

 

[JoeP222w]

I think this is why Christians are labeled as tight-ass people whom a lot of non-believers hate. I see your type of people when I was in college as your type of people even only want to be friends with fellow Christians. I think you should start learning how to loosen up a bit, enjoy life, and be a good person. Stop taking God's word literally and word per word.

This is a very un-Christian and unbiblical response. If you stand by it, you should stop categorizing yourself as Christian.

And if you think you are a "good person" apart from the grace of God, you have not yet come to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

[Widlast]

This is why Christians get a bad rep. You guys can live in your tiny little bubble of y'all that isnt flippin reality.

Really?
I doubt that you are that familiar with reality. Otherwise you would not be so flippant.

A relationship can be hard enough without adding the extra burden of religious conflict.
Some people get married/get into a relationship hoping that it will last. Otherwise, why bother?
If all you are looking for is a "little fun", go ahead and do as you wish.
Just don't bother to call yourself "Christian". If that is all that you are after, you aren't.

 

[CrystalDragon]

Unlike most of the long philosophical threads, this one's a simple question. As a Christian, would you date an atheist? Or as an atheist would you date a Christian? Why or why not?

If I liked them and we weren't bothered by each other's beliefs or anything I'd date them. As long as our values weren't so different it could be problematic.

 

[CrystalDragon]

This is a very un-Christian and unbiblical response. If you stand by it, you should stop categorizing yourself as Christian.

And if you think you are a "good person" apart from the grace of God, you have not yet come to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Plenty of people, even most Christians having not read the Bible, have good morals. Atheists, Hindus, etc. all have a sense of morality.

 

[CrystalDragon]

If Christ is the center of a relationship or marriage, more likely to survive.
If Christ is in the boat, it will not sink no matter the wind or the storms

Then why does it seem like atheist marriages last longer than Christian ones?

 

[geiroffenberg]

The american dating system doesn't apply to MOST of the world! Don't date at all.