Can an Atheist date a Christian (and vice versa)?

High Fidelity · Jan 12, 2016

Reeniee said:
Why is this important. Why is it important that one gender is the spiritual head? What does that actually mean?

I didn't write Scripture.

JoeP222w · Jan 12, 2016

Dave RP said:
I am an Atheist, but I respect the right of anybody to believe their beliefs and I would never criticise anybody for holding a true faith in the heart. I met a lovely lady and we have started dating, she is a Christian and regular church goer, is the relationship doomed to failure or can the two coexist? We're both middle aged, divorced and with grown up family so we wont be looking to procreate, there is therefore no great imperative for marriage or cohabitation, we both have our own homes and like it that way.

What are the thoughts of the Christians on here?

It is not wise for a Christian to date an unbeliever, because they are being unequally yoked.

AtheistOne · Jan 12, 2016

I would think very carefully before you do. Some of these Christians can be insufferable.

keith99 · Jan 12, 2016

Archivist said:
One couple with whom I am friends are in a similiar (not exact) situation. She is Christian, he is agnostic. They have been married for over a decade and it hasn't caused any problems for them.

One couple I knew, Christian and Atheist were married for over 50 years with no problems related to religion. But eventually... Dad died.

But perhaps they shouldn't count She was a UCLA grad and He was a USC grad and there were no problems there either.

Or perhaps the quality of the person you marry is far more important than faith or other ties when it comes to a successful marriage.

Deidre32 · Jan 12, 2016

I was an atheist, and dated religious people, but eventually found myself at that time, more connected to other atheists. Now, as a Christian, I'm engaged to a Christian guy, but he wasn't always a Christian. (I grew up in the Catholic faith, left it then was an atheist for two years, then returned to Christianity) Having said that, it can become problematic in marriage situations, I've read/heard. Friends of mine and even online stories that I've read...where one person is Christian and the other is an atheist, can cause problems down the road, because once you decide to form a lifelong union with someone, you tend to want to share major beliefs with that person. That said, it CAN definitely work, but guess it just depends.

ewq1938 · Jan 12, 2016

AHH who-stole-my-name said:
I don't know the wife but the husband is one of my best friends.

I lol'd at that.

ewq1938 · Jan 12, 2016

1Co 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Tiny Bible · Jan 12, 2016

Dave RP said:
I am an Atheist, but I respect the right of anybody to believe their beliefs and I would never criticise anybody for holding a true faith in the heart. I met a lovely lady and we have started dating, she is a Christian and regular church goer, is the relationship doomed to failure or can the two coexist? We're both middle aged, divorced and with grown up family so we wont be looking to procreate, there is therefore no great imperative for marriage or cohabitation, we both have our own homes and like it that way.

What are the thoughts of the Christians on here?

We may presume that being yoked together is a prospect when you're dating and asking this question.
I don't think a relationship between an atheist and a committed Christian can work out. Christianity's scriptures say that we are not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. The inequality comes in when one is a theist and the other is a non-theist. When one believes in God and the other's position is no god.

If dating evolved into marriage and marriage resulted in children what would be taught to the children? When for Christians the scriptures are clear on that too. What happens then when the atheist parents beliefs are those that are entirely in opposition?
Christian mom would teach about Christ and God. Atheist father would teach there is no such thing. And that isn't fair to the child to have them confused in such ways.

ewq1938 · Jan 12, 2016

As long as a prospective mate respects your right to be a Christian it is ok, and you can even marry them and possibly save them in the process:

1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1 Corinthians 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1 Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Some believe this contradicts what Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

This isn't about marriage or he would have spoken about marriage. He states pretty clearly that no one should divorce an unbeliever even though that technically makes them "unequally yoked"

Gill

not is it to be understood as dehorting from entering into marriage contracts with such persons; for such marriages the apostle, in his former epistle, had allowed to be lawful, and what ought to be abode by; though believers would do well carefully to avoid such an unequal yoke, since oftentimes they are hereby exposed to many snares, temptations, distresses, and sorrows, which generally more or less follow hereon: but there is nothing in the text or context that lead to such an interpretation; rather, if any particular thing is referred to, it is to joining with unbelievers in acts of idolatry; since one of the apostle's arguments to dissuade from being unequally yoked with unbelievers is, "what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?" and from the foregoing epistle it looks as if some in this church had joined with them in such practices; see 1Co_10:14. But I rather think that these words are a dissuasive in general, from having any fellowship with unbelievers in anything sinful and criminal, whether in worship or in conversation:

Clarke

2Co 6:14 -
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers - This is a military term: keep in your own ranks; do not leave the Christian community to join in that of the heathens. The verb e?te?????e?? signifies to leave one’s own rank, place, or order, and go into another; and here it must signify not only that they should not associate with the Gentiles in their idolatrous feasts, but that they should not apostatize from Christianity; and the questions which follow show that there was a sort of fellowship that some of the Christians had formed with the heathens which was both wicked and absurd, and if not speedily checked would infallibly lead to final apostasy.
Some apply this exhortation to pious persons marrying with those who are not decidedly religious, and converted to God. That the exhortation may be thus applied I grant; but it is certainly not the meaning of the apostle in this place

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Here a man can believe in the Lord and be saved AND his house can be saved meaning his family. That is the same exact concept of one person in a marriage/family saving another through their personal faith. Talk about grace and mercy!

Tiny Bible · Jan 12, 2016

DebatingAtheist said:
Is it not possible to offer them teachings on both and other world views and leave to the child to make up its own mind in time? To a fundamentalist this would be abhorrent but the rest of us can assume if we truly believe our point of view is correct then showing our ways should be enough for the child to choose their path correctly. Then it's down to us to only show our beliefs honestly and with humility.

Thank you for proving my point.

keith99 · Jan 12, 2016

DebatingAtheist said:
Yay!!! Atheists and non-atheists can date again!!! Praise Odin!

Hail Odin!

<Makes sign of the hammer over my beer>

Dave RP · Jan 13, 2016

Dave RP said:
I am an Atheist, but I respect the right of anybody to believe their beliefs and I would never criticise anybody for holding a true faith in the heart. I met a lovely lady and we have started dating, she is a Christian and regular church goer, is the relationship doomed to failure or can the two coexist? We're both middle aged, divorced and with grown up family so we wont be looking to procreate, there is therefore no great imperative for marriage or cohabitation, we both have our own homes and like it that way.

What are the thoughts of the Christians on here?

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my question for their responses.

As I said we are beyond the age of wanting children but still enjoy the physical side of the relationship. We have to date been able to leave the difference in religious convictions in it's rightful place, in my opinion that's inside each of us and if we're comfortable with each others company, then so be it.

As for "unequally yoked", thankfully marriage is not on the cards so there is no yoking going to happen.

myownmynativeland · Jan 14, 2016

Any Christian who dates, goes with, marries a known atheist(or any non-Christian) is a prize fool weak in their Faith.

Archivist · Jan 14, 2016

myownmynativeland said:
Any Christian who dates, goes with, marries a know atheist(or any non-Christian) is a prize fool weak in their Faith.

Nonsense.

You are, of course, entitled to you opinion.

myownmynativeland · Jan 14, 2016

Archivist said:
Nonsense.

You are, of course, entitled to you opinion.

Its simple Truth sport.

Grafted In · Jan 14, 2016

The Christian knows better...

The atheist cannot know better.

Therefore the weight if the matter falls on the Christian, who, as I said above, already knows the Truth.

Archivist · Jan 14, 2016

myownmynativeland said:
Its simple Truth sport.

Hardly, As I said I know of one Christian/agnostic couple who are doing very well. Others in thsi thread have made similiar statements.

Again, you are entitled to your opinion.

Grafted In · Jan 14, 2016

ewq1938 said:
1Co 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Taken waaaaay out of context.

quatona · Jan 14, 2016

Dave RP said:
Can an Atheist date a Christian (and vice versa)?

Ordinary Christian: yes.
TrueChristian: no.

ewq1938 · Jan 14, 2016

Grafted In said:
Taken waaaaay out of context.

Not taken out of context in the slightest. Not only could a Christian date an Atheist, they can be married!

Can an Atheist date a Christian (and vice versa)?

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