Please, help me understand.

Prajna said:

What is the reasoning behind only marrying inside your religion

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God commanded it. Among his good reasons for doing so is that being unequally yoked leads to the "good" person sinning and the religious direction in the household being diluted.

Also, she should not be dating you, because you're an unbeliever. It's another form of being unequally yoked (though not so much as marriage). It's unfortunate that she agreed to begin this relationship in the first place, since she's trying to have her cake and eat it too: she seems to care enough about her faith to go to youth group, and to bring you with her, and convert you - problem is, this is called "missionary dating," which is really just dating someone to change them. We Christians really should not put you non-Christians through that. I'm sorry that you're in this position.

Prajna said:

I can understand (In fact, I agree with) the whole "sex before marriage is bad" aspect, but other things they taught pertaining to relationships was sickening to me.

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If her religion sickens you, that's a good reason to end it, no?

Prajna said:

Also, I have found it nearly impossible to have any type of emotional connection with my partner ever since they started this relationship segment.

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Sounds like another reason to end it.

Prajna said:

I feel that by them teaching not to have a relationship with non Christians is a contradiction to the teachings of acceptance, and loving no matter what.

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Not the Christian teachings of acceptance and love. Jesus loved the blind man that he healed. But that doesn't mean he married him. Compassion is different from romance.

Prajna said:

and how does the youth expect to have healthy and successful relationships if they are told to abstain from any physical affection, i.e. making out (not talking about sex)?

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This could be overboard. However, if you're going to avoid sex, you need to avoid putting yourself in places where you're more likely to have sex. Making out on a couch does the job for enough people for the youth pastors to warn against it.

Love doesn't mean acceptance, a parents love their children but doesn't accept their behavior.

And I believe the reason why we shouldn't married someone outside our religion is because there will be a conflict in there. example: I would hate or be disappointed if my future wife (let's assume she will be a non christian) doesn't convert and know that when we die - one of us aren't going to heaven, and we won't be together for eternality.

yep, the unequally yoked thing will get you every time. need to be headed in the same direction, simple as dat.

What you call extreme Christianity is simply the most devout and true kind of Christianity. A true Christian wants more and more to live in God's ways, as revealed in the Bible and by the indwelling Holy Spirit. It sounds as if your girlfriend is becoming more devout in her Christianity, and I can only say that is good, and as it should be. When a person becomes devout in an exclusive religion such as Christianity, this results in division, and this sort of trend is part of Christian growth. Although at present your girlfriend is an immature Christian who is concerned more with having a cool/cute/interesting/enviable boyfriend than with growing in holiness, but the teaching in the youth group seems to be having the desirable effect of building her up and maturing her. A mature Christian will not be happy with anything in his/her life that detracts from the love relationship with God.

Prajna said:

What you said though has given me some insight as to what my next move should be. I'll come right out and tell her im Buddhist, ask if that bothers her and if it does than it's over, if not than great.

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That sounds like a plan.

Though it may be the word of God, its been a long time since the bible was written..... Many things have been re-interpreted and revised since their establishment such as The constitution, laws, and even teachings of Buddhism in order to be compatible with today's society. What is your thought?

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That's the difference between a man-made document like the Constitution of the US and a divinely inspired one, such as the book of Romans. God's word never changes.

blessings
tal

It seems that Christianity may appear " extreme " in some respects , from a Buddhist perspective because Christianity teaches we have one chance - this present life , to be saved . While I believe Buddhism teaches if we don't " make it " in this life , we just keep coming back in another mortal life until we do .

And on this matter I would rather find that the Buddhists are right , having believed the Christians , than to find the Christians are right , having believed the Buddhists .

As far as marriage is concerned , it's hard enough to make marriage work in a lastingly beautiful way , when the couple sees eye to eye , and agrees together ... never mind when they hold to opposing / competing views - not that all of Buddhism is contrary to Christianity , but they do teach some majorly differing things . And in my estimation much of the Catholic version of christianity throughout history has been way , way off what Christ taught ... Inquisition anyone ?

wm

Prajna said:

I appreciate your response, but I still feel that alot of what you said is rather.. extreme, and I think you'd agree. Though it may be the word of God, its been a long time since the bible was written. As every educated person knows, with time comes change. I feel that in this new age more things are acceptable than they were back then (i.e. God may not have wanted marriage outside of religion due to many people killing those who believed in Jesus). Many things have been re-interpreted and revised since their establishment such as The constitution, laws, and even teachings of Buddhism in order to be compatible with today's society. What is your thought?

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What's truly acceptable in Christianity does not change. If it did change with society, then some of the terrible things that happened in the Middle Ages on the pope's orders would have been OK. But if one of the Twelve suggested such things to Jesus, he never would have let that fly.

The truth goes both ways. It does not change for the sake of human convenience. You consider the context of course, but the lesson is for all time.