How Do You Feel About Mixed-Religion Marriages? Why? (Apr. '01)
He Said by Randy Bahbah
Marriage is one of the sacraments of the church, which makes it as important as Baptism or Chrismation. I think when someone gets married in the church they are following God’s teachings in the way that we should live our lives. Moreover, our lives should be lived without anger, greed, and jealousy. I know that going throughout your life without feeling any of those sins would be unlikely, but I think a good portion of those sins can be prevented by a single decision of marrying someone with the same faith.
I think when we talk about mixed-religion marriages, we really want to know if it will work out or not. So to start off, I guess I’ll name a few tiny questions that might cause a problem. First, what church will the marriage take place in? Then, what church will you attend after you get married? What about Communion and Baptism? As you can see, my advice on marrying someone who is of a different faith would be that it is not recommended, but to be fair, it also depends on the situation. If someone is not strong in practicing his or her own faith then the dilemma of converting will not be too serious for the individual and the marriage would work out without any problems of converting (other than not having a close relationship with God). On the other hand, if someone were strong towards in his or her own faith, I think the choice of marriage would more than likely be with someone of the person’s own faith, therefore eliminating the problem from the start.
Once again, Marriage is a sacrament of the church and should be treated with proper respect. In years past, a concept such as a mixed-religion marriage would never have been considered. Now, living in a society with lax standards, it’s rare that we give the idea a second thought (above and beyond this column). If we understand that God is the center of all relationships, then I believe the person as an individual will not have to think about marrying outside his or her own faith.
She Said by Natasha Katrib
I feel that for two people to love each other enough they should share the same interests, and most importantly, their religion and commitment of faith. As an Orthodox Christian, I feel that the Church is the center of my life, and the focus in my eyes. As I go day-by-day, I focus on Christ and the faith that I believe in. I honestly don't think that I could go about my day without knowing that I had God by my side. I could not imagine spending my whole life with someone who doesn't feel the same way. I want to share a special bond, one that isn’t just between my husband and me, but one that contains God as our center, holding us together.
I’m sure that to many people religion is not very important. I feel that it has to do with how you have grown up, and the faith that you have grown up in. I can't even imagine how challenging it would be to be married to someone that wasn't Orthodox. How would the wedding service be? How would we pray together? What church would our family attend? In what religion would we raise our children? And most importantly... how would we be bonded and united with God, if we both believed in different things about God? These are a few if the questions that would arise from a marriage between two people of different religions. They are questions that can be avoided if you’re convinced you can’t imagine sharing your life and your faith with a person who isn’t Orthodox.