If you're an atheist, would you have a relationship with someone with a faith?

[IWantToBeLizzieNotCharlotte]

I've just started using Bumble and there's an option to show if you're atheist/Christian/Jewish/agnostic.

A lot of men are atheist so I've assumed that it's a no-go. But it's really quite a lot of men. Am I being too picky? I wouldn't know if I met them in a bar if they were atheist

No because of the lack of grasp of logic and empirical evidence. Just couldn't take them seriously.

I wouldn’t have a problem per se but it would depend on what they believed. Would be strange to sit across from someone at dinner every night if they believed I was going to hell.

I would never force the DC to go to church once they reached the age where they had an input. What age is that? Given the choice I'd have never gone to mass - really never - it was always a bloody chore...I so hated every bloody service I attended from a very young age and I thought I was the one who was wrong!!! I know why my parents subjected me to such shit but would I allow my partner to subject my kids to the same? NO BLOODY WAY!!!!!

@myohmywhatawonderfulday it is absolutely not ' narrowness' of thought to demand evidence

I stopped going to church at 13

No. I imagine it would be nothing but a bone of contention. I'm not very tolerant of any supernatural beliefs, so I don't imagine anyone religious person would be able to enjoy a romantic relationship with me.

No, I couldn't be in a relationship with someone that believed god was real.

I would date someone who had a religion as long as he wasn’t a complete arsehol....i would not date an atheist if he was a complete arsehole So you wouldn't date an asshole - is that what you wanted to say - I would fucking hope no one would date an asshole - but you have no view on religion?

I’d love to see how some of you ardent atheists would react if your own child decided they wanted to go to Church or developed a strong faith as they got older. Would you write your own child off as a ‘bit dim’ and not intellectually interesting enough?

No. I'd run a mile.

I wouldn't have DC brought up in any faith. If DH had a faith that he actively followed it would be a deal breaker.

Ragwort - As an atheist If my child became religious I'd be worried about their mental health, bit I'd play along trying to understand but being very concerned at the same time.

Sorry for the confusion lylole

I thought it was clear that i would date anyone religion or not as long as there weren’t an arse

Yes. I am an atheist. My partner is religious. Doesn't cause any problems.

Would you write your own child off as a ‘bit dim’ and not intellectually interesting enough?

A grown up child who chooses a new lifestyle based on superstition and fear of supernatural forces would cause nothing but worry for most parents. It wouldn't be a matter of wondering if they're actually a bit thick, but if something was affecting their ability to make logical choices as they had done previously.

I think it would depend how religious they were, if they expected me to 'join in' and if they are preachy.

If they are non preachy and respect I'm agnostic then I'd have no problem at all.

Would you write your own child off as a ‘bit dim’ and not intellectually interesting enough? My kids are who they are - I would not understand it and I would not pretend to. I would not want to put up with any conversion conversations and I would worry about them.

For me it's a question of tolerance/intolerance, rather than faith/lack of faith.

For me the important question is "can you accept that someone else may have, in good faith and out of good motives, arrived at a different opinion from yours, and can you respect that different opinion?" If yes, we're good to go, if not, forget it.

I'm an agnostic. I couldn't date a doctrinaire religious believer, or a doctrinaire atheist - by doctrinaire I mean someone who felt it was their mission in life to convince you of the correctness of their opinions. But someone who believed in god but appreciated that I didn't would be fine, as would someone who was certain god didn't exist, but respected my on-the-fence scepticism.

(Hell, my ex was a pain in the butt because he couldn't accept our musical tastes were different! It's opinionated people I have a problem with, not believers/non-believers).

It's never come up (and I'm not single ) , but I don't see why not in principle if it was eg someone brought up Catholic / CofE / Sikh/ Muslim who has just continued to follow their childhood faith. Probably not an Evangelical christian or equivalent in other faith - but I doubt they'd want to date me!

I'd have no issue with DC being taken to church etc so long as it was OK to be clear that people have different views on the matter.

FermatsTheorem that's a very eloquent way to put it - exactly that

No, I don’t think I could. I don’t believe in any of it and whilst I don’t have an issue with anyone who does, I think my non belief could cause a problem as it’s not something I could go along with.

For example, I couldn’t have a child christened, or attend religious services or have a religious wedding and that would likely be a deal breaker for someone with faith, particularly if their family has faith too.

The other thing I’ve noticed is, friends who I know had absolutely no faith at all have, over time, started to be involved in the faith of their partners.

The other thing I’ve noticed is, friends who I know had absolutely no faith at all have, over time, started to be involved in the faith of their partners

That did not happen with my dad...at all

Do you mean attending church? Or you know, the whole hog

Sorry yabbers

Should have said I understand what you mean by personally not wanting to ‘go along with it’

"The other thing I’ve noticed is, friends who I know had absolutely no faith at all have, over time, started to be involved in the faith of their partners"

The opposite happened to my DP - his ex was religious & encouraged him to go on an Alpha course (all about christianity). Apparantly it converted him from an agnostic to a convinced atheist

Someone having religious beliefs wouldn't bother me if they liked debating them - a minority of religious people do, though most prefer blind faith and no debate...

I wouldn't have had children with anyone who wanted to bring our children up unquestioningly within a religion and present the tenants if the religion as fact - absolutely no way. Educating them thoroughly about the religion in the context of "this is what parent X believes, and that is what parent Y believes, and there's no way of knowing for certain whether either are right - other people have different beliefs too, you're allowed to not know what you believe, or to believe the same as mummy or daddy, or something else altogether, neither of us mind and you're also allowed to change your mind as often as you like" ... That'd be okay.