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

I very much doubt I could be compatible with someone with religion, friendships of course, but not a spouse, or raising children.

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? hmm

Yep luckily I raised an intelligent child and she knows the idea of a deity is ridiculous. Obviously folk wouldn't "write their own kids off" but if my child had happened not to be a critical thinker and believed in such shite then yes I would definitely challenge her on it.

Why do folk think religion is deserving of any respect? Biggest cause of death/racism/discrimination of all time = religion

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What is hell? To make such a decision regarding hell would suggest you can define it?

If they were a full on active church goer no way.

If they were a sort of casual believer then yes.

I wonder those who dismiss believers as being less intelligent feel they are of superior intelligence to say Michelle Obama

I did when I was an atheist. Had an ex who was religious, very involved with his church. There were specific religious beliefs that would have put me off but just being religious I was fine with.

I’m now a theist (not because of that ex!) and married to an atheist myself. So yes, it can work in my experience, although planning/having children does make it a bigger issue.

I am fine with atheists believing they’re more intelligent than me, if it makes them happy

There's a difference between an atheist which I think of as someone who is firmly anti religion, and a non believer who is quite positive about some aspects of religion and happy if people want to do it, I'm thinking of someone who has fond memories of singing hymns in assembly at school and likes the cultural Christian things we do in this country like religious based Christmas traditions or looking round old churches and so on. A lot of people in Britain are like this I think. Someone like that could definitely get along with a fairly liberal believer who is similarly tolerant of other people's beliefs.

I‘m an atheist and really don’t think I could be together with someone with a strong faith. Religion means nothing to me, and it just wouldn’t make sense to be together with someone when an important part of their life makes no sense to me whatsoever.

Enthusiasm quite agree, it is very sad to read so many views sneering at those of us with a faith & dismissing us as dim, intellectually stunted etc etc. And it is a very ‘mumsnet’ view, I don’t think I’ve ever met such intolerance in RL.

Would you be expecting your DH to go to hell when he died? If so, a dealbreaker.

There are a few get-out clauses in the Sermon on the Mount and St Paul regarding this - the first reminds us that our deeds are far more important than our professed faith, and the second says that a non-believer is sanctified by their believer spouse.

I'd also add that whether an individual goes to hell or not is not our decision. Judge not lest ye be judged.

(I'm a very rubbish Catholic BTW.)

The kind of religious people who think all atheists go to hell likely wouldn’t be getting into relationships with atheists in the first place, surely.

What is hell? To make such a decision regarding hell would suggest you can define it?

Well, there's the theory that Hell is just eternity without God, then there's the theory that you do actually get physically punished in Hell (tortured basically).

I remember a Bible story read to us in primary school assembly, about people in Hell having to eat single grains of rise with chopsticks it something.... Ah, just found it - the Allegory of the Long Spoons.

I am fine with atheists believing they’re more intelligent than me, if it makes them happy

Just back away smiling

I don't believe children should have a religion chosen for them by their parents, it should come from them.

Do you feel the same about supporting football teams? Or vegetarianism? Or any of the other multitude of decisions we make for our children from the day they're born? Because parenting would be a damn sight harder if we had to wait till they could reason for themselves before making any decisions.

Do you feel the same about supporting football teams? Or vegetarianism? Or any of the other multitude of decisions we make for our children from the day they're born? Because parenting would be a damn sight harder if we had to wait till they could reason for themselves before making any decisions

Religion is different in my opinion, it's spiritual and highly personal. It's not the same as supporting a football team or being a vegetarian into - but if DD said she wanted to be a veggie I would support her, and if I were a veggie I wouldn't make her be a veggie just because I was.

Religion is a belief about the meaning of life etc, it's an entire worldview and theory of afterlife, it should be a journey you go through by yourself. I'm an atheist, but I'm not going to make my daughter be one, she can believe I. god if she wants, but if she asks me I will just say I don't personally believe and say why if she wants to know.

My grandmother is very spiritual and believes in an afterlife. I didn't know that until my teenage years, because she let me figure out my own religious beliefs by myself, that's what I think is correct. We discussed it only if I asked what she believes.

No. I'm an atheist and it would be too big a barrier between us. My DH is agnostic (he really never gave religion any thought ) and even that annoys me sometimes. Just the thought that he "might believe at some stage if he looked into it " is bothersome ! So a religious person ....Nope nope nope.

Do you feel the same about supporting football teams? Or vegetarianism?

Erm, yes Are you saying you told your child which football team to support and made them be a vegetarian? Wow.

Nope, I didn't do either of those things, they were an example. Although yes, we were brought up as supporters of a certain team and woe betide us if we expressed an interest in another one.

And if you've been in a football focussed family there is very little that's different about allegiance to a God and allegiance to 11 men and a ball, believe me!

Personally, no. I think I would struggle. Depends how devout they are I suppose. I wouldn't get married in a church. If I had children, I wouldn't want them baptised or to go to faith school. There are a lot of issues that would come up.

Strange example to use then if you don't even agree with it

I was brought up in a football mad house. I'm not too fussed about football, all my siblings supported a different team to my dad 🤷‍♀️

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

I wouldn't care because they are entitled to do what they please. Religion is a personal thing and a choice - that's the point.

“Although yes, we were brought up as supporters of a certain team and woe betide us if we expressed an interest in another one.“

Well, I think that’s pretty horrendous too, to be frank.

The main reason DC choose religion is that parents and authority figures like teachers tell them it is fact.

The traditional C of E religious tradition I grew up in is all about the opposite of social justice - just look at the lyrics of 'All things bright and beautiful' ...