Knowing how to make your relationship work despite your religious differences is a key thing to figure out if you want it to survive and flourish. As it is, there are some common myths about religious differences that you have to know so you would not end up groping in the dark.
One prevailing misconception is that only couples from different religions can argue about religious concepts or practices. Even interfaith couples may have differing ideas about matters about their faith.
A second thing that people falsely assume about religious differences is they come with problems attached and written all over. While this is partly true, an interfaith relationship can have as many problems as a relationship between a couple with different belief sets.
By contrast, relationships could work and grow regardless of whether the couple attends the same church or maintains different religious beliefs.
So, here are some tips on how you could avoid letting your love and faith collide and make your relationship work despite your religious differences:
Admit the differences and work out what they mean to your relationship.
There is no point pretending the religious differences are not there and letting them ruin an otherwise healthy relationship.
Like in many other things, you must first admit that you have polarizing beliefs and values on religion, so you can identify them and try to work out ways to mend those differences. Things like how your religion views marriage and sex must be laid out, and you must agree on how you could reconcile your different take on such matters.
Seek professional help when things fail to work like how you envisioned them.
There are problems that you simply have to throw the towel when things are not working out on your terms and ways. In such cases, you need to seek help from a neutral party to help you figure things out easier. It could be your church pastor, an elderly, or a professional marriage or relationship counselor.
There is no shame in admitting that you can only do so much and have done everything you can to make things work, so you're already deciding to let another entity help you.
Learn as much about your own religion first.
How could you expect to understand your partner's religious views when you don't even understand your own religion in the first place? It's like telling another person they should respect your opinion when you don't understand what your opinion is, to begin with. When you have understood what you should know about your spirituality, you can go to the next step and appreciate your partner's religious beliefs.
Tell each other things about your religion.
By openly discussing your religious convictions with your partner, you are making them understand why you behave and think the way you do about spiritual matters. By letting each into the psyche of your religions, you could help one another grasp your behaviors and thoughts on religious issues. You could also convince your partner to share the same beliefs as you or at least know how to respect your religious differences.
In short, you should maintain open communication throughout your relationship.
Learn by 'experiencing' your partner's religion.
They say that you cannot give what you do not have and teach what you do not know. Similarly, you cannot honestly say you understand your partner's religion without having experienced it first. While this may not lead either of you to convert to the other's religion or share the same religious ideals, it could at least show one another that you genuinely care for your beliefs.
You should try attending each other's worship services (if you belong to different denominations) or going to church activities together (if you are an interfaith couple). Whichever the case may be, you could learn much about your religious convictions and differences when you consciously try to participate in each other's religious events.
Pray together.
While you may have dissenting views about religion, you should accept that prayers can blur the lines between religions and offer clarity of thought. In short, prayers can help you get God's help and guidance over your relationship, no matter how insurmountable your religious differences may seem.
Agree to disagree and find common grounds.
You must be open to each other's religious views and practices and refrain from discounting each other's religious beliefs outright. When you allow yourselves to become open about your religious differences, you are paving the way toward discovering common grounds you never knew existed. So, learn first to agree to disagree before shutting out your partner just because you don't share their religious convictions in the first place.
By following these tips, you could have an easier time navigating the complexities of your relationship due to differences in how you view and practice your religion. Ultimately, all your efforts will be rewarded by a strong relationship that flourishes despite religious differences.
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