Being in an Interfaith Relationship

I have grown up non-religious my entire life. I had always imagined that I would probably stay that way and end up with someone with similar views. However, life does not always turn out the way you imagine it to. About a year ago, I fell for someone who was Christian. I did not know whether things were going to work or if the relationship was going to last. One thing I have learned so far is that interfaith relationships are a lot of work. My boyfriend is very dedicated to his faith which I knew was bound to cause problems. We have talked about different values, plans for the future, sex life, and everything else a normal couple would discuss. However, a lot of our ideas on these differ greatly. Mainly because he has his religion and God while I do not. Despite our differences and these difficult discussions, we have always decided to continue on our relationship. Dating someone who is a different faith involves acceptance and understanding. If you do not know why someone acts the way they do, it is difficult to accept the fact that they are doing it. Over time, I have realized how much religion has helped my boyfriend get through tough times in life. He has turned to God for acceptance, love, hope, and motivation. I started to realize that I strive for similar goals in life, religion just is not where I get these from. When he says that he prays for me, I take that to heart. It may seem absurd to someone who is non-religious, but I understand it is part of him showing his love for me. As for values, the only real thing that has caused us issues is the fact that he is wanting to wait until marriage while I am not particularly fond of it. As I began thinking about what I really thought sexual intimacy would do for me and our relationship, I realized there are much more important things to care about. My boyfriend is caring, loyal, and respectful. I realized his love and the way he treated me was more important than sex ever could have been. One of the hardest things for me to say to my boyfriend was to listen to God and do as you feel He is telling you to do. I know God is close to him and God is number one over all else. This is something I will probably never quite understand, but that is okay. Interfaith relationships can be very hard and are not for everyone. It is important to realize when you truly love someone that is a different faith than you. If you are both in love, there is no doubt you have a chance of making your relationship work if you are both willing to fight for it. As the quote says: “Love Conquers All.”