Not so long ago, social and geological boundaries made it virtually impossible to date people outside of your own religion. As immigrants with different faiths arrived in the United States, including diverse brands of Christianity, many communities experienced an upheaval. Perhaps it is fair to say that the swing back towards people dating others from the same faith is a natural rebalancing process. If you are Christian and find yourself wanting to date only people from your religion, you should not feel pressured to do otherwise. In fact, when you choose to limit yourself to there are a number of advantages that you can both enjoy.
Enjoy a Common Sense of Spiritual Focus
There is no question that learning about other faiths can be fascinating. On the other hand, if you want to spend your life with someone else, having some things naturally in common will always be of benefit. For example, when it comes to , you will both automatically understand certain things, as well as share outlooks that can make the relationship much easier. Unfortunately, when you love someone, and there are “gaps” in understanding, it can be painful and well as destructive.
No Question About Christian Faith Children Will Be Brought up In
When it comes right down to it, if you are planning to be in a romantic relationship, you will always need to give some thought to starting and raising a family. Even though many parents today navigate between diverse religions when raising children, it can still be difficult. That said, if you date and marry someone from you own religion, you will not need to worry about which child gets raised in each faith, let alone all the pain that can come with watching your favorite child choose the other faith. In fact, no matter how much you may love and respect your partner, religion tends to be ingrained more than most would realize.
A Sense of Christian Spiritual Journey
For the most part, people come to a sense of spiritual focus at different ages. Some people may have a strong commitment to God and Jesus at an early age, while others may not find this sense until they are well past the prime of their life. Ideally, you should feel that you and your romantic partner are sharing a journey of faith as well as in other ways. This foundation tends to be much easier to establish when you are dating someone that shares your religious outlook.
If you do some research, you are sure to find many interfaith marriages that are a credit to their communities and families. That said, it is also very important to realize that each person's outlook is different. Christians that feel they would feel best with someone that shares their own faith should not hesitate to be open about this fact, as well as avoid dating people from other faiths. At the very last, if your peers or others are pressuring you to date non-Christians you can easily remind yourself that you will be the one engaging in the relationship, and not them.
Christian Dating in the 21st Century
If your grandparents and parents are all Christian, chances are they can tell you what it was to date in previous generations. In some ways, you will find that your experiences and choices will not be so different from theirs. On the other hand, there are also some elements of modern society that dating couples will have to navigate on their own. Depending on your local community and personal outlook, you may find that many from previous generations will not always be able to relate to your choices.
Finding Dates in Your Local Area
Many people interested in Christian dating start either at their local churches, or elsewhere in the community. Unfortunately, if you grew up in the same area, or have been there for a number of years, you may already know that you don't want to date most of the people in your close circle. Chances are, you would be amazed at how helpful online dating sites can be when it comes to finding suitable people even in your local area. At the very least, you won't be stuck wondering when you will find someone by chance.
A Global Outlookto Christian Dating
It is very important to realize that people from just about every culture have been converted to Christianity. Therefore, if you are interested in other cultures, you can easily enjoy dating people from other countries and still remain within the Christian dating scene. In fact, you may find this amazingly enjoyable. For example, you are bound to find all kinds of fascinating holiday traditions to explore, as well as all of the wonderful learning experiences that can still be built on a firm Christian foundation.
The Progression of Your Christian Relationship
Chances are, you were brought up with some definite ideas about chastity and other aspects of Christian dating. Needless to say, you may feel pressured by others to change the path of your relationship to suit their ideas of “modern”. As with so many other things in life, you need only remind yourself that you and your partner will have to deal with the long term consequences, not the other people that are trying to direct your life. While you are bound to find challenges, you can still rest firm in your faith, as well as your understanding about what you want to have in your future.
Celebrate Christian love with us on Valentine's day.
There is no question that Christian dating in the 21st century can be every bit as rewarding as it can be challenging. If you are considering dating people from other faiths because it may seem easier, you may be surprised at just how strong your Christian faith really is, as well as how much meaning it can lend to the relationship. In fact, once you commit yourself to Christ, and a relationship with a Christian partner, you are likely to find that trying to date people of other faiths won't give you as much satisfaction. Why look elsewhere when you have everything you truly need right within the context of your own faith system?
read our top tips for an enduring Christian marriage
