Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: davidh@tektronix.tek.com (David L Hatcher) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Should Christians date Non-Christians Message-ID: Date: 15 Jan 91 09:53:40 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR. Lines: 48 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu > I mean should Christians DATE ( whatever that means ) non-Christians ? Well, I wouldn't call me a "non-Christian", though I sure do not call Christianity the spiritual tradition that I follow. But, I am married to a "Christian". So I think that ought to qualify me in submitting a post to this thread. My marriage is quite good. In fact, I feel it is much better than many of our friends where both are Christians. And we are celebrating our 10 year anniversary in March. We are very, very happy together. We even sometimes kid each other on how alive our marrage is. I've been asked many times by different people if we are having trouble because of our differing spiritual paths.. It is a common question. I feel that there are several reasons why our marriage working, even though we follow different spiritual traditions. The first and perhaps most important is that neither of us try to convert the other. We don't even feel the need to. We also are each able to see the blessings God has given us, and together praise God. Which than allows us some time to be together in worship. We both know that God is very much in our lives. And, together, we often give thanks for that. There was a time where we did hit some rough spots. Mostly because Christianity has a way of being most unforgiving to folks who are not Christian. But that has been worked out because my wife has been able to see God in my life, even though I am not a Christian. And I have made it a point to go to Bible study sometimes with her. I've gotten to know her minister quite well now. And even have taken him to the Trappist Abby where I often go on retreat. So, all of these things have helped sidetrack the doubt that she might have felt. One last thing. I've been reading the postings related to this subject and I really feel a sort of anguish at some of the excuses I've seen for a Christian to not marry a non-Christian. They remind me of an occasion a few years ago when I came to a new job, and right off a Christian flat out told me that we could never be good friends because I was not Christian. To me, the open heart love of one living in Christ ought to cut right through such divisions as those caused by the outer form of religion. I just do not understand the need of so many Christians to cause separation like they do. It seems so un-Christ like! David Hatcher