No religion here, please. Lol.

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask...

Why Christians prefer to marry a fellow Christian? Is this has something to do with the teachings or it's more related to personal thingy?

I'm a Buddhist myself thinking of converting but i would like to know more. Thank you for your advice.

isn't this obvious? it's easier to settle things when u marry same faith.

I am an agnostic here. I do not understand why the religious scriptures that originated from Middle East such as Torah, Talmud, Bible and Koran contained violent teachings and injunctions? I tried the Old Testament, read it and cannot accept how can a "god of mercy" condoned the genocide, massacre and atrocious treatment towards certain inhabitants like the Canaanites, Amorites, etc? This is quite absurd.

I think that parts of Old Testament were Jewish myth that seek to condemn their enemies. Anyone can have better explanation? I do not want the explanation of periodic difference such as warfare period and grace period(New Testament). This is not so solid arguments.

I know. But can a Christian marry a non believer?(I know yes u can, but it is encouraged by the religion?) What if she/he does. Will he/she be subjected to scorn or treated as a traitor to the religion? That's all i want to know.

This post has been edited by carloz28: Feb 21 2012, 01:06 PM

No scorn but you will have more trouble in your relationship. Non-Christians are spiritually dead (i.e. they don't have the Holy Spirit living in them). So being in a relationship with one is like being in a relationship with a dead person.

well i also want to know. i got a lot of Family member marry with other Religions.
From what i know. once you Leave Christian, you cannot re-enter Christian. i think same goes for other Religion.
If there's any knowledgeable ppl here.. please enlighten us here..

well it's true.. no hard feeling..

2 Corinthians 6:14

Not encouraged but yes you can.

Nope no scorn or but the differences will definitely cause problems if both parties refuse to compromise.

Firstly, lets get the basics right Christianity isnt a religion. The core of christianity is this: God loves man( as in mankind includes women) and desires to have a relationship with him. The price however required the sacrifice of his only son; his death on the cross. If you are a Christian (Christ follower) its your relationship between God and you that matters.

You can step away from a relationship; the same way God will welcome you into His arms should you return.

This post has been edited by stefanong: Feb 21 2012, 01:34 PM

Because this same God of mercy and love is also a God of justice. Sin unfortunately required the death penalty; no exceptions.

which also explains why the need of animal sacrifices; ie the animal died in the place of the sinner in the old testament.


and yes this is better suited in another more theologically focused channel.

This post has been edited by stefanong: Feb 21 2012, 01:43 PM

Like what stefanong said, Christianity is about your relationship with God. When God says not to be yoked with unbelievers (such as through marriage), He is warning us in order that our faith will not be destroyed.

Say you marry a non-Christian, would they be able to understand you going to church every Sunday? What if God nudges you to go on missions? Would your non-Christian partner be able to let you go? These are some issues that may crop up lah...

thank you.

Wow this thread still alive ......

http://carm.org/should-christian-date-or-marry-unbeliever

I find this website very helpful. Tons of questions and answers regarding christianity.

I understand your point of view, sir. But I find no justification to murder even infants as stated in the Old Testament. Nobody with sane mind will praise Hitler for the crime of extermination, but when it comes to God, we try to whitewash and rationalize the deeds. The Books of Numbers are full with god's atrocious deeds.

New Testament is okay and Jesus Christ was portrayed as a lover of humankind, either foes or friends. That's good there. But still, those who do not accept him as "son of god" will be roasted in hell fire eternally, that's way too cruel sir.

Even though generally Christians do not emulate the teaching in OT, they still respect it and believe it to be inspired. If we read the OT critically, it's more like a Jewish myth. Jewish people in captivity wrote those books to console and pacify the people, and use god as the excuse to make this myth more believable.

There is no whitewashing. Sin = death. it is absolute and non negotiable.

We fail to realise that God (whether or not we believe in His existence) by virtue of being God dispenses judgement with or without our consent. He is neither moved or affected by man's justification, scorn or rationalisation. So really it is futile.

No, to be correct, the Old Testament is the basis of the New Testament and were not myths to console. The book of Deuteronomy, Judges and Lamentations were really judgements and quite frankly depressing.

People have the misconception that the Old Testament was superceded by the New Testament since Jesus was all peaceful like (also a misconception). The truth is He came to not only reinforce but to bring the laws of the OT to a whole new level. eg. If the actual act of untoward behaviour towards a woman was sin, Jesus said now the mere thought of commiting sin is already sin...YIKES!

What He did stress was religious law led to death but a relationship with God leads to life which was really the essence of the NT. but again this is better answered in a more theological channel also it helps to actually read and research first the OT and NT before making assumptions on what Christians do or do not believe. Just saying...

Yes, God dispense judgment, just like the terrorists believed to be when they blowed themselves up and take pride in carrying out God's judgment. When the Jews massacred the inhabitants, Amorites, Amelikites, Canaanites, etc, they took pride in calling that as God's dispensation of his uncontested justice. After all, God or Yahweh was on their side, ain't it?

Sin=Death? The concept of sins are relative and not absolute. For Christians, polygamy is a sin, but not for almost all prophets from Abraham to David. Just because the non-Jews in those days were worshipping Baal, instead of Yahweh, that's made them culpable and liable to be exterminated? Nice logic there, buddy. No wonder Richard Dawkins is sick of religions per se. Even though I'm not at his level yet.

I notice you are rather riled up by this but again our emotions does not contribute one iota to the outcome. But if you want to continue to flog a dead horse you can.

no sin = death. Again to correct you, adultery is a sin; as for polygamy in the old testament it was rather a cultural acceptance during those times for kings to have multiple wives (for political reasons ie alliances with rival kingdoms) and concubines. In no way this is accepted in this day and age and again in the New Testament, Jesus came to up the ante.

Your arguments are founded on one premise. How is it that a Holy God deems it fit to wipe out people because they sin? and again the answer is simple, we are not God and no amount of justification will change the fact. You wanted answers, I give facts as they are written. If you want justification ask God.

Also again do proper research please. many of your questions are stated in the OT and NT or at least the relevant commentaries on the sections. I think what you are asking is covered in basic theology and doctrine which quite frankly is not suitable for this channel.

James 1:27 likes to differ with you, especially the last part of it. The correct way to define Christianity "if you must", it is both religion & relationship.

Remember the price Christ paid is not for relationship with us but for believers sin. We must not forget that even the Seraphim (Considered as one of the most powerful angelic being and closes to God in Judaism) can't fully bear God's present in Isaiah 6. We should not think of Him and our relationship with Him is like the relationship with another human being.

Though we like to emphasis in God's mercy, grace, & love. We must not forget his other attributes like holiness and righteousness which is equally important as well. After all He is the King of Kings.

This post has been edited by Piros: Feb 22 2012, 02:32 PM