I'm athiest : he's a Christian: can it work

[Endurance Swimmer]

Every situation is different. Compromise is a word that is thrown around a lot in such circumstances but in my experiences and observations its normally the Atheist that is expected to compromise. I just made a post you may want to read which told of my break up with my fiance over religion and yet it wasnt even the two of us that had incompatible beliefs but rather her mother. Ultimately i wasnt prepared to compromise my core values and stand a proud Atheist. Im pretty sure i would have had to be more of an in the closet atheist if we had got married, ridiculous considering she wasnt really a believer herself. Can it work? Yes. But every situation is different depending on the different parties, the strength of their respective beliefs, their families beliefs. But it is often hard work. I have no plans on becoming less of an Activist for Atheism and critical thinking regardless who i am in a relationship with. Rational thinking makes me who i am. But everyone is different.

[Hobbitgirl]

I had a very serious relationship with a christian. Things worked for a while but as it got more serious talk about children came into the mix.

Basically he was uncomfortable with the idea of raising children with an Atheist cause he wanted them to be good christian children.

Looking back this conversation was probably the beginning of the end.

[Birdguy1979]

It can work, however it can be difficult. My wife is religious. I wouldn't call her extreme, but like other religious people she gets really mad when I poke holes in her beliefs. She is worth it to me, to not argue about it.

[Full Circle]

Remember always, you aren't just dating/marrying an isolated individual. As an added bonus you get the whole family thrown in as well.

I was brought up Roman Catholic and up until I was in my late teens believed every word my parents and priests told me. It wasn’t until I fell in love with a Jewish girl whom I met in, of all places, a Catholic youth group that I was first forced to deal with the hypocrisy of religious teachings. Her father wanted nothing to do with me since I was a gentile and on the other hand my parents prayed fervently to have their true God save me from the clutches of this young, but terribly misguided and more than likely damned, woman. They sat me down to explain why this beautiful human being would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. No doubt she was being lectured as well by her parents on the mistake of being with me.

In the end it fell apart for reasons not related to religion, how ironic. But the lesson stuck with me, don't think it's just the two of you in isolation with the issue.

[Shannon1981]

Hmmm. Personally, I don't date theists. I tried it 7 times, and it just didn't work. I can't date delusional women, for any reason.

However, if you're already married, you owe it to yourself, him, and your relationship to try to work it out. I like the comment about expectation management. I do not see such a relationship being fulfilling, but you never know.

[kineo]

I don't see why it can't, unless either one of you gives up. I was a Christian, my wife is an atheist. It worked. Though, now I am also an atheist.

[Rosetta]

As long as you respect each other beliefs and don't try and you can accept that you both believe different things it can work

[Drunkin Druid]

im an atheist and my wife is christian.. it works fine. maybe because we both believe that your actions not your faith define you.

[Atheist_pilgrim]

As a former Xian, I have to say that the one big problem you might run into is if he goes deeper into his faith and comes to the conclusion that he's "unequally yoked" by being in a relationship with a non-believer (2 Corinthians 6:14).

If he feels (or some authority figure convinces him) that he's letting God down or earning His disfavor by being with you, then the relationship might become expendable in order to regain God's favor and avoid His discipline. No, this doesn't look rational to atheist eyes, but it's par for the course in the Xian community.