How to Compromise With a Significant Other With Conflicting Religious Views

If you and your significant other are on different pages when it comes to religion, it could potentially end a good relationship. With a little understanding, a lot of communication and knowing when to walk away from a debate about religion, the relationship can still flourish. Ignorance and indignant about religion can make or break the relationship, though.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

How to Compromise With a Significant Other With Conflicting Religious Views

1. Explain to your significant other your background in religion. Hiding your religion from your significant other is not going to make it any easier once the secret is out, especially when family comes into play.

2. Ask your significant other how important his or her religion is to the relationship. If both spouses cannot tolerate opposite viewpoints, then this relationship will not work. However, as long as both partners agree to try to be understanding of the differences between the two religions, that's one step in the right direction.

3. Inquire about the polite actions that each person must take in order to respect the other's religion, such as bowing heads. The spouse with opposite religious views does not have to follow through, but she at least needs to know what to do in the company of others.

4. Refrain from trying to prove the other's religion wrong. It is extremely difficult to convert a person who has believed in a certain religion his entire life, especially if there are noticeable differences in culture, wardrobe and food.

5. Do not attack your partner for not wanting to attend a religious celebration. For example, making an agnostic person go to church is like making a vegetarian eat rare meat. The agnostic will be very uncomfortable the entire time, so it may be best that you two attend separate religious events or one goes alone.