Christian & Catholic Marital Question

[Guest jettd1313]

I have a very serious issue. I have been raised as Baptist but now having grown up I am more non-denominational in my perspective. Here is my problem. The lady I would like to marry professes to be of the Catholic faith. The year and a half we have dated she has not attended church at all, and quite frankly is not what would be considered religous by most. She has made an ultimatum that we cannot get married unless the ceremony is Catholic. That I do not have a problem with. The issue arises because the Catholic church has said we cannot get married unless I go through a confirmation and communion process. From what I have read its very ritualistic and in effect I would be accepting Christ again, and in my view making what he did for me on the cross of no effect. I have tried to compromise stating that what she is asking me to do is abandaon my faith, something she would not be willing to do for me, but not something which I am asking. I guess I don't believe in worshipping the Virgin Mary or praying with/to "saints." She is unwilling to be married by a regular "christian" ceremony. Any thoughts you could provide would be greatly welcomed.

[tsth]

Dear jettd1313,

There is good reason for your being hesitant. I would continue in your holding firm to the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not submit to the worship of others before Him. Let this people turn to you, and do not turn to them. Stand firm in your faith, always keeping the Lord Jesus Christ First, then the rest will come into place as He sees fit, according to His good pleasure. Stand firm.

In His Love,

Suzanne

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jettd1313

You must stand firm. Do not compromise your relationship with God because of your relationship with this woman. I know it is hard especially when you love her. But in the end you cannot abandon God for her. Pray to God about this, pray that He will help you in this time of trouble.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[ann2]

jettd1313 You have a very difficult decision to make,it is hard enough to make a marriage work if there are 2 hooked to the plow so to speak.If you have to give up your way of serving GOD for this person ,you will never be happy .Pray that GOD will help you to solve this problembecause it will have to be settled for you 2 to have a christian home.

LOve in Christ

ann2

[homebild]

It is absolutely untrue that you must convert to Catholicism to be married by the Catholic Church. The only requirment the Church will make upon you is to promise to raise your children as Catholic Christians.

You need to keep checking around with different parishes and/or priests who will accomodate a 'mixed' Christian marriage within the Church.

[tsth]

You need to keep checking around with different parishes and/or priests who will accomodate a 'mixed' Christian marriage within the Church.

Not a good idea. Especially for the children to try to follow 2 completely different ideas of worship? Catholicism and Evangelical Christianity do not worship the same, nor do they have the same beliefs. It is asking for trouble to try to bring both ideas into the family.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[homebild]

It is a perfectly fine idea for two believing christians to marry despite any denominational differences.

There is absolutley no God-given requirement against such a marriage nor does scripture EVER speak against two believers who just might not to happen to agree on each and every doctrinal point from marrying.

If there were, no one would ever be married.

There is hardly any married christian couple that agrees on all theological issues 100%.

The Scripture DOES say, however, that whom God has brought together to be man and wife let no MAN divide them.

If this fellow and woman are called by God to marry, then get out of His way....

And by the way, my wife and I are a mixed Catholic-Protestant marriage which has worked successfully for almost 20 years.

So don't believe the made up man-made nonsense that tries to prohibit one member of the Body of Christ from marrying another member of the Body of Christ because of some third party's own personal bigotries and ignorance.

If God is telling you this is the spouse for you, then listen to GOD and ignore everyone else.

[JesusisGod2]

It is a perfectly fine idea for two believing christians to marry despite any denominational differences.

There is absolutley no God-given requirement against such a marriage nor does scripture EVER speak against two believers who just might not to happen to agree on each and every doctrinal point from marrying.

If there were, no one would ever be married.

There is hardly any married christian couple that agrees on all theological issues 100%.

The Scripture DOES say, however, that whom God has brought together to be man and wife let no MAN divide them.

If this fellow and woman are called by God to marry, then get out of His way....

And by the way, my wife and I are a mixed Catholic-Protestant marriage which has worked successfully for almost 20 years.

So don't believe the made up man-made nonsense that tries to prohibit one member of the Body of Christ from marrying another member of the Body of Christ because of some third party's own personal bigotries and ignorance.

If God is telling you this is the spouse for you, then listen to GOD and ignore everyone else.

I know what you are saying, but if their religous differences has a big huge gap of differences then I would advise against it.

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3

Now I am not knocking The Catholic religion, but am speaking from experience.

My whole family is Catholic on my mom and dads side as was I, I have seen members of families completly disown family members when they announce they have been born again and converted to another faith.

Some of your biggest battles can be over "religous" differences. some of the biggest wars between countries have been over the same. So to say this is no big deal is at best an under statement.

It is written that anything that is not of faith is sin, so lets picture a scenario of a Catholic and a Baptist couple getting married to one another.

Where would they worship together?

If one sacrifices their faith and worships at a church and accepts their teachings that they believe, but does not believe in them personally, but practices them because of thier spouse, isnt this sin? according to the scriptures it is from my understanding.

We are to first submit to God and not our spouses. So what would happen to the one sacrificing their convictions?

So personally I dont agree with this advise, you are one of the fortunate ones, but it doesnt always pan out this way. Do you both attend the same church reguarly? Has one or the other sacrificed their convictions to do so?

They need to get before the Lord and seek His guidence. This is a very tough situation but not for God.

[Guest Goldman01]

I have a very serious issue. I have been raised as Baptist but now having grown up I am more non-denominational in my perspective. Here is my problem. The lady I would like to marry professes to be of the Catholic faith. The year and a half we have dated she has not attended church at all, and quite frankly is not what would be considered religous by most. She has made an ultimatum that we cannot get married unless the ceremony is Catholic. That I do not have a problem with. The issue arises because the Catholic church has said we cannot get married unless I go through a confirmation and communion process. From what I have read its very ritualistic and in effect I would be accepting Christ again, and in my view making what he did for me on the cross of no effect. I have tried to compromise stating that what she is asking me to do is abandaon my faith, something she would not be willing to do for me, but not something which I am asking. I guess I don't believe in worshipping the Virgin Mary or praying with/to "saints." She is unwilling to be married by a regular "christian" ceremony. Any thoughts you could provide would be greatly welcomed.

Jettd-

If you're not even married and this is an issue already, just imagine when the two of you have children and she gives you an ultimatum that the children will be raised Catholic, even though she's not a practicing Catholic. You obviously don't believe in the Catholic practices, so this IS going to be a BIG issue with you. You need to seriously pray about this. You need to talk with your fiance' about these kinds of issues. You can't put your faith in God on the back burner! God is first, then all falls behind Him! If she can't compromise on even a small thing as a wedding ceremony, how will she compromise on the bigger things in your marriage? Something to think about!

Another suggestion...the two of you need to go to a Marriage Counselor. They will go over issues with you that may happen that you would never think about until they arise! If religion is an issue now, it's going to be an issue throughout your marriage! Like it or not!

[JesusisGod2]

Great points and advice Goldman1