Can acouple in love marry being of different faiths?

-- Jean Bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.netj), May 27, 1999

Answers

Yes, but they should be very aware of the diffuculties some very great that could arise. Like that requirement that the Catholic parent Baptize and raise any children in the Catholic Faith. That the practice of the Catholic faith by the Catholic party cannot be interfered with, the Marraige and moral laws of the Church. Etc.

-- Br. Rich S.F.O. (repsfo@prodigy.net), May 28, 1999.

Bro. Rich: jean doesn't specify who is the muslim. the wife or the husband. in case it is the husband many of the difficulties you mention can be not only grave, but very grave: *men are superior to women....scold those whose disobedience you fear, relegate them in separate beds and beat them...* (kuran, sura 4,38)

(i have not an english translation of the kuran, but you can check the passage if you have the book)

ENRIQUE

-- ENRIQUE ORTIZ (eaortiz@yahoo.com), May 31, 1999.

Jean, perhaps this scripture will help:

2 Cor 6:14 "Do not be yoked together [married] with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? . . . What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"

Seems pretty clear to me. Personally, I can't imagine being married to and loving someone whom I know does not also love Jesus Christ and is ultimately destined for the fires of hell. How could a Christian become one flesh (through the unity of marriage) with someone like that?

-- David (David@matt6:33.com), June 01, 1999.

Dear David

Perhaps that passage from the Bible refers to hardfast athiests or Pagans.

-- E.H.Weiss (weisse@bmts.com), June 01, 1999.

A Catholic cannot marry a Muslim in the Church. We have some friends who are in this situation; she left the Catholic Church because the priest would not marry her and her Muslim fiance. But he had no intention of converting and the Church cannot give a Christian sacrament to a non-Christian.

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), June 02, 1999.

That is correct it can only be a Sacrament between two Baptized patries. However there can still be a valid marriage between the Catholic and the non-Christian, recognized by the Church.

-- Br. Rich S.F.O. (repsfo@prodigy.net), June 02, 1999.

Yes, Brother, the marriage would be "valid" in the sense of being a valid social contract such that the children are no considered illegitimate (this intersects with the situation of an annullment also, but that's another topic). It is not valid in the sense of being a sacrament. I think that's what you're saying too.

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), June 03, 1999.

My question re: Catholic/Muslim was theoretical but has brought out many very fine thoughts. Br. Rich is correct in the teaching of our Faith. Now the next step is:

If God has brought these two fine people to-gether should one believe in pre-destination is He God that is writing in a crooked line a the Spanish say?

-- jean bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 05, 1999.

My son is dating a buddist girl and says he intends to marry her. She says religion is no big thing to her and he can raise the children as Catholics if he wants to. She said she would study christianity. Should we tell him we do not think this marriage is a good idea. He is 32 and I feel he should make his own decisions (which he will do anyway). I am praying for an answer. Dorothy

-- Dorothy Jenson (jenson@centurytel.net), November 12, 2000.

My son is dating a buddist girl and says he intends to marry her. She says religion is no big thing to her and he can raise the children as Catholics if he wants to. She said she would study christianity. Should we tell him we do not think this marriage is a good idea. He is 32 and I feel he should make his own decisions (which he will do anyway). I am worried and praying for an answer. Dorothy

-- Dorothy Jenson (jenson@centurytel.net), November 12, 2000.

Hi Dorothy,

As David wrote,2 Cor.6:14..Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessnes? And what communion has light with darkness?.... As believers, we have been set apart.As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 17 Therefore"Come out from among them and be separate,says the Lord.Do not touch what is unclean,and I will receive you.I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,Says the Lord Almighty."

God gave us His Word to guide us. He also gave us the freedom to choose His way or our own.And since He created us and knows what is best for us, I choose to obey Him.

I think as a mother you have every right to counsel your son.But the decision is his of course.And if his girlfriend is willing to study Christianity before they marry. Wouldn't it be awesome if she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior! This is certainly something to pray about.I will keep you in my prayers and ask God to guide you and be with you through this.

Love through Jesus Christ, Susan

-- Susan Shepherd-Magistro (heartwjesus@yahoo.com), November 13, 2000.

You can so get married in the Catholic church to a Muslim, you need to undergo the required pre marriage classes, etc. just like anybody else and get a dispensation. Getting married to a Muslim in the Catholic Church is no different than getting married to another Non-christian such as a Jew. I am married to a Muslim man and we were married in the Catholic Church, by the Archbishop, no less, so I assure you, it is a valid marriage in the Catholic Church. However, a Muslim woman cannot marry a Non-muslim man according to Islamic law, while a Muslim man may marry a woman who is of "the people of the book", which are Christians and Jews who received the God of the Old Testament, etc. so Mormons, Hindu's, etc. would not be considered people of the book.

-- Ruta (ruta_q@hotmail.com), January 09, 2001.

I don't know if this is a good example, but the Christian Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine, had a pagan husband. Her suffering was great, and greater still as Augustine lived with a concubine for some time, even having an illegitimate son. By her great faith and daily prayers, Monica secured the conversion of both Patricius, her husband, and her son as well. In later years, Augustine became the great saint and Doctor of the Church.

Times have changed, naturally. Islam is a notoriously militant religion, and a Christian wife would have immense problems with a Moslem husband, not the least of which are strictly cultural and social.

My wife is friends with an Iranian lady that told her of a mixed marriage of this kind. The couple was childless, and her Iranian husband had a Muslim woman come to live in the Christian wife's own home; strictly for the purpose of giving him a child! It is not uncommon to do this in a Muslim household. If the wife protested, her husband would be within his rights (under their law) to beat her and enforce his will. If she attempted a divorce, it might become truly tragic for her. These are very serious problems to be getting into for an American.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), January 09, 2001.

TO ALL: I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN. UNDER THE ISLAMIC LAW, A MUSLIM MALE CAN MARRY A FELLOW MUSLIM, A CHRISTIAN, OR A JEW. UN DER THE CATHOLIC CANON LAWS, A CATHOLIC MAY BE GIVEN DISPENSATION BY THE CHURCH TO MARRY SOMEONE NOT BELONGING TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH. YOU MAY CONSULT VOLUME 9 OF THE NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR THE DETAILS.

-- (tausog1@excite.com), March 09, 2001.

OH PLEASE. I'm glad you think that Catholics can't have interfaiths. What age are you living in. I don't think Jesus or God would approve or agree how you try to keep your "own kind". Tell me, do you believe that blacks should stay with the blacks, or fat people with fat people?? Two people who love God should be able to continue to do so and be married. Why not focus your efforts on the prostitutes, the Catholics who are weak in their faith, or the abusers. Please leave those who are strong in their faith to God alone and don't throw stones in areas which you can't support properly. Think about what you are doing. It is not right. I'm Catholic and I am strong in my belief and will do what I can within reasonable means to marry a Muslim. We will be happy; you know why, we both have faith stronger than you will ever know.

-- Kate (quinicatorius@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001.

Thank you Kate. I will be marrying a muslim man later this year, and have been really disheartened by the negative views expressed everywhere in regards to Catholic/Muslim marriage, and the inappropriate and mistaken views of how Muslim men view women. I have never been treated with such respect by any of the catholic men that I have dated in the past, and I am in awe daily of his honesty and devotion to religion and others. We discuss religion constantly and have a mutual respect for each other's religions.

-- Suzanne (suzanne_w_ca@yahoo.com), January 08, 2002.

Dear Ladies,
Foe God's sake, don't get any idea that the Catholic Church can't tolerate your marriage to a member of any other faith. There are channels by which this is regularly done. The cautionary things said to you here are not spoken for the Church. The Church discourages these interfaith unions, but has never taught they're forbidden a Catholic.

I for one am telling you the honest truth, about the infertile couple, a Muslim husband whose Christian wife failed to give him offspring. He has every right--given his Islamic faith, to settle a different woman in the house of his first wife, and have husband-wife relations with her to bring forth children. The Christian wife is just out of luck if she objects!

If the both of YOU have normal fertility, I suppose the problem will never arise in your homes. I hope not. But this is only one example of the Islamic culture you'll be required to submit to; and it better be with complete respect. You will have no rights under your husband's religious establishment, simply because you're women. If this isn't of any bother to you, and you think your love can see it through, go on and marry. Nobody's being bigotted about it here.

We speak out of charitable concern for you, and your welfare in the years to come. You have a spiritual commitment to Christ, I presume. If it clashes with the Islamic religion someday, it might endanger your faith. Is that also unimportant to you? I'd see that as a tragic outcome for you, then. No matter how content you might be with the marriage itself. It's your conscience. May God help you to make a truly wise decision; and after that, keep you from all misfortune and harm.
Through Jesus Christ his Son, Our Lord. Amen

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), January 08, 2002.

Dear Ladies,
For God's sake, don't get any idea that the Catholic Church can't tolerate your marriage to a member of any other faith. There are channels by which this is regularly done. The cautionary things said to you here are not spoken for the Church. The Church discourages these interfaith unions, but has never taught they're forbidden a Catholic.

I for one am telling you the honest truth, about the infertile couple, a Muslim husband whose Christian wife failed to give him offspring. He has every right--given his Islamic faith, to settle a different woman in the house of his first wife, and have husband-wife relations with her to bring forth children. The Christian wife is just out of luck if she objects!

If the both of YOU have normal fertility, I suppose the problem will never arise in your homes. I hope not. But this is only one example of the Islamic culture you'll be required to submit to; and it better be with complete respect. You will have no rights under your husband's religious establishment, simply because you're women. If this isn't of any bother to you, and you think your love can see it through, go on and marry. Nobody's being bigotted about it here.

We speak out of charitable concern for you, and your welfare in the years to come. You have a spiritual commitment to Christ, I presume. If it clashes with the Islamic religion someday, it might endanger your faith. Is that also unimportant to you? I'd see that as a tragic outcome for you, then. No matter how content you might be with the marriage itself. It's your conscience. May God help you to make a truly wise decision; and after that, keep you from all misfortune and harm.
Through Jesus Christ his Son, Our Lord. Amen

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), January 08, 2002.

For a long time i was very Catholic and in recent years have found another path to God. Why is it that there must be only one path to salvation. After 2000 years in the tougne of man perhaps "the faith" has been corrupted. I am getting married in about 6 months and i have had it up to my eyeballs with everybody in my family telling me i should get married in the Catholic church. Ye Gods! Love is and should for anyone be stronger than any religion. I have found that God speaks to me and tells me what is right for my life. No preist will tell me otherwise. Many of you would say that i am going to hell or am a bad person. Why? Riddle me that nefore you judge. Remember it is not to judge. So calling folks bad or requireing them to commit to a way of life that does not suit thier spiritual development and condemning them is judgeing them. In response to the issue at hand. let those who wish to marry do so regardless of faith. It is not regligion that should dictate the union of tweo souls. it is love. To all who agree with me be strong and follow your own moral compass it will guide you, it is God's voice and when you see a sunset you see Jesus. To those who disagree, learn to question your faith and understand it. This life is not for punishment but for living and enjoying.

-- A.J.Langer (thunderlord@counsellor.com), January 18, 2002.

Dear AJL,
I once had a chance to play Russian Roulette; I was handed the gun. I refused to do it. Only a stupid man would, a truly ignorant man. It seems like you like to play Russian Roulette. But you're not going to risk blowing out your brains like other fools. You're gambling with your immortal soul. Why? Are you stupid?

Your words: ''For a long time I was very Catholic and in recent years have found another path to God.''

I guess that answers my question. But remember; I already had stated that if a Muslim and a Catholic wish to marry, nothing is stopping them. I never said I was opposed to such a marriage. I said it would not seem to be as God commands. You, however didn't say a thing about God, --Nothing but how there's another ''path'' to God. Yes. The Russian Roulette Path. Good luck!

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), January 18, 2002.

is there a email address where i can ask a question

-- maria beharovic (mariab@journeycorp.com), February 13, 2002.

Maria Beharovik:

chavezec@pacbell.net

What question?

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), February 14, 2002.

Oh dear.....oh dear oh dear. I am currently in a relationship with a muslim man. I love him and he love me. I respect him and he respects me. I am of one religion him of another.....but our love is strong enough to overcome this...well this 'diasability' that society seems to think we have. I am angry that you people can call yourself Christians...and good catholics when all you seem to be doing is quoting out of the bible...because God said. God also told me that he would guide me in life and NEVER leave my side....he told me he loved me and he always would. Surely this is enough? God loves me and I love him. My mother and my grandmother go to mass every sunday...but i dont. i find it boring...and i would be a hypocrite if i turned up to church when really i did not want to be there. But still God does not punish me...so who are you to judge and warn people away from being happy? LIFE IS FOR LIVING.....so we must live it. We must do what makes us happy, as not much does in life. But hey thats the way it is.

I hope to God that me and my partner get married and become very happy in the future. And yes i can sleep soundly in my bed tonight...for i am as much christian as you people claim to be...and just because i am with a muslim does not mean i will rot in the depths of hell.

-- Sally (sally_len@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.

Ah, Sally, Sally. You are young and unwise, and it looks as though you are going to have to learn the hard, painful way. How sad!

You stated: "We must do what makes us happy ..."
Sorry, but that has never been a tenet of civilized humanity. A Christian must instead say, "We must do what makes God happy." You are just echoing the philosophy of hedonists -- "Eat, drink, and be merry." Besides, Sally, you may think that marrying a Moselm will make you "happy," but, if he is really a devout Moslem that obeys his religion's unjust system of law, you will soon be very UNhappy.

Ask him now to consider taking lessons to become a Catholic, and see how he reacts. Tell him that, as a Catholic, you will have to promise to do everything you can to see to it that your children are raised as Catholics, and see how he reacts. This may give you a little foretaste of what lies ahead for you.

You closed by stating: "And yes i can sleep soundly in my bed tonight ... for i am as much christian as you people claim to be...and just because i am with a muslim does not mean i will rot in the depths of hell."
Glad to see that you referred to "my bed," indicating that you are remaining a virgin until marriage. Glad also to see that you want to be a Christian, but avoiding Mass has already caused you to be a poor one (in a state of mortal sin). We don't claim that being married to a Moslem will cause you to "rot in the depths of hell." (Where in the world did you get such an idea?) However, if you desert the Catholic religion (in which you once believed) to adopt Islam, your soul will be in very grave danger.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 08, 2002.

John

I was watching "Larry King Live' last night as he was interviewing Caroline Kennedy. He asked her if she was bringing her kids (2 girls and 1 boy) up in the Catholic religion. She refused to talk about it totally. So we do not really know what is true here. Is it Catholic or Jewish? We will not know for some time. I was quite disappointed in her lack of religious pride.

What is your opinion??

Blessings. Let us pray that she is doing the right thing. For the sake of her children and their souls.

-- Fred Bishop (fcbishop@globaleyes.net), May 08, 2002.

John

My word!! She would support abortion in spite all of the trials her parents had trying to bring little ones into the world. I remember the lost of "Patrick" and what the loss did to both Jack and Jackie. I believe Jackie suffered that one to the end of her life as well. I am praying that Caroline will someday learn from her own mistakes. She is a fine lady though but the lack of Catholic faith worries me. Blessings.

-- Fred Bishop (fcbishop@globaleyes.net), May 09, 2002.

Eugene

Dont break your head in front of these young ladies. They are among those who in the initial stage are very enthusiatic and later desert the faith. I know you are doing your best to help them.

But I tell you, there are so many young ladies who are out there about to marry non- catholic which includes muslim, hindus etc etc. They will never come to their sense. I have often seen (with deep pain in my heart - for their soul) that these very ladies are the ones who in the end turn out to be good practising Muslim wives. So do not regret. One of the ladies says in the above post that I was never treated well by Catholic males. Good !!! wait and see then, how a muslim will treat you after a year.

To those ladies - beauty doesnt last for ever. One day you will be an old wive for him. He will find you no more charming or sexy. And it is then that you will submit and accept Islam. It has happened with thousand it will definitely happen with you.

You say that you dont go to church...what faith will you keep ? What will you bring your children in the catholic faith.

A Catholic marriage is not a one time show or a years show taking virginity an using your spouse, It is far greater than that. Sacrifice !!!! Announcing the "kergma". Giving your self completely to your spouse. Announcing the Good news. Giving up your self for the service of the Church. Bringing Children in the Catholic faith. Just attending Sunday mass or attending novenas doesnt takes you to heaven.

And as for those Muslims...they love to marry females of other faith...see what happens when their own females are in love with Christians !!!

God Bless

-- Xavier (xavier_david24@yahoo.com), May 13, 2002.

We have all manner of temptations in this world. You've named this one well, Xavier. It is the pull of the flesh, in a direction which places our souls in grave danger. Love is beautiful, but love is also sometimes destructive. Men and women do crazy things for ''love''.

In another thread which I haven't entered, a young man in love wants advice on how to convince his beloved that abortion is evil. She seems to think it might be, but ''woman's right to choose'' is more important. This is not uncommon thinking in our day. Millions of girls, even some Catholics, believe the ''choice'' is up to a woman. Her ''body'' is no one else's business.

I have no wish to beat this obviously dead horse here for days. Let the others fight over ''choice''. But I'm afraid for the young man's future. He's in very much the same position as the Catholic girls who marry into Islam. They're convinced love is worth it; that love will help the situation, and that love is more important than their Catholic faith.

This man is also going to be disappointed someday. His loved one is never going to change her views about abortion. There is no way to impose truth on the unwilling. Even if common ground were reached for a time, the idea is already implanted in the woman's mind: CHOICE IS GOOD. --Abortion is not always BAD-- they think. What about that bad dream? A rapist-- let's get an abortion!!! Who will free them of this insane logic?

--Let our prayers go up to God. He is the only one who can change the hearts of sinners. Sinners (we are all in that group) are impossible to convert with arguments. They don't want to hear! God alone converts. Let's pray for these poor young people. May Christ enlighten their hearts, and bring them into His care and salvation.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), May 13, 2002.

Eugene,

Thank you very much. Eugene the biggest problem with todays youth is, they really dont know the real meaning of love. Their idea of love is that cheap love projected by hollywood and porn movies.

They really dont understand what it means to marry. What really it means to say in front of the whole assembly "....I Do" or "I promise to up bring my children in the Catholic faith.." No, nothing bothers them. Taking marriage vows is just like fullfilling some ritual or making some handfull number of pople happy or showing the world that I too have faith. Where as inside their panties are fully wet.

I have seen that these mixed marriages are nowadays become like any other fashion.

Recently a famous American business analyst remarked, when asked what does he predicts about the future of global business. There was one thing that he said was very touching. He said that todays business culture is the use and throw culture. Use a product and when it fails to satisfy you just throw it.

Same applies to many of our Catholic marriages. Marry the person whom you like and then use him/her to your fullest and when he /she fails to your expectations or doesnt not fit in your mind frame, throw him out by divorcing. Good !!!!!

Our forefathers fought and gave up their peacefull live in those holy war of crusades. Just to defend the Catholic faith they left their homes to defend their faith and entered the blood shed. Some were teenagers, some were about to marry, some were in love. They all entered the blood shed just to defend the faith.

Some left with their families. Some were killed, some were roasted alive in fire, some had their body parts chopped off, some were raped mercylessly....one by one.......one after the other, some were asked to give up their Catholic faith...yet they never gave up till their last breath...and were mercylessly murdered....in a very demonic manner. All this just to keep their faith and to keep the light of the Gospels and salvation alive for their children and their descendants to come.

And look here today....see the very place today....see what their Children have done. They have given up their faith for the sake of one night enjoyment which they so passionately call true love (ha...ha....). They have let the blood of their forfathers go in vain. They have married with those muslims....whom their forefather drove away right till Africa. Which is why Christianity still stand today around the mediterian.

I can hear those countless cries in agony in battle fought by the crusaders, telling us to defend our faith. Preach the Gospel among our own children among our own brothers who are lost or who have a lot of chances of being lost, for eternity. Who really dont have the value for their faith or whose faith is just ritualistic. Who customise God for their own need an then say that here there are all who are very negative in their approach.

I pray to God that he may send those beautifull souls once again so that we may witness the lost Glory that we once had. The communion of brothers and sisters that was once witness by history.

Suzanne, Kate, Sally do you know what was the secret that let so many people during those ancient time witness our faith ? Guess ? They really had wonderfull mothers who really transmitted their faith to their children and who brought them in faith. Not only in faith but also in action. Today there is a lot of scarcity of these types of mothers. Remember a woman often plays a very important role in a Christian family. Ask any practising Jewish mother who will definitely agree with what I say.

Today if you see that there are handfull number of catholic here and there it is not because of any great thing but just because their parents were successfull in transmitting their faith in their children. And faith doesnt comes in one day like a magic. I comes by experiencing God, in walking in his ways, holding him firmly and journeying the deserts of this world like those Israelites when they were in the desert alone with God. And believe me they lacked nothing....they were the most happy go lucky.

Ask your self whether you are among those who can do this after marrying a noncatholic. If yes then I am very happy. But remember one condition that you require faith and the Spirit. And faith doesnt comes in one day but by experiencing God in different ways.

If you have just made up your mind that you want to do what you want then I advise you, dont hunt for your answere over here in this message board. You will only end up in frustration. People over here are some times very stern or you can say a fundamentalist. No, they are that way because they all love you and want good for you and your future.

May the will of God Be done.

Xavier

-- Xavier (xavier_david24@yahoo.com), May 14, 2002.

A simple Answer: yes you can marry, there may be difficulties but not something that can not be worked out, as all things in life. We are all tested in our lives by God (Allah) and in the end my friends it is not who you say you are but how you act upon it. In Islam Christians are held in high regard as are Jews. A muslim man may marry a Jewish or a Christian lady.....because they are both of "the book". All muslims believe in the Torah and the Bible to a greater extent then many Jews and Christians today. It is unfortuante that many of those who have responded in this forum have negative views about Muslim men, most of which comes from negative sterotypes i.e that after one yeah you will convert etc etc. Look in to your hearts and you will all see that your faith must not be rigid, you must open the gates to knowledge for Jesus himself said "Ye Shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free". I leave you with a saying from one of the Haditih (sayings of the prophet)regarding God. May peace be with you all.

“I am just as My slave thinks I am and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people I remember him in a group that is better than them; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to Him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.” (Bukhari)

-- everyone (aj9009@hotmail.com), May 18, 2002.

No one on this earth is pure (without sin) I was brought up that there is one God.....He is with me good bad wrong right....If God did not see the world changing or he did not want the world to change.........surely he would not have given us brains. "Love one another as I Love you".

-- Charlene KM (sheesh41@hotmail.com), September 12, 2002.

I was married to a Muslim. Accordian to a Sharia law I still am, but I don't consider myself married anymore. The differences are too big, the educational and cutural gap was too deep. I ahve a problem getting a divorce papaer, him playing a dirty game. We also have a 4 yr old daughter which makes things worse. She's with me, but he never asks how is she, like she doesn't exist anymore. I wasnt to marry a man of 'my own kind', Catholic, who treates me like noone ever treated me before, but don't know what to do as according to Sharia law I'm still married but here in Europe I'm considered and listed as single mother, never married. Can I get married in Catholic church without getting divorce paper from my prev. husband because apparently, to my country law, this paper is not valid? All so confused. can someone help?

-- Cristiana Deskovich (dana2306@hotmail.com), October 09, 2002.

Cristiana,

As I see this often here in the middle east I can suggest you visit your nearest Catholic Priest for guidence and advice.

I can say that you are most fortunate to be able to have your child with you, the situation that is often brought to our organisations attention is for assistance by mother's trying to locate thier children with held by their muslim husbands.

Prayers from all are with you.

-- aka max (temzil@yahoo.com), October 09, 2002.

It seems that one simple question has created quite a bit of controversy since its post. I intend to marry a Muslim man and have been researching the laws of each religion regarding this matter. I've run across a lot of crude and stereotypical comments in my search. Comments regarding Muslims, today's youth, women, etc. Stories of one incident or another ... I quote...

"I for one am telling you the honest truth, about the infertile couple, a Muslim husband whose Christian wife failed to give him offspring. He has every right--given his Islamic faith, to settle a different woman in the house of his first wife, and have husband-wife relations with her to bring forth children. The Christian wife is just out of luck if she objects! "

"...there are so many young ladies who are out there about to marry non- catholic which includes muslim, hindus etc etc. They will never come to their sense. ... To those ladies - beauty doesnt last for ever. One day you will be an old wive for him. He will find you no more charming or sexy. And it is then that you will submit and accept Islam. It has happened with thousand it will definitely happen with you."

I ask those of you who are hungry for information to seek it. I have been raised Catholic and strive to live my life in such a manner. I cannot base my opinion of people based on one or two citations of a terrible act. Just as I would expect someone to not judge me, as a Catholic, or human being for that matter, on the actions of another. I make it a point to find out for myself.

As for the second comment, I am not sure how you think that women who find love are out of their senses, then again, I didn't know it was possible to predict EVERY person's future. I've seen plenty of "Christian" men who no longer find their wives charming or sexy as you say. What about them? Or don't they count because that's a "different story"?

God Bless

-- Cate (NoneOfUrBznss@aol.com), November 03, 2002.

Hello;

I saw your presentation on the Internet; and with my best regard I would like to introduce my self to you;

I am a 35 years old single man, never married before, with a good appearance and with high moral and good reputation in my community. I am self-dependence, working with high certificates in a respectable job. I am looking for a nice, honest with respect behavior and understandable woman, to build up a relationship that led for married. I will do my best to make her and our future children, to live a happy, good and wonderful life. I am looking for the lovely woman who I will love her very much and forever. I was working all those years to build up my self very well in order to be able to provide the good life for my future family. If you like you could come and live with me, the life here is easy and comfortable, or I come to you if you are living in a country that person could live a good life, or we together travel to live in one of the good countries in this world in which we could build a wonderful family there, that depends on our circumstances and our ambitions together.

Honor me with your replay, and I will e-mail you, there might be an understanding between us. My e-mail address is; coasterman67@yahoo.com Thank you very much for your listening.

-- K.A. (hotdayman2000@yahoo.com), November 12, 2002.

I find well wisher life patner

-- Raja Waqas Ahmad (noomi_waqasahmad@hotmail.com), December 01, 2002.

I would like to add to this long list of comments that I am happily married to a Muslim man and we are to have our first child in August. I am a Catholic and practice my religion daily. He is supportive of my beliefs and I of his. I have lived for 5 years in Africa and find that those who practiced the Islamic faith in my community (99%) were reverent and respectful of my beliefs as well. It is important to remember that it is not just 'young' people who are proposing their problems on this website.

-- Suzanne Rosenberg (zanrosenberg@yahoo.com), April 16, 2003.

Suzanne, you are a "rare bird" -- a very fortunate woman. I don't know which African nation you live (lived?) in, but in most majority-Moslem nations you would not have enjoyed the privileges you have described.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), April 18, 2003.

A group of Muslim and Catholic scholars (including priests, imams and professors) in the NY-area is currently engaged in a dialogue concerning, among other things, Catholic-Muslim marriage. In fact, the group is currently (Summer- Fall 2004) drafting guidelines for Catholic-Muslim marriages in the United States. There�s already a set of guidelines out there addressing Catholic-Muslim marriage in the Canadian context, which is helpful to anyone considering such a marriage.

-- T.A. Gonsalves (tagonsalves@juno.com), August 06, 2004.