Cultural Challenges and Potential Conflicts Arising from a Marriage Between Two
Different Religion
(Case 1)
I.
INTRODUCTION:
Falling in love is quite possibly one of the most beautiful things to experience. Whether it happens
when you're 21 or 51, love can make you feel as if nothing can go wrong in your life. When you've
met the person who sweeps you off of your feet, inevitably, not everything is going to line up
perfectly. So what if you find out that their religious views don't align with yours? Do you abruptly
end things? Do you convert over to their religion or talk to them about converting over to yours?
Relationships are based on a mutual commitment to romantic love and care for one another, as
well as on sharing the responsibilities that come with being married. It is simply a union of the
heart and mind, strengthened by any physical intimacy that both lovers feel satisfactory (Girgis,
S., George, R. P., & Anderson, R. T., 2011). Every culture has its unique form of marriage, yet it
is a fundamental part of society. As a result, culture and generations have been able to endure
(Sewenet, Tessagaye, and Tedele, 2017).
While many cultures and traditions have come and gone, Mindanao has always been a melting pot.
People of all faiths and cultures have always tried to live peacefully together, no matter how
different their backgrounds may be. People of different religions appear to fall in love and decide
to get married for love, and love is considered to have no limits, even those of religions. This is
where interfaith weddings come into play. An interfaith marriage can be characterized as a
marriage in which the parties are of various faiths or religious traditions (Islam, Z. 2014) or a
marriage depicted as marrying someone who is not of the same faith (Böhm, 2008). Marriage
between a Catholic and non-Catholic, such as an Islam, Hindu, or Jewish spouse and a nonChristian spouse, is an illustration of this type of union.
Even so, it can be difficult for intercultural or interfaith couples to find common ground when they
are of different faiths. The couple's families and society are likely to disapprove of their union,
which will lead to cultural issues and potential conflicts. As a result, their romantic relationships
may have gotten strained to breaking point.
II.
ANALYSIS:
Intercultural marriages are plagued by several stressors that include cultural and world views,
macrocultural reactions (negative responses from society and family), microcultural differences
(values, beliefs, traditions within the couple), communication styles, and religious and ethnic
beliefs among the most common causes of stress (Bustamante, R. M., Nelson, J. A., Henricksen
Jr., R. C., & Monakes, S., 2011).
Intercultural marriages may also be more stressful because of issues like parenthood, time
management, gender roles, and family ties, especially in terms of which family subsystems take
precedence or are more dominant. Even in child-rearing, interfaith couples' children are better off
if they're raised by one of the parents rather than by both or none of them. It is important to respect
children's dual religious heritage, but such children cannot develop a strong religious identity if
they do not feel at home in both their mother and father's faiths as fully as they could be. If the
child's religious upbringing is not clarified, it can lead to family strife, miscommunication, a split
in allegiance, and even dissolution (Clamar, 1991).
For interfaith couples, the elderly members of their families of origin were particularly vocal in
their rejection and worry about protecting future generations, imparting cultural values and
customs, and interacting with other generations within the family. To marry someone from another
culture or religion was considered a break from their prior community, cultural and religious
background, and identity.
Moreover, these conflicts can be done prior between two couples on how they want their
relationship to be strong and can last long, there has been proved by these married couples who
reside in Legarda Dos, Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur named Mrs.Lorelei and Mr.Jimmy Ecat. Lorelei
Ecat a manager of MLhuillier and Engr.Jimmy Ecat, stated that your love life doesn't have to take
a hit if your partner's views aren't the same as yours. Jimmy who is a Christian has been married
to her wife a Born again for 19 years and their difference in religious views has not kept them from
loving unconditionally. "Religions may not align but your spirituality can," she stated. "Being
married 19 years, we have been able to define what the culture is in our home. What ties us together
and makes it work is that we believe what the bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27."
These Married Couples move us to conclude that having different beliefs in our culture,
personality, status in life, and especially in our religion cannot stop a genuine love that resides
inside our hearts. Believe in your partner, Trust your partner, and understand your partner to build
a strong foundation in this kind of marriage between two religions.
III.
SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Even though marrying someone from a different culture or religion can be hard and cause
problems, it can also be a beautiful and enriching way to grow. These might be able to be solved
with careful talking and negotiating. Based on Mr. Jimmy Ecat and Mrs. Lorelei Ecat's
experience as a married couple with different religions, the following suggestions, solutions, or
strategies can be used to help couples in interfaith marriages deal with their differences or
different belief systems:
Decide what works best for you both.
As far as dating goes, it's easy and probably most convenient to follow the rules your church,
family, or those closest to you have set. Doing this will help you figure out what kind of life you
want to lead with your partner without the distractions of other people. It is possible to love
someone of a different faith and still be committed to your own religion.
Don't take yourself so seriously all the time.
If you let it, being in a relationship with someone whose religious beliefs differ from yours can
be stressful and overwhelming. Taking the time to appreciate each other and have fun with your
differences can make the experience more enjoyable. To help those around you accept your
decision, find a way to have fun and tell jokes together.
Pray and converse about spiritual awakenings.
Praying together, even if the two of you have different religious beliefs, can be done. The act of
praying, unlike many other religious practices, is open to interpretation and there is no one right
way to go about it, even among believers. Doing so ensures that both partners are delivering
respect for their own religion and that of their partner. Additionally, it provides a way for you to
express your religious views without causing a debate. You and your partner can both benefit
from a quiet moment during the prayer time even if you're religious and your partner isn't.
Put an end to the focus on the differences.
One of the most common desires when dating someone who does not share your religious beliefs
is to influence their point of view. Instead of focusing on the differences between their religions,
Kee told INSIDER that couples should focus on the similarities. Despite the fact that the
differences can become the focus of the relationship, couples must remember that whatever
outweighs the other — good or bad — has to lead the relationship.
Communicate with each other.
Disagreements over religion can lead to the end of relationships or even prevent them from
starting altogether. You can make things work with the person you love by listening to them
instead of arguing, and this is one of the most important ways.
IV.
CONCLUSION:
As a result, interfaith marriages significantly reduce racial and ethnic boundaries, narrow
differences, and reduce language and geographic barriers. Many interfaith couples have to adapt
and compromise as they learn to live with each other over the course of a year or more. Future
companions must discuss their religious differences in greater depth using their respective places
of worship (Flynn, 2013). Interfaith relations have benefited greatly from the inclusion of this
module. People of various religious backgrounds are more likely to interact in today's rapidly
evolving world because of the rise in social mobility. Interfaith marriages increase the potential
for each partner to create a fulfilling marriage, but they also bring with them the challenges that
come from varying worldviews, cultural norms, and social expectations.
V.
REFERENCES
Girgis, S., George, R. P., & Anderson, R. T. (2011). What is marriage. Harv. JL & Pub. Pol'y, 34, 245.
Sewenet, A. M., Tessagaye, F. M., & Tadele, G. (2017). Interreligious Marriage: Social and Religious
Perspectives. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 3(6), 233-250.
Islam, Z. (2014). Interfaith marriage in Islam and present situation. Global Journal of Politics and Law
Research, 2(1), 36-47.
Böhm, Maggie Y. (2008). Inter-Religious Marriage and Migration. Utah State University.
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Fr. Flynn (2013). The Consequences of Interfaith Marriage. Retrieved from https://zenit.org/articles/theconsequences-of-interfaith-marriage/