ever present difficult journey

i would like to hear from anyone with a loved one who are od different beliefs and faith, especially i would like to hear from BillC and Searching as i have had answers from u before. i realized what i feel and why i feel uncomfortable and uneasy when my companion is talking of the bible, talking of Christ ect. and it is because i at those times feel so separated from him and know i will never be there with those same beliefs he has. while at the same time i feel bad about it knowing he really loves the Lord. does that make any sense i fear it will never be any better than this. thanks for reading wonder4u

What is the religious background of your companion?

thank u searching for your response...my companion has no church affiliation..he is constantly looking for a church...seems as though he gets easily upset with the sermons that are preached if they vary from his line of thinking....i know from what i have learned that he is a fundamentalist....he was raised a catholic,however and fell away. wonder4u

Hmmmm....I think that the fact he has no church affiliation makes the situation difficult, because you can't compare or address a specific body of beliefs. Are there things that you do agree on? I might suggest starting there and then seeing where the conversation leads (even if it's only one thing, like the Trinity). I can completely understand your discomfort talking about these things with him. Bill and I still can't discuss some issues without things becoming heated (right, honey? ). Unfortunately, my reply to you obviously won't contain advise on how to make him understand the Catholic faith better ... maybe others can address that. But, maybe I can help in a different way. My personal feeling for you, at this point, is you really need to find out where he stands (and what you can tolerate). If it is your desire to stay together and one day have a family, you need to be assured that he can be a spiritual source of guidance for you (yes, this is possible, even if you are different religions). But, if he tends to uproot and leave a church every time he doesn't agree with something, that can be very damaging to a couple and a family (even if he attends a different church than you). You also need to know what you want. Do you hope for a Catholic family that attends mass together every Sunday and lives out that life in the home? If so, you need to be clear about that with him starting now. I know it's soooo difficult. I don't know where you are in your relationship (serious, just starting out, considering marriage), but, in any event, it's never too soon to resolve these things. If you want someone who shares your faith in every way, then he needs to know what you expect now, so you can both make a decision that's fair to each of you. You might ask him what he expects from your relationship (as far as religion), at this point, and that may lead you into what to say from your point of view. If you feel that certain things can't be compromised, don't give in. If nothing else, he will see that you are serious about your faith and it is the most important thing to you. What he does with that will be his decision. Bill and I are both pretty firm about what we believe, and it has led to positive things. We both have learned more - not only about each other's faith - but about our own. Also, from what I know about Fundamentalism, there will be things you should absolutely not compromise (infant baptism, the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist, etc.) If you have children, will he allow you to baptize them as infants? These are questions you need to ask. Above all, PRAY!! God will never lead you into a situation that you cannot handle with His help. He also knows what's best for you - whether it be staying with this individual or starting over and finding something even better for you. I will keep you in my prayers, as well. God bless!! (Sorry this was so long-winded)