Question
I was raised Catholic and I really love practicing my religious duties and conviction. Last January 2011, I meet the man who taught me to love. I love him so much.
It was June 2011 when we got into a relationship. He cared for me so much and he showed me in every ways how he really loves me.
In July, he told me to change my religion to his. He is a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. Since that time, I really am really confused what to do. Should I change my religion for him, or should I stay in my religion and he will change his religion for me.
But, he told me that he couldn't change his religion. He even told me that asking me to change my religion is his other way of showing that he loves me.
Please help me....
Ann of Negros Occidental.
Answer
I understand what you feel.
Actually, you'll not be confused what to do if you will open up your mind for the religion. Why not try to examine their religion by attending their seminar on doctrines? That's the best step you need to do first before deciding what to do. After all, it's a biblical teaching to examine the teaching of any religion to know whether it is of God or not for you to make sure that you'll be walking on the path towards salvation.
When I say examining a religion, I really mean studying their doctrines by attending a seminar on their doctrine. And then compare the teachings of your current religion to his religion. Then after doing this, and you'll find out that there will be nothing wrong if you'll join them, then why not do that? But if you think that their teachings are not of God, then why join their religion?
But you need to understand that active members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, or those who accepted and understand its doctrines will never change their religion just for a girlfriend or boyfriend or loveones or work. They are the type of members that give priorities to their spiritual obligations. Most of them abandon their obligations at work just to attend their worship services.
But in the case of your boyfriend, it is true that he really loves you. Inviting you to change your religion is one of the ways that show his love to you. He simply wants you to be saved on judgment day for his belief is that outside the true Church of Christ, there is no salvation. He simply wants you to serve the true God, because he believes that outside the true Church of Christ is worshiping the false gods.
It might be true that there are couples who became successful in terms of spiritual life even if they have different religion. What I mean, the husband is affiliated with a certain sect different from the sect that the wife goes with. But I don't think you'll get married if you will not change your religion to his religion because in the INC, members are prohibited to marry non-members.