I couldn't. I've never had a relationship with a woman who was very religious. I think it would be a constant source of disagreement. OTOH, Darwin was married to a religious woman for most of his life, so it does happen. What has been your experience?

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I couldn't , as I couldn't date someone who believed such an illogical notion. one of my passions is science so anyone who dismissed that would be out anyway...
I haven't dated seriously since losing my religion. Since I have a kid, I won't date a theist because I'm just not going to fill his head with that garbage. I do have a friend who's atheist and his wife is Christian - sometimes it causes conflict in how they raise their daughter. I'm all about avoiding religious debate WITHIN the family unit (but love to debate strangers, oh golly!)
As someone said earlier, it would depend on the religion. Buddhism for instance is just this side of atheism. It is literally saying, there are things in this universe that are beyond the understanding of our still-evolving human brains. And it acknowledges that these brains of ours need a reference, so go ahead and visualize a god-figure if you need something to visualize. Just know that it isn't real. So to that end I think I'd do quite well with a devout Buddhist.

I've met Hindus who take a similar view.

I myself practice some Paganism/Wicca under that same view: Finding an artsy, poetic metaphor for the complex science we both understand and have yet to understand and using that metaphor to psychologically focus my very tangible creative energy.

But then there are the crystal-cruncher new agers who are just as deluded and self-righteous as any Xian. They've just replaced "Holier than thou" with "I'm more enlightened than you are."

I've actually never dated a "highly religious" person, perhaps because even as a Xian I was never highly religious myself. Since breaking free of those bonds I've only dated atheists/agnostics and that has come about organically - because these are the guys I find common intellectual ground with. And isn't it Dear Abby who said the brain is the most vital sexual organ?

;-)
No.
Nope. I was thoroughly disgusted by someone who wasn't overtly religious when he started saying God saved him after a boating accident in which other people died. He was determined that his survival was a miracle, when in fact it was just a coincidence that he was not trapped under the capsized boat. I pointed out that his high opinion of himself was in fact an insult to the innocent and worthy people who died, so of course that was the end of our friendship. I understand that a trauma can mess with one's mind, but the last thing I need in a relationship is for someone to become irrational in a time of crisis. Plus, when religious people get scared, they're ready to throw you under the bus, 'cause God wants them to shun (or worse) unbelievers.
I could, however, get along with someone who thinks of the planet as an organism with a spirit, and probably some Buddhists.
I agree with you on much of what you wrote; yes I am digusted with those infected with the disease that has them thanking god (puke) for all that is good, however for all that's bad they blame each other. And yeah, I could become very close to the right budhist, as I do agree with the precepts of budhism, ie, right thought, right speach, right action... makes sense.

Your ex friend sounds like a douche, "not that there's anything wrong with that..." I believe we all start out inoccent, and thoughtful, so at what point do we become thoughtless and senseless?
It's "all" elementary, my dear Watson....NO! NO! NO!, I could not!! I have, twice, and now know, through experience, I could "NEVER" do it again. A date sure, but as far as my soul-mate, no, as religion is a core belief, causing a wall in the intimacy or rather the closeness that two should feel.
There is no way. It is something that I would be constantly trying to persuade her to the other direction. I kow that would just end up being a fight. I also think she would try to convert me. I dated a vegan once, which is something I can agree with, but once I made it clear that I was not ever going to be a vegan that is when the issues started. I think she felt I was going to be vegan with her.
I would defiantly want someone to debate with, but because of all the bigotry in the name religion, and the bush administration, I would be consistently be pointing out irrationality.
Funny - I almost became guardian to a preteen niece years ago. Now that she's an adult I recently told her my plan was to try and get her into Catholic School.

"What?!? But you're an atheist! You hate religion!"

"Yeah, but the academics at Catholic School can't be beat. Let them teach you the Jesus there and I'd teach you the non-Jesus at home. I'm confident you'd have chosen the right path for you."

And indeed, even though I never did get to influence her that closely, she is Pagan/Atheist like myself. We even made a pact between us during the last family funeral; whichever of us dies first, the other designs a funeral which no matter what does not involve a church. ;-)
I think the perception that Catholic schools are better than public schools is as much a delusion as their god. What is really going on is parents that care and are motivated for their child to do well place their children in that school. It isn't the rigor of their curriculum!

There is a clear example of this self-selection bias in school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area. There is a small city north of Berkeley called Albany. The students there consistently gets good test scores. So everyone wants to move to Albany for the great schools. Except the schools are not the reason for the success of the students. Albany happens to be where UC Berkeley has it's student housing. About half the children in Albany schools are kids of doctoral students at one of the best universities in the world.

Gee I wonder why they have good academic scores in their grade schools.
Well DUH!!!
That I can see. I should qualify and say that some Catholic schools - such as the one I would have sent my niece to - indeed do have better academics if only for the excess money pumped into them by said rich parents.

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