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Dating by Religion
Religious differences can lead to the end of a relationship.
Which is why several on-line dating agencies are now specialising
in one-faith dating
At the end of the 30-something sit-com Sex and the City,
prissy Charlotte turns her back on Christianity in order
to marry the Jewish man of her dreams. Not everyone would
make that sacrifice. Thankfully, you don't have to. Thousands
of people are already dating according to their chosen
religions with the aid of websites such as the aptly-named
Faith Dating (www.faithdating.co.uk),
Christian Connection (www.christianconnection.co.uk),
Jewish site JDate (www.Jdate.com),
and
www.asians4asians.com, among others.
Religion can have a major impact on our relationships.
"I believe in no sex before marriage. That's a radical
concept to a lot of people in today's modern age,"
explains Patrick Herdman, co-founder of Faith Dating and
a devout Christian. "My wife and I were both 'pure'
on our wedding night, which made it pretty incredible.
Some of my friends didn't understand and asked what would
happen if we were incompatible. To me it's a question
of faith and trust in God."
Similarly, Judaism affects daily life including diet.
Devout Jews, for instance, only eat kosher food - animals
killed by a single slice to the throat and left to bleed
to death - and that can be a hard concept to swallow for
non-Jews.
Meeting like-minded people is harder than turning up to
temple on a Friday night or church on a Sunday, however.
"The kind of person your mother or grandmother might
introduce you to isn't necessarily the type of person
you would choose for yourself,"said Gail Laguna,
spokeswoman for JDate. "Dating online is a great
way to extend your social circle."
Brighton singles may find it harder than most to find
someone who shares their faith and cultural background.
Just over 59 per cent of the population of Brighton &
Hove is Christian, well below the national average (72
per cent for England and Wales), according to the Office
of National Statistics. Equally, the city has less than
its quota of Hindus and Sikhs and yet exceeds the national
average in terms of its Jewish population.
Brighton resident Andy (who asked to remain anonymous)
hopes his membership of Christian Connection will help
him buck the local trend. "I get quite a few emails
from people, but they aren't just from Brighton, they're
from all over the South East," he says. "Relationships
are complex enough as it is. Religion gives you an interest
in common, but that doesn't mean you will be compatible."
That said, the consensus is that you've got a much better
chance of forming a lasting relationship if you share
the same values. "People want to marry someone who
shares their beliefs," said Jackie Elton from Christian
Connection. "If they don't, it can cause conflict
about how to bring up children, spend their money and
live their life."
Faith
Dating
Website: www.faithdating.co.uk
Religion: Primarily Christian, though
all religions welcome
Membership fee: £7.99 (one month)
or £57.99 per year
Christian Connection
Website: www.christianconnection.co.uk
Religion: Christian
Membership fee: £35 (three months
one-off pre-paid sub) or £79.50 (pre-paid one off
sub). Month-by-month membership also available.
JDate
Website: UK membership via www.matchnet.co.uk
Religion: Jewish
Membership fee: £14.95 (one month)
or £39.95 (three months)
Asians 4 Asians
Website: www.asians4asians.com
Religion: Hindu, Muslim, Sikh
Membership fee: £30 for one year
(annual membership only option available)
copyright The Insight
2005
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