Here’s the video if you are one of the 8 people in the Philippines who happens to have an internet connection and somehow missed the news. I didn’t watch it myself, but it’s hard to miss when one is on Twitter.
I normally wouldn’t comment on this, but being asked this question online a lot makes me want to clarify a few things about this question. Sometimes we force people to choose between two categories then debate with them over their choices, when the question is already rigged because the options have been pre-determined. (Read Matthew 22:15-39 for how Jesus responded to such questions.) So here are some thoughts on this question.
In most scenarios, the choice isn’t really between your love and your faith, but your love and your religion – what you call yourself, what you fill in in biodata forms, what religious practices you perform, etc. It doesn’t separate your faith, as much as it reveals it. If you choose the love of your life, then your faith is that he/she will be the best source of life, happiness, fulfillment, meaning or whatever you’re pursuing. If you choose religion then you believe that church, practice, lifestyle is where you find it.
So…
- If you jettison your religious beliefs for your loved one, they weren’t that significant to you to begin with. So no loss on your part really.
- For some people their faith is such an integral part of their person that to junk it for someone else is to lose a part of themselves. I would be wary of any relationship that can’t love me for who I am and forces me to part with a significant part of me.
- I’d also think hard about making life decisions for a relationship unless it was worth it. How long do we see this lasting? Will I regret this decision in the future? Have I examined my other options and can I say with confidence that this is the best one for me? If it isn’t, then why get into it? If it is worth it, then go for it!
Tama! Tama! 😀