The concept of interfaith marriage along with its microscopic and macroscopic implications has been a hotly contested topic for me with several people that I have talked to over the course of my young adult life. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to an interfaith marriage, though it seems that the latter are more commonly acknowledged by today’s society.

I think it is safe to assume that an interfaith couple will probably endure more obstacles throughout the duration of their relationship than a couple that marries within their faith. I think if these obstacles are overcome, the benefits to an interfaith marriage far outweigh the disadvantages. However, it’s not that simple. If the obstacles are not handled correctly, the marriage can encounter some very adverse circumstances.

The most obvious stumbling block is the defense mechanism that is inherent in most religions to prevent interfaith marriages. It is common practice for most people of a certain religion to seek out a spouse from the same religion, and if they don’t, then at least for their kids to be raised in that faith tradition. For example, the Catholic church strongly encourages parents to raise their kids Catholic, and Islam requires the kids of a “mixed” marriage to be raised as Muslims, just to provide two cases. It becomes difficult to meet someone willing to sacrifice the desire to impart their beliefs to their kids so that their spouse can impart all of theirs. However, if this is overcome somehow, the biggest hurdle may be out of the way.

I am not claiming to be a marriage expert by any means, but I believe there must be some basic requirements for a successful interfaith marriage. Both individuals must be very confident in their own faith; this does not necessarily mean strong in their faith, just secure. I can imagine that being confused about their one’s own faith would lead to marital and parental problems when married to someone of a different faith.

They must also make sure that the issue of their children’s faith is decided on prior to having children. They should try to provide positive experiences from both faiths for the kids as they are raised. This seems easier said than done in today’s world, but it can start with building cultural and religious pride by celebrating both faith’s holidays. Though it’s not good to concentrate on differences, it is important to acknowledge them. The various faiths of the world have different approaches to dietary restrictions, handling death, methods of worship, approaches to sex, birth control, gender roles and many other topics that cannot go ignored.

It may not be an easy burden to accept along with the potential ostracization from some family relationships, but I do believe the end result (if handled properly) is exactly what the world needs to achieve some peace between religions. A successful interfaith marriage would force two families of differing backgrounds to interact with one another from time to time and potentially promote religious education and tolerance. It would also produce religiously tolerant and abundantly enlightened children.

It can sometimes sound corny or cliché to hear people say that love is blind. Nevertheless, if love truly is blind, then finding someone of similar faith should not be a glaring prerequisite in the search for a spouse. A golden opportunity is presented to today’s youth and future generations to think outside the box and potentially make the world a more tolerant place via an interfaith marriage.

Ahmed Chaudhry was born in Lahore, Pakistan and moved to the Michigan in 1994. As a recent graduate of Albion College, where he received a degree in biology and religious studies, he plans to pursue a career in public health.