I have dated someone that grew up very religious but was smart enough to understand it was a scam. They were just never able to let go of it....

No, I won't. I realize that eliminates a lot of people in the world, but I'm okay with that. I went through a lot to get where I am, including a physically and emotionally abusive marriage, and I'm not willing to compromise on big-ticket items - politics, religion, etc. Being single can be exceptionally boring and lame, but it's that way on my terms.

Like old song love will find a way,

Call me a bitch if you want but I can't help but see religious people as anything but fools. How do you respect a fool?

I have commented on this before, NO, If both take their ideology seriously, no way it will work. I tried it in my first marriage and all was well, Then came the children and oh boy that changed the music we danced to. It was considered I have nothing of spiritual value and the kids needed that. The grandparents and family of course agreed the children needed something. After years of trying church for the family's sake, it was a dead end road, We divorced and both my children are non religious. Do not even try to rationalize this one, Do not do it.

My relationship currently is mixed because I left religion and she stuck with it, although not fanatically as some from her religion tend to be. If there is any one attribute between us that makes the relationship successful, it would be a mutual respect for the other as an individual. We have so many other things in common (like a history, children, etc.) and our religious difference is really a small part of who we are in total. Having said this, however, if I were starting over to find a partner, religious similarities would very likely be an important factor. Religion has more of an emotional factor for believers and not a rational or intellectual one. Emotions can be very irrational and defense of religion can be (imo, tends to be) irrational. Together, emotions and irrationality can lead to some terribly nasty arguments and outcomes.

In the beginning, never again.

Married over 30 years to a non religious believer with no major issues about my non belief.

Nope!

I was divorced two years ago after my ex found jesus. Had a wonderful marriage for fourteen years. He knew I was an atheist when we met and he was non religious. I will not date a religious person.

I might get along fine with someone who has a very loose belief in an higher power. That is, they don't claim a particular religion or have any silly, ritualistic, unprovable fairytales attached to their belief. More accepting of theory-based beliefs. For example, I can accept Pantheism, Pandeism, and related views with a shrug. Can't handle a Christian past polite friendship. Not comfortable with any organized religion, or anything that claims to be "the one" with the answers, and would thus be uncomfortable with someone who is basically claiming the same thing if they are die-hard believers.

i am engaged to someone who believes in a god of some sort. i don't know what sort because he gets mad if i ask. he isn't by any means religious. we have everything else in common. we've been together 18 years (we'd probably be married but we're poor and disabled and would lose our benefits if we did marry). it's not a huge problem. if he gets too frisky about my being an atheist i just say "talking snake."

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