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Vatican Warns Catholics Against Marrying Muslims

Calling women "the least protected member of the Muslim family," it spoke of the "bitter experience" western Catholics had with Muslim husbands, especially if they married outside the Islamic world and later moved to his country of origin.

Ref. Yahoo & Reuters

Muslims Marrying Catholics Warns Vatican

I didn't read the article, but I think it is true. We fall in love (the feeling not the action) and don't think clearly. We think because we are in love everything will work out. We forget that people really are affected by what they believe. If you marry a man whose religion tells him you are his property, I don't care how much in love you are, at some point when the honeymoon is over, you will see that you are not his equal in his eyes.

Definately, if you move to a Muslim country as a women, I think you are crazy. You will have absolutely no rights. Period. I can't imagine allowing myself to be put in such a situation. Yet, when you are in love, and then later married and the husband decides to move back home, what are your choices. This is probably why the Catholic Church is warning women not to marry the man in the first place.

Vatican Warns Catholics Against Marrying Muslims Catholicism Studies

One viewer (not from this forum) commented that the reason for it was to keep the sanctity of the Catholic church and its members from falling into a non-Chrisitan world. The article also adds something interesting:

The document indicates several points of commonality between Catholicism and Islam, including a belief in God, daily prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage and "the fight against injustice."

At the same time, it gently chides Muslims for faltering on the issue of human rights.

"We hope there will be, on the part of our Muslim brothers and sisters," its authors write, "a growing awareness that fundamental liberties, the inviolable rights of the person, the equal dignity of man and woman, the democratic principle of government, and the healthy lay character of the state are principles that cannot be surrendered."

By the way, it can now be found at:
https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...MNGD56M9SC1.DTL

Muslims Marrying Catholics Warns Vatican

I was surprised the Catholic Church openly said such a statement. I do hope the reasons are more than just mere religious discrimination.

Muslims Marrying Catholics Warns Vatican

LDS, if you read the article (JB posted link in his second post), it definately does not appear to have anything to do with religious discrimination although, why would that be a problem for you? The LDS Church instructs it's members to marry other LDS members and the Catholic Church does the same thing. This letter goes a little further than that, though. There is reference from a Muslim group that says this doesn't offend them, they like the Pope and consider the Catholic Church a "friend."

Edited: tenaheff on 21st May, 2004 - 8:16pm

Vatican Warns Catholics Against Marrying Muslims

Yes, but not specifically talking about a religious group. Can you imagine "We counsel our members not to marry any Jehovah Witnesses", awful.

Of course the statement will not offend some Muslims because they believe in the same way (not to marry outside their religion).

I don't know, I just do not feel comfortable that they actually mentioned the religious group.

Vatican Warns Catholics Marrying Muslims

Actually the article says that Muslims are allowed to marry Christians and Jews because they are considered "people of the book."

I do get your point though about not just singling out one religion not to marry. One important distinction, they don't forbid it, they warn against it for social and humanitarian treatment reasons.

Vatican Warns Catholics Marrying Muslims Studies Catholicism

POPE TO MEET MUSLIM LEADERS

Pope Benedict XVI met with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Saturday ahead of a scheduled meeting with Muslim leaders from Germany's Turkish community, part of an effort to improve interfaith relations.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/08/20...y.ap/index.html