Swadharma

I’m sure that many of us have noticed the constant difference in traditions when comparing one generation to another.  This pattern is prevalent in all of the religions and cultures of the world. Our grandparents’ generation seems to be so much stricter and even myopic in the eyes of a member of our generation. This difference can even be present between ours and our parents’ generation.

Generally speaking, it’s safe to say that most of our parents have been married through the system of the arranged marriage. Although it has been tradition for the families to be wed through an arranged marriage, today’s parents, for the most part, seem to have a more lenient definition of arranged marriage. In some cases, the once blasphemous idea of the ‘love marriage’ does not seem so outlandish to the parents of our generation. But the prospect of ‘love marriage’ sometimes seems to bring in a whole new set of problems for the marriage process. What if the other person is of another caste? That issue, if it is one, will ideally not matter over time. However, what if the person is of another religion? What will happen then? What religion will the potential children follow?

I was talking with my friends about this the other day and we were completely baffled as to what one would do in that situation. What would most likely happen would be that either the husband or the wife would convert to his or her spouse’s religion, thereby ending the issue. But how willing would one be to give up his or her religion? Would one’s family be okay with him or her giving up the family religion? Would it be right for one to ask his or her spouse to give up their religion?

I’m obviously not stating that marriage between various races never works. I know many people that are part of successful inter-religious marriages. My question to all is: what would you do if you were in that situation? Would you be willing give up your family religion for your love?

Related posts:

1. God Tussi Confusing Ho
2. Are we blind to blind faith?
3. The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955
4. Can selfless love really exist?
5. The task that faces us