COMMENTS Marriage is about becoming a team. It involves you spending the rest of your life learning about each other. Things might blow up every now and then; but the beauty of marriage is that, when you pick the right person and you both love each other, you’ll always figure out a way to get through it. – Nicholas Sparks

A successful relationship requires falling in love many times with the same person regardless of the differences in belief, race and religion. I have witnessed tragic ends of beautiful relationships between some friends which couldn’t basically work because of the differences in religion. If we all sing about oneness and unity in the world, why then can’t we look at people and see beyond their religious affiliations?

Samira and Andrew fell in love instantly when they met back in St James senior high school in the Northern Region. Andrew was a Christian who was brought up in a Charismatic home while Samira on the other hand was a Muslim. I perfectly remember the day Andrew told me about how well he knew their relationship wouldn’t work and how he was willing to still push his luck. He said “I have come too far with Sam to just let her go. I am willing to fight for her and even give up my life for her if it came to that” and Samira was willing to do same.

We all successfully graduated from the University and they felt the time was right to make it known to their families. Samira’s family was very disappointed in the fact that she chose to bring a Christian home and they were ready to disown her if she went ahead with her plans of settling with Andrew and the story was no different in Andrew’s house. The two however could not simply let go of their love for each other. After two (2) years of unfruitful attempts to get married, they both decided to flee the country and get married elsewhere. On their way to the airport, they got involved in a fatal accident where both lost their lives. In a very strange turn of events, both families mourned and wished they had listened and had given them the chance to be together; at least they both would have been alive.

My question is why does it seem so hard for all religions to accept and permit inter-marriages? Why are Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, atheists, etc not willing to put whatever differences aside and accept marriages/relationships amongst their members? I find it baffling how we all are able to hold hands and sing Michael Jackson’s ‘we are the world’ together as a united human race but yet can’t heal the pride within us which keeps us apart.

All religions preach about love for the entire human race but can’t stand seeing neither of our members stay in love. Why can’t we accept a different religion into our homes and treat them like our own. I now understand the motive behind Efya and Bisa Kdei’s One of your own. Let’s learn to treat one another (regardless of race and religion) equally. Why can’t we regard one another like how we do to our blood relations? Don’t get me wrong… I know some people who still managed to tie the knot regardless of their beliefs.

A Christian would want to start a family with someone who shares the same faith as he, A Muslim would want to marry a man/woman who fears Allah and can help him/her get to Jannah and a Traditionalist would want to settle with someone who believes in his tradition and would worship with him/her.

But I do have a question for all the religious leaders and everyone with a strong religious faith out there? Are there any sorts of doctrines backing these acts of not accepting to settle with others from other religions? Why does it seem so wrong to fall in love with another from a different religious background? Can’t we just get married, share the same roof and still pursue our various religions?

From my point of view, I believe God has no religion and hence loves us all equally. If someone comes to me and his or her religion and character pleases me, I will go ahead and settle with him. Certain people are made for each other and shouldn’t be set apart because of religion.

Love is the greatest of all and as such defies all odds. When love is at play…religion becomes powerless. I believe two people can be in a relationship/ get married without forcing their religion on each other. To me, love conquers all. We were all descendants of the first man and woman and lived in harmony until society placed distinctive tags on us; think about it.