A Religious Wedding for an Atheist Groom: Philosophy in Action Podcast

In the 30 September 2012 episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, I discussed a religious wedding for an atheist groom, and I thought it might be of interest. The question was:

Should an atheist refuse to have a religious wedding? I'm an atheist, but my fiancée is a not-terribly-devout Christian. My parents – and her parents too – are Christian. Everyone wants and expects us to have a religious wedding, but I don't want that. My future wife would be willing to have a secular wedding, but she prefers a religious one. Mostly, she doesn't want to argue with her parents over it. Should I insist on a secular wedding? Or should I just let this one go? What's the harm, either way?

My Answer, In Brief: For an atheist to agree to a religious wedding under pressure from family means risking his character, his marriage, and his family relations. Don't do it!

Download or Listen to My Full Answer:

• Duration: 15:01
• Download: MP3 Segment

Tags: Atheism, Communication, Compromise, Family, Honesty, Independence, In-Laws, Integrity, Marriage, Religion, Wedding A podcast of the full episode – where I answered questions on greed in the NFL dispute with referees, a religious wedding for an atheist groom, preventing information overload, food safety in a free society, and more – is available as a podcast here: Episode of 30 September 2012. Philosophy in Action Radio broadcasts every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. For information on upcoming shows and more, visit the Episodes on Tap.