jcrew11 Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I've seen some studies where sharing the same religious beliefs or political beliefs help keep a relationship together. Has any one found a boyfriend or girlfriend through shared religion or political beliefs? With the election cycle just ending, its common that many of the Obama volunteers find love with each other because they share the same passions, interests, and dedication. Political campaigns are sort of like their own religions with their own Pastors. Has anyone volunteered for a political campaign and found it a good way to meet Women or Men?
Balzac Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I've volunteered and belong to a quasi Political Society. I've met and dated women in both.
kiss_andmakeup Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 We don't have to agree on everything, but I'd find it hard to be in a relationship with someone who was extremely conservative, especially in terms of social values. I just feel we wouldn't have much in common. As far as religious beliefs go, I am not religious whatsoever, and prefer to date men who are not religious either.
MrCastle Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I couldn't date a conservative under any conceivable circumstances. I'm not someone who puts their entire political leanings into everything they say and do, but when the topic of politics comes up I am vocal and passionate and couldn't date someone whose views were significantly different from mine. 1
Pyro Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I'd say that it depends on how much that they are into their political beliefs. 1
dasein Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 I think the depth of political beliefs is more important than the beliefs themselves. If they can articulate principles and relate those principles to beliefs, have a grasp of history and can see both sides of an issue, I don't mind differing beliefs. If their beliefs are shallow, all about their own personal benefit, inflexible soundbite stuff they got off TV and are just repeating, or from some professor, nope. 2
NGC1300 Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 Most will disagree with me on this, but so much of what people base "compatibility" on, I find inconsequential. Politics, interests, pastimes...it all means nothing to me, and really has little bearing on what kind of person they really are. This is why dating sites that attempt to "match" on these things I find annoying. Great, we both like dogs, doesn't mean a damn thing, lol.
NGC1300 Posted November 9, 2012 Posted November 9, 2012 We don't have to agree on everything, but I'd find it hard to be in a relationship with someone who was extremely conservative, especially in terms of social values. I just feel we wouldn't have much in common. As far as religious beliefs go, I am not religious whatsoever, and prefer to date men who are not religious either. A non religious conservative, I think that's the exception rather than the rule...
Author jcrew11 Posted November 10, 2012 Author Posted November 10, 2012 Most will disagree with me on this, but so much of what people base "compatibility" on, I find inconsequential. Politics, interests, pastimes...it all means nothing to me, and really has little bearing on what kind of person they really are. This is why dating sites that attempt to "match" on these things I find annoying. Great, we both like dogs, doesn't mean a damn thing, lol. I think a lot of people are lazy, and its so much more easier to "know and understand what the other person is thinking, feeling,and expecting" when they have a similar mindset and upbringing. It minimizes conflict. Its easier to understand someone elses likes and dislikes if they are similar to you. A lot of people look for the male or female versions of themself. Of course, if someone doesn't care about personality and just cares about superficial looks, beauty, and sexual compatibility, then other societal topics don't matter. Lifestyle preferences are important to women when they want a family, children, and house in the suburbs.
phineas Posted November 10, 2012 Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) I think the depth of political beliefs is more important than the beliefs themselves. If they can articulate principles and relate those principles to beliefs, have a grasp of history and can see both sides of an issue, I don't mind differing beliefs. If their beliefs are shallow, all about their own personal benefit, inflexible soundbite stuff they got off TV and are just repeating, or from some professor, nope. Pretty much this. People parroting mis-information drives me bonkers. I shake my head at politics. Far as i'm concerned this country needs a 2nd party. I see very little difference in my day to day regardless of which party has control of which office & I prefer to point out the failures of all politicians regardless of party. If someone who is highly political can't intelligently highlight real world examples of why their choice of party is best it will never work out because people like that are addicted to kool-aide & it will get in the way of dating them. Oh and I really only discuss politics as a mental exercise because both parties are f-ing things up & I enjoy putting the kool-aide drinkers on the spot. Edited November 10, 2012 by phineas
El Brujo Posted November 10, 2012 Posted November 10, 2012 Yes, if there are any women who are pagan anarchists. Seriously, I have a HUGE problem with people who get off telling me "thou shalt not". Just because I like to do my own thing, doesn't mean I automatically pick whatever is most sinful, or illegal as hell. 1
aj22one Posted November 10, 2012 Posted November 10, 2012 Has anyone volunteered for a political campaign and found it a good way to meet Women or Men? I met my wife at a Ron Paul event. haha She's Muslim anarcho-capitalist. I was a Christian libertarian minarchist. I'm still Christian, but now I'm an anarchist haha. If I ever date again I'd prefer someone with strong libertarian ideals. Preferably another anarchist, but beggars can't be choosers haha.
gaius Posted November 10, 2012 Posted November 10, 2012 Not that important. There's nobody out there that thinks just like me, so having that be a requirement for dating would be self-defeating.
Under The Radar Posted November 10, 2012 Posted November 10, 2012 I met my wife at a Ron Paul event. haha She's Muslim anarcho-capitalist. I was a Christian libertarian minarchist. I'm still Christian, but now I'm an anarchist haha. If I ever date again I'd prefer someone with strong libertarian ideals. Preferably another anarchist, but beggars can't be choosers haha. Could you please interpret this for me ?
AMusing Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 I tried dating two conservative men in the past (I'm a proud "bleeding-heart" liberal). They were kind, well-intentioned men and we never got into arguments about politics, only discussions. However, I couldn't look at them the same way after they exposed their homophobic, anti-welfare, anti-choice opinions. I know some of my political beliefs drove them crazy as well. So yes, it is extremely important to me that our political opinions are aligned. Perhaps if they'd been of the "socially liberal but fiscally conservative" camp, we could've made it work as a couple.
EasyHeart Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 If I only dated women who agreed with me about everything, I'd still be waiting for my first kiss. I don't care what people believe, so long as they have a reason for it. The people who drive me nuts are the ones who think political parties are clubs that you belong to with all of your friends. I'll happily date a liberal if she can explain why she thinks the way she does. And frankly, there's nothing that makes me hotter than a knock-down, drag-out fight over politics. If a woman can hold her own against me, it makes me want to tear off her clothes and . . . .
Taramere Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 It's not really important to me any more. Apathetic as it might sound, a lot of time spent discussing politics is time wasted when you consider the limited impact that your vote has on anything. I look at it this way. If I get embroiled in a political debate and I spend two hours reading up on the matter, that's two hours I could have spent improving my knowledge in my professional field. I was brought down to earth with a bump earlier this year when I spent hours and hours researching for an article I submitted to a local news site. As it's a community effort, it wasn't something I got paid for. A few people took an interest, but not many. A couple of months later, some economists started to speak on that issue and said the same thing I'd been saying. In some ways that was gratifying (since I'm no kind of expert on economics...but I'd felt strongly about the issue, and at the time, economists didn't seem to be coming forward to speak about it). The bottom line, though, was that whether I was right or wrong, and however thoroughly I'd researched it, nobody was really going to be interested until an actual economist (or politician) stepped forward to say what I'd said. That sealed it for me, really. All I really achieved, through that exercise, was to do unpaid (and in many ways quite tedious) work for the people who are actually paid to deliver opinions in that area. It was like going back to being a trainee slogging away on research tasks that other people will take the credit for. The lesson was, don't waste time dabbling in other people's fields. Focus on doing what you're qualified to do, and are good at. I'm not a politician, I'm not an economist and my focus should be on those things only to the extent that my work might require them to be. I do find political philosophy quite interesting, but primarily in terms of "can it help me to live my own life better?" and "how are other people's lives influenced by their political philosophies?" I certainly don't understand people falling out to the extent that a lot of them seem to have fallen out over the US election. I would not allow some spin doctored politician come between me and my friends or relatives. Not a single one of them (the politicians) are worth it. 3
kiss_andmakeup Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 A non religious conservative, I think that's the exception rather than the rule... I'm not exactly sure who you're referring to...I am not personally a conservative.
EasyHeart Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 I'm not exactly sure who you're referring to...I am not personally a conservative.It's okay. You can learn!!!
Mrlonelyone Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 NO, politics does not have to keep people from dating or being married. The best example would be James Carville democrat strategist, and Maray Matalin Republican strategist. Carville is the one who came up with the slogan "it's the economy stupid". Matalin came up with GHW Bush's lines "read my lips no new taxes" and such. They were opponents in the 1992 election and were married in 1993. Dear Abby: How do Mary Matalin and James Carville stay married without homicide? - latimes.com James Carville-Mary Matalin cocktail party tips - Patrick Gavin - POLITICO.com Bottom line if you break up with someone over politics it's probably not the main reason. Perhaps it's politics + the inability to be flexible or to compartmentalize that from affection for a particular person.
carhill Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 IMO and IME, less of an issue in dating than in a LTR or M. Fundamentally different philosophies of prosecuting life can wreak havoc unless, as MrLonelyone pointed out, one can compartmentalize those philosophies or compromise them to exist in a synergistic fashion with one's mate. I could see this being more of an issue with polar philosophical opposites than moderate opposition. OTOH, such synergies in no way ensure the success of such a union; they are merely one factor. 1
Sabian Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 I couldn't be with someone who was religious or socially conservative. My current girlfriend is an atheist like me, but leans a little conservative politically, but agrees with me on the issues that are most important to us. I don't see how two people could be together if they disagreed fundamentally on morality and values. Two things that religion and political views encompass.
amaysngrace Posted November 11, 2012 Posted November 11, 2012 A non religious conservative, I think that's the exception rather than the rule... Most conservatives I know are just the opposite...not very religious at all.
sfsassy Posted November 13, 2012 Posted November 13, 2012 I couldn't date a conservative, (I'm a Democrat with socialist leanings.( but I'm a very political person. In terms of religion, I'm an agnostic, but would be open to being with religious guys as long as our other values pretty much matched up. (and that is what politics is about to me, values and world views. ) My longest term boyfriend identified as a liberatarian. He was basically a Democrat though, who thought the gun laws were a bit strict. That's not one of my "hot" issues and he hated the NRA and thought they were nuts, so we were cool.
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