Can Christians date unbelievers?

It seems to be a monumental task to find a suitable spouse in secular hellholes as a Christian. Or if you're simply a person with a moral standard.

With 'unbelievers' I mean atheists, Muslims, pagans, and anyone else who doesn't explicitly identify as a Christian.

So can you date them? No.

But I do believe there are caveats. Naturally, you want to marry a Catholic as a Catholic but finding one with aligned values and proper catechism is difficult in the Western hemisphere.

Is this prerequisite realistic when practicing Christians are such a tiny minority in most Western nations? Probably.

Viable dating options in percentages.

Let's take The Netherlands my home country as an example. In 2021 18.3% identify as Catholic and in 2015 15.5% as Protestant. These are umbrella terms for the many sects and denominations. So the percentages are dramatically lower if you're aiming for a specific denomination.

Not to mention, how convicted are these Christians? It's probably safe to assume the majority identifies as a cultural Christian. Meaning, they don't take the Bible's historical events literally or its teachings.

How to find a Christian gf/bf?

Trying to find a ready-made package deal is idiotic.

But you already know that if you go outside and talk to normal people.

The ideal scenario would be of course to find someone whom you can marry within months after your first date.

Although, Christians should be open to the idea to court open-minded unbelievers to evangelize and convert before marriage. Ideally, convert their direct family too. This might take a while but it's worth it if you contrast it to a lifetime of sacred marriage.

With that in mind, the world opens up. Young Christians limit themselves to 0.01% of the population as viable marriage material. Dating doesn't mean you instantly have to marry. They're opportunities to socialize. You don't have to be so serious and commit to someone the moment you lay eyes on him or her.

Only resentment and bitterness come out of that.

Uniting strange families.

It's foolish to date a Muslim or anyone else with deep-rooted beliefs. At any moment, your beliefs will clash. Let's say you're a Christian who wants to marry an open-minded Muslim woman. It's still a bad idea.

Muslim families don't accept a kafir (infidel) to marry their Muslim daughter. Even if you succeed in converting a Muslim woman, it's not worth it to start off with a broken family.

Families that get along with each other simply do better. They're healthier for children because it gives them an infinitely stronger sense of identity. Strong children ensure a stable community.

Ask your priest.

In any case, always consult your priest in these matters. I'm not qualified to judge every situation, whether you should marry this or that guy or gal.

Don't trust your feelings either and don't ask your friends for advice. Especially if they're not explicitly Christian. You'll only be met with asinine platitudes such as: ''do what you feel is best'' or ''marry if you really love each other''. Useless advice.

A priest or spiritual father will give you the necessary reality check.