Section 11.2: Jain-Hindu Wonderful Married Life

Section 11.2: Jain-Hindu Wonderful Married Life

Bina says:

About 30+ years back, we (Bride: Hindu and Groom: Jain) were engaged in India via a suggestion but ultimately, love marriage. We came to the West and had a non-denominational court wedding.

As a couple, we visit both, Jain and Hindu temples and participate in religious customs of both. No special ceremony was performed to declare our children Jain or Hindu. Over the years, we have celebrated both holidays: Paryushan, Janmashtami, and Diwali. And life has been wonderful!

I attribute to our successful marriage to the minimal cultural differences between Jains and Hindus, our parents’ consent, and respect for both religious beliefs. —Bina

Admin says:

Hello Bina,

Thank you for sharing your wonderful life story. This is what we call—Interfaith Marriage with Equality.

We hear in news every day of bombing and killing due to religious intolerance. On our web site, many youths in interfaith love come crying because of religious conflicts. You and your two faiths have done something that all should know and learn. This is very commendable. You are a role model for all interfaith lovers.

Jainism and Hinduism are two distinct religions with different scriptures. It is impressive that Hindus and Jains have lived side by side for over 2000 years but, to the best of our knowledge, there has not been a single case of killing in the name of God. Compared to that, people carrying exclusivist and supremacist beliefs have killed millions.

How wonderful it is to visit both faith temples, to give children freedom to follow both faiths and to enjoy both sets of holidays equally. Probably yours is a dream come true type interfaith marriage for most of today’s interfaith dating youths. Unfortunately, a religious fanatic would counter by saying: 1) you are going against your God/faith, 2) your children will get confused between two faiths and 3) you will get Hell Fire in the after-life because you mixed two faiths. Silly, is it not?

You said your successful marriage is attributed to “the minimal cultural differences.” We believe there is more to it. There is also minimal cultural difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims but today the Middle East is burning. Even they may have the same culture and religion; a Mormon has to re-baptize to marry a Catholic and has to agree to raise children only in one of two faiths. We believe the marriages of Seema, Jameela, Azad, Shah Rukh Khan, and yours worked because of pluralistic and tolerant beliefs. Peace will come on this earth when exclusivists will learn to be pluralists. —Admin