I never Couchsurfed – is it normal to mention anything about religion in the host’s T&C? Have you come across people that clearly mention they’re happy to receive someone as long as they won’t practice their religion under their roof? Or do people mention that they’re particularly happy to host someone of a certain religion, etc?!

True, being an “extreme atheist” is as bad as being an extremely religious person. In fact, the story from Digital Nomads in the 1st comment above is a proof of that!

My point is that we shouldn’t allow such differences to become a problem in human co-existence. We should try and learn from one another and, even when we don’t think we can absorve anything positive from the other person, then at least we should live and let live.

Thanks for commenting!

Thank you for your kind words. I will surely remember to keep the above in mind during times i need to feel good about myself.

Ethics and morality, like you said, is exactly what we should be aiming for. Why can’t a human being not be raised without it’s shadow. Like in your blog above, is this what it is teaching us? to live in the dark ages? Consider human beings untouchable bacause they are not the same religion as you? if this is there approach towards human beings? you can only imagine how they treat other living creatures. CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

Anyways, my rant has no end.

btw, Great blog and Great travels! Keep discovering :)

Thank you for the thought-provoking post, Zara. As others have said,the problem is not religion per se, but intolerance. That feeling of superiority which makes people scornful towards others. The source varies (ethicity, race, class, language, personal preferences, sexuality, religion and so on), but the harmful result is the same. Personally, even though I do not follow any religion, it makes me really angry when people are looked down (or worse, treated badly) because of their religion. And I have noticed that such behaviour may come from people of a different religion like in your story, but also from atheists.

Thanks so much for sharing your story here and, above all, for having the guts that many Indian people do not have to stand up and fight for what you believe it when it comes to love and relationships.

I am married to an Indian man (Portuguese here) and pretty much in touch with Indian culture and, unfortunately, I come across people giving up on love (or not even trying) way too often, for the sake of following their family expectations. I am so happy to read that this is not your case and that you understand that your love, no matter what the religious or caste differences might be, can work beyond all of that.

India is so big that people sometimes let the regional differences act against them.. but if on top of that we’re going to let religion also play its part by establishing even more differences between people, then things won’t work well.

India needs more people like you and your husband, to show that things can indeed work out independently of such differences and people can actually be happy together, coming from district backgrounds. And raise decent families with strong ethics and morality, way beyond religion, or at least beyond an interpretation of religion that constrains the way they live and love.

I know it’s a struggle, but I am positive this will work out for the best. You are an example for your generation. People that have made positive changes in history have often endured hard situations – try to keep this in mind if you ever feel too desperate! ;)

Wish you the best of luck and keep on loving!