Unequally Yoked: Pat Robertson's Condemnation of Interfaith Marriage becomes a 'Hot Topic' on ABC's The View
Monday, July 23, 2012 at 10:40AM 
By EEW Magazine News & Entertainment Editors
Last week, Pat Robertson of The 700 Club answered a viewer's question about interfaith marriage that became a hot topic on ABC's The View. Essentially, the outspoken leader told a Christian man who was considering marrying his Muslim girlfriend of 3 years to break off the relationship because the two were unequally yoked.
"No way! No way! She's going to want to do her Muslim thing and you're going to want to do your Christian thing," said Robertson. "There will be constant struggle and strife. Walk away."
Rev. Robertson's view is consistent with 2 Corinthians 6:14 which says, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?" But some found his statement controversial.
Christian co-host, Sherri Shepherd referenced the above scripture when giving her take on the matter. "As a Christian, my whole belief of being a Christians is do not be yoked with unbelievers. And if you're going through hurdles and you believe in going to Jesus and you have a person who's a Muslim, your spouse, and they believe in going to Allah, it's going to be a big chasm."
Host Barbara Walters cnimed in, "It depends on how important it is to you. It's a discussion you have before your marriage."
Glenn Stanton, director of global family formation studies for Focus on the Family, told The Christian Post that he was in agreement with Pat Robertson's views.
"The wisdom of God's Word is quite clear on believers being unequally yoked. And marrying someone who is not a Christian – who is not a daily disciple of Christ – is being unequally yoked, regardless of what their beliefs might be," said Stanton.
The scholar also cited social science research that "finds that interfaith marriages are significantly more likely to be unstable, even leading to higher levels of divorce."
Watch the segment on ABC's The View below.
What are your thoughts about being unequally yoked in relationships? Do you agree that dating outside the faith should be off limits for Christians?
Reader Comments (11)
What's that mess coming out of Whoopi's mouth?! Faith is not in the same category as race! My take on interfaith marriage is that it is a mistake in the making. Why would one consider marrying someone who doesn't believe in the one and only way, truth, and the life, Jesus Christ?
I do think that as a believer, if you truly love the other person and believe that it is the person God has sent to you, you should lead that other person into the things of God. If that person becomes saved, then marriage can be considered. Aside from that, no, two people with different faiths are unequally yoked and I don't believe they should marry.
I'm single and in my case, when I meet my potential husband, the number one quality I'll be looking for is his salvation and love for Jesus Christ.
Although Pat Roberts has said some questionable things in the past, I agree with him on this one...and Sherri. If the couple decide to get married anyway, the dilemna really comes into play, when they have children. They are willing participants to being unequally yoked, but an innocent child will be thrown into the chaotic-mix...very unfair to a child. I realized that you cannot help who you love, but those are the types of things (religion), that should be discussed VERY early in a relationship...long before the "I love you, engagement stage"! It needs to be addressed with the head and not the heart!
I agree with Pat Robertson and Sherry however she profess she's a Christian and thats good however she shared the same bed with her husband before she got married. I'm sure we've all done things that aren't of Christ after all who's perfect. Although at one point I considered "dating out " of my faith. Only because I've met brothers that have treated "much better than Christian men who proclaim Jesus Christ." However I'm comitted to my faith. The best thing to do align yourself with a Pastor and a church a follow their teaching .Pastors now require both to be Christians before they perform the wedding ceremony. Sherri Sheppard is good and I don't question her faith or belief but we should look to our Spiritual leaders for direction.
I do agree. Whatever God says in His Word is what I will always agree with. If you love God, you cannot love someone who does not. I am perplexed that he has even been with her three years (at all actually)! Just as God told the Israelites not to intermarry with those idol worshippers, people today should not intermarry with anyone who is bound to, eventually, pull them from Christ.
Marrying a person of another faith is definitely a NO NO. You even need to watch marrying or developing a seriously relationship with a person that may not been on the same spiritual level or maturity as you may be. Two babes in Christ starting out together you can see that. But if you are already at a state of spiritual maturity that you are into the deeper things of God, try not to get a babe to walk this life's journey with you. If you have a calling on your life, you need to ask God for your mate; and then wait on it!
I happen to know a couple who were different religions and got married and it ended in divorce. At the end of the day they were both nice peole but they had totally different beliefs. So doing something like that is a recipe for disaster. I say go with God's word!
God's word is the final authority. If his word condemns it, so should we. #EndofStory
One of my favorite scriptures:
"How can two walk together except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)
These two can't even agree on worshipping the same deity.
I agree. If you are not yet married, and the other person is not a believer, walk away. I am married to a husband who does not believe in Jesus. he is a good man, but it is sad to hear him dismiss God or mock Christians (especially if this is done in front of our child). I believe God has his hand in our marriege, and is working on him, but I would definately advise any Christian who is thinking about tying themselves to an unbeliever, to walk away.
I wonder how many same-faith marriages end in divorce? And, when they do, is religion blamed for the breakup? Probably not. Perhaps some interfaith marriages fall apart, but it is presumptuous to assume that it is due to religious differences, or that anyone but the couple knows the reason why.
I have been in an extraordinary interfaith (Catholic-Jewish) marriage for forty-two years. My guess is that we won't be divorcing. Sorry to skew your statistics, Pat.
I wonder how many same-faith marriages end in divorce? And, when they do, is religion blamed for the breakup? Probably not. Perhaps some interfaith marriages fall apart, but it is presumptuous to assume that it is due to religious differences, or that anyone but the couple knows the reason why.
I have been in an extraordinary interfaith (Catholic-Jewish) marriage for forty-two years. My guess is that we won't be divorcing. Sorry to skew your statistics, Pat.