oviya (Systems Engineer) 02 February 2013

Hindu boy vs christian girl legal marriage

Hi,

I have a query. My best friend is a Christian girl. She is in love with a Hindu guy. Both are majors. Their families are strong in their respective religion (from TamilNadu). 1) If they want to get married in Christian way, is it necessary that the boy has to convert? 2) If he converts just for marriage, then after marriage he may practice religion of his choice . I know that. But legally what religion will he be in? 3) Is it possible for him to convert back again? 4) What religion their children will grow up in legally? 5) If he doesnt convert but still want to register their marriage in Christian way(as they do in church), is it possible?

Thanks in Advance,

Oviya.

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3 Replies

Dr. MPS RAMANI Ph.D.[Tech.] (Scientist/Engineer) 02 February 2013

Mostly a church will marry a Christian girl to a non-Christian male without the conversion of the latter to Christianity. They may impose a condition that the couple should agree to bring up their children as Christians. But it can also happen that a church insists that both should be Christians. Whether it is Hinduism, Christianity or any other religion often practice and custom may supercede scripttures, due to prejudices in the community. For instance if two Catholics one descendant of a convert from an upper caste and the other from a lower caste want to marry, there can be objections from either or both the communities and the church may not want to displease the "elders" i.e. the influential people.

If the Hindu boy and the Christian girl want to get married with neither of them converting to the other religion, they can register their marriage under the Special Marriages Act. Their children will have the right to decide when they become majors, whether they should belong to any religion or belong to no religion at all.