NEED Advice - My Parents or My Lover?

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Anonymous911

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Before I begin!! - I have thought about everything over and over so don’t worry about warning me of the consequences and how this is life changing etc. I have thought about it all 🙂

Ok so my parents and I are having major problems because they’re not willing to accept the man I love nor offer us their blessings to get married. I’m 21, and he’s 22. I’m studying to be a doctor and he’s a professional athlete. I come from a strict family, middle eastern background, devoted catholics - but my parents only care about their own happiness never considering mine and their reputation as they have upheld it. The guy I’ve been dating (for 16 months now - still together after everything) is African and also a devoted catholic. So in terms of religion, nothing is imbalanced and I’m very happy, because I would never date outside my religion as it is most important to me. As for dating outside culture, that obviously does not worry me at all, as long as we believe in one God, one way.

I told my parents 4 months ago about my boyfriend. Mind you, this was the most difficult period in my life, having to open up about a male and break that barrier with them. They were in COMPLETE shock, they cried, they downgraded me, they were VERY racist which seemed to be very unchristian of them - all to just turn me off this man and make me ‘forget’ about him. They downgraded his culture and the people, absolutely everything which was quite sickening and actually made me lose respect for my own parents. 4 months later and I’m still sitting here being downgraded for even loving a man with a different skin colour, simply because they will NEVER accept him. They refused to meet him too. We broke up a week after I told my parents about him. Running away was NEVER an option for either one of us. He couldn’t handle it anymore, he couldn’t handle the racism and the way they were treating him. I couldn’t handle the verbal and physical abuse also, and so we ended this amazing love we had built in a period of year. After so much heartache, tears, and abuse (well on my side) a few weeks after breaking up, we obviously still felt the same for each other and realised that being apart was beyond heart crushing. Most will say one year is not enough to know if you want to marry someone. I say, love is timeless. No amount of time can define how much you love someone. Just like no amount of time can determine how long it takes to build your dreams. So we started dating again, but this time, it wasn’t happy days everyday, it has been the hardest period in both our lives till this day and I’m sure many more to come. My parents think we aren’t together anymore, yet are still very suspicious. I have spoken to him about running away, and as bad as it is, we have agreed that it is the only way to ever be together because my parents will NEVER offer their blessings. And I quote from my mother and father “not now, not in a million years, not even when you’re dead, we will never accept this.” Pretty cruel right? Not something my religion teaches to practice.

The worst thing is, they are so contradictive in everything they say. They claim they are christians and tell me to pray asking Jesus for forgiveness and to lead me in the right path and away from the devil and evil (my relationship)… yet they don’t realise that they are in the wrong. My boyfriend and I have nothing but good intentions. I am saving sex for marriage as I believe it will bless a marriage and I have always told myself from a very young age that I want to save that for God. My boyfriend respects that and has intentions of proposing if I choose to be with him forever.
I love my parents, and I appreciate all they have done for me and I want to repay them with my life. But why must they be so cruel. All I am doing is loving, a man who is paying me with his life and likewise am I. He is no murderer, no drug dealer, no user. So what difference does it make. Why does skin colour have to draw the line between acceptance and refusal? It is a harsh world we live in.

I have even decided to speak to a priest for advice. I understand running away isn’t the best option, but is it the right one for me? They will never accept, and I just want to know, from a catholic point of view… What would Jesus say? Am I in the wrong for loving a man and lying to my parents and possibly leaving them in the end for my future husband? Is it wrong to love a man of different skin colour? Am I sinning by running away? My parents will lose their reputation and say they will suffer if I ever leave them. They put all the blame on me to make me feel bad. They do not care for my happiness. They have even threatened to kill me if I marry him.

There is so much more to the story I haven’t added, but I guess that is a wrap. I cannot express how difficult this is for me, I cannot let him go, and the only option is to run away… Any help would be great 😦

God bless!!
 
“Running away”? You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions. I don’t think any of us should tell you what to do; think through everything and its consequences, then make up your mind. Can you get advice from a trusted priest?

Also consider practical consequences. If your parents cut you off, will you be able to live independently until you marry? What is your action plan?

Whatever you do, be respectful and honest. Good luck to you.
 
I don’t understand.

You are an adult. You and your boyfriend are considering marriage. You share a faith.

Why would you have to run away? Why can’t you just make your choice and start your new life together in Christian marriage with the man you love?

My parents and my husband’s parents opposed our marriage, too. We married anyway, at the age of 19. They have since realized they were wrong and they celebrate our happy marriage with us. Since you are already in your 20s, you are in a better situation to marry than we were.

I advise you to meet with your priest together, and discuss your intentions with him, and find out what timeline is encouraged for engagement and the Pre-Cana work that would need to precede your marriage. And if money for a wedding is not available, you can have a private wedding in the Church with just a few witnesses.

I hope it works out for you. 🙂
 
Racism is a sin against God. Your parents are wrong on this account.

If you are in love with this man, and he with you, then you have to decide in this case. Now this is blunt: Your parents will not always be here. You have to choose who to spend the rest of your life with, your parents or your potential spouse. If you really love this man you may have to choose him over your parents and part ways with them.

So some questions to consider:

Do you really love him? Are your parents sinning against you and him via bigotry and racism? Are your parents really living by the Catholic faith or their particular and personal interpretation of the faith?

You need to live according to the faith which could include parting from those who are openly sinning in such a manner as to reject others based on the color of their skin. Culture is not more important than God, for anyone.
 
Racism is a sin against God. Your parents are wrong on this account.

If you are in love with this man, and he with you, then you have to decide in this case. Now this is blunt: Your parents will not always be here. You have to choose who to spend the rest of your life with, your parents or your potential spouse. If you really love this man you may have to choose him over your parents and part ways with them.

So some questions to consider:

Do you really love him? Are your parents sinning against you and him via bigotry and racism? Are your parents really living by the Catholic faith or their particular and personal interpretation of the faith?

You need to live according to the faith which could include parting from those who are openly sinning in such a manner as to reject others based on the color of their skin. Culture is not more important than God, for anyone.
Very good post, Cricket. There is a lot of wisdom here for the OP.
 
This part of your post jumped off the screen at me. This is all that matters, really, at this point. If someone has made a serious and credible threat against your life to harm you, then everything else takes a back seat.

Even if you break up with this man and don’t marry him you have to seriously consider cutting ties with your parents. If you do marry this man, most certainly you will need to cut ties with your parents. They cannot be involved in your life, nor can they ever be grandparents to your future children if this is what kind of people they are.

I doubt this is the first time they have behaved like this. I cannot imagine people that have been loving and caring their entire lives only to suddenly become manipulative, mean, and threaten violence. Please be assured of my prayers you have a lot to consider here.
My eyes must have missed a paragraph! I didn’t even see this threat the first time around. Good Lord, have mercy upon this young woman. Mother Mary, wrap your mantle of protection around her and her boyfriend.
 
“Running away”? You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions. I don’t think any of us should tell you what to do; think through everything and its consequences, then make up your mind. Can you get advice from a trusted priest?

Also consider practical consequences. If your parents cut you off, will you be able to live independently until you marry? What is your action plan?

Whatever you do, be respectful and honest. Good luck to you.
Yes unfortunately, “running away”. My parents will disown me and they said it themselves. I have no other choice but to run away. Yes I can get advice from my priest as they help with many personal problems and issues. I understand the consequences. My boyfriend and I have thought absolutely everything through.

If I live with him and run away from home, I will work and get money for myself and obviously save up for us and our future. He is a professional footballer, so that helps a lot at this age. He lives with his parents so I will be moving in with them, only for a little while until we are married.

Thank you for your advice x
 
Your parents have threatened to kill you?

I would strongly consider leaving, regardless of whether you marry this man or not.

As others have said, you are adults. It’s time to make your own decisions. Having racist parents seems like one of the worst reasons I can think of for not marrying an otherwise suitable partner.
 
“Running away”? You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions. I don’t think any of us should tell you what to do; think through everything and its consequences, then make up your mind. Can you get advice from a trusted priest?

Also consider practical consequences. If your parents cut you off, will you be able to live independently until you marry? What is your action plan?

Whatever you do, be respectful and honest. Good luck to you.
I assume you are a woman?
Yes indeed.
 
I don’t understand.

You are an adult. You and your boyfriend are considering marriage. You share a faith.

Why would you have to run away? Why can’t you just make your choice and start your new life together in Christian marriage with the man you love?

My parents and my husband’s parents opposed our marriage, too. We married anyway, at the age of 19. They have since realized they were wrong and they celebrate our happy marriage with us. Since you are already in your 20s, you are in a better situation to marry than we were.

I advise you to meet with your priest together, and discuss your intentions with him, and find out what timeline is encouraged for engagement and the Pre-Cana work that would need to precede your marriage. And if money for a wedding is not available, you can have a private wedding in the Church with just a few witnesses.

I hope it works out for you. 🙂
Thank you so much!! I am sure you are absolutely happy with the man of your dreams whom is your husband. God bless you! X
 
Why would you have to run away? Why can’t you just make your choice and start your new life together in Christian marriage with the man you love?
Because apparently I am a child who is ONLY 21 and small-minded and cannot make my own decisions without my parents. Apparently I’m dumb and in love because I love a man who is black not white. Lol ughhh do you see the struggle!
 
You are studying to be a doctor? You have the smarts and the funds to pursue this? So deciding for your boyfriend against your parents wishes will mean that you cannot continue putting your future in place?

Personally I would do whatever it takes to get my education first before a relationship. You are giving up too much for a boyfriend and if something happens a few years down the road, you can’t come back to this place and just take up where you left off. It’s the smart thing to do for your future, your future spouse and children. There are a lot of people who do not have this opportunity that you do. If you love each other, you can wait until this is completed.

Choosing your education does not mean you are choosing your parents over your boyfriend. You framed it that way but it’s not the only way to look at this situation. It’s choosing to set up your life to be independent from your parents and open a lot more doors. Try to see it that way.
 
You are studying to be a doctor? You have the smarts and the funds to pursue this? So deciding for your boyfriend against your parents wishes will mean that you cannot continue putting your future in place?

Personally I would do whatever it takes to get my education first before a relationship. You are giving up too much for a boyfriend and if something happens a few years down the road, you can’t come back to this place and just take up where you left off. It’s the smart thing to do for your future, your future spouse and children. There are a lot of people who do not have this opportunity that you do. If you love each other, you can wait until this is completed.
We spoke about everything even in terms of career and our future. I am not yet studying to be a doctor, but I am on the path of doing that. If we get married, nothing will stop me from pursuing my dream. I know it will get harder but he will support me, I don’t need my parents support for it. It’s a whole different level here. I’m not only pursuing my career for myself, but for my husband and children. Marriage won’t stop me. If we could wait my dear, then we would. Unfortunately this isn’t how it works with our situation right now. It’s either now or never to be together forever. God bless
 
I don’t understand.

You are an adult. You and your boyfriend are considering marriage. You share a faith.

Why would you have to run away? Why can’t you just make your choice and start your new life together in Christian marriage with the man you love?

My parents and my husband’s parents opposed our marriage, too. We married anyway, at the age of 19. They have since realized they were wrong and they celebrate our happy marriage with us. Since you are already in your 20s, you are in a better situation to marry than we were.

I advise you to meet with your priest together, and discuss your intentions with him, and find out what timeline is encouraged for engagement and the Pre-Cana work that would need to precede your marriage. And if money for a wedding is not available, you can have a private wedding in the Church with just a few witnesses.

I hope it works out for you. 🙂
Well stated.
 
It’s not now or never, I think you are stuck in that thinking.

With marriage comes babies and pursuing a medical degree and managing a pregnancy and babies is very difficult. I hope you focus on your medical degree right now but you are old enough to decide for yourself. I think you’ve already decided.
 
You are studying to be a doctor? You have the smarts and the funds to pursue this? So deciding for your boyfriend against your parents wishes will mean that you cannot continue putting your future in place?

Personally I would do whatever it takes to get my education first before a relationship. You are giving up too much for a boyfriend and if something happens a few years down the road, you can’t come back to this place and just take up where you left off. It’s the smart thing to do for your future, your future spouse and children. There are a lot of people who do not have this opportunity that you do. If you love each other, you can wait until this is completed.
I might have agreed that she should reconsider this, if her parents had not threatened to kill her if she marries him. As far as I’m concerned, that settles it. Whether she marries her boyfriend or not, she needs to get away from them. Now.
 
Your parents have threatened to kill you?

I would strongly consider leaving, regardless of whether you marry this man or not.

As others have said, you are adults. It’s time to make your own decisions. Having racist parents seems like one of the worst reasons I can think of for not marrying an otherwise suitable partner.
Right. The OP also said, “I couldn’t handle the verbal and physical abuse also.” Getting some distance would seem to be a prudent course of action regardless of relationship status.
 
This may sound harsh to you, but have you considered that you may be attaching yourself to this young man, not out of true love, but as a way to get away from your strict and allegedly abusive parents?
I agree with the fact that you need to create some distance from the abuse regardless, but please do not use this man as a means of escape, he does not deserve that and neither do you.
I also agree with some of the other posters, if you are in med school, and given your age I assume you are a second year medical student, you need to finish your studies first. Two more years is a very short time in the scheme of things. If it is real love he will give you these 2 years, and once you start residency you will be making decent living.
Are you in the USA or Europe? If that is the case you should consider student loans and scholarships to help you finance your studies, thereby cutting the financial ties. with your parents.
I suggest you need to be on your own completely ( no parents, no boyfriend) and then decide what route to take. I have a gut feeling you are trying to go from one family to another (parents to spouse) without having been on your own ever. I will pray for you that God will lead you into the path you need to be.
 
With all due respect, neither you nor your parents sound ready to face the challenges of adulthood and parenthood just yet. For them it’s a bit too late, but you still have time to calm down and mature, so take the opportunity while you can! I rushed into both adulthood and parenthood, and I’m paying for my mistakes (but by God’s blessings they are greatly mitigated over time), but you still have time to avoid rushing into them. Think prudently, don’t act rashly. Patience is a virtue.
 
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