Before you married, you or your spouse may have converted to a new religion; perhaps you or your spouse weren’t religious at all when you got married, but you are now. Maybe one of you is devoutly religious and the other completely rejects religion, or maybe you and your spouse have a unique situation.
When two people of different faiths divorce, there’s bound to be discord—especially when kids are involved. Your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer can help you and your spouse come to an agreement that includes what faith your children will practice.
When Parents Disagree on Faith
Your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer will take your spouse’s religion and yours into account as he or she works on your divorce, because ultimately, the court will decide whose faith your kids should practice. In many cases, day-to-day decisions about the kids are the custodial parent’s responsibility; that means the custodial parent is generally free to practice his or her faith with the kids while the kids are there.
Some divorced couples can agree that the kids should maintain their current faith. However, when one parent converts to a new religion during divorce (or rejoins his or her “old” faith) without consulting the other, problems can arise.
In a drawn-out custody battle lasting the better half of a decade, the father converted to Judaism and insisted that his then-nine-year-old boy be circumcised according to the father’s faith. The mother fought against the father’s decision all the way to the Supreme Court of Oregon (and consequently won).
When you have religious differences with your ex—even if you’re already divorced—let your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer know immediately. He or she can help you resolve your differences so your children don’t have to suffer through years of parental disagreements.
Religion by the Numbers
According to a recent Pew research poll, 78.4 percent of Americans practice some form of Christianity, from Protestantism to Mormonism. Other religions, including Judaism and Hinduism, account for just 4.7 percent of the population. The remaining 16.1 percent comprises atheists, agnostics and unaffiliated people.
No matter where you and your ex fall in that spectrum, it’s important to try to agree on what religion—if any—your kids will practice rather than taking it to court. If you cannot agree, your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer will present your case to the judge for the final decision.
