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Religion important for partner choices for both native Norwegians and Norwegian immigrants

Golden Agers - A Summer's Day in the Park.Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix

According to Statistics Norway, people with religious backgrounds are keen to marry someone of the same faith, which according to Vårt Land newspaper, also applies to Christians in Norway.

 

An article from Statistics Norway showed that children of immigrants often choose partners with immigrant backgrounds. It addresses children of immigrant backgrounds from the religious countries of Pakistan and Turkey and the secular countries of Sri Lanka and Vietnam, where three out of four choose partners from the same country, but not necessarily because of nationality.

“Among people with backgrounds from countries where we see a high proportion of Muslims,such as Pakistan and Turkey, we see that religion means a lot in the choice of partner for the next generation,” explained Anne Berit Dalgard, a researcher at Statistics Norway wrote Vårt Land.

Dalgard said the findings are consistent with previous reports showing that immigrants from religious countries often found it important to have a partner with the same religious beliefs as immigrants from secular countries.

Student priest at the University of Agder, Hans Jørgen Wennesland, confirmed that belief is important and that Norway’s active Christians also want a partner who has the same faith.

The priest has met young Christians who are in relationship with non-Christians, and for some,these concerns arise.

“When they set good and bad qualities against each other, many find that they have found a person they are happy enough with to trump the meaning of faith. But most people land on a partner with the same faith’’, he said.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today