When we hear about a growing movement or a common belief system, it's surprisingly easy to get in the habit of treating its followers as monolithic.
But while there may be some fundamental traits that a group's members may have in common, it's always helpful to remember that this group is still composed of individuals that will vary — and sometimes vary a great deal — on what they believe.
Unfortunately, it's not always so clear what those beliefs are until you've already invested a lot in a relationship and are suddenly confronted with an issue that drives a wedge between you and someone you care about.
And that's precisely the situation that one man wrestled with after his girlfriend came to him with an unusual demand.