Dear Massi, I’ve been going out with an Asian girl for four months now and I think I am in love with her and want to marry her.

But I am white and she comes from a very strict religious family.

She told me I had to come to her house and meet her parents but when I went to the house they were shocked I was white.

Her father wasn’t very pleased and he chased me out with his slipper and told me to never contact his daughter again.

We both love each other and want to get married but her dad will never accept me. What do I do?

Massi says, In many instances cultural ideals overtake religious ones.

This may well be the case in this instance.

However, when two people are in love, they will often push cultural boundaries to be together.

Your girlfriend will have to speak to her parents about this and explain that her intention is not to hurt her parents by marrying you and that they should have faith in the way they brought her up to know that she will make the right decision.

If her religion does not forbid this marriage, then she can appeal to her parents on this basis.

On a separate note, you two have only been dating for a short amount of time.

If you are sure marriage is the right step for you, keep supporting your girlfriend as she will be facing a strenuous environment at home.

The reaction of her father will of course be very disheartening but if you both love one another then you can rise above such ignorance.