241. (6) Of these internal reasons for cold states, a second is one partner's having religion and not the other. The reason is that their souls cannot help but be discordant. For the soul of one is open to receiving conjugial love, while the soul of the other is closed to receiving it. It is closed in the one who is without religion, and open in the one who has religion. Consequently it is impossible for them to dwell together on that level; and when conjugial love is banished there, coldness develops - though only in the partner without religion. This coldness is not dispelled except by that partner's acceptance of religion in harmony with the religion of the other, if the other's religion is true. Otherwise, in the partner who has no religion, coldness sets in, which descends from the soul into the body until it reaches the outer coverings of the skin. The result is that he finally cannot bear to look his partner directly in the face, or speak to her in such a manner as to breathe the same air, or address her in anything but a restrained tone of voice, or touch her with his hand, and scarcely even to feel her at his back. We refrain from mentioning in addition the insanities ensuing from that coldness which creep into the thoughts of people like this, insanities which they keep hidden. This is the reason that marriages of this sort naturally disintegrate. Besides, people know that an impious person has little regard for his married partner; and all who are without religion are impious.