Feelings and Reason

I was kinda liking this guy from work. Let's call him R. We went out to eat, and I got to know him better. Well, I realize, we really wouldn't work. Our belief systems/religions are very different, and the reason I would go steady is to hopefully get married in the future, otherwise, I don't see the point for me. So, that's that. R went back to college for the semester, and now yesterday I heard from another guy at work that R is sad because he thinks I won't talk to him again now that he's going back to college. Well, that hurt my heart. I don't want R to think I hate him, because I think he is a wonderful person. He can be a bit insecure though, which is why I worry. But, rationally, I know if I text him out of the blue, I could give him hope that we could work as a couple, and I don't want to do that only to crush him in the end. The guy at work told me I should talk to R more. Well, I would agree if I knew we'd work out. All I can think about is how me texting him would cruelly string him along and give him false hope. I can't do that to him.