If you grew up Jewish and converted to another religion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here--I am so glad to find this thread!!! It's only a slight exaggeration to say that I have always felt practically like the only one in the world who was raised Jewish and converted to Christianity out of sincere conviction (rather than for marriage--although of course, converting for marriage doesn't preclude conviction also!)--so glad to discover others since IRL I know no one.

I was raised very culturally Jewish, religiously Reform (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, Sunday school, Hanukkah candles). Yet even from childhood I was always attracted to Christianity. s an adult I went to church and like a PP said, found it "right" for me. It's a journey and I don't know if I believe all the doctrine, but I believe enough of it to be a sincere believer.

My parents were not happy about it to say the least, but ultimately came around although grudgingly. At one point my father said he felt like he had "failed" because my Jewish heritage wasn't important enough to me to stay. My sister was always supportive. My extended family was never hostile about it (with the exception of one aunt and uncle), but they don't understand and sort of tiptoe around the issue.

I would love to start some kind of thread where we can discuss other issues relating to this--like for me, for example, I still feel self-conscious a lot in church because I didn't grow up in it. Lately I've taken to thinking of it in terms of "religious immigration"--I wasn't born to this, came as an adult and will always have an accent, so to speak, but my children will be natives. For some reason this analogy helps me feel better about my awkwardness/ignorance about certain things.

This is me also. I also thought I was the only one.
Please go ahead and start a new thread. Or just continue this one.
My mom thought she "failed." I feel bad about that but don't do well with the guilt trip stuff.
I have no idea what my kids will do. They are very attached to our church right now but of course anything can happen. It's all fine with me. they are entitled to choose their own paths, just like their mom.
Honestly though I hope they don't decide to become Jewish and then shun me for my decisions! That would suck.

[Anonymous]

I'm a non observant Jew who saw much religious prejudice growing up (anti-Semitism) and is basically a religious Marxist ("Religion is the opiate of the masses").

In that sense IMO you'd have to be out of your freakin'' mind to convert to Christianity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a non observant Jew who saw much religious prejudice growing up (anti-Semitism) and is basically a religious Marxist ("Religion is the opiate of the masses").

In that sense IMO you'd have to be out of your freakin'' mind to convert to Christianity.

Because bigotry is so much more enlightened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a non observant Jew who saw much religious prejudice growing up (anti-Semitism) and is basically a religious Marxist ("Religion is the opiate of the masses").

In that sense IMO you'd have to be out of your freakin'' mind to convert to Christianity.

You decided to write on a thread about Jews who converted to another religion just to randomly chime in that you personally scorn people who convert to Christianity--okay, yep, got it. Let''s now get back to the real thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here--I am so glad to find this thread!!! It's only a slight exaggeration to say that I have always felt practically like the only one in the world who was raised Jewish and converted to Christianity out of sincere conviction (rather than for marriage--although of course, converting for marriage doesn't preclude conviction also!)--so glad to discover others since IRL I know no one.

I was raised very culturally Jewish, religiously Reform (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, Sunday school, Hanukkah candles). Yet even from childhood I was always attracted to Christianity. s an adult I went to church and like a PP said, found it "right" for me. It's a journey and I don't know if I believe all the doctrine, but I believe enough of it to be a sincere believer.

My parents were not happy about it to say the least, but ultimately came around although grudgingly. At one point my father said he felt like he had "failed" because my Jewish heritage wasn't important enough to me to stay. My sister was always supportive. My extended family was never hostile about it (with the exception of one aunt and uncle), but they don't understand and sort of tiptoe around the issue.

I would love to start some kind of thread where we can discuss other issues relating to this--like for me, for example, I still feel self-conscious a lot in church because I didn't grow up in it. Lately I've taken to thinking of it in terms of "religious immigration"--I wasn't born to this, came as an adult and will always have an accent, so to speak, but my children will be natives. For some reason this analogy helps me feel better about my awkwardness/ignorance about certain things.

It a good analogy and means that your children could emigrate too, just as you did.

Goodness, you really like to believe everyone will become atheist, don't you? Give it a rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here--I am so glad to find this thread!!! It's only a slight exaggeration to say that I have always felt practically like the only one in the world who was raised Jewish and converted to Christianity out of sincere conviction (rather than for marriage--although of course, converting for marriage doesn't preclude conviction also!)--so glad to discover others since IRL I know no one.

I was raised very culturally Jewish, religiously Reform (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, Sunday school, Hanukkah candles). Yet even from childhood I was always attracted to Christianity. s an adult I went to church and like a PP said, found it "right" for me. It's a journey and I don't know if I believe all the doctrine, but I believe enough of it to be a sincere believer.

My parents were not happy about it to say the least, but ultimately came around although grudgingly. At one point my father said he felt like he had "failed" because my Jewish heritage wasn't important enough to me to stay. My sister was always supportive. My extended family was never hostile about it (with the exception of one aunt and uncle), but they don't understand and sort of tiptoe around the issue.

I would love to start some kind of thread where we can discuss other issues relating to this--like for me, for example, I still feel self-conscious a lot in church because I didn't grow up in it. Lately I've taken to thinking of it in terms of "religious immigration"--I wasn't born to this, came as an adult and will always have an accent, so to speak, but my children will be natives. For some reason this analogy helps me feel better about my awkwardness/ignorance about certain things.

It a good analogy and means that your children could emigrate too, just as you did.

Goodness, you really like to believe everyone will become atheist, don't you? Give it a rest.

+1. The poster who keeps dreaming that the whole world will join her in atheism is a stitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"It a good analogy and means that your children could emigrate too, just as you did."

I'm the PP who posted the analogy, and I agree, of course they could if they so choose eventually.

I actually know a family that did this. Family was from India, dad converted to Christianity when he moved to the US, his wife followed suit soon after. Kids were raised Protestant, went to Bible Camp, Sunday School, the whole nine yards.
2 out of 3 kids have now married Hindu Indians and have 'converted' to Hinduism (though that is not such a thing, its more that they've just adopted those beliefs); and the 3rd converted to Islam because her husband is Muslim.

Fortunately the parents are cool with it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here--I am so glad to find this thread!!! It's only a slight exaggeration to say that I have always felt practically like the only one in the world who was raised Jewish and converted to Christianity out of sincere conviction (rather than for marriage--although of course, converting for marriage doesn't preclude conviction also!)--so glad to discover others since IRL I know no one.

I was raised very culturally Jewish, religiously Reform (Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, Sunday school, Hanukkah candles). Yet even from childhood I was always attracted to Christianity. s an adult I went to church and like a PP said, found it "right" for me. It's a journey and I don't know if I believe all the doctrine, but I believe enough of it to be a sincere believer.

My parents were not happy about it to say the least, but ultimately came around although grudgingly. At one point my father said he felt like he had "failed" because my Jewish heritage wasn't important enough to me to stay. My sister was always supportive. My extended family was never hostile about it (with the exception of one aunt and uncle), but they don't understand and sort of tiptoe around the issue.

I would love to start some kind of thread where we can discuss other issues relating to this--like for me, for example, I still feel self-conscious a lot in church because I didn't grow up in it. Lately I've taken to thinking of it in terms of "religious immigration"--I wasn't born to this, came as an adult and will always have an accent, so to speak, but my children will be natives. For some reason this analogy helps me feel better about my awkwardness/ignorance about certain things.

It a good analogy and means that your children could emigrate too, just as you did.

Goodness, you really like to believe everyone will become atheist, don't you? Give it a rest.

+1. The poster who keeps dreaming that the whole world will join her in atheism is a stitch.

NP. I assumed that PP meant the kids might choose their own religion- Judaism, Buddhism, whatever.

The reality is that "none of the above" is the fastest growing faith identity, especially among young people. All of our kids are more likely to be secular or non-believers than their parents.

They're also more likely to marry outside of their faith group, which means they could very well "emigrate."

[Anonymous]

... do Jewish people see non-Jews as individuals or as members of a non-Jewish collective?

Guys, you're talking like Jews are the Borg. Get a grip.