Convert issues

[Xenia1918]

Why is it that when you express interest in the Orthodox Church, and you mention being from a half Jewish, half nonJewish background, people go overboard to introduce you to only the Jewish members of their church? I know people mean well, but I see Christianity as a blend of ALL peoples; I don't see a need to single out Jews for me to meet.

I was raised a Jew, but I became a Traditional Roman Catholic when I was 18, and only lapsed back into (Orthodox) Judaism for a time because I felt the true church did not exist; I had decided that the gates of hell had indeed prevailed against the RCC due to the travesties that arose out of Vatican II (obviously, I didn't yet know about the Orthodox Church!)

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't like being identified as "the Jewish lady who wants to become Orthodox". Can anyone else relate?

[KBN1]

I would bet it is because of shared experience.  Having been raised as an Orthodox Jew, you may have a context and an understanding, and ultimately questions that someone who shares some part of that journey may be able to answer.  I doubt that anyone is trying to single you out.  I used to be a chef.  When people find that out, I often hear about and am introduced to others that are or were chefs.  If I wasn't interested in that I wouldn't tell people about that.  Like it or not, it is part of who you are and people are just trying to connect you to others in the church on a personal level.

[Xenia1918]

I was an Orthodox Jew until I was about 18, at which time I converted to the (traditional) RC faith. Due to many life changes and moves, I lost touch with a Tridentine Mass (and later, Byzantine Liturgy) near me, so I fell away and ended up returning to Orthodox Judaism, but my heart was not in it; I wanted to be a member of the true church, whatever and whereever that might be. So my identification as a Jew had long since ceased, maybe that's why I feel awkward when ppl introduce me to Jews who have become Orthodox, etc. I spent more of my life as a Trad RC than as a religiously practicing Jew.

Also, to be frank, I have some issues with Judaism and rabbis in particular, based on things I only recently learned about the reasons for the development of the LXX, and why the rabbis after the destruction of the Second Temple suppressed the LXX and came out with the Masoretic Text. That and a few other things angers me to learn that the rabbis basically lied to me and all other Jews, all in order to preserve a religion which by rights should have ended after Christ said, "it is finished" on the Cross, and when the veil of the Temple was torn in two....not to mention when the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.

Its hard not to feel resentment when you learn the depth of the deception carried out by the rabbis of your own people.

[KBN1]

Also to be frank, if your identification as a Jew has long since past, you should probably stop talking about it so much.  I don't mean that to be harsh, but you opened your introduction here with the fact that you were an orthodox Jew.  Don't be surprised when people then engage you in conversation about orthodox Judaism.

[Xenia1918]

Also to be frank, if your identification as a Jew has long since past, you should probably stop talking about it so much.  I don't mean that to be harsh, but you opened your introduction here with the fact that you were an orthodox Jew.  Don't be surprised when people then engage you in conversation about orthodox Judaism.

I mentioned it so that people would understand my full background, no other reason. I may aslo mention it on other occasions if I feel it is relevant to the discussion (such as a discussion on whether or not the Jews were guilty of deicide.)

[thefizzle656]

Why is it that when you express interest in the Orthodox Church, and you mention being from a half Jewish, half nonJewish background, people go overboard to introduce you to only the Jewish members of their church? I know people mean well, but I see Christianity as a blend of ALL peoples; I don't see a need to single out Jews for me to meet.

I was raised a Jew, but I became a Traditional Roman Catholic when I was 18, and only lapsed back into (Orthodox) Judaism for a time because I felt the true church did not exist; I had decided that the gates of hell had indeed prevailed against the RCC due to the travesties that arose out of Vatican II (obviously, I didn't yet know about the Orthodox Church!)

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't like being identified as "the Jewish lady who wants to become Orthodox". Can anyone else relate?

As an Orthodox Christian who is half-Jewish I know what you mean when you say that you are singled out, but maybe the reason is that they are trying to introduce you to other former Jews is so that you know someone familiar with Judaism and Christianity should any theological or practical issues arise in your mind about differences between the two.

I also think that some people are fascinated when they meet a Jew who wishes to become Orthodox because it seems so strange to them, and they might single you out not out of any hatred or ill feelings but because we're seen as a being a rare breed  .

It has never really bothered me that this happens, but if you are bothered by it then just don't mention it when introducing yourself and only mention it if it comes up in conversations with people that you are closer to.  I personally have stopped telling people for a multitude of reasons, one being that I have gotten tired of all the questions about Judaism.

[Kasatkin fan]

When I was converting and people found out I was a former Anglican they introduced me to other former Anglicans, even though by all rights I was an evangelical far more recently.

I think you just have to make it clear if you're introducing yourself to people to emphasize that you have spent most of your life as an RC. People have the best intentions and I'm sure just want to introduce you to people who will be able to relate to you.

[katherineofdixie]

The first Divine Liturgy that I ever attended was at a small Greek Orthodox mission then meeting in an office park. The man who invited us (and later became my husband's godfather) called us later on in the week to say that they would love to have us back, but he knew Greeks could be awfully "Greek" sometimes and he had met some lovely people from an OCA parish, mostly converts. He thought we might be more comfortable with people who were on a similar faith journey. He was right, btw.

I didn't take it any other way but that he was trying to do the right thing for us, to help us into the Orthodox Church. And I thank God for his sensitivity and love.

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