G-d is good. G-d is forgiving (or we would not practice Yom Kippur). G-d is slow to anger when his children misbehave, but, as they say, G-d help us, when you push Him too far. I have this uneasy feeling that we may be pushing G-d a bit too far. There is much evil in the world and too many fall to the temptations of evil. G-d wants us to stand up to evil and we have been shirking our duty to G-d. Yes, G-d is good, and having been created in His image, his children should also be good. We should all be mensch. Religion is to teach and guide us towards being more faithful to G-d. In the Torah, we see many people communicating with G-d on a personal level. Judaism, while recognizing the community (minyan) and the schul, also is a religion for one on one with G-d. My wife, raised as a Roman Catholic, remains more "religious" than me, and was even more so while the children were growing up.
My wife converted and helped bring me back to Jewish traditions. She's very active in our synagogue and Jewish organizations. We're not Orthodox, and my brother is a Chabadnik, yet every Chabad rabbi has treated her (and me) with complete respect. When I asked my brother about that, he said that it's only up to Hashem to judge others about religious matters.
The Ger come to Judaism with a much richer banquet of knowledge and perspective, they're typically far more erudite and able to converse on a plethora of things then many especially in the observant community.
I'm glad you had a good experience with Chabad. I was hopeful, but wound up disappointed. Sometimes I wonder if race has anything to do with it. It's very frustrating, given the amount of anti-Semitism my wife has had to confront without support from the community.
One of the frum (ultra-Orthodox) rabbis we know graduated from his yeshiva alongside a classmate from Japan, a man who was very learned and dedicated. Nevertheless, the Japanese convert could not get married, and after several years, he gave up. This is the kind of story that makes us a little disinterested in formal organized religion, and more interested in personal relationships with HaShem.
Before the Vatican eliminated The devil's advocate position which eliminated the anti-semitic stance of the church dramatically that role would say stuff to counter a point which is my blathering long-winded way to say do you know that they left for that reason if you don't know don't say. I like your writing either way
G-d is good. G-d is forgiving (or we would not practice Yom Kippur). G-d is slow to anger when his children misbehave, but, as they say, G-d help us, when you push Him too far. I have this uneasy feeling that we may be pushing G-d a bit too far. There is much evil in the world and too many fall to the temptations of evil. G-d wants us to stand up to evil and we have been shirking our duty to G-d. Yes, G-d is good, and having been created in His image, his children should also be good. We should all be mensch. Religion is to teach and guide us towards being more faithful to G-d. In the Torah, we see many people communicating with G-d on a personal level. Judaism, while recognizing the community (minyan) and the schul, also is a religion for one on one with G-d. My wife, raised as a Roman Catholic, remains more "religious" than me, and was even more so while the children were growing up.
My wife converted and helped bring me back to Jewish traditions. She's very active in our synagogue and Jewish organizations. We're not Orthodox, and my brother is a Chabadnik, yet every Chabad rabbi has treated her (and me) with complete respect. When I asked my brother about that, he said that it's only up to Hashem to judge others about religious matters.
The Ger come to Judaism with a much richer banquet of knowledge and perspective, they're typically far more erudite and able to converse on a plethora of things then many especially in the observant community.
Glad you found your gal to get your beshert on
I'm glad you had a good experience with Chabad. I was hopeful, but wound up disappointed. Sometimes I wonder if race has anything to do with it. It's very frustrating, given the amount of anti-Semitism my wife has had to confront without support from the community.
One of the frum (ultra-Orthodox) rabbis we know graduated from his yeshiva alongside a classmate from Japan, a man who was very learned and dedicated. Nevertheless, the Japanese convert could not get married, and after several years, he gave up. This is the kind of story that makes us a little disinterested in formal organized religion, and more interested in personal relationships with HaShem.
Before the Vatican eliminated The devil's advocate position which eliminated the anti-semitic stance of the church dramatically that role would say stuff to counter a point which is my blathering long-winded way to say do you know that they left for that reason if you don't know don't say. I like your writing either way