I told my mom I'm not Christian anymore

[Lintu]

I'm not telling her I'm exploring Judaism, but I did tell her I'm not Christian. It came up in conversation. Her reaction was pretty much what I expected..."Well, it's good you were already baptized then" and "I thought we did a good job teaching you." And I asked her whether she really expected me to go through life on the authority of some preacher back in Dallas without ever challenging that belief and seeking out what *I* thought was true. She doesn't seem to understand that if she was brought up in a non-Baptist household, she probably would not be Baptist.

Why do people expect us to believe whatever we're taught as children and deem everything else wrong?

 

[Doc]

Thankfully, my parents have let me explore all other kinds of faith. The more were aware of different beliefs in our world, the more we can recognize what our own true path is. Like me, I am still Christian yet have explored other religions and adopted many beliefs from Buddhism. Being taught just one thing and deeming everything else wrong can be dangerous. People can either grow up and denounce all of it or some may become so belieiving of it that they persecute others different.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Lintu - I'm sure you've told us before, but how old are you?
I may be wrong, but my guess is that you will explore different religions during the course of your life, challenging each in turn, and trying to find God. I wish you the best of luck, and may you NEVER accept anything in religion or philosophy on face value. If God is out there, I hope you find him - alas - I have not.
Do not lose sight of the fact that your mother is now, and will always be, the strongest supporter you will ever have. The child she raised to be independent is now doing just that - and she is not really ready to see that transmogrification. She will always see you as her child - even when you are 60 years old. It goes with the neighborhood.

TVOR

 

[Ceridwen018]

So you came out, did you? I know how you feel--sometimes it just seems like you can never teach old dogs new tricks.

 

[huajiro]

My parents would freak if I told them I was Christian....lol

 

[michel]

I think there is an inherent right in every human to choose his/her own path; I had both my sons Christened, told them what I believed in, then told them to work out what they think for themselves; one says he is an atheist (Though I know he's not; he just says that to wind up Dad); the other is too busy growing out of his teens to think about a God; he will though!

ie Good for you; try to let mom down slowly though...........:162:

 

[No*s]

From an ex-Baptist...I hope things turn out well in the long-run.

 

[jewscout]

I'm not telling her I'm exploring Judaism, but I did tell her I'm not Christian. It came up in conversation. Her reaction was pretty much what I expected..."Well, it's good you were already baptized then" and "I thought we did a good job teaching you." And I asked her whether she really expected me to go through life on the authority of some preacher back in Dallas without ever challenging that belief and seeking out what *I* thought was true. She doesn't seem to understand that if she was brought up in a non-Baptist household, she probably would not be Baptist.

Why do people expect us to believe whatever we're taught as children and deem everything else wrong?

Maybe she felt that the faith she raised you in was the "right" faith for you since she felt it was the "right" faith for her. Converting to Judaism can be a very trying experience and may cost you family and friends in the process, i've seen it happen. Rachel's grandmother is mormon and she asked her when she found out she had officially converted to Judaism, "where do you think your soul will go?":areyoucra
Lintu i hope your experience will be less trying for you, just remember to stay true to yourself.

 

[Lintu]

TVOR, I will be 22 a week from Sunday. I just moved out permanently from home. (I'd been across the country at school for 3 and a half years prior to this).

Jewscout, your gf is a convert, too? I thought her family was born Jewish.

So far, there are very few things in Judaism that bother me, and a LOT that really makes sense.

I guess I was just hoping that my mom could understand where I was coming from at least with regard to taking her authority or a Christian minister's authority about religion. But, that could also make her own beliefs a little unstable, if she were to think of it that way.

 

[jewscout]

Jewscout, your gf is a convert, too? I thought her family was born Jewish.

Yeah Rachel's mother remarried when she was young to her step-father (who, ironically, is the son of a converted mother as well). So Rachel was raised Jewish her whole life but was never 'technically' jewish until her 18th birthday when she was dumped in the mikvah. But she's always been that hot jewish girl to me

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Jewscout -

Is Rachel's sister still asking about me? I haven't heard from her in a while, and I was just curious.
OK - truth to tell, she never returned even one of my e-mails and has now stopped taking my calls, but I know she doesn't really mean it.
OK, OK - I know that she is being manipulated by someone in the family, but that was no reason to get a restraining order.
Allright - the visit I received from the big guy that "advised" me to stop trying to contact her (at the risk of bodily injury), was a little more than I anticipated, but I'm sure that she is trying to reach out to me.

Perhaps you could serve as a go-between and get her messages to me?

Thanks,
TVOR

 

[Sunstone]

Why do people expect us to believe whatever we're taught as children and deem everything else wrong?

Great question, Lintu! Frubals to you for asking it! I've often wondered how any thing that made sense to us at seven is supposed to make just as much sense to us at seventeen.