S/o what makes people convert from judaism to other religion

FranticFrummie

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 9:53 am

In my experience, a lot of secular Jews I know have become Buddhist.

Buddhism has a lot of concepts that click with the Torah, like compassion and chessed. The avoda zara content is really problematic, but some streams of Buddhism think of it more as a concept, and not an actual deity to worship.

If Torah did not exist, then I think Buddhism would be the next best thing, as far as middos and concern for fellow man. The concept of elevating your soul and improving the world is their main focus.

Rabbi Akiva Tatz's book "Letters to a Buddhist Jew" is an excellent book on the subject.

Chayalle

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 10:35 am

Zehava wrote:

Sheer stupidity IMO as well as desperation for acceptance and love. To Christians, converting a Jew is a big plus in heaven so some of them are very good at proselytizing and love bombing. To a lost soul who is starved for some warmth that sort of lovebombing can be irresistible. It’s the same reason some people convert to Judaism or become religious.

I think this is a big deal for some people.

I remember when I was newly married, there was a mentally unstable woman who lived in an apartment a few doors away from us. Personally, I tried to be nice to her and talk to her on various occasions, but had to set boundaries in other areas.

I remember at one time she went thru a loss - I don't remember who but someone in her family passed away. She told me that the priest from the nearby church came to see her and gave her a gift of $100. This was tremendous for her.

I don't remember that she converted or anything, who knows, but I felt sad for her. This was a woman whose needs were a bottomless pit, so she would take love, gifts, acceptance, from wherever she could get it.

I think that desperation could be present for people for various reasons, and if they appear to get it from a different religion, some people would go for it.

I would imagine that that love and acceptance that they would find might be very strong in the beginning, but might wane as time goes on. Sort of like what I've heard and seen as the experience of BT's, who were very welcomed and cared for initially, but find themselves very much on their own later on.

Raisin

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 11:35 am

I agree with Chayalle. I imagine anyone who converts to xtianity is either through a love interest or they have found a loving and caring community.

That is how xtian missionaries often operate. By running social programs and charity works, especially in very poor places, they gain new converts.

finprof

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 1:53 pm

I have relatives who converted to Catholicism during the 1940s-60s. They were unaffiliated and very poor. The church provided them with the food and other support they needed as part of their missionary work so they converted. This was during the time that Catholics were taught theirs was the only way to be saved as all others were doomed to hell. This is no longer the stance of the Catholic church (per the second Vatican council) and most Mainline Protestant Churches don't teach that either but LDS still does.

PinkFridge

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 2:34 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

I really want to read the book. First I have to get hold of it.
I suspect Rabbi Tatz's approach is what I've heard from Sara Yoheved Rigler: that it involves disconnecting in a way that is antithetical to Yiddishkeit, which is about making connections, with everything being geared to the goal of closeness to Hashem. (From Rav Wolbe, IIRC, via several people: The term for idol worship, el zar, which we translate as strange god, means a force that estranges.)

PinkFridge

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 2:36 pm

Raisin wrote:

Oh, yeah. People may not know how hard-working these missionaries were 100 years ago. While our great-grandparents were fighting to keep Shabbos, missionaries preyed on the children, especially those who were left to their own devices on Shabbos while their parents were working, r"l. And on all those who were struggling.

PinkFridge

Wed, Oct 17 2018, 2:37 pm

finprof wrote:

I haven't read it in a while but Stephen Dubner's Turbulent Souls describes his (IIRC) American born parents converting to Chrisianty during that tekufa. I don't remember what led them down that path though.