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For most of my life I've been between Conservative and Modern Orthodox (I'll leave out the 15 years as a Hasid). Another poster had brought up Open Orthodox and I thought about it for awhile. But after listening to two posters here over the years, I'm strongly thinking about becoming Secular Reform to such a level that I'm ready to drive to MickyDs and have my first Cheeseburger with bacon (or should I start of with Lobster instead).
The Orthodox members of this forum really give off a terrible sense of what being a Torah observant Jew is. Quite frankly, I have a less than nice picture of Orthodoxy from being on this forum.
I attend a Reform shul regularly, but my beliefs more align with Conservative Judaism (my great grandfather and grandfather were Orthodox, my father was raised Conservative). I choose to attend a Reform synagogue over the two local Conservative synagogues because I want to grow with a congregation, rather than outlive them (I am 35-45 years younger than everyone that attends the Conservative shuls). When I am out of my area, I do attend Conservative shuls almost exclusively. (I will be going to my first Orthodox synagogue when I visit Israel this summer in Tel Aviv).
I also appreciate the personal autonomy that the Reform movement allows its members. I can be as traditional or progressive as I choose to be. I can be as traditional as I want to be (I lay tefillin, don a tallit gadol, recite shacharit, mincha, and maariv prayers, recite shema twice daily, shuckle when I daven, respond to brachas with "baruch hu uvaruch shemo", etc) whilst not being rebuked for not keeping Kashrut or Shabbat completely.
For most of my life I've been between Conservative and Modern Orthodox (I'll leave out the 15 years as a Hasid). Another poster had brought up Open Orthodox and I thought about it for awhile. But after listening to two posters here over the years, I'm strongly thinking about becoming Secular Reform to such a level that I'm ready to drive to MickyDs and have my first Cheeseburger with bacon (or should I start of with Lobster instead).
Is it really worth it to stay as I am?
Any thoughts?
If this forum is really going to cause you to downgrade your observance, did you ever think of just leaving the forum? Why punish yourself by sticking around? Or worse, distancing yourself from Hashem simply to make a point to an anonymous person on an Internet forum. Seriously?
I feel as if we're on "mirrored" paths; I just went through the opposite transformation. Learning more about many traditional Jewish ideas and concepts has shown me a sense of meaning I didn't get when I was a kid, seeing Judaism through a kid's eyes.
I myself also wonder whether this is just a "phase" for me. Whether I can keep this way of life indefinitely. Whether I should/want to/will be willing to become more traditionally-observant or less so over time, or hold steady at this status.
The lesson I think I've taken from my own experience is that you often don't know what you have until you're missing it. And I suppose the grass is always greener, etc. But personally, I believe it can help to take a step back sometimes. "Take a break" and let the pressure release, rather than pop. Of course, I don't consider it my place to tell you what to do, just my thoughts and reflections.
Edit: I do wish I could find an online forum specifically about Judaism and Jewish topics, with a large userbase and ample discussion. That might be hard to find, though.
If this forum is really going to cause you to downgrade your observance, did you ever think of just leaving the forum? Why punish yourself by sticking around? Or worse, distancing yourself from Hashem simply to make a point to an anonymous person on an Internet forum. Seriously?
Again, as usual, you seem to not comprehend that it's not the forum. Read post #1 a few times until it sinks in. In my POV hashem gave us the opportunity to make choices in our lives and not live in fear with blinders on and having to ask questions of a posek on how to lead our lives. You don't comprehend that mitzvot go both ways between hashem and us.
Again, as usual, you seem to not comprehend that it's not the forum. Read post #1 a few times until it sinks in. In my POV hashem gave us the opportunity to make choices in our lives and not live in fear with blinders on and having to ask questions of a posek on how to lead our lives. You don't comprehend that mitzvot go both ways between hashem and us.
So your going off the derech from your current (now former place) of being off the derech? I'm having trouble keeping track of how many times you've journeyed further away from your Torah Observant youth.
Once you become a Reform Jew, where will you run to next when you're angry and not getting your way? Presbyterianism?
No. Don't stay as you are, and stop pretending you don't eat treif.
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