Ann requests excommunication from the Mormon (LDS) Church and leaves. She is then hired by Rabbi Sams to be his assistant.
THE GOD GAMES: Heaven & Hell...Chapter 24...HELL
I still loved Jesus, but I now saw him in the context of the reality of living at his time and in his faith. He was Jewish and a young rabbi (teacher). I believed him to be the son of God, but not God himself. He was a great rabbi and his words I live by, for they are messages of pure love for all people. Then I called my Bishop up and asked for an excommunication from the Mormon Church.
Two weeks later the Bishop's Court convened and I sat in a room surrounded by several men that I had come to love dearly over the years. I was keeping the Word of Wisdom (not to drink alcohol, smoke, use drugs, or use tea or coffee), and I was still faithful to Charles. I was a "worthy Temple Recommend holder." What I told them was the truth, that I no longer believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The men began to cry. I told them that I still loved the Church and all of my friends deeply. I was very grateful for all that the Church at taught me and done for me over the years, but I needed to go home to my own people. I wanted to go home.
The men understood what I was saying, but they were still crying. My heart was wrenched by the depth of the love that I felt. The Bishop walked me outside and I swore to him that I would not discuss my decision with my Mormon friends, but just drop out of activity. I kept my word to him. The loss of the daily friendship of many woman friends is a burden I still feel deeply.
Then I felt freer than I had ever felt before. I continued my study of Judaism, and became actively involved in the Synagogue's life. After many months of study and prayer, Rabbi Sams said that it was time for me to have a Bat Mitzvah, thereby converting to Judaism. I talked to the Rabbi about my having worn Temple garments and he had me exchange them for making and wearing a feminine tallit kitan. Then he gave me the name of Ruth for a Hebrew name. I had my Bat Mitzvah in May of 1979 and many of the synagogue members came to wish me their best.
When it came time for Charles to move to Iowa, he took me to the Welfare Department and had me go through the process of getting money, food stamps, and medical coverage for myself and the children to live on when he was gone. He had no plans to pay child support or the second mortgage on our house, but he did not tell me so then. The Welfare office required that I have at least a part-time job in order to collect welfare. I had no idea what I was going to do as I had absolutely no job experience, so I went to see Rabbi Sams to see if he had any idea of how I could find a job.
Rabbi was sad to hear of the break-up of Charles' and my marriage, but he did have an idea of a job for me. He asked me to be his personal assistant after his summer sabbatical. I was overjoyed; I would get to work in my beloved synagogue and study in the large synagogue religious library. Rabbi said I could even study Talmud, after my work was done.
In October 1979, Charles retired from the Navy and left for Iowa. The children were devastated that he would leave them, but he did not want children hanging on him while he set up his new life. He hadn't been in Iowa very long when he met a fine woman named Arleen and as soon as our divorce was final, they got married. She also had children but they weren't all living with her.
One Mormon friend I kept for she would have it no other way. Her name was Judy, and she had been my friend since Charlie was a baby. She began to babysit the children for me when I was at work in the synagogue. She knew every thought I had had since we first met and understood the major decisions that I was making. What she didn't do is judge me, or try to change me, she just accepted me for who I was. I love her dearly.
Working in the synagogue I made two wonderful new friends; Christine, who was Catholic and the office manager, and Tony, who was also Catholic and was the janitor. We had a deep understanding of each other's point of view, and a great respect for each other as persons.
Rabbi Sams was such a busy man that his office had become cluttered and it was my honor to help him organize and sort out the trash from the important papers and magazines. Then I would take his dictation and run errands for him. I was never happier in my life, but what about the children and how they felt being uprooted from the Mormon Church? Debby and Becky were very happy and enjoyed the synagogue, particularly as I did not make them go to services. I put Charlie, David, and Jared in Hebrew School, but Charlie was not happy. He had left his life-long friends in the Mormon Church, particularly Jay and Jay's parents, who were like second parents for him. The Rabbi took me aside one day and gave me some instructions that were very wise. He said that whereas I had raised the older three children as Mormons that it was not fair to them to have to change just because I did. Debby and Becky enjoyed the change as they had had trouble with the Church policy of looking down upon the poorer members, believing, as the Church does, that if you are living righteously the Lord will bless you with financial wealth. Charlie, however, loved the Church and so I gave him his freedom to go wherever he felt so moved. He chose Jay's parents and the Church as religious models and yet still loved me and spported me in what I was doing. Also, the Rabbi counseled me to keep all of the holidays in the home as I had raised my children loving the Christian holidays. The children adjusted well to celebrating even more wonderful holidays. David and Jared continued in Hebrew School and did well as they were only three and six at the time, just ready to start the school. They went to Hebrew School for three years and were studying to become Bar Mitzvah when they turned 13.
Tomorrow Ann continues her work at the synagogue, begins to date after her divorce is final, and gets a job working with computers...
THE GOD GAMES: Heaven & Hell...Chapter 24...HELL
I still loved Jesus, but I now saw him in the context of the reality of living at his time and in his faith. He was Jewish and a young rabbi (teacher). I believed him to be the son of God, but not God himself. He was a great rabbi and his words I live by, for they are messages of pure love for all people. Then I called my Bishop up and asked for an excommunication from the Mormon Church.
Two weeks later the Bishop's Court convened and I sat in a room surrounded by several men that I had come to love dearly over the years. I was keeping the Word of Wisdom (not to drink alcohol, smoke, use drugs, or use tea or coffee), and I was still faithful to Charles. I was a "worthy Temple Recommend holder." What I told them was the truth, that I no longer believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The men began to cry. I told them that I still loved the Church and all of my friends deeply. I was very grateful for all that the Church at taught me and done for me over the years, but I needed to go home to my own people. I wanted to go home.
The men understood what I was saying, but they were still crying. My heart was wrenched by the depth of the love that I felt. The Bishop walked me outside and I swore to him that I would not discuss my decision with my Mormon friends, but just drop out of activity. I kept my word to him. The loss of the daily friendship of many woman friends is a burden I still feel deeply.
Then I felt freer than I had ever felt before. I continued my study of Judaism, and became actively involved in the Synagogue's life. After many months of study and prayer, Rabbi Sams said that it was time for me to have a Bat Mitzvah, thereby converting to Judaism. I talked to the Rabbi about my having worn Temple garments and he had me exchange them for making and wearing a feminine tallit kitan. Then he gave me the name of Ruth for a Hebrew name. I had my Bat Mitzvah in May of 1979 and many of the synagogue members came to wish me their best.
When it came time for Charles to move to Iowa, he took me to the Welfare Department and had me go through the process of getting money, food stamps, and medical coverage for myself and the children to live on when he was gone. He had no plans to pay child support or the second mortgage on our house, but he did not tell me so then. The Welfare office required that I have at least a part-time job in order to collect welfare. I had no idea what I was going to do as I had absolutely no job experience, so I went to see Rabbi Sams to see if he had any idea of how I could find a job.
Rabbi was sad to hear of the break-up of Charles' and my marriage, but he did have an idea of a job for me. He asked me to be his personal assistant after his summer sabbatical. I was overjoyed; I would get to work in my beloved synagogue and study in the large synagogue religious library. Rabbi said I could even study Talmud, after my work was done.
In October 1979, Charles retired from the Navy and left for Iowa. The children were devastated that he would leave them, but he did not want children hanging on him while he set up his new life. He hadn't been in Iowa very long when he met a fine woman named Arleen and as soon as our divorce was final, they got married. She also had children but they weren't all living with her.
One Mormon friend I kept for she would have it no other way. Her name was Judy, and she had been my friend since Charlie was a baby. She began to babysit the children for me when I was at work in the synagogue. She knew every thought I had had since we first met and understood the major decisions that I was making. What she didn't do is judge me, or try to change me, she just accepted me for who I was. I love her dearly.
Working in the synagogue I made two wonderful new friends; Christine, who was Catholic and the office manager, and Tony, who was also Catholic and was the janitor. We had a deep understanding of each other's point of view, and a great respect for each other as persons.
Rabbi Sams was such a busy man that his office had become cluttered and it was my honor to help him organize and sort out the trash from the important papers and magazines. Then I would take his dictation and run errands for him. I was never happier in my life, but what about the children and how they felt being uprooted from the Mormon Church? Debby and Becky were very happy and enjoyed the synagogue, particularly as I did not make them go to services. I put Charlie, David, and Jared in Hebrew School, but Charlie was not happy. He had left his life-long friends in the Mormon Church, particularly Jay and Jay's parents, who were like second parents for him. The Rabbi took me aside one day and gave me some instructions that were very wise. He said that whereas I had raised the older three children as Mormons that it was not fair to them to have to change just because I did. Debby and Becky enjoyed the change as they had had trouble with the Church policy of looking down upon the poorer members, believing, as the Church does, that if you are living righteously the Lord will bless you with financial wealth. Charlie, however, loved the Church and so I gave him his freedom to go wherever he felt so moved. He chose Jay's parents and the Church as religious models and yet still loved me and spported me in what I was doing. Also, the Rabbi counseled me to keep all of the holidays in the home as I had raised my children loving the Christian holidays. The children adjusted well to celebrating even more wonderful holidays. David and Jared continued in Hebrew School and did well as they were only three and six at the time, just ready to start the school. They went to Hebrew School for three years and were studying to become Bar Mitzvah when they turned 13.
Tomorrow Ann continues her work at the synagogue, begins to date after her divorce is final, and gets a job working with computers...
No comments:
Post a Comment