Visited a Conservative minyan this morning

[mek42]

I was uncomfortable, being in the midst of people different from myself, though I was welcomed by the congregation. Upon entering the room where the service was to be held, where my head needed to be covered, I was moved almost to tears as my heart asked, ‘Why does this discomfort so often turn into hostility? Why are we so often driven to destroy that which is different from us?’

 

[superwimp]

Hi Mek,

While in the military I attended synogog. I liked the music even though I didn’t understand any of the words. Then we had a regular sit down meal and I was able to establish friendships with some of the people there.

 

[Della]

I was uncomfortable, being in the midst of people different from myself, though I was welcomed by the congregation. Upon entering the room where the service was to be held, where my head needed to be covered, I was moved almost to tears as my heart asked, ‘Why does this discomfort so often turn into hostility? Why are we so often driven to destroy that which is different from us?’

Who wants to destroy whom? I don’t understand what you are trying to say here.

 

[mek42]

Who wants to destroy whom? I don’t understand what you are trying to say here.

Specifically antisemitism, but other separatist evils such as racism and so called holy wars. It seems like they all stem from differences between groups of people. I had a moment where the evil man is capable of gave me pain.

I’m not good at discussing emotions, so forgive any lack of clarity.

 

[Della]

Specifically antisemitism, but other separatist evils such as racism and so called holy wars. It seems like they all stem from differences between groups of people. I had a moment where the evil man is capable of gave me pain.

I’m not good at discussing emotions, so forgive any lack of clarity.

Any form of racism is evil. No doubt about that. But there can be legitimate forms of separation between peoples, such as nationality and language. Human beings need smaller groups in which they can have community with each other.

As for holy wars, G. K. Chesterton remarked that men, if they are going to go to war, should only go to war over religion–to defend what they believe, and not over greed or power. Standing up for truth is a good thing and sometimes we have to fight defensive wars such as World War II against Fascism and tyranny.

 

[mek42]

Any form of racism is evil. No doubt about that. But there can be legitimate forms of separation between peoples, such as nationality and language. Human beings need smaller groups in which they can have community with each other.

As for holy wars, G. K. Chesterton remarked that men, if they are going to go to war, should only go to war over religion–to defend what they believe, and not over greed or power. Standing up for truth is a good thing and sometimes we have to fight defensive wars such as World War II against Fascism and tyranny.

Smaller communities are fine, but when we interact with a community other than our own, while a certain discomfort is to be expected, it seems very easy and often that said discomfort devolves into fear and hatred. Why is it so easy to turn from discomfort to hatred? This is the question my heart cried with anguish this morning.

 

[504Katrin]

I was uncomfortable, being in the midst of people different from myself, though I was welcomed by the congregation. Upon entering the room where the service was to be held, where my head needed to be covered, I was moved almost to tears as my heart asked, ‘Why does this discomfort so often turn into hostility? Why are we so often driven to destroy that which is different from us?’

You had a minyan this morning? WOW! Hopefully we’ll get a minyan together tomorrow night and the morning after. The Rabbi said yesterday that everyone should show up so that we would at least have a minyan.

As to your question, this is a very good one. Keep the answers coming, guys!

 

[Della]

Smaller communities are fine, but when we interact with a community other than our own, while a certain discomfort is to be expected, it seems very easy and often that said discomfort devolves into fear and hatred. Why is it so easy to turn from discomfort to hatred? This is the question my heart cried with anguish this morning.

It is due to our having fallen natures that tend towards sin–at least that is the Catholic answer. Since this a Catholic forum that is the answer you will receive from Catholics.

People war with each other out of selfishness when they do so for greed or power. All too often people fight over beliefs, sad to say, but it is nobler than over greed or power, if often misguided and abused by those lusting for power. The “enemy” has to be demonized in order to get people to fight one another. This is a very great evil, but that’s what happens. On the local level it’s fear that drives bigotry that devolves into hatred if stirred by those with something to gain from it.

 

[504Katrin]

I was uncomfortable, being in the midst of people different from myself, though I was welcomed by the congregation. Upon entering the room where the service was to be held, where my head needed to be covered, I was moved almost to tears as my heart asked, ‘Why does this discomfort so often turn into hostility? Why are we so often driven to destroy that which is different from us?’

I’m sorry that you feel such distress. Maybe talk to your friends next time you get together. They will understand. At least I’m pretty sure that a Jew without inner struggles is hard to find. You thought you would feel comfortable and were probably looking forward to the service, and you were surprised by your own feeling of discomfort, right? These were the peeps you learn Torah with, aren’t they? Open yourself up, I think that this might be the best solution to understand your own feelings better and to regain that closeness to your friends that you’ve felt for so long. G-d bless you.

 

[mek42]

Oh dear, I’m causing confusion. I’m a gentile, was visiting the minyan, seeking to find a place to help my daughter learn about the Covenant of Noach. There were plenty of people there, so I was in no danger of being accidentally counted.

The particular synagogue seems to be very active I think they have a minyan or two each day.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

I was uncomfortable, being in the midst of people different from myself, though I was welcomed by the congregation. Upon entering the room where the service was to be held, where my head needed to be covered, I was moved almost to tears as my heart asked, ‘Why does this discomfort so often turn into hostility? Why are we so often driven to destroy that which is different from us?’

I don’t know what a minyan is, I’m guessing it’s a synagogue from other posts.

Mother Teresa experienced intense desolation at times, referred to as ‘dark nights’. She also experienced intense consolation as well. This is God working on us.

"The felt presence of God in our soul (consolation), or the absence of that feeling (desolation). By faith we know that God is always thinking of us, with us, interested in our lives, and loving us with a personal, determined love. We know that by faith. But we don’t always feel that in our emotional world. In fact, sometimes we can feel an intense and painful emptiness inside. Sometimes we can feel absolutely no excitement or pleasure at the thought of spiritual things. Sometimes we can feel dry as a desert even when we are at prayer: emotionally, we don’t even want to keep praying. We are like children with their homework: they know it is good for them to do it, and they know they should do it, but they just don’t feel like doing it.

Desolation can flow from God’s direct action on the soul. God can take away the consolation of his presence, without actually taking away his presence. This is a method he uses to purify the soul and to increase the soul’s capacity for love. If we can keep following God’s will in our lives even when we are passing through “a valley as dark as death” (Psalm 23:4), we will emerge with a much more mature faith, a more vibrant hope, and a deeper love. These are the theological virtues that unite the soul to God – and union with God is what we were created for, and what God yearns us to achieve and deepen.

So when he takes away interior consolation in this way, we can rest assured that his wisdom and goodness will permit us, when emerged from the darkness, to undergo greater consolations than we ever imagined, because our soul’s capacity to experience God will have been increased by God directly. These periods of purification initiated by God are often called the “dark night.” We can have dark nights of the senses, of the spirit, of the intellect… It is when God, the doctor of our soul, lays us on the spiritual operating table and takes direct action. Our job in this case is to trust and endure by continuing to seek and embrace God’s will in our lives (the commandments, the duties of our state in life, etc…)

This lack of the felt presence of God, a lack of emotional pleasure or resonance regarding God’s will for us, is usually referred to by spiritual writers as sensible desolation. The contrary is sensible consolation."

rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/11/07/consolation-and-desolation-what-does-it-really-mean