Life after conservative faith (article)

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Life after conservative faith: the defectors who leave ultra-Orthodox communities

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/m ... s-new-york

[DomWackTroll]

Thanks for linking to this-- very interesting.

[PennySycamore]

May all those who want to leave ultra-orthodoxy be as successful at it and as at peace with the decision as Matisyahu.

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And a video from after he left the Chasidic community:

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ETA: The cutting of ties when people leave is something Scientology would do.

[DGayle]

This sounds a lot like when a friend of mine left being a JDub. Not exactly the same, but a lot, like the family estrangement. Her parents only acknowledged her a single time, which after she reached out for help leaving a bad relationship, and their reply was to demand she send her kid to them so they can raise the baby "the proper way." They were otherwise willing to let the baby be homeless. She's still learning to connect with people who weren't raised like her, and still earning to accept that all her family is gone. Her baby sister is the only person who still talks to her, and that's because her sister left the religion, though is anchored by her much, much, creepy-much older husband who forces her to toe the line.

This shit is cult, not religion.

[DomWackTroll]

I had no idea that Matisyahu left Chasidism!

[2xx1xy1JD]

I had no idea that Matisyahu left Chasidism!

He shaved the beard and stopped identifying as Chabad a few years ago.

A few things to keep in mind about his transition:

1. He wasn't raised Hasidic. He had been a kid into drugs and music, who went all the way into that lifestyle really quickly. I found that the life-long Chabad members were proud of his success and liked to mention him as part of outreach - but they always saw him as someone who came from the outside, and they wouldn't always approve of his music themselves. When he left, many took the attitude "he was never really one of us".

2. He wasn't facing the loss of all family and support systems. He did get divorced, but still sees his kids.

3. He had substantial financial resources. Very different position from someone who feels that they are fighting against an entire community.

4. He'll still say that he is religious, just in a different way.

5. Despite all of that, it wasn't always a smooth transition. He's said that there was some slipping back into drugs at times.