Questioner: Geraldine
Subject: my sons new religion
Question: my son is 17yrs old and everything he does he has to be the best at it he is an national honors student and has made his father and I very proud the problem is he is into Messianic Judaism and is very orthodox he is studding to become a rabbi he wares Hasidic clothing on religious holidays and this is upsetting my husband and I a great deal he was raised a catholic because that is what his choice was I am a catholic and his father is reformed Jewish when he was a catholic he even took that too far I can’t take seeing my son dressed as an orthodox rabbi black long coat hat the strings hanging from his pants all of that it is effecting my husband and I very much we don’t know what to do its not so much the religion it is the degree which he has taken it
Should we just let this take its course because I don’t know if i could handle this we talk and talk to him I am very close with my son and I just don’t want this for him please advise me in this
Answer: Dear Geraldine:
First congratulate yourself on raising a son who is a national honors student and doing so incredibly well!
Next, realize teenager are all about excess. Feel the gratitude he is taking his religion to far and is not into drinking, drugging or criminal activity. I receive notes from parents with heartbreaking circumstances, unspeakable pain in their lives because of the dangerous and life threatening choices their children are making.
This is time for you and your husband to stand back and enjoy the results of your hard work and start to focus back on yourselves. He is 17 years old and almost an adult. There is nothing threatening here about his behavior. It maybe extreme however it is not life threatening. Let go. Let him be. Don’t create a problem where there isn’t one. Enjoy your son each and everyday he is still at home.
Sincerely,
M Kay Keller
