Part II: Where does an interfaith couple go to find help?
By: Marion L. Usher, Ph.D
This post is the second in a series about how couples can navigate questions related to their interfaith marriages. Click here for the first post on choosing a 'lead religion.'
"Your interfaith class really helped us with some important conversations and decisions about our life together. You empowered Aaron and me by validating all the work we have done to reach this point. We also loved meeting other couples that are dealing with similar issues and challenges. My fiancée, Aaron and I, were recently engaged and plan to be married next spring. We need to start thinking about the ceremony and would love to talk with you a little more about our situation. Thank you again for all your help." -Jacey and Aaron.
Chelsea and Marc have known each other for over 14 years and have probably celebrated both secular and religious holidays with each other's families. In fact, according to the press, Chelsea attended religious services on the Jewish High Holy Days with Marc.
This is a great first step for them, but having worked with over 500 other interfaith couples facing similar challenges, I believe Chelsea and Marc need to go even further. Attending a workshop addressing interfaith issues would be a great place for them to start.
Interfaith workshops are hard work, but they enable couples to acquire the skills they need to create their own religious practice in their new home. Participants meet other couples who are struggling with the same issues. They will find answers to their questions. And they experience the incomparable value of a safe environment where confidentiality, empathy, respect, inclusion, and open discussion are all prized. In the workshop, the couples talk about issues related to family-of-origin, what part religion played in their growing-up years, what type of religious education they received, in what religion they want to raise the children, and they learn how to have a successful marriage.
All of us -mental health professionals with years of experience and couples just starting their lives together---know that the Internet has is our go-to source for information. Web sites such as www.InterfaithFamily.com, www.JOI.org, and www.myJewishLearning.com provide a plethora of knowledge. They are replete with narratives, relevant books, conversations, groups as well as concrete help. [For example, if you are looking for a Jewish clergy to conduct the wedding ceremony, www.InterfaithFamily.com will help you find an appropriate person. Last year they received over 1250 such requests.]
The power of the Internet for information dissemination is enormous. In addition to factual information, the explosion in visual technology, through video conferencing and other new techniques, makes it possible for the first time, to offer an on-line interfaith workshop via the Internet. This virtual interfaith workshop will fill a void. On October 20th, I will be leading a workshop with www.InterfaithFamily.com for four consecutive weeks. I am hoping that Chelsea and Marc will join our discussion online.
They, and any other interfaith couple, will benefit enormously from discussing what their religious life will look like. Information abounds; it is they who have to embrace the process.
Marion L. Usher, Ph.D.
marionusher@aol.com
www.JewishInterfaithCouples.com
By Marion L. Usher, Ph.D |
July 27, 2010; 10:09 AM ET
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Next: Part III: Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky: How to raise the children?
Posted by: StanKlein | August 1, 2010 3:09 PM
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BTW to the posters Islam is not a religion nor is the quran anything more than a rag full of garbage
Posted by: lildg54 | July 28, 2010 12:00 PM
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Good luck to this couple. Both their families are made up of unscrupulous political operatives without an ounce of real RELIGION OR MORALITY.
Posted by: ravitchn | July 28, 2010 11:47 AM
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I know Levi and Bristal have no prayer
Posted by: lildg54 | July 28, 2010 11:53 AM
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The juxtaposition of this article and the article on Levi and Bristol is both telling and nauseating. No surprise the Post skewers the conservatives while lauding the liberals. What a biased rag. Just leave these kids alone.
Posted by: Fedup28 | July 27, 2010 4:23 PM
Has nothing to do w/politics just one couple smart and intelligent doing the right way Chelsea and Marc and one couple completely screwed up sarh and todd oops levi and bristal
Posted by: lildg54 | July 28, 2010 11:50 AM
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Good luck to this couple. Both their families are made up of unscrupulous political operatives without an ounce of real RELIGION OR MORALITY.
Posted by: ravitchn | July 28, 2010 11:47 AM
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How romantic. Is Soap Opera Sarah in reruns this week?
Posted by: areyousaying | July 28, 2010 9:25 AM
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It's really sad..Just another rich marxist in the house...........................
Posted by: jmounday | July 27, 2010 9:17 PM
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Opppsa daisy; Re-Post: http://onwapo.com/
Let's Talk about a "FREIDiAN SLiP OF GENUiNE PROPHECY" in the Most Evil Story Ever Told/penned by the Most [JEALOUS] "novelstar' Alive (&
or the most Cunning or edjumicated ) at the time {Hir "MOSES" The Misogyny "PELEGian" Eberu}. Note: WE [i] EKLAH-t-iON's, Not OFF's, art of the JyOKTAN-ian Eberu Race/Stock. Soo, WHO want's to be a Jew, nor a Christian, nor a Islami, or a Mormon, or a Hindu or a Buddhist etc/.. Anymore? Fools (includes the ones 'Who
Fall in-love?' or think'th so).
Note: Eventually Coochypoochy exchange slowly & then drastically Stops. And
THEN? Imagine Writing or talking same level as on the Chumash/biblio "DRUNKiN [Rascist] NOAH" STORY. Could It be that Chesea's Moses & Marc's Moses et al; is/was a PSYCHOPATH?
How Can a Mr. [G-D Player] MOSES create that "SARA PROSTITUTION" Story? How can G-D Player & Novelstar Mr. Moses The PELEGian create the "JACOB ULTIMATE
SWINDLE" story? or the Aegyptian(egyptian) "1st Born
MASS-BABY MURDERS" story?
7/26/2010 Guest Voices: Chelsea Clinton and Marc … …washingtonpost.com/…/chelsea_clinton… 2/5
___
How can a G-D create a BOY/MAN, aka "ADAM"(Marc ?), then Put this Lad Asleep; using "COSMIC Medicine" & a "Cosmic SCALPEL", as if G-D be a Gynecologist (PH.D) thus [Eurika] vuallali Pulling out, from Mr. Adam own Rib-Cage the Opposite of man/Adam (which Mr. Moses HATEs), aka EVE(Chelsea ?) wom/lady.
So, Mr. Adam (Marc) is the Mother of (Chelsea) also, and Chelsea is the Daughter of Her own Father w/out a Mother? Or is it "G-D the Mother, instead of G-D, the Father?
Note: A "METHODIST" (Chelsea) & a "JEW" (Marc) can make babies with (someones Else's G-Ds; blessings) or can make baby's with a Secular Blessing, so to speak'th..
America Needs Less Judaisination, Less Chriastianizm, Less Islamicization, Less Hindutvaization, Less Buhhista-
Lama-ization etc..; AND
More "APOCALYPTIC Faith" (belief/Religion) in "Gridarian-Democracy" as Foretold in Ye own Self-Serving, but someone else's "Infixus-Books" {Chumash/Bibles, Geeta/Gita, Yangyur/Kangyur, Qurans/Koran..}. Soo
"LET HiSTORY BE OUR JURY!" Avoid It's many Pot-Holes since time immemorial. Keep Driving Young Man/Wom; look Forwards Not too much in the Rear View Mirror (looking Backwards).
Note: SEX is NOt LOVE; 'L-i-F-E' is! And sing "Happy Every Day To US".
POSTED BY: PROBABLY-NO-DEITY | JULY 26, 2010 12:22 PM
Posted by: religion-of-everything-before-science-of-everything | July 27, 2010 6:21 PM
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i [WE] know that in Psychiatry or via Psychology that if one blurts-out or say'th, while laying down on Couch or sitting in chair or standing with flailing hands in the air" (private or public) That
"I Believe in UFO"s!, that the Psychiatry/Psychology Professionals Con't declare one insane or that Believing(?) in Such which will require SECULAR institutional intervention. Same goes for them 'Talking, Flying' Wingy-Thingy Angel's & Gang of the G-ds.
Remember; As Psychologists Army or Psychiatry Army, that in the Court Of Law the Psychologist etc.. are the PRIEST's, Rabbi's, Imams.. of the Secular Public; so tospak'th. But
but there is a night & Day Difference in a "Apocalyptic" Psychologist & a "Pre-Apocalyptic" Psychologist. Note: Let's Wish the Christian-Princess & Her Jewish-Prince The Best. But
But It's better, for example of Reality, if they both believe in U.F.O's or maybe none at al than believing in Flying, Beaming, Talkin Wingy Thingy's. Be they a JUian or a
XSTian or a HINDuian or a Buddhian or Islamian etc.
SLANTE! LA CHiAM! CHEERS! & Yes, Mozzeltove! Good Luck! and Have Lots & lots of Baby's! Pleazza; If possible; Name ye first Son JACK, after i. Then the Prophecy will be fulfilled beyond anyones imagination.
PS: Real/genuine Religion, based on TRUTH (opposite MYTH) is about "SiNGULARITY" of any, every & All [Man-Made] Religion [which is Innate] System(s); And the Death of "PLURALiTY" of Them! Remember ALL, Every & Any Huumate(s) [Apocalyptic-
ON's] needs is basically;
1) FOOD, 2) SHELTER, 3)
Companionship & 4) Clothes And Yes, try to Keep Busy or not procrastinate nor go stir crazy. Note: Only HUMAN(s) [Pre-Apocalyptic-OFF's] Need a God(s) Component.
Secret (opposite REVEALation): Ye don't know what ye art craving for or when practicing in such Jealous man-Made or even if imagined (gods Made) Systems! Please lookup & understand Thoroughly the
Word JEALOUS(y). Hint; an Apocalyptic Definition:: The Fear Of Taking Some ONE or some Thing Away From YE/YO!
Note again: This session is Free of Charge. Hope Ye Feel Better.
---
7/26/2010 Guest Voices: Chelsea Clinton and Marc ……washingtonpost.com/…/chelsea_clinton… 3/5
such characters.
Posted by: religion-of-everything-before-science-of-everything | July 27, 2010 6:19 PM
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Att: MUQTEDAR KHAN & AL TAQiYAHists Ummah (Jealousy) Blocked me Moniker again:
Turkey in radical revision of Islamic [Hadith] texts But but Not the Quran/Koran?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7264903.stm
___ Remember Sir's, Mam's; That Islam is the 3rd Abrahamic Religion. And Mormon is 4th. Judaism is 1st and Christianity is 2nd.
FACT: All Are Imported Religions & "NOT [Needed/Wanted] MADE IN AMERICA". Includes the Hindi/u 1st-VEDiC Religion, Then Buddhisim 2nd, Confucius 3rd & Tao/Shinto 4th/5th. REALiTY: There are only Two Original/Authentic Religion Systems on This Holyi S.pace S.hip Earth:
"ABRAHAMiC" via Mr. MOSES {pbuh] & "VEDiC" via Mr. VYASA {pbuh] Soooo 2's a company & 3's a Crowd (on this S.S. Earth). Since History is i[my] Our Jury, this Means THAT
ISLAMi, or Christianity or Any such wannabe/copy cat Abrahamic 'Derivative' is fake religion. And Any Copy Cat VEDiC is like wise Phony; not Authentic.
___ You & your AL Taqiyah Agents Here & elswhere should be carefull trying to Equate [Some one Else's] Quran/Koran to the Judeo-Abe 10-Commands (+), and the U.S. Constitution based on SARA PALIN's Constitution.
Note: That the Islami sayin, "My Religion Is Your Religion... lalala" is O.K. with Saudi Arabia & the 54+ "OIC" Islami Nations (a U.N. for Islami's only) But Never is Your Quran/Koran's "10 Commandment"s like U.S.A. Constitution".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_of_the_Islamic_Conference
Note again: Because i'm in a Process of Writing a "Ultra-Para-Testament" Sura/Scripture/Pasiks/Stanza's.. a/k/a "The Religion Of Everything, before the Science Of Everything" that i [WE] cannot Comment Further. The NEW Knowledge For Faith Exchanging into a New World Order is Arisen. The Dispensation [for ALL] is Near.
Hint: The "O.ne U.niversal R.eligion" is Here! a/k/a "O.U.R" where our O.U.R. is given'th from our real/genuine Holyi "CONSTITUTION" that WE [i] know "IT" as our "Universe". And our real/genuine Holyi "CLAUSES" that i [WE] know "IT" is as our "LAWS of IT"S NATURE". And The U.S. Constitution is 2nd to none; And All "Chumash/Bibles, Geeta/Gita's, Kangyur, Tangyur's, Quran/Korans, Book of Mormons...; are Last (if Any)! Note: Mormon's use the KJV bible; which like the rest needs their own "Correction Of Sin'"s therein. And thus also Imported from Crown of England. Sooo,
WELCOME To S.pace S.hip Earth's APOCALYPTiC-ON NEW-Religion/Faith, Belief, Born from Ye Pre-Apocalyptic-OFF OLD-time Religion(s). "MADE (Born & Prophesied) IN AMERiCA" for American's 1st; Then The World at large 2nd!
GoodBye; MUHAMMAD! Bye; MOSES! bye Smith! bye Jesus! & Bye VYASAa! Bye GAUTAMA! bye Confucius, Tao et al!
A Prophecy Whose time via our Holyi O.U.R. awareness is Here! Note: THEOCRACY & MONRACHY must be wiped off the face of this Sin/Curse free, NEBULAE-Built, Holyi S.pace S.hip Earth!
Posted by: religion-of-everything-before-science-of-everything | July 27, 2010 5:47 PM
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The juxtaposition of this article and the article on Levi and Bristol is both telling and nauseating. No surprise the Post skewers the conservatives while lauding the liberals. What a biased rag. Just leave these kids alone.
Posted by: Fedup28 | July 27, 2010 4:23 PM
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.. ______________ . . . . _________
.. |Chelsea; are you | ..... | Yes Marc |
.. |are you already? | ..... |The Pil did |
.. |______________| ..... | not Work! |
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.. CREDiT To "JJ" .. @ .. http://onwapo.com
Posted by: religion-of-everything-before-science-of-everything | July 27, 2010 3:25 PM
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For an excellent book on the subject, see http://www.reevebrenner.com/books/chewish/