could you be a nun and still be jewish?

Question

my friend wants to become a nun because she says its easier than falling in love and getting hurt (I think it's not a great idea) and she is Jewish. she doesn't want to convert, though.

Answer 1

Nuns are catholic women who choose to devote themselves totally to God. This is their way of Christian service.

Your friend must pledge herself to Jesus to become a nun. By doing so, she would no longer be a follower of the Jewish faith.

If, however, she was born to a Jewish woman, she would retain her standing as a Hebrew, which is a genetic lineage passed down from the mother.

It sounds like your friend was hurt, and is lashing out against the concept of falling in love. This is like "throwing out the baby with the bathwater", an old saying that means you cannot over-generalize. One bad experience does not make falling in love a bad thing.

She needs to develop her skills of discernment so she can pick someone to fall in love with who is worthy of her attention.

Answer 2

First, there is such a thing as a "Jewish Christian" (or "Christianized Jew"). She cannot become a nun without becoming Christian, but she very well may be able to retain nearly all of her Jewish beliefs and still become a nun. Indeed, Paul in the NT makes it plain that Jews are still permitted to follow the whole Law. The belief in Jesus as not only the Messiah, but also God, would be the sticking point here.

Second, someone can certainly join a monastic order without becoming a Roman Catholic (RC). Many sects have such celibate orders - RCs just happen to be the most well-recognized. I believe that Mother Theresa's order does not require that a member be Christian, for example - however, a nun of the order (I believe) must be RC.

I recall the monastic Essenes of the temple period (probably wiped out by the Romans). Perhaps there is a Jewish, or non-denominational, monastic order which permits women to take vows of celibacy?

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 3

Dear note-ey,
Back when religious sisters all wore long black habits and face-framing wimples. a lot of little girls liked to play "nun-dress-up".
Is your friend over 12?
Hmmm.
I do know quite a few Roman Catholic nuns, some Eastern Orthodox, and even more Anglican/Episcopal nuns. Not one ever joined a religious order because of an unhappy marriage or love affair.

i think that idea was invented by the author Stendahl for his novel, "The Charterhouse of Parma"

"Not wanting to fall in love and get hurt" wouldn't give anyone the dedication or motivation to last for a whole day as a religious sister.
it is about love for God, living life with Jesus Christ, and only tangentially about serving people.

What did your friend think that she would do during the daily periods of hours-long prayer? Go to the "little nun's room" and read a magazine?

Let her fantasize. it can't hurt.

But I wonder whether or not the idea came up because she is feeling unloved or rejected these days.

Answer 4

Yes, she would be - physically - but not spiritually, which is most important. Roman Catholicism is actually an admixture of Christianity, paganism and Judaism, and promotes faith upon her supposed powers as well as one's own merits for salvation, rather than coming before God as a sinner, destitute of any merit whereby they may escape Hell and gain Heaven, and thus cast all their faith upon Christ and His blood for justification and regeneration (Rm. 3:9 - 5:8; Eph. 1:13; Titus 3:5).

And having turned from sin to Him, be baptized under water (Acts 8:37) and walk in newness of life (Rm. 6). To God be the glory alone!!

See links below

Answer 5

No. You have to convert to Catholicism to be a nun.

Answer 6

Hilarious!

Does anybody take religion seriously anymore? :)

Answer 7

She will never make it. dont worry..