Jewish woman not allowed to marry Swedish man in the Synagogue

I have worked voluntarily for the congregation, and the congregation paid fee throughout my adult life. We want to get married in the synagogue, but we must not. The reason? The guy I'm marrying is not a Jew. In Sweden's Jewish communities it works then do not like the Swedish church, where it is enough that one of the parties is a member. Therefore, I have decided to leave the Gothenburg Jewish congregation. If you are not a Jew anymore then ?, asked one of my friends when I told them about the decision for her. The answer is that I will always be a Jew. We will always celebrate the Jewish holidays at home, travel to Israel, take part in Jewish cultural events and I will continue to fight my way through the never-ending church service on the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur. But to be members of a church where me and my future husband not welcome to one hundred percent is not something we are interested in. When I asked the question of what in Gothenburg called for synagogsstyrelsen I got the answer that most of the board have a negative attitude to couples where only one of the persons is jew would get married in the synagogue. The Jewish congregations in Sweden have long been struggling with declining membership. One way to solve the problem should be a thorough renewal which looks over which the statutes that could be altered to lure back members who have left, and welcome new members. Sweden's Jewish communities must become better at adapting to the society we live in. A successful example is that the first gayvigseln between two Jewish men took place in Stockholm synagogue for just two years ago. Jewish Gay Couples, however, has been welcoming married in Stockholm synagogue beyond that.

Its 2015

a reply to: Saturnalia

It may be 2015 but sadly there are people who still live in the Dark Ages like ISIS and the Religious Right.

a reply to: Saturnalia

Maybe they should claim they are actually a gay couple and see how that flies?

a reply to: Saturnalia

This is nothing new. If they want to get married in a synagogue, then, he MUST covert to Judaism.

It's the same with Catholics. You can't get married in a Catholic Church if you're not Catholic.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I like that, Two Jewish gays walked in to a Synagogue, would be an awesome start. Thing is in Sweden it is a sanctuary seems some cultures forget....

a reply to: windword

Swedish laws and rules, religious beliefs doesnt matter, its called discrimination and is under swedish law illegal. Sweden is a sanctuary, that means the function is that you can practice your beliefs but you cannot discriminate another person.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I'm not sure where you're going with that...

a reply to: Saturnalia

So, there is no "Freedom of Religion" in Sweden?

a reply to: windword

"freedom of tolerance" as long as you understand your obligations. If not, you have no rights. Utopian Marxist, One ring to rule them all.

a reply to: windword

My mother married my Catholic father in a Catholic church. She converted later. My husband married his first wife in her Catholic church. Only one needs to be Catholic and the couple must promise to raise any children in the Catholic church.

a reply to: windword

Actually, there is. It sounds very similar to here in the US. They have freedom of religion, so the church is free to decide who they will and won't marry. Since the OP didn't comment, I'm not sure of the point of the thread.

The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels seeks to protect this right in full and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The rights and freedoms enumerated in the constitution include the rights to practice one's religion and protection of religious freedom. The laws concerning religious freedoms are generally observed and enforced at all government levels and by the courts in a non-discriminatory fashion. Legal protections cover discrimination or persecution by private actors.

Religion in Sweden

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

Hmmmm..............my bad. That's the way I always learned it....

Indeed, non Catholic/Catholic mixed marriages can be performed in a Catholic Church, as long as they promise to raise their children within the Catholic rules and standards. They are, however, a little more persnickety about marrying non-Christian mixed couples, one of which being NOT baptized. For that, you must get special permission to marry in a Catholic Church from a local Bishop. www.aboutcatholics.com...

Now I know!

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
a reply to: windword

Actually, there is. It sounds very similar to here in the US. They have freedom of religion, so the church is free to decide who they will and won't marry. Since the OP didn't comment, I'm not sure of the point of the thread.

The laws concerning religious freedoms are generally observed and enforced at all government levels and by the courts in a non-discriminatory fashion.

It isnt the same thing, you are free to practice your religion, but you cannot be discriminated, if a Jewish rabbi denies it, its a different story. But it wasnt the Rabbi who declined.

Religion in Sweden

a reply to: windword

That's incorrect, many Catholic churches can be booked for weddings without either member being catholic.

originally posted by: windword
a reply to: AutumnWitch657

Hmmmm..............my bad. That's the way I always learned it....

Indeed, non Catholic/Catholic mixed marriages can be performed in a Catholic Church, as long as they promise to raise their children within the Catholic rules and standards. They are, however, a little more persnickety about marrying non-Christian mixed couples, one of which being NOT baptized. For that, you must get special permission to marry in a Catholic Church from a local Bishop. www.aboutcatholics.com...

Now I know!

Yes it's generally assumed to be an exclusive club but the truth is the door for membership is always open.
My mother kept her promise and saw all four of her children through to Confirmation and two of them to the sacrament of marriage. My brother and I had civil marriages and my two sisters got married in the church. (to Catholics) Interestingly those two also raised their kids in the church and one niece so far has continued in the Catholic tradition with her own marriage. So in the case of my parents marriage which lasted until my mother died, it behooves the Catholics to let an outsider in. Including my converted mother they gained ten members from the arrangement.

a reply to: nemonimity

Book the structure? Or book the church? Rent a priest? The Canon law is pretty straight forward as to what constitutes a Catholic marriage And at least one being Catholic is pretty much expected.

en.m.wikipedia.org...

Why would someone not Catholic want a Catholic ceremony?
Or as I suspect they are being allowed to use the building because the Catholics usually have pretty cathedrals like Saint Patrick's in New York. Still that seems off to me too so...

originally posted by: nemonimity
a reply to: windword

That's incorrect, many Catholic churches can be booked for weddings without either member being catholic.

Those aren't real Orthodox Roman Catholic churches; they're "American Catholic Light" churches. Yea, they're affiliated with Rome, but they don't hold to the traditions and precepts of Cannon Law. Put another way, some of the Bishops are flakes, (not "gay", but flaky as in intellectually light).

a reply to: Saturnalia

Using faith, belief and feelings as principle forms of guidance, are really bad ways to proceed through life.

Any time I feel sympathy for jewish folks, I look at Numbers 31. Christians, the Inquisition. Muslims, Jihads.

Those who are concerned about the viability of these organizations need to recognize that they last because they are conservative and repressive. Otherwise they lose their focus and dissipate in the bright sun of actual knowledge.

If your own religion doesn't want you, why are clinging to it?

a reply to: starwarsisreal

It may be 2015 but sadly there are people who still live in the Dark Ages like ISIS and the Religious Right.

Yeh, especially those religious right guys. They love to chop off heads and shoot your knee caps out. Give me a break will yeh? Old song and same old tune.

originally posted by: Saturnalia
a reply to: windword

Swedish laws and rules, religious beliefs doesnt matter, its called discrimination and is under swedish law illegal. Sweden is a sanctuary, that means the function is that you can practice your beliefs but you cannot discriminate another person.

How can you practice your beliefs if you are forced to abandon them in favor of someone else's beliefs?