Asking Eric: Family asks prying questions about religious conversion

The “Asking Eric” column addresses two reader dilemmas involving religion and family responsibilities. In the first letter, a reader married into a Christian family where evangelism is central. She converted to Judaism in adulthood and now faces intrusive “why” questions about her faith and decision not to be Christian. Eric suggests a diplomatic boundary: treating spirituality as personal, declining to discuss the “why,” but offering to explain Jewish practice. He also recommends involving her husband as a buffer. A second letter begins with parents relocating from New England to Florida, and the reader sets limits on visits and emergency support, but the question cuts off mid-sentence.