Warder Cresson

Is converting to another religion a sign of insanity? Of course not! Just think of all the people who converted to Judaism: Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Arnold, Seinfeld's dentist... No one insane there! (Converting out of Judaism? That's a whole other story.)

Warder Cresson was the first ever US Consul to Jerusalem, appointed in 1844. (You will note that this is a century before the creation of the State of Israel, but we will avoid that digression.) His post was rescinded after all of eight days (you read that correctly), but he went to Palestine anyway. There, he pretended to be acting in an official capacity by wielding a fake stamp. (Quite a character already!)

Cresson got obsessed with Judaism and converted, but eventually returned home. There he got embroiled in a legal battle with his estranged wife and her family. (It was over money, of course.) The wife tried to get Cresson declared insane. One of the reasons: he converted to Judaism! (Another reason: he claimed to have seen angels during his circumcision. Should have led with that one!)

Cresson was declared sane on appeal, divorced his wife (As! If!), moved back to Palestine, married a Jewish woman and lived the rest of his life as a pious Jew.

Here's the irony: Cresson's first wife converted herself... from Quaker to Episcopalian!

By her logic, wouldn't that be insane?