Shalom Benjamin; This translation is the correct one, as the word homosexual was invented in 1868 AD and was the norm back in the time of Moses. Its the Catholics that messed everything up and corrupted religion. In fact a creator would not create homosexuals amongst human and animal-kind and then condemn them, as it is not logical even. Its like a builder building a skyscraper and then condemning it, or a farmer planting wheat and then condemning it, it would make absolutely no sense. But then all religions were the inventions of ignorant simple-minded men in ancient times past to explain everything they did not understand and was accepted by insecure brainwashed people and indoctrinated to them as mere children growing up believing this dribble to the point they believed it by faith alone. Actually religion is a form of fairy tales for grown-ups to believe in as children have imaginary people they believe in and this faith is unshakable. Its actually harmless until it attacks other people thus spreading hatred, violence and death, then its no longer harmless, but deadly and evil as the notion that homosexuality is wrong and therefore all homosexuals should be put to death and all of the rights denied. At one time most people believed that Black people were cursed by the Mark of Cain and had no souls, therefore they had no rights. And the Muslims believe their women have no rights and should be mistreated. These are good reasons to condemn such religious beliefs whenever they deny other people’s rights. I know the Reformed Jews do not condemn gays because they know the right translation from the bible, even though the bible can not be proven to be true its self, its writers did not write any condemnation against homosexuals as it was done later by those that rewrote the bible to suit their own agendas thereby with holding the right translation and causing undo suffering to millions within the last 1700 years.

Someone needs to sit down with the Master Rabbis who concoct the strictures to live by – I believe they have teams of them constantly thinking about the Torah or whatever – and slap some sense into them about gays, women and whatnot.

Benjamin – it would be nice if your family changed to a more accepting synagogue, I suppose.

And you, sir, need to do the same. And leave these stone age beliefs in the dust to which they should return.

By joining a Reform, or supportive Conservative Temple. And ridding yourself of the anxieties buried under the surface of the subconscious about what is essentially changing your religous beliefs, and stop the self torture that goes on in the name of G-d.

We belong to a reform Congregation in the USA, and we actually are planning to have a gay day at the temple, in conjucnction with supportive christian churches in the area. Where we will celebrate our gay memebers lives.

Reform Jews are much more tolerant, and there is reasonable accomodation for gays in some conservative Jewish temples. But the Orthodox – forget it. As the Jerusalem post called them back in late June – “our Taliban orthodox.

And the ultra-orthodox – these are the people whose parliment members have called gays “worse then bird flu”. A call for extermination of the very group whose ancestors shared hitler’s ovens with the close relatives of the ultra-orthodox.

For this kind of mentality, I just made the decision that I will join the Unitarian Universalist church here in the USa. Which is about 20% jewish, 20% gay, and the rest all good light Christians.

Because about Mid January 09 a couple of ULTRA orthodox gay members of the Knesset (parliment) said that gays were “like bird flu”. And obvious call for the mass murder of gay people.
By those whose close ancesstors – maybe even parents – shared hitlers ovens with the gays of germany.

The fundamental problem is biblical fundamentalism. Blind robots of religion, wanting to live in the 1st century. Which includes not just the orthodox Jews, but the catholic hierarchy, and some of the various christian sects. In the US led by the Southern Baptists, a church set up in the early 1800s to be the backbone of slavery, and to this day worships not God, but Satan.

As someone said, good people do good things, evil people do evil things. But it takes corrupted religion to get good people to do evil things.

So I kept my money, and gave it to the US group in main who is trying to prevent a referendum on the states marriage law, in an attempt to remove it.

2.Orthodox Judaism today does not have any mechanism to alter the laws in the Bible and as interpreted in the commentaries. This makes changes to the rules almost impossible, despite the desire of some religious leaders to re-interpret them. This problem leads in many cases to an acceptance that some laws are unfair, for example that a Jewish ex-wife can only remarry after her ex husband gives her a document to allow this.

3.Biblical interpretation and literary scholarship in the 19th and 20th century has identified that the bible was probably assembled from many documents in the first century of the Common Era, (A.D.) and reflects the customs and ideas of that time. Some consider that the homophobic statements in Leviticus (supposedly about 1250 B.C.) were actually written after the Babylonian exile (maybe 586 B.C.) and were influenced by the danger of the Jewish people disappearing altogether if procreation and religious fundamentalism were not stressed. Our view is that as a living religion our attitudes should be judged against current values and justice.

4.Unfortunately the teaching of religion to young people often stresses the miracles and “magic” of the ways of God. It can be difficult to recondition oneself to a more sophisticated and historic appreciation of the scriptures. This can lead to conflicts between what we consider Human Rights in present day standards, and the so-called, “words of God, written down by Moses” of 3,000 years ago. Both Jewish and Christian theologians today question the idea that the scriptures are the unchanging and only words of God.

Many biblical statements and those of other religions are now considered to be simply wrong on issues ranging from the treatment of children, women, and Jews (in the new testament) to homosexuality and nationalism.

5.Judaism believes that each individual has the free will to decide, that Rabbis are only teachers to help individuals or communities to understand or interpret the laws. Gay or Lesbian Jews with religious convictions may try to find a Rabbi with sympathetic views. Some remain in an orthodox community but keep quiet about their homosexuality. Some orthodox rabbis consider their homosexual congregants as Jews who sin in this aspect of their lives, just as other Jews sin, for example, by driving on Saturdays.

6.Jewish people of every denomination choose which groups of religious laws they wish to observe, e.g. some eat only kosher food, some do so, but only at home, some do not ride or write on Saturdays. As a gay or lesbian committed Jew one has to decide which laws are fundamental to your faith, (such a fasting for the prescribed 25 hours on Yom Kippur), which laws one is comfortable to break, which you do not consider as God given at all, or just wrong and destructive, and there may be laws about which you feel guilty, frustrated or unresolved.

7.Being Jewish, like being homosexual is an accident of birth, not usually a choice. It is often difficult to stop feeling Jewish because of the influences of family upbringing, society, and feelings of belonging. Individual reactions to awareness of the Nazi holocaust and conflicts in Israel, often promote identification with other Jews.
GAY AND JEWISH MEANS BELONGING TO TWO MINORITY GROUPS, with resulting benefits and disadvantages.
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Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by an east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It’s funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev. 1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness – Lev. 15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination – Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? – Lev. 24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,