Posted on 12/01/2006 1:19:24 PM PST by Risha
Rabbis Reconsider Gay Sex
A panel of 25 Conservative rabbis is meeting next week in New York to discuss whether homosexual sex is permitted under Jewish law.
The discussion will center around five proposed teshuvot, or answers, to questions regarding homosexuality.
Two answers reportedly uphold the traditional position from the Bible: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination” – which prohibits homosexuality between men and, by extension, between women.
But the other three answers argue for a reinterpretation of that prohibition, and "on a practical level, they could open the way for Conservative rabbis to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies and for Conservative seminaries to ordain openly gay rabbis,” the Washington Post reports.
The Conservative movement has about 2 million members worldwide, and occupies a position between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Advance word is that the panel – the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards – will approve conflicting answers. That’s possible because the votes of just 6 of the 25 panel members are required to declare an answer valid.
In any case, whatever decision the panel reaches will be only advisory, according to the Post. In the Conservative movement, each rabbi can decide which point of view to follow in his or her synagogue.
But the panel’s decision will be important for the future of the Conservative movement, which has seen its numbers dwindle in the U.S. in recent decades.
Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University, told the Post that the "movement as a while will be able to say that it is in the center and, more important, that there is more than one way to be a Jew . . .
"The Democratic Party did pretty well with that big-tent strategy in this past election, and my sense is there is a lesson there for a centrist movement that is struggling to appeal to younger people.”
Yes Yes, by all means appeal to the younger people... Hell with God's word, just make sure you appeal to the younger people. Moronic... absolutely Moronic.
No, but He's got a heck of a veto power...
And you know why God created Scientologists?
So Jehovah's Witnesses would have somebody to laugh at.
I have to say, I would be inclined to add this to my collection of inaptly phrased headlines.
How would Taranto caption it?
What, they didn't like it the first time?
Very bad headline.
I am certain that what two (or more) homosexuals do is not sex by any means. There really is no such thing as "gay" sex. Nothing is begat from gay "sex" other than chronic disease and eventually death. Call it what it really is -- sodomy, an dirty, unsafe practice. But it would sound rather contradictory to have a group of rabbis reconsidering gay sodomy. So it almost seems as though the question of legitimacy is a foregone conclusion. I'm sure we'll soon be treated to stories in the MSM about how brave the rabbis all were in their decision to legitimize homosexuality in the Jewish faith. I gonna be sick.
Proselytizing for the Democrat Party in the middle of an article about Judaism? Disgusting and contemptible.
Sigh - getting really, really tired of people who pretend to be religious believers and yet reject the very foundation of religion.
If people are going to reject the very scriptures and teachings that are the foundation of their respective religions (and funny thing, homosexual acts are condemned in every religion!), they should just quit pretending and either start their own group or just join the Democrat party.
Yes Yes, by all means appeal to the younger people... Hell with God's word, just make sure you appeal to the younger people.
From my observation, the churches that compromise are the ones who can't keep their kids.
Will they have a delegation from Sodom and Gomorrah, to describe for them the consequences of the last time this was tried?
Once again, a Catholic publication projects its own problem onto Judaism by holding up one of the more libertine Jewish movements on the Sabbath (when Jews won't argue online).
How typically Roman...
It was dishonest of the author to go on about "Conservative" rabbis, when he knows that "Conservative" Judaism is not conservative or Judaism.
Here's a good background paper for the Conservative Rabbis:
(WARNING! Linked article contains verbal descriptions including GRAPHIC
adult content, presented in context)
Judaism’s Sexual Revolution: Why Judaism (and then Christianity) Rejected Homosexuality
by Dennis Prager
http://catholiceducation.org/articles/homosexuality/ho0003.html
Agree. When I first read, "Rabbis Reconsider Gay Sex", I thought, "What? They tried it and didn't like it the first time, or WHAT does this mean?"
The devil is alive and well in the world.
The Sanhedrin is not seated. There is no temple.
If they become "gay," that will be the end of the Conservative movement. Homosexuality is a dead end (gays are few in number, they don't reproduce and they get sick and die young because of their "lifestyle"). There is no future for an organization that appeals to that demographic. Look at how many liberal churches are dying.
Who cares what rabbis and priests have to say about anything? It's time to move on! Time to bring intellect and logic and compassion and experience to bear. And time to put our ancient history to bed.
Very interesting.
Good read.
Thanks.
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