[tuesday afternoon]

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, which interprets religious law for the movement, adopted three starkly conflicting policies that nonetheless gave gays the chance to serve as clergy.

I don't know much about Coservative Judaism, but how can they adopt three policies in conflict with each other?

[PageMarker]

"But be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." Matthew 23:8.

[ChicagoHebrew]

I don't know much about Coservative Judaism, but how can they adopt three policies in conflict with each other?

In theory, it's a good policy and pretty easy to understand. Judaism is a pluralistic religion without a Pope or other central authority. As a result, there are numerous issues where both sides have strong arguments and support. In such a case, "these and these are the Words of the Living God" (as the Talmud says) -- two or more positions can be equally valid. For example, there are some Rabbis who permit gelatin as kosher even if it comes from a pig, because gelatin is just a chemical formula and is indistinguishable regardless of the source (the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Ovadia Yosef, holds by this view). Other Rabbis disagree.

The Conservative movement at least pretends to observe Halacha, including the principle of Halachic pluralism, so they hold that if 6 out of the 25 members on their Law committee adopt a particular position, the position is considered valid. Of course, no Orthodox Rabbi (or anyone who had seriously studied the texts) could endorse male homosexual relationships.