By Gary Konecky
On Saturday, December 26, 2009 / Tevet 9, 5770, Jews across the world read the Torah portion of Vayigash during morning services. Vayigash consists of Genesis 44:18 – 47:26. Among other things it recounts Jacob’s family moving to Egypt. Starting in Genesis 46:8, we are given a name by name account of who in Jacob’s family went to Egypt. It is interesting to note that wives of Jacob’s son’s mentioned as going to Egypt in Genesis 46:5 are not named nor counted in this lengthy list.
As bible literalists insist that the plain, literal meaning of the text is all that matters as it is G-d’s word, why this significant omission? Surely, the infallible, all knowing G-d, did not slip up in editing; so my first challenge to you is to explain the literal meaning of this apparent contradiction.
We now come to Genesis 46:26-27: “All the souls coming to Egypt with Jacob, those descended from him, excluding the wives of Jacob's sons, all the souls were sixty six. And Joseph's sons, who were born to him in Egypt, two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.” - http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8241
All the souls were sixty-six plus Joseph’s two sons equals sixty-eight, yet we are told “all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.” Since 68 does not equal 70, and an all knowing, infallible G-d would know basic arithmetic, your second challenge is to explain this math error using a literal meaning of the text. As you are restricted to a literal reading of the text, as it is your position that only a literal meaning of the text is the appropriate way to understand scripture, you cannot use names or people other than the sixty-eight mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
For those who do not believe in the bible literalism, there are extensive commentaries by learned Jewish sages that explain these seeming contradictions. Such explanations draw on the oral Torah, and the Jewish tradition to search for meaning in the word of G-d. For we are taught in:
· Leviticus Rabbah 22:1: “He who loves the study of G-d’s words will not be satisfied with the written Torah, but will go on to the Mishnah and Talmud.”
· Baba Metzia 33: “The Rabbis have taught: ‘Those who study Scripture are scholars of degree, but not a high degree. Those who study Mishnah are scholars of higher degree. Those who study Talmud are scholars of the highest degree.’”
· Sopherim 16: “We read: ‘The L-rd spoke with you faces to faces.’ (Deut. 5:4) The passage does not read ‘pan to pan,’ face to face, but ‘panim le-panim,’ faces to faces. This teaches there are four faces or kinds of Torah: Scripture, Mishnah, Halakah, and Aggadah.” (note 1)
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Note 1: The source of the quotes from Leviticus Rabbah, Baba Metzia, and Sopherim is page 467 of The Talmudic Anthology, Tales & Teachings of the Rabbis, edited by Louis I. Newman in collaboration with Samuel Spitz, copyright 1945, published by Behrman House, Inc.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Poverty
By Gary Konecky
Recently, there was an Associated Press story out of London. (note 1) According to the news report, Rev. Tim Jones told parishioners in a recent sermon “that shoplifting can be justified if a person in real need is not greedy and does not take more than he or she really needs to get by. “
The Priest was wrong to say theft is okay. Having said that stealing is wrong, it is a damning indictment of our society when it so reduces the poor to needing to steal to stay alive. Not only should we be ashamed, but also our leaders in business and government who do not give one whit that things have come to this should be ashamed.
For we are taught that: "Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the ...naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead." - Talmud (Sotah 14a)
Let us also remember: "If all the sufferings and pain in the world were gathered (on one side of the scale) and poverty was on the other side, poverty would outweigh them all." - Exodus Rabbah 31:14
Note 1: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTjAbr5r-50aYmMXrtHSC4I2jjngD9COI1T00
Recently, there was an Associated Press story out of London. (note 1) According to the news report, Rev. Tim Jones told parishioners in a recent sermon “that shoplifting can be justified if a person in real need is not greedy and does not take more than he or she really needs to get by. “
The Priest was wrong to say theft is okay. Having said that stealing is wrong, it is a damning indictment of our society when it so reduces the poor to needing to steal to stay alive. Not only should we be ashamed, but also our leaders in business and government who do not give one whit that things have come to this should be ashamed.
For we are taught that: "Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the ...naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead." - Talmud (Sotah 14a)
Let us also remember: "If all the sufferings and pain in the world were gathered (on one side of the scale) and poverty was on the other side, poverty would outweigh them all." - Exodus Rabbah 31:14
Note 1: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTjAbr5r-50aYmMXrtHSC4I2jjngD9COI1T00
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Bible: The Word of G-d?
By Gary Konecky
There are those who believe the bible is the word of G-d. There is no doubt in my mind that the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) is the word of G-d. That said, I believe Joshua may have written the account of Moses’ death at the end of Deuteronomy.
The problem is that many of those who say the bible is the word of G-d, then cite a fundamentalist, literalist interpretation of the bible as authority for their beliefs and prejudices. They then act on those beliefs and prejudices to impose their will upon others. There are several scriptural problems with this approach, in addition to the lack of respect for those of differing faith traditions.
The first scriptural problem is that G-d no longer sends us prophets. No one today can speak for G-d, as no one today is a prophet.
Second, I have yet to see an accurate translation of the Hebrew Bible into English. The reason for this is very simple. It is impossible to translate Hebrew into English accurately. Hebrew is a very nuanced language in regard to scriptural matters. For example, there are different names for G-d used in the Hebrew Bible. These different names all indicate different attributes of G-d. If we are to properly understand the Almighty and his intent, it would be useful to know what attribute the original Hebrew text is mentioning; just as it is useful to understand the difference between a drizzle and a thunderstorm if one has to go out in the rain.
Another example involves the Hebrew word “et” (also transliterated as “es” or “eth”). Et appears many times in the Hebrew Bible. Et is a word that has no meaning. Yet every time et appears, it alludes to something important, something important yet unspoken. Et is so important it is discussed in the Talmud (Kiddushin 57a). The Talmud is second only to the Bible in the Jewish tradition. This important word, this word so full of meaning that it appears numerous times in the bible as well as being discussed in the Talmud, is not translated into English. How can one know the will of G-d when not all the words of G-d are present?
Third, is the issue of mistranslation. An example of this can be found in the English name for one of the books of the bible, Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy comes from ancient Greek via Latin, with the Greek being a mistranslation of the original Hebrew (note 1). Deuteronomy “literally means 'second law' coming from the Greek words nomos (law) and deutero (second).” (note 2) The problem is not only is this word mistranslated, but its meaning is incorrect as Moses did not merely retell the law in Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy, Moses also discussed commandments that are given only in Deuteronomy (and that are not given in any of the other books of the Hebrew Bible). If you are giving additional commandments, then you are not merely retelling the law, which is what the name Deuteronomy means.
The Hebrew name for Deuteronomy is “Devarim” meaning “events” and “which can also be translated as ‘words.’” (note 3) It is interesting to note that the Hebrew name provides a very accurate insight into the content of this book of the bible, as this book consists of Moses’ final address to the Jewish people (words); with the address consisting of Moses; explaining the law, recounting the wondering in the desert (events), and providing final instructions for the Jewish people as they enter the Land of Israel upon his passing.
Fourth, there are three different versions of the Ten Commandments. There is the Jewish version, the Protestant version, and the Catholic version. Surely, if the English translation of the bible that is being used were an accurate translation of the word of G-d there would be only one version. It is also worth noting that there are subtle differences in the text of the Hebrew Bible, as the two sets of tablets were slightly different. This raises the question; what is G-d telling us with these two slightly different versions?
Lastly, the Hebrew Bible is filled with instances that cry out for explanation. For example in the account of creation; day and night is created on the first day, yet the sun and moon are not created until the fourth day. We also have the example of chapter one of Genesis telling us that G-d created man and woman. Yet chapter two of Genesis seemingly contradicts this when the account of the creation of woman is given, thereby implying that woman was not created as stated in chapter one. Another example would be the unusual word choice in Genesis 1:26 which states: “And G-d said: ‘Let us make man.’” Who is the us? Did G-d create man or was it a group undertaking? If creating man was a group undertaking, who are the other members of the group? If G-d created man, why is us used? These few examples are all from the biblical account of creation. In addition to these examples, there are numerous other examples like this throughout the Hebrew Bible.
In conclusion, I believe that part of the Bible is the word of G-d. I also believe only an arrogant fool would think that he or she has the knowledge and the wisdom of the Almighty, and can therefore state with absolute certainty G-d’s intent based upon a literalist reading of a text filled with ambiguity, mistranslations, missing words, and seeming contradictions.
Note 1: http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=Deuteronomy&gwp=13
Note 2: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_meaning_of_the_Bible_word_Deuteronomy
Note 3: Page 319 of The Torah Anthology / Me’Am Lo’Ez, Book Two, The Patriarchs by Rabbi Yaakov Culi, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Moznaim Publishing Corp., copyright 1989
There are those who believe the bible is the word of G-d. There is no doubt in my mind that the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) is the word of G-d. That said, I believe Joshua may have written the account of Moses’ death at the end of Deuteronomy.
The problem is that many of those who say the bible is the word of G-d, then cite a fundamentalist, literalist interpretation of the bible as authority for their beliefs and prejudices. They then act on those beliefs and prejudices to impose their will upon others. There are several scriptural problems with this approach, in addition to the lack of respect for those of differing faith traditions.
The first scriptural problem is that G-d no longer sends us prophets. No one today can speak for G-d, as no one today is a prophet.
Second, I have yet to see an accurate translation of the Hebrew Bible into English. The reason for this is very simple. It is impossible to translate Hebrew into English accurately. Hebrew is a very nuanced language in regard to scriptural matters. For example, there are different names for G-d used in the Hebrew Bible. These different names all indicate different attributes of G-d. If we are to properly understand the Almighty and his intent, it would be useful to know what attribute the original Hebrew text is mentioning; just as it is useful to understand the difference between a drizzle and a thunderstorm if one has to go out in the rain.
Another example involves the Hebrew word “et” (also transliterated as “es” or “eth”). Et appears many times in the Hebrew Bible. Et is a word that has no meaning. Yet every time et appears, it alludes to something important, something important yet unspoken. Et is so important it is discussed in the Talmud (Kiddushin 57a). The Talmud is second only to the Bible in the Jewish tradition. This important word, this word so full of meaning that it appears numerous times in the bible as well as being discussed in the Talmud, is not translated into English. How can one know the will of G-d when not all the words of G-d are present?
Third, is the issue of mistranslation. An example of this can be found in the English name for one of the books of the bible, Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy comes from ancient Greek via Latin, with the Greek being a mistranslation of the original Hebrew (note 1). Deuteronomy “literally means 'second law' coming from the Greek words nomos (law) and deutero (second).” (note 2) The problem is not only is this word mistranslated, but its meaning is incorrect as Moses did not merely retell the law in Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy, Moses also discussed commandments that are given only in Deuteronomy (and that are not given in any of the other books of the Hebrew Bible). If you are giving additional commandments, then you are not merely retelling the law, which is what the name Deuteronomy means.
The Hebrew name for Deuteronomy is “Devarim” meaning “events” and “which can also be translated as ‘words.’” (note 3) It is interesting to note that the Hebrew name provides a very accurate insight into the content of this book of the bible, as this book consists of Moses’ final address to the Jewish people (words); with the address consisting of Moses; explaining the law, recounting the wondering in the desert (events), and providing final instructions for the Jewish people as they enter the Land of Israel upon his passing.
Fourth, there are three different versions of the Ten Commandments. There is the Jewish version, the Protestant version, and the Catholic version. Surely, if the English translation of the bible that is being used were an accurate translation of the word of G-d there would be only one version. It is also worth noting that there are subtle differences in the text of the Hebrew Bible, as the two sets of tablets were slightly different. This raises the question; what is G-d telling us with these two slightly different versions?
Lastly, the Hebrew Bible is filled with instances that cry out for explanation. For example in the account of creation; day and night is created on the first day, yet the sun and moon are not created until the fourth day. We also have the example of chapter one of Genesis telling us that G-d created man and woman. Yet chapter two of Genesis seemingly contradicts this when the account of the creation of woman is given, thereby implying that woman was not created as stated in chapter one. Another example would be the unusual word choice in Genesis 1:26 which states: “And G-d said: ‘Let us make man.’” Who is the us? Did G-d create man or was it a group undertaking? If creating man was a group undertaking, who are the other members of the group? If G-d created man, why is us used? These few examples are all from the biblical account of creation. In addition to these examples, there are numerous other examples like this throughout the Hebrew Bible.
In conclusion, I believe that part of the Bible is the word of G-d. I also believe only an arrogant fool would think that he or she has the knowledge and the wisdom of the Almighty, and can therefore state with absolute certainty G-d’s intent based upon a literalist reading of a text filled with ambiguity, mistranslations, missing words, and seeming contradictions.
Note 1: http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=Deuteronomy&gwp=13
Note 2: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_meaning_of_the_Bible_word_Deuteronomy
Note 3: Page 319 of The Torah Anthology / Me’Am Lo’Ez, Book Two, The Patriarchs by Rabbi Yaakov Culi, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Moznaim Publishing Corp., copyright 1989
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Talking Nonsense
By Gary Konecky
"Not everything that is thought should be said. And not everything that is said should be repeated. And not everything that is repeated should be remembered." - Rabbi Israel Salanter
We recently had extensive coverage of Tiger Woods and his extramarital affairs. What good was done by all this talk? Do we really need to know his intimate affairs? Does whom he slept with or details of his marriage affect our lives? Would we have been better off if something useful was discussed instead?
Several months ago Bernie Madoff was in the news and we again had extensive media coverage of details involving him and his family. Yet the larger issue of how the government has repeatedly failed to protect the American public from financial fraud after financial fraud (Enron, TYCO, MCI WorldCom, Adelphia Communications, HealthSouth, Washington Mutual, AIG, Countrywide, et. al.) was not reported nor discussed. Wouldn’t reporting about the government turning a blind eye to financial fraud been more useful?
Recently, in comments on one of my blogs, I was attacked by so called religious people. I was called a sinner. I had bible verses thrown at me. Did this do anyone any good? What is fueling their hate and anger and what gives them the right to lash out at others? How does any of this benefit society? Whatever happened to: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." - Hillel (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)?
Nor is the problem of inappropriate speech a new problem. In chapter 22 of Samuel I, we learn the Doeg the Edomite told Saul about Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. Ahimelech was the priest who was unaware of Saul’s hatred of David and who innocently aided David. Doeg’s tale baring resulted not only in the death of Ahimelech, but it also resulted in Nob, the city of the priests, being smote with the sharp edge of the sword, both man and woman, infant and suckling, and ox and ass, and lamb. The lesson for us is that people sometimes die when we say things we should not say. Least anyone think I am exaggerating, let us remember not so many years ago when those so-called religious people opposed any funding of AIDS research saying; “AIDS was G-d’s wrath.”
We also have some interesting teachings from the Talmud. In Sukkah 49b we are taught that performing charity and justice is more acceptable to the L-rd than offering sacrifices. In Shekalim 15a, we learn: "Everyone was gossiping about Zecharyah, the son-in-law of R’ Levi, saying that he does not need to take charity, but he nevertheless takes. When he died, they investigated, and found that he was distributing it all to others, who were needy, but were too embarrassed to take themselves."
How much harm does our needless talk cause? How many times do we open our mouths because we are absolutely convinced we know something, only to find out that we knew nothing, as in the case of those who gossiped about Zecharyah?
In Pirkei Avot 1:17, we are taught: “Shimon his son said: All my days have I grown up among the wise and I have not found anything better for a man than silence.” http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Rabbinics/Talmud/Mishnah/Seder_Nezikin_Damages_/Pirkei_Avot/Chapter_One.shtml
How much of our talk serves no useful purpose? How many times would our silence be wiser than our speech? Perhaps we should think before we open our mouths. Perhaps we should weigh our words with care. Perhaps we should speak only when we have something, something truly useful, to say.
"Not everything that is thought should be said. And not everything that is said should be repeated. And not everything that is repeated should be remembered." - Rabbi Israel Salanter
We recently had extensive coverage of Tiger Woods and his extramarital affairs. What good was done by all this talk? Do we really need to know his intimate affairs? Does whom he slept with or details of his marriage affect our lives? Would we have been better off if something useful was discussed instead?
Several months ago Bernie Madoff was in the news and we again had extensive media coverage of details involving him and his family. Yet the larger issue of how the government has repeatedly failed to protect the American public from financial fraud after financial fraud (Enron, TYCO, MCI WorldCom, Adelphia Communications, HealthSouth, Washington Mutual, AIG, Countrywide, et. al.) was not reported nor discussed. Wouldn’t reporting about the government turning a blind eye to financial fraud been more useful?
Recently, in comments on one of my blogs, I was attacked by so called religious people. I was called a sinner. I had bible verses thrown at me. Did this do anyone any good? What is fueling their hate and anger and what gives them the right to lash out at others? How does any of this benefit society? Whatever happened to: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." - Hillel (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)?
Nor is the problem of inappropriate speech a new problem. In chapter 22 of Samuel I, we learn the Doeg the Edomite told Saul about Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. Ahimelech was the priest who was unaware of Saul’s hatred of David and who innocently aided David. Doeg’s tale baring resulted not only in the death of Ahimelech, but it also resulted in Nob, the city of the priests, being smote with the sharp edge of the sword, both man and woman, infant and suckling, and ox and ass, and lamb. The lesson for us is that people sometimes die when we say things we should not say. Least anyone think I am exaggerating, let us remember not so many years ago when those so-called religious people opposed any funding of AIDS research saying; “AIDS was G-d’s wrath.”
We also have some interesting teachings from the Talmud. In Sukkah 49b we are taught that performing charity and justice is more acceptable to the L-rd than offering sacrifices. In Shekalim 15a, we learn: "Everyone was gossiping about Zecharyah, the son-in-law of R’ Levi, saying that he does not need to take charity, but he nevertheless takes. When he died, they investigated, and found that he was distributing it all to others, who were needy, but were too embarrassed to take themselves."
How much harm does our needless talk cause? How many times do we open our mouths because we are absolutely convinced we know something, only to find out that we knew nothing, as in the case of those who gossiped about Zecharyah?
In Pirkei Avot 1:17, we are taught: “Shimon his son said: All my days have I grown up among the wise and I have not found anything better for a man than silence.” http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Rabbinics/Talmud/Mishnah/Seder_Nezikin_Damages_/Pirkei_Avot/Chapter_One.shtml
How much of our talk serves no useful purpose? How many times would our silence be wiser than our speech? Perhaps we should think before we open our mouths. Perhaps we should weigh our words with care. Perhaps we should speak only when we have something, something truly useful, to say.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Same Sex Marriage
By Gary Konecky
I recently had the wonderful privilege to participate on a very distinguished panel of clergy that discussed the issue of sexual orientation and scripture. One of the audience members asked a question that attempted to link the ban in Leviticus on homosexuality to the ban in Leviticus on bestiality. Several panel members addressed this question. Then the audience member asked it again, which I take as unwillingness to listen or to accept the pro-gay explanation that was offered.
This brings up several issues, one of which is why deliberately misinterpret scripture? The ban in Leviticus is not a ban on all homosexual expression. A literal reading of scripture clearly indicates that it is referring to male homosexuality (not lesbianism) and it appears to not be banning all male homosexual sex acts. Therefore, we can already conclude these two verses are not the ban that this person was claiming which leaves us with the question of why deliberately misinterpret scripture?
The next issue is the ridiculous argument against same sex marriage that the religious right and bible thumping bigots make. This is the slippery slope argument that somehow marriage is so fragile that it needs to be an excusive club for heterosexuals only. Implied in this argument is the premise that only heterosexuals are capable of loving each other and that homosexuals do not form loving relationships but only rut around like farm animals. I would like to point out that I have never heard of any cleric who was approached by two farm animals that wanted to be married. Furthermore, an approximately 50% divorce rate among heterosexuals seems to indicate that heterosexuals have done far more harm to marriage than any gay or lesbian person could ever do.
Another problem with this argument by religious fundamentalists and bigots is that it equates a committed relationship between two consenting adults to a sex act involving sheep. Recently, my lover of 19 years and I went for a walk in a local park. This was the first time that we had walked in that park in many years without our pet dog (who had died earlier this year). How can any sane individual equate 19 years of for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, to sex with a pet dog? Much as we loved the dog, no one ever had sex with her. How does one equate the worry about a sick lover who is in the hospital with a sex act involving an animal? What type of sick individual would equate 5 or 10 or 20 or 50 years of two adults in a committed relationship to a sex act involving an a cow? How could anyone in their right mind equate an intimate loving walk in a park by two adults with a sex act involving a donkey? Yet that is what this audience member did and that is what members of the clergy taught him.
Why is that when two heterosexuals walk in public with their children, children that are the product of heterosexual sexual intercourse, they are not flaunting their sexuality; yet if two men walk down the street holding hands they are flaunting their sexuality? Why is it that those who oppose equality for gays and lesbians can only think of gays and lesbians in terms of what they do in the privacy of their bedroom? Does anyone think that gays and lesbians have such great sex that they would go through all the trials and tribulations of a committed relationship for a quickie?
Those who oppose same sex marriage are at best uneducated and are blatant hate mongering bigots at worst. In either event, they use ridiculous, completely bogus arguments to oppose same sex marriage. Same sex marriage will not lead to incest any more than heterosexual marriage does. Same sex marriage will not lead to people marrying their pets. Same sex marriage will not lead to pedophilia. There is no way that two loving adults in a committed relationship can be a threat to anyone’s marriage. To say any of these other things is to tell a lie. All these arguments against same sex marriage are bogus, they are all red herrings designed to distract people from the real issue.
As for the pedophilia argument, I want to point out that the Roman Catholic Church, that has spent millions of dollars opposing any civil rights for gays and lesbians, is known for a worldwide series of pedophilia scandals.
The there are those who claim that same sex relationships are unnatural. They make this argument despite a massive body of scientific evidence that proves that homosexuality is a natural behavior common to all mammals.
Then there is the bible literalist interpretation that says homosexuality is a sin. To which Rev. Mel White replies: “Even when we believe the Scriptures are ‘infallible’ or ‘without error,’ it's terribly dangerous to think that our understanding of every biblical text is also without error. We are human. We are fallible. And we can misunderstand and misinterpret these ancient words -- with tragic results.”
Leviticus Rabbah 22:1 teaches us: “He who loves the study of G-d’s words will not be satisfied with the written Torah, but will go on to the Mishnah and Talmud.” In Baba Metzia 33, we are told: “The Rabbis have taught: ‘Those who study Scripture are scholars of degree, but not a high degree. Those who study Mishnah are scholars of higher degree. Those who study Talmud are scholars of the highest degree.’” Lastly, according to Sopherim 16; “We read: ‘The L-rd spoke with you faces to faces.’ (Deut. 5:4) The passage does not read ‘pan to pan,’ face to face, but ‘panim le-panim,’ faces to faces. This teaches there are four faces or kinds of Torah: Scripture, Mishnah, Halakah, and Aggadah.” In Pirkei Avot 5:21, we are taught: “HE USED TO SAY: FIVE YEARS [IS THE AGE] FOR [THE STUDY OF] SCRIPTURE, TEN-FOR [THE STUDY OF] MISHNAH, THIRTEEN-FOR [BECOMING SUBJECT TO] COMMANDMENTS, FIFTEEN-FOR [THE STUDY OF] TALMUD…” (see note)
The real issue of same sex marriage is about love, as in two adults who care for each other more than they care for life itself. It is about giving two people (who love and want to care for each other) the tools needed so that they can love and care for each other. Such a love should be cherished and strengthened by society. Such a love should not be open to public debate. Such a love should not be the subject of political campaigns. Such a love should not be subjected to being voted on. Such a love should not be subjected to the whims of a “majority”. Such a love should not be made contingent on the approval of the Roman Catholic Church, nor the approval of the Mormons, nor the approval of fundamentalist “Christians,” nor the approval of Muslims, nor the approval of Orthodox Jews. Such a commitment should be the providence of the two people who G-d has blessed so that they were able to find each other and to love each other. Let us remember that one of the greatest curses is that of loneliness and that one of the greatest tragedies is to die alone and unloved.
Civil marriage is about strengthening the bonds of love and giving two adults in a committed relationship the tools needed to take care of each other. Those tools being health insurance (which many employers provide for married employees and their spouses), hospital visitation rights (which are frequently restricted to family members), immigration rights (so as not to break up a loving relationship because one person was not born here), the right to bury ones spouse (which does not include mere lovers or mere domestic partners) and finally the right to inherit property (which again does not include lovers or domestic partners). How dare anyone attempt to interfere in such a personal and intimate relationship? How dare anyone interfere in such a loving relationship with the goal of destroying such a relationship? How dare anyone liken such a caring relationship to a sex act with an animal? How dare anyone call loving and caring for another person a sin?
----------------
Note: The quote from Pirkei Avot is in all caps as the quote is a mishnah, To distinguish mishnah from gemara, some publishers print the mishnah in all caps when it is printed in English. The source of the quote is The Soncino Talmud , Judaic Classics by David Kantrowitz, Version 3.0.8, Copyright 1991-2004.
I recently had the wonderful privilege to participate on a very distinguished panel of clergy that discussed the issue of sexual orientation and scripture. One of the audience members asked a question that attempted to link the ban in Leviticus on homosexuality to the ban in Leviticus on bestiality. Several panel members addressed this question. Then the audience member asked it again, which I take as unwillingness to listen or to accept the pro-gay explanation that was offered.
This brings up several issues, one of which is why deliberately misinterpret scripture? The ban in Leviticus is not a ban on all homosexual expression. A literal reading of scripture clearly indicates that it is referring to male homosexuality (not lesbianism) and it appears to not be banning all male homosexual sex acts. Therefore, we can already conclude these two verses are not the ban that this person was claiming which leaves us with the question of why deliberately misinterpret scripture?
The next issue is the ridiculous argument against same sex marriage that the religious right and bible thumping bigots make. This is the slippery slope argument that somehow marriage is so fragile that it needs to be an excusive club for heterosexuals only. Implied in this argument is the premise that only heterosexuals are capable of loving each other and that homosexuals do not form loving relationships but only rut around like farm animals. I would like to point out that I have never heard of any cleric who was approached by two farm animals that wanted to be married. Furthermore, an approximately 50% divorce rate among heterosexuals seems to indicate that heterosexuals have done far more harm to marriage than any gay or lesbian person could ever do.
Another problem with this argument by religious fundamentalists and bigots is that it equates a committed relationship between two consenting adults to a sex act involving sheep. Recently, my lover of 19 years and I went for a walk in a local park. This was the first time that we had walked in that park in many years without our pet dog (who had died earlier this year). How can any sane individual equate 19 years of for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, to sex with a pet dog? Much as we loved the dog, no one ever had sex with her. How does one equate the worry about a sick lover who is in the hospital with a sex act involving an animal? What type of sick individual would equate 5 or 10 or 20 or 50 years of two adults in a committed relationship to a sex act involving an a cow? How could anyone in their right mind equate an intimate loving walk in a park by two adults with a sex act involving a donkey? Yet that is what this audience member did and that is what members of the clergy taught him.
Why is that when two heterosexuals walk in public with their children, children that are the product of heterosexual sexual intercourse, they are not flaunting their sexuality; yet if two men walk down the street holding hands they are flaunting their sexuality? Why is it that those who oppose equality for gays and lesbians can only think of gays and lesbians in terms of what they do in the privacy of their bedroom? Does anyone think that gays and lesbians have such great sex that they would go through all the trials and tribulations of a committed relationship for a quickie?
Those who oppose same sex marriage are at best uneducated and are blatant hate mongering bigots at worst. In either event, they use ridiculous, completely bogus arguments to oppose same sex marriage. Same sex marriage will not lead to incest any more than heterosexual marriage does. Same sex marriage will not lead to people marrying their pets. Same sex marriage will not lead to pedophilia. There is no way that two loving adults in a committed relationship can be a threat to anyone’s marriage. To say any of these other things is to tell a lie. All these arguments against same sex marriage are bogus, they are all red herrings designed to distract people from the real issue.
As for the pedophilia argument, I want to point out that the Roman Catholic Church, that has spent millions of dollars opposing any civil rights for gays and lesbians, is known for a worldwide series of pedophilia scandals.
The there are those who claim that same sex relationships are unnatural. They make this argument despite a massive body of scientific evidence that proves that homosexuality is a natural behavior common to all mammals.
Then there is the bible literalist interpretation that says homosexuality is a sin. To which Rev. Mel White replies: “Even when we believe the Scriptures are ‘infallible’ or ‘without error,’ it's terribly dangerous to think that our understanding of every biblical text is also without error. We are human. We are fallible. And we can misunderstand and misinterpret these ancient words -- with tragic results.”
Leviticus Rabbah 22:1 teaches us: “He who loves the study of G-d’s words will not be satisfied with the written Torah, but will go on to the Mishnah and Talmud.” In Baba Metzia 33, we are told: “The Rabbis have taught: ‘Those who study Scripture are scholars of degree, but not a high degree. Those who study Mishnah are scholars of higher degree. Those who study Talmud are scholars of the highest degree.’” Lastly, according to Sopherim 16; “We read: ‘The L-rd spoke with you faces to faces.’ (Deut. 5:4) The passage does not read ‘pan to pan,’ face to face, but ‘panim le-panim,’ faces to faces. This teaches there are four faces or kinds of Torah: Scripture, Mishnah, Halakah, and Aggadah.” In Pirkei Avot 5:21, we are taught: “HE USED TO SAY: FIVE YEARS [IS THE AGE] FOR [THE STUDY OF] SCRIPTURE, TEN-FOR [THE STUDY OF] MISHNAH, THIRTEEN-FOR [BECOMING SUBJECT TO] COMMANDMENTS, FIFTEEN-FOR [THE STUDY OF] TALMUD…” (see note)
The real issue of same sex marriage is about love, as in two adults who care for each other more than they care for life itself. It is about giving two people (who love and want to care for each other) the tools needed so that they can love and care for each other. Such a love should be cherished and strengthened by society. Such a love should not be open to public debate. Such a love should not be the subject of political campaigns. Such a love should not be subjected to being voted on. Such a love should not be subjected to the whims of a “majority”. Such a love should not be made contingent on the approval of the Roman Catholic Church, nor the approval of the Mormons, nor the approval of fundamentalist “Christians,” nor the approval of Muslims, nor the approval of Orthodox Jews. Such a commitment should be the providence of the two people who G-d has blessed so that they were able to find each other and to love each other. Let us remember that one of the greatest curses is that of loneliness and that one of the greatest tragedies is to die alone and unloved.
Civil marriage is about strengthening the bonds of love and giving two adults in a committed relationship the tools needed to take care of each other. Those tools being health insurance (which many employers provide for married employees and their spouses), hospital visitation rights (which are frequently restricted to family members), immigration rights (so as not to break up a loving relationship because one person was not born here), the right to bury ones spouse (which does not include mere lovers or mere domestic partners) and finally the right to inherit property (which again does not include lovers or domestic partners). How dare anyone attempt to interfere in such a personal and intimate relationship? How dare anyone interfere in such a loving relationship with the goal of destroying such a relationship? How dare anyone liken such a caring relationship to a sex act with an animal? How dare anyone call loving and caring for another person a sin?
----------------
Note: The quote from Pirkei Avot is in all caps as the quote is a mishnah, To distinguish mishnah from gemara, some publishers print the mishnah in all caps when it is printed in English. The source of the quote is The Soncino Talmud , Judaic Classics by David Kantrowitz, Version 3.0.8, Copyright 1991-2004.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sermon: The Burning Palace
By Gary Konecky
In Genesis 12:1, G-d tells Abraham to leave his father’s house and journey to a destination that G-d will show him. In the Midrash of the Burning Palace (Genesis Rabbah 39:10), we learn that as Abraham journeys, he passes a burning palace. Abraham wonders is it possible that the palace does not have an owner? Is it possible that the owner built a beautiful palace, only to abandon it and let it be consumed by fire? Abraham then sees someone in a palace window. Abraham asks if he owns the palace. The owner says that he is the owner of the palace. The owner does not make any attempt to flee the fire nor to put out the flames. He merely states that he is the owner of the palace. What does this mean?
The meaning of this midrash is that as Abraham contemplated the world, G-d’s creation, a creation rich in miracles and wonders; from childbirth, to crops and food to eat, to spectacular sunrises and sunsets, to beautiful flowers, to the miracle of life itself; it is as if G-d built a palace. Yet the palace is in flames; the flames of injustice, war, terrorism, greed, rape, looting, plunder and murder. Abraham wonders, as do many of us, did G-d create all this only to abandon it? G-d answers from the burning palace that he is the owner.
What does G-d mean by this? G-d’s answer is: “ I am the ruler, Sovereign of the universe.” While this is a factual statement, the meaning is not clear to us, nor was it clear to Abraham. Remember the palace is in flames; G-d’s creation is being destroyed by man.
Abraham wonders how this could be happening. Why did G-d let man destroy His creation? Why would G-d abandon His creation, the palace? G-d replies, “I am the owner of the palace, I am Sovereign of the universe.”
Abraham is asking G-d why He abandoned his creation. G-d replies by asking Abraham why did we abandon G-d? G-d gave us free will, and we used that free will to set fire to G-d’s palace. Because of G-d giving us free will, G-d cannot put out the fire consuming His palace. Therefore, G-d is asking Abraham, and us, to help Him by putting out the fire.
And so we come to our mission; to extinguish the fires of immorality and injustice. It is our mission to be appalled by evil man has wrought upon G-d’s creation. To help guide us in the fulfillment of our mission, we come to this teaching from the Talmud (Sotah 14a ): “Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead.” Let us also remember what we are told in Micah 6:8: “…what the L-rd demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your G-d.”
May we all have the wisdom to use our free will to choose wisely and compassionately. May we use our lives to help to put out the fire of the burning palace.
I am indebted to Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson for his keen insights into this important midrash.
In Genesis 12:1, G-d tells Abraham to leave his father’s house and journey to a destination that G-d will show him. In the Midrash of the Burning Palace (Genesis Rabbah 39:10), we learn that as Abraham journeys, he passes a burning palace. Abraham wonders is it possible that the palace does not have an owner? Is it possible that the owner built a beautiful palace, only to abandon it and let it be consumed by fire? Abraham then sees someone in a palace window. Abraham asks if he owns the palace. The owner says that he is the owner of the palace. The owner does not make any attempt to flee the fire nor to put out the flames. He merely states that he is the owner of the palace. What does this mean?
The meaning of this midrash is that as Abraham contemplated the world, G-d’s creation, a creation rich in miracles and wonders; from childbirth, to crops and food to eat, to spectacular sunrises and sunsets, to beautiful flowers, to the miracle of life itself; it is as if G-d built a palace. Yet the palace is in flames; the flames of injustice, war, terrorism, greed, rape, looting, plunder and murder. Abraham wonders, as do many of us, did G-d create all this only to abandon it? G-d answers from the burning palace that he is the owner.
What does G-d mean by this? G-d’s answer is: “ I am the ruler, Sovereign of the universe.” While this is a factual statement, the meaning is not clear to us, nor was it clear to Abraham. Remember the palace is in flames; G-d’s creation is being destroyed by man.
Abraham wonders how this could be happening. Why did G-d let man destroy His creation? Why would G-d abandon His creation, the palace? G-d replies, “I am the owner of the palace, I am Sovereign of the universe.”
Abraham is asking G-d why He abandoned his creation. G-d replies by asking Abraham why did we abandon G-d? G-d gave us free will, and we used that free will to set fire to G-d’s palace. Because of G-d giving us free will, G-d cannot put out the fire consuming His palace. Therefore, G-d is asking Abraham, and us, to help Him by putting out the fire.
And so we come to our mission; to extinguish the fires of immorality and injustice. It is our mission to be appalled by evil man has wrought upon G-d’s creation. To help guide us in the fulfillment of our mission, we come to this teaching from the Talmud (Sotah 14a ): “Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead.” Let us also remember what we are told in Micah 6:8: “…what the L-rd demands of you; but to do justice, to love loving-kindness, and to walk discreetly with your G-d.”
May we all have the wisdom to use our free will to choose wisely and compassionately. May we use our lives to help to put out the fire of the burning palace.
I am indebted to Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson for his keen insights into this important midrash.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Shame On These Rabbis
By Gary Konecky
I am appalled that Jews who would team up with world class Jew haters to discriminate against gays and lesbians. It is stunts like this (baseless hatred) that is the reason we still do not have the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Additionally, there is something fundamentally immoral about victims of
discrimination demanding that the government practice discrimination.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and his fellow travelers (including Orthodox Union and the Jewish ghetto in Monsey, NY), need to explain to me, a fellow Jew, how economic insecurity resulting from not having adequate health insurance, not having the right to inherit property (G-d forbid my lover predeceases me), and so on strengthens the Jewish community.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and all his fellow travelers need to explain to me
how economically hurting people, how discriminating against the stranger, how demanding the government enforce social policies akin to those of Sodom is in accordance with Jewish teaching.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and his fellow travelers have decided to live in
a ghetto of their own making in Lakewood, and now these bigots need to go back to their ghetto in Lakewood and get out of my house and my intimate relationships.
However, as they have raised the issue of public policy, I feel it is now appropriate to ask how many Jews reproduce like rabbits and have so many children that they cannot afford to support them resulting in these families being on welfare? How many of these Jews have families so large that they do not pay income taxes on six figure incomes? If you are on the public dole, or if you do not pay income taxes, you have a huge amount of chutzpah telling us, the gays and lesbians who pay the taxes that support your irresponsible sex lives and resulting children, that we should be denied their civil rights.
Furthermore, “'This really hurts us,' said Rabbi Osher Lieberman." How does it hurt you? How does my having a mature, monogamous, loving relationship with a consenting adult hurt you? How?
Speaking on the subject of hurt, how many gays and lesbians will be the victims of hate crimes because of your bigotry. How much blood will you and all your fellow travelers be responsible for spilling when the Hebrew Bible tells you that you should not stand by while your fellow's blood is being shed. The Misnah teaches us “Whoever saves one life, it is as if he saved the entire world.” We also know the converse of this is true. So I ask you as bigoted Jews, how many worlds are you destroying to enshrine your bigotry into law?
Lastly, Rabbi Osher Lieberman, you and your fellow travelers owe every single gay and lesbian an apology for holding their personal lives up to public ridicule and name-calling.
Rabbis, heterosexuals join NJ gay marriage debate
By GEOFF MULVIHILL (AP) – December 1, 2009
LAKEWOOD, N.J. — The leaders in the local large Orthodox Jewish community go to great lengths to keep out the outside world, discouraging nonbusiness use of the Internet and encouraging strict filters to keep the ungodly out when members must use the Web.
But last month, several rabbis and other elders did something astounding for them: They took a public stand on a political issue, declaring their opposition to same-sex marriage in the state.
"This really hurts us," said Rabbi Osher Lieberman, a key figure in the community in the suburbs about 30 miles east of Trenton. "To say (it's) immoral is not enough."
He said community members are being encouraged to do whatever they can to make sure lawmakers don't vote to recognize gay marriage.
In a state that leans a bit left, the conservative rabbis are one of a handful of groups taking a passionate — and maybe surprising — role in a debate that's likely to be decided by January. The newly political rabbis have joined a coalition including Roman Catholic bishops, evangelicals and some black and Latino leaders.
The other side of the debate, anchored by a well-organized, well-connected gay rights group, is getting a boost from heterosexual liberals.
When Republican Chris Christie unseated Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in the gubernatorial election last month, it gave gay-rights activists more urgency to try to achieve their long-held goal of getting a same-sex marriage bill through the Legislature before Christie takes office Jan. 19.
The reason is simple: Corzine supports the bill. Christie says he would veto it.
If it's not passed by the end of the legislative session, that means the window will close for now on New Jersey joining Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut as the only states to recognize gay marriage.
Democratic lawmakers have been wrangling over whether the matter will get a debate in the Legislature. Most party leaders say they won't bring it up unless it looks as though it will pass.
Gay-rights supporters and social conservatives alike have been lobbying lawmakers, though it's a debate that doesn't seem to be enrapturing the state as a whole. Two polls last month found the public is divided over the issue. One found narrow support, the other narrow opposition.
But the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, which found support, also showed that most residents think the issue is not a big deal.
It is a big deal to Betty Wyka, a museum employee from Parsippany who has long supported same-sex marriage. In February, she started volunteering for Garden State Equality, the state's main gay-rights group. Steven Goldstein, the chairman of the group, says that as a straight woman Wyka is typical of a new volunteer.
Wyka said she joined partly to counter a claim that gay-marriage opponents often make: that allowing gay couples to wed will make society value traditional marriages less.
"I got sick of hearing that same-sex marriage is going to impact my marriage. That's a bunch of hooey," she said. "It's a civil rights issue."
Lakewood's Orthodox community is mostly isolated from the rest of society. The men wear long beards, white shirts, black suits and black hats, and women are not nearly as visible as men. The community was founded in 1942 by a rabbinic leader who fled Poland and the Holocaust. It's now home to some 10,000 Orthodox families and the rabbinical school, which has more than 5,000 students.
Before last month's election, rabbis allowed distribution of a voting guide from the socially conservative New Jersey Family Policy Council. While religious institutions would not be required to marry gay couples, some say their religious freedom could be squeezed by permitting something they say runs against their beliefs.
Orthodox Jews, like many Christians, look to the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, which many interpret as saying that homosexuality is immoral.
A group of Lakewood community leaders granted an interview with an Associated Press reporter — a rarity and part of the effort to become involved in the push against gay marriage. The leaders said they're taking their position public because in the Internet age more information about the broader world is flowing into their community.
The large Orthodox community is not the first to speak out against the prospect of gay marriage. Last year, the New York-based Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America made a public statement in favor of California's Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment that outlawed gay marriage there months after a court allowed it.
And leaders in Lakewood say they received political guidance from some in the Orthodox Jewish community in Monsey, N.Y. In New York, the state Assembly already has passed a law to allow gay marriage, and the Senate is considering whether to follow.
Orthodox Jews traditionally have been regular voters who oppose candidates who support abortion rights and gay rights, said Yaakov S. Ariel, a professor of religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"The visible part is what's new," Ariel said. "The opinions and the support of candidates is not new."
What's especially troubling to some in Lakewood is not just that New Jersey might recognize same-sex marriages but that Orthodox Jews would be more likely now than in the past to know about it — and think that it's OK to be gay.
"These type of laws bring an exposure to our community," Rabbi Aaron Sarscher said.
And that's why there's a new voice in the debate.
"I really don't believe in getting involved in government," said another community leader, David Sofer. "But when an issue is so dangerous, you have to stop it."
I am appalled that Jews who would team up with world class Jew haters to discriminate against gays and lesbians. It is stunts like this (baseless hatred) that is the reason we still do not have the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Additionally, there is something fundamentally immoral about victims of
discrimination demanding that the government practice discrimination.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and his fellow travelers (including Orthodox Union and the Jewish ghetto in Monsey, NY), need to explain to me, a fellow Jew, how economic insecurity resulting from not having adequate health insurance, not having the right to inherit property (G-d forbid my lover predeceases me), and so on strengthens the Jewish community.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and all his fellow travelers need to explain to me
how economically hurting people, how discriminating against the stranger, how demanding the government enforce social policies akin to those of Sodom is in accordance with Jewish teaching.
Rabbi Osher Lieberman and his fellow travelers have decided to live in
a ghetto of their own making in Lakewood, and now these bigots need to go back to their ghetto in Lakewood and get out of my house and my intimate relationships.
However, as they have raised the issue of public policy, I feel it is now appropriate to ask how many Jews reproduce like rabbits and have so many children that they cannot afford to support them resulting in these families being on welfare? How many of these Jews have families so large that they do not pay income taxes on six figure incomes? If you are on the public dole, or if you do not pay income taxes, you have a huge amount of chutzpah telling us, the gays and lesbians who pay the taxes that support your irresponsible sex lives and resulting children, that we should be denied their civil rights.
Furthermore, “'This really hurts us,' said Rabbi Osher Lieberman." How does it hurt you? How does my having a mature, monogamous, loving relationship with a consenting adult hurt you? How?
Speaking on the subject of hurt, how many gays and lesbians will be the victims of hate crimes because of your bigotry. How much blood will you and all your fellow travelers be responsible for spilling when the Hebrew Bible tells you that you should not stand by while your fellow's blood is being shed. The Misnah teaches us “Whoever saves one life, it is as if he saved the entire world.” We also know the converse of this is true. So I ask you as bigoted Jews, how many worlds are you destroying to enshrine your bigotry into law?
Lastly, Rabbi Osher Lieberman, you and your fellow travelers owe every single gay and lesbian an apology for holding their personal lives up to public ridicule and name-calling.
Rabbis, heterosexuals join NJ gay marriage debate
By GEOFF MULVIHILL (AP) – December 1, 2009
LAKEWOOD, N.J. — The leaders in the local large Orthodox Jewish community go to great lengths to keep out the outside world, discouraging nonbusiness use of the Internet and encouraging strict filters to keep the ungodly out when members must use the Web.
But last month, several rabbis and other elders did something astounding for them: They took a public stand on a political issue, declaring their opposition to same-sex marriage in the state.
"This really hurts us," said Rabbi Osher Lieberman, a key figure in the community in the suburbs about 30 miles east of Trenton. "To say (it's) immoral is not enough."
He said community members are being encouraged to do whatever they can to make sure lawmakers don't vote to recognize gay marriage.
In a state that leans a bit left, the conservative rabbis are one of a handful of groups taking a passionate — and maybe surprising — role in a debate that's likely to be decided by January. The newly political rabbis have joined a coalition including Roman Catholic bishops, evangelicals and some black and Latino leaders.
The other side of the debate, anchored by a well-organized, well-connected gay rights group, is getting a boost from heterosexual liberals.
When Republican Chris Christie unseated Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in the gubernatorial election last month, it gave gay-rights activists more urgency to try to achieve their long-held goal of getting a same-sex marriage bill through the Legislature before Christie takes office Jan. 19.
The reason is simple: Corzine supports the bill. Christie says he would veto it.
If it's not passed by the end of the legislative session, that means the window will close for now on New Jersey joining Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut as the only states to recognize gay marriage.
Democratic lawmakers have been wrangling over whether the matter will get a debate in the Legislature. Most party leaders say they won't bring it up unless it looks as though it will pass.
Gay-rights supporters and social conservatives alike have been lobbying lawmakers, though it's a debate that doesn't seem to be enrapturing the state as a whole. Two polls last month found the public is divided over the issue. One found narrow support, the other narrow opposition.
But the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, which found support, also showed that most residents think the issue is not a big deal.
It is a big deal to Betty Wyka, a museum employee from Parsippany who has long supported same-sex marriage. In February, she started volunteering for Garden State Equality, the state's main gay-rights group. Steven Goldstein, the chairman of the group, says that as a straight woman Wyka is typical of a new volunteer.
Wyka said she joined partly to counter a claim that gay-marriage opponents often make: that allowing gay couples to wed will make society value traditional marriages less.
"I got sick of hearing that same-sex marriage is going to impact my marriage. That's a bunch of hooey," she said. "It's a civil rights issue."
Lakewood's Orthodox community is mostly isolated from the rest of society. The men wear long beards, white shirts, black suits and black hats, and women are not nearly as visible as men. The community was founded in 1942 by a rabbinic leader who fled Poland and the Holocaust. It's now home to some 10,000 Orthodox families and the rabbinical school, which has more than 5,000 students.
Before last month's election, rabbis allowed distribution of a voting guide from the socially conservative New Jersey Family Policy Council. While religious institutions would not be required to marry gay couples, some say their religious freedom could be squeezed by permitting something they say runs against their beliefs.
Orthodox Jews, like many Christians, look to the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, which many interpret as saying that homosexuality is immoral.
A group of Lakewood community leaders granted an interview with an Associated Press reporter — a rarity and part of the effort to become involved in the push against gay marriage. The leaders said they're taking their position public because in the Internet age more information about the broader world is flowing into their community.
The large Orthodox community is not the first to speak out against the prospect of gay marriage. Last year, the New York-based Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America made a public statement in favor of California's Proposition 8, a state constitutional amendment that outlawed gay marriage there months after a court allowed it.
And leaders in Lakewood say they received political guidance from some in the Orthodox Jewish community in Monsey, N.Y. In New York, the state Assembly already has passed a law to allow gay marriage, and the Senate is considering whether to follow.
Orthodox Jews traditionally have been regular voters who oppose candidates who support abortion rights and gay rights, said Yaakov S. Ariel, a professor of religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"The visible part is what's new," Ariel said. "The opinions and the support of candidates is not new."
What's especially troubling to some in Lakewood is not just that New Jersey might recognize same-sex marriages but that Orthodox Jews would be more likely now than in the past to know about it — and think that it's OK to be gay.
"These type of laws bring an exposure to our community," Rabbi Aaron Sarscher said.
And that's why there's a new voice in the debate.
"I really don't believe in getting involved in government," said another community leader, David Sofer. "But when an issue is so dangerous, you have to stop it."
Monday, November 16, 2009
I Do Not Understand and I Pray I Never Will
I do not understand this and I pray I never will. I do not understand what type of person or people could do such a thing. I do not understand how a police officer could condone such an outrage. From this news report, from personally seeing the New York Police Department in action and from seeing the Fair Lawn, NJ Police Department in action, I do understand that the police are unwilling to enforce hate crime laws when the victim is a gay male.
Gay Puerto Rican Teen Decapitated, Dismembered, and Burned
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/gay-puerto-rican-teen-decapitated-dismembered-and-burned.html
Over the weekend the brutalized body of gay teen George Steven Lopez Mercado was found by the side of a road in Puerto Rico. The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the "type of lifestyle" he was leading.
Mercado According to an iReport by Chrisopher Pagan: "On November 14 the body of a gay 19 year old was found a few miles away from the town in which he was residing in called Caguas. He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved. He was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso. This has caused a huge reaction from the gay community here, but its a difficult situation. Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama’s new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico. The police agent that is handling this case said on a public televised statement that 'people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen'. As If the boy murdered Jorge Steven Lopez was asking to get killed..."
Jorge Here's a report on the murder (in Spanish) from PrimeraHora.com. Said activist Pedro Julio Serrano: "It is inconceivable that the investigating officer suggests that the victim deserved his fate, like a woman deserves rape for wearing a short skirt. We demand condemnation of this investigator and demand that Superintendente Figueroa Sancha replace him with someone capable of investigating this case without prejudice." (my translation, please suggest a better one if you can).
Gay Puerto Rican Teen Decapitated, Dismembered, and Burned
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/gay-puerto-rican-teen-decapitated-dismembered-and-burned.html
Over the weekend the brutalized body of gay teen George Steven Lopez Mercado was found by the side of a road in Puerto Rico. The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the "type of lifestyle" he was leading.
Mercado According to an iReport by Chrisopher Pagan: "On November 14 the body of a gay 19 year old was found a few miles away from the town in which he was residing in called Caguas. He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved. He was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso. This has caused a huge reaction from the gay community here, but its a difficult situation. Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama’s new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico. The police agent that is handling this case said on a public televised statement that 'people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen'. As If the boy murdered Jorge Steven Lopez was asking to get killed..."
Jorge Here's a report on the murder (in Spanish) from PrimeraHora.com. Said activist Pedro Julio Serrano: "It is inconceivable that the investigating officer suggests that the victim deserved his fate, like a woman deserves rape for wearing a short skirt. We demand condemnation of this investigator and demand that Superintendente Figueroa Sancha replace him with someone capable of investigating this case without prejudice." (my translation, please suggest a better one if you can).
Thursday, October 15, 2009
We Must Make Sure This Does Not Happen Again
We must speak out against despicable acts such as this. We must condemn our elected officials, our clergy, and our politicians who preach the hate that leads to this. We must demand passage of a federal hate crimes law that will prevent acts such as this and provide a means to prosecute such horrendous acts.
News > Top Stories
Gay bashing caught on video
BY VICTOR G. MIMONI
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 5:01 PM EDT
One man is in jail on Rikers Island and another in Virginia, for the hate crime beating of an openly-gay College Point man, who is on a respirator after days in a medically induced coma in New York Hospital Queens.
A surveillance video recorded at about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 8, shows Jack Price, 49, being chased by two assailants and beaten to the ground, then kicked and punched repeatedly.
Daniel Rodriguez, 21, of 56-02 215th Street in College Point, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday, October 13, at the home of a relative in Norfolk, VA. He is being held in connection with the assault, pending extradition to New York.
Daniel Aleman, 26, of 18-04 College Point Boulevard, was arrested on Sunday, October 11. He is charged with second degree assault as a hate crime – increasing the possible prison sentence from seven to 15 years. Judge Robert Raciti set bail at $40,000.
According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Price went to the 24-hour deli-grocery store on 18th Avenue and College Point Boulevard to buy a pack of cigarettes.
As Price – who is 5’6” tall and weighs about 130 pounds – entered the store, the two allegedly yelled an anti-gay slur and repeated it twice when he left. The men then punched Price repeatedly – and stomped and punched him after he fell to the ground, DA Brown alleged.
The camera, one of several recently installed by the College Point Board of Trade, captures two men leaving Price collapsed, and then returning to rifle his pockets and further assault him.
Price managed to stagger and crawl some 11 blocks to his home, where he called 9-1-1. He was rushed to the hospital with injuries including two collapsed lungs, all of his ribs broken, a lacerated spleen and shattered jaw.
He reportedly told family members about his ordeal from his hospital bed before lapsing into unconsciousness. “Look what they did to him because he is gay,” his sister-in-law reportedly said.
Surgeons had to operate on Price’s spleen and put a metal plate in his jaw, according to reports.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the crime “despicable” and said “He was attacked simply for his orientation and we aren’t going to tolerate it.”
There can never be true justice for Jack Price,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who praised Kelly, detectives from the NYPD Hate Crimes Unit, federal Marshals and Norfolk Police for “the excellent work of the men and women” involved.
“I have the highest respect for Queens District Attorney Brown, and I know he will prosecute these offenses swiftly, sending the message that our city's commitment to tolerance will not be tarnished,” Bloomberg said.
In an official statement, the board said that the cameras were installed “in a number of businesses to deter graffiti through a grant obtained by Senator Frank Padavan. In this case one of those surveillance systems captured this crime.”
The complete news article is available at: http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2009/10/14/news/top_stories/doc4ad61270981c8020097678.txt
News > Top Stories
Gay bashing caught on video
BY VICTOR G. MIMONI
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 5:01 PM EDT
One man is in jail on Rikers Island and another in Virginia, for the hate crime beating of an openly-gay College Point man, who is on a respirator after days in a medically induced coma in New York Hospital Queens.
A surveillance video recorded at about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 8, shows Jack Price, 49, being chased by two assailants and beaten to the ground, then kicked and punched repeatedly.
Daniel Rodriguez, 21, of 56-02 215th Street in College Point, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday, October 13, at the home of a relative in Norfolk, VA. He is being held in connection with the assault, pending extradition to New York.
Daniel Aleman, 26, of 18-04 College Point Boulevard, was arrested on Sunday, October 11. He is charged with second degree assault as a hate crime – increasing the possible prison sentence from seven to 15 years. Judge Robert Raciti set bail at $40,000.
According to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Price went to the 24-hour deli-grocery store on 18th Avenue and College Point Boulevard to buy a pack of cigarettes.
As Price – who is 5’6” tall and weighs about 130 pounds – entered the store, the two allegedly yelled an anti-gay slur and repeated it twice when he left. The men then punched Price repeatedly – and stomped and punched him after he fell to the ground, DA Brown alleged.
The camera, one of several recently installed by the College Point Board of Trade, captures two men leaving Price collapsed, and then returning to rifle his pockets and further assault him.
Price managed to stagger and crawl some 11 blocks to his home, where he called 9-1-1. He was rushed to the hospital with injuries including two collapsed lungs, all of his ribs broken, a lacerated spleen and shattered jaw.
He reportedly told family members about his ordeal from his hospital bed before lapsing into unconsciousness. “Look what they did to him because he is gay,” his sister-in-law reportedly said.
Surgeons had to operate on Price’s spleen and put a metal plate in his jaw, according to reports.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the crime “despicable” and said “He was attacked simply for his orientation and we aren’t going to tolerate it.”
There can never be true justice for Jack Price,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who praised Kelly, detectives from the NYPD Hate Crimes Unit, federal Marshals and Norfolk Police for “the excellent work of the men and women” involved.
“I have the highest respect for Queens District Attorney Brown, and I know he will prosecute these offenses swiftly, sending the message that our city's commitment to tolerance will not be tarnished,” Bloomberg said.
In an official statement, the board said that the cameras were installed “in a number of businesses to deter graffiti through a grant obtained by Senator Frank Padavan. In this case one of those surveillance systems captured this crime.”
The complete news article is available at: http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2009/10/14/news/top_stories/doc4ad61270981c8020097678.txt
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Visiting the Sick
By Gary Konecky
"Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead." - Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 14a
Recently, a good and dear friend came to town to visit her dying father. She asked me to accompany her to the nursing home that was taking care of her father. I was appalled by the conditions there. The facility was obviously understaffed and what little staff they did have did not seem motivated to do anything. One patient had to go to the nurses’ station and make a fuss so as to help another patient get the nurses’ attention so that other patient would be taken to the bathroom. In the case of my friend’s dying father, we had to meet with senior staff at the nursing home to request that they change this dying man’s diaper and give him extra blankets.
We met with the senior staff in an unused dayroom. While we were meeting, the nurses’ aid was taking the patient mentioned earlier from the bathroom that was part of the dayroom suite. The aid had to navigate this patient through several closed doors. While she was opening one of the doors to do this, she left the patient in a wheelchair facing me. I waved at him. The way his face lit up you would have thought I gave him a million dollars. Why did this man get so happy from a mere wave of my hand? When was the last time anyone had paid any attention to him? Does anyone come to visit? It is obvious from my visit that the staff has neither the time nor any inclination to pay any attention to him.
According to TAFA (The Turn A Frown Around Foundation), 50% of nursing home residents and 75% of patients in mental hospitals do not get any visitors. Can you imagine the loneliness? Can you imagine the quality of life when you are left in a soiled diaper for hours or an entire day at a time? Can you imagine the quality of life when another patient has to plead with nurses for someone to take you to the bathroom?
The Talmud tells us that it is our duty to visit the sick. Imagine the difference we could make in someone’s life if we took a few hours out of our busy schedule and visited one or more of these patients.
For more information, please contact: Drew Horn, President of TAFA at 973-746-7353 or at frown2smile@aol.com. Also, please visit TAFA’s website at http://www.frowntosmile.org/
"Just as G-d clothes the naked... so must you clothe the naked. The Holy Blessed One visits the sick... so you must also visit the sick. The Holy Blessed One comforts mourners... so must you comfort mourners. The Holy Blessed One buries the dead... so must you bury the dead." - Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 14a
Recently, a good and dear friend came to town to visit her dying father. She asked me to accompany her to the nursing home that was taking care of her father. I was appalled by the conditions there. The facility was obviously understaffed and what little staff they did have did not seem motivated to do anything. One patient had to go to the nurses’ station and make a fuss so as to help another patient get the nurses’ attention so that other patient would be taken to the bathroom. In the case of my friend’s dying father, we had to meet with senior staff at the nursing home to request that they change this dying man’s diaper and give him extra blankets.
We met with the senior staff in an unused dayroom. While we were meeting, the nurses’ aid was taking the patient mentioned earlier from the bathroom that was part of the dayroom suite. The aid had to navigate this patient through several closed doors. While she was opening one of the doors to do this, she left the patient in a wheelchair facing me. I waved at him. The way his face lit up you would have thought I gave him a million dollars. Why did this man get so happy from a mere wave of my hand? When was the last time anyone had paid any attention to him? Does anyone come to visit? It is obvious from my visit that the staff has neither the time nor any inclination to pay any attention to him.
According to TAFA (The Turn A Frown Around Foundation), 50% of nursing home residents and 75% of patients in mental hospitals do not get any visitors. Can you imagine the loneliness? Can you imagine the quality of life when you are left in a soiled diaper for hours or an entire day at a time? Can you imagine the quality of life when another patient has to plead with nurses for someone to take you to the bathroom?
The Talmud tells us that it is our duty to visit the sick. Imagine the difference we could make in someone’s life if we took a few hours out of our busy schedule and visited one or more of these patients.
For more information, please contact: Drew Horn, President of TAFA at 973-746-7353 or at frown2smile@aol.com. Also, please visit TAFA’s website at http://www.frowntosmile.org/
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Need For a Federal Hate Crimes Law - Yet Again
At the end of June Fort Worth, TX police and TABC officers raided a gay bar. They beat one patron so badly he was hospitalized with life threatening injuries. The police, when caught, publicly lied about the raid, and used the infamous gay panic defense to justify their acts of violence.
In mid September, police raided a gay bar in Atlanta, GA. Again, the police violated the Constitutional rights of the people in the bar. Again, the police used the infamous gay panic defense to justify their violent conduct.
Does anyone think that a hate crime against the LGBTI community in Fort Worth or Atlanta would receive a proper investigation? How many other raids happened this summer that did not make it into a news report? How many other police departments (Fair Lawn, NJ for instance) have incompetent police departments that refuse to even acknowledge a hate crime has taken place?
Year after year after year, Congress has no nothing, nothing to protect the LGBTI citizens of this country. It is time for the President and Congress to make it a federal crime for local, gay-bashing, police departments to engage in violence against the LGBTI community. It is time to make bashing the LGBTI community a crime.
----------------------------------------------------
Details about the September Atlanta, GA raid can be found at:
http://www.sovo.com/2009/9-14/news/localnews/10607.cfm?CFID=37445236&CFTOKEN=77612917
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/09/there_was_a_protest_this.php
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jaysays/2009/09/24/Closet-Talk-The-Eagle-Bar-Raid-with-Nicholas-and-Johnnie
In mid September, police raided a gay bar in Atlanta, GA. Again, the police violated the Constitutional rights of the people in the bar. Again, the police used the infamous gay panic defense to justify their violent conduct.
Does anyone think that a hate crime against the LGBTI community in Fort Worth or Atlanta would receive a proper investigation? How many other raids happened this summer that did not make it into a news report? How many other police departments (Fair Lawn, NJ for instance) have incompetent police departments that refuse to even acknowledge a hate crime has taken place?
Year after year after year, Congress has no nothing, nothing to protect the LGBTI citizens of this country. It is time for the President and Congress to make it a federal crime for local, gay-bashing, police departments to engage in violence against the LGBTI community. It is time to make bashing the LGBTI community a crime.
----------------------------------------------------
Details about the September Atlanta, GA raid can be found at:
http://www.sovo.com/2009/9-14/news/localnews/10607.cfm?CFID=37445236&CFTOKEN=77612917
http://www.bilerico.com/2009/09/there_was_a_protest_this.php
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jaysays/2009/09/24/Closet-Talk-The-Eagle-Bar-Raid-with-Nicholas-and-Johnnie
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
URGENT: I need help immediately!
My homophobic, Jew hating, neighbors are harassing me again. They keep calling Fair Lawn, NJ borough hall to make complaints against me. Yesterday, the Health Dept. was here because of an outdoor fly trap that was trapping files outdoors.
If you know anyone in Fair Lawn, NJ local or NJ State government, it is imperative that you put me in touch with them immediately!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Action Alert: Fort Worth Police Raid on the Rainbow Lounge - “You shall not stand by [the shedding of] your fellow's blood.”
On June 28, 2009, I was in New York City with approximately one million other people. We were in New York City to mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a New York City Police Department (NYPD) raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village (in New York City). The Stonewall Riots are considered the birth of the modern gay and lesbian civil rights movement.
On June 28, 2009, the same day we were marking the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the Fort Worth Police Department and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission tried to reenact the failed NYPD raid on the Stonewall Inn. As there is no Stonewall Inn in Fort Worth, Taxes, they raided the Rainbow Lounge, a Fort Worth gay bar that had been open for approximately two weeks. They made a series of questionable arrests for public intoxication. More importantly, these law enforcement officials physically attacked bar patrons. It appears they deliberately went looking to beat up and arrest the patrons without cause. One patron, Chad Gibson, has been charged with public intoxication. He is suffering from a head injury after being attacked by five law enforcement officials and he may not survive.
Owing to the wonders of the Internet and cell phone cameras, this incident has been reported and documented. An excellent account of this incident can be found at: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/06/30/fort-worth-police-chief-that-faggot-had-it-coming
Judging from the numerous misleading statements made by the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), as well as the misleading statements made by the Chief of the FWPD and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), I have little faith that justice will be done in this case. The FWPD and TABC have launched their own “investigations.” Maybe they will conduct complete and through investigations. So far, both the FWPD and TABC seem more interested in public relations and lying about what they did.
The FWPD and TABC now want us to believe that after they went into a gay bar and without provocation violently attacked bar patrons, then lied about the attacks; that the very same people who they attacked should go to the very same FWPD and TABC that attacked them and swear out statements against the FWPD and TABC officers. They want the victims to believe that their complaints will be taken seriously, will be fairly investigated, and that FWPD and TABC officers will not retaliate against them after the make charges against FWPD and TABC officers.
I suspect there will not be an investigation by either the FWPD or the TABC. I suspect there will be a whitewashing of the incident and the whitewashing will be called a “complete and thorough investigation.” I suspect that being Fort Worth is run by politicians who will want to be re-elected, the FWPD will find a scapegoat to blame the incident on. The scapegoat will probably be the TABC. I suspect there will not be any criminal prosecutions of the FWPD or TABC officers who attacked the patrons on the grounds that no one was willing to come forward given the situation I described in the preceding paragraph. I suspect that no FWPD or TABC officers will be disciplined. I suspect the FWPD and TABC will prosecute bar patrons in an attempt to publicly justify their outrageous conduct during a ridiculous bar raid, a bar raid that appears to have the sole purpose of intimidation of the gay community in Texas, especially Fort Worth, Texas.
This brings me to Leviticus 19:16, which states: “You shall not stand by [the shedding of] your fellow's blood. I am the L-rd.”
<http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9920/showrashi/true>
Rashi the great Torah commentator explains, “I am the L-rd” as follows:
I am the Lord: faithful to pay reward [to those who heed the above warnings], and faithful to exact punishment [upon those who transgress them].
<http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9920/showrashi/true>
The question is not if we are supposed to stand by while this blood is shed, but how we are supposed to this outrageous attack. Leviticus 19:16 demands that we do something.
The answer is before the US Congress. The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been languishing in the US Senate. Those bigots who hate, including some members of the clergy and some members of Congress, have lied about this proposed law and its consequences. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) went so far as to lie about Matthew Shepard’s death and make cruel insensitive remarks in front of the dead child’s mother, Judy Shepard.
The fact of the matter is that the FWPD and TABC have proven in shed blood that local law enforcement cannot be trusted. If the victims of this attack are to see justice (“Justice, justice shall you pursue” – Deuteronomy16: 20), it is imperative that federal law enforcement be empowered to launch a complete investigation of this and other incidents. The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act would give the federal government the authority to investigate incidents such as the one at the Rainbow Lounge. Sadly, this needed legislation is stalled in the US Senate. I call upon you to contact the President, your two Senators and your Representative and demand that they push for immediate passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909). I call upon you to demand that the FBI launch an independent investigation into this unprovoked attack.
An excellent statement in support of this important legislation can be found at: http://forum.themonastery.org/index.php?showtopic=5936.
Your congressional delegation can be reached at 202-224-3121 or at http://www.house.gov/ and http://senate.gov/. The White House can be reached at 202-456-1414 or at http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Gay and Lesbian Pride - A Religious Experience
June was gay and lesbian pride month in New York City and through out much of the world. 40 years ago in June, the modern gay and lesbian civil rights movement was born in a series of riots when the New York City Police Department raided the Stonewall Inn, a bar in Greenwich Village. On the last Sunday of June, in New York City, a march is held to commemorate that event. The March is the largest annually scheduled civil rights march in the country.
Pride in New York is something to behold. There are rallies, parties, film festivals, dances, concerts, a candlelight AIDS Vigil and religious services.
This year, as in year’s past, I attended the Gay Pride Shabbat service at Temple Emanuel in Edison, NJ. Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (CBST) is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) synagogue in the world and yes they have services during Pride. I believe openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was in New York to help celebrate Pride in New York on Pride Sunday. Area churches also have services to celebrate Pride.
Earlier in June, I attended some of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed (LGBTI) pride events in Asbury Park, NJ. There were special services at the Metropolitan Community Church and there were marching contingents from area churches. There were various religious organizations with tables at the Pride festival following the march. This year, as in years past, Trinity Church in Asbury Park handed out packets of seeds in the hopes that we plant them and bring flowers into our lives.
In New York City, there were more religious marching contingents than one could count. There were the Episcopal churches (lots of Episcopal Churches), CBST, Metropolitan Community Churches, Dignity (the gay and lesbian Catholic organization), Integrity (the Episcopal gay and lesbian organization), AXIOS Eastern and Orthodox LGBT Christians, Lutheran churches, Presbyterian churches, nondenominational churches, the Jesuit Church of Saint of Saint Francis Xavier, and so many others that I cannot even remember them all.
The NYC March can best be descried as a party for 1 million of your closest friends. There are wonderful people who I see once a year at Pride. The March route is four miles long and with this many people, it takes hours and hours in the usually hot end of June sun. After being on the March route for hours, Marchers finally reach the Village. As they enter the Village they come across two or three marvelous churches along the March route. These churches hand out water to the marchers. My personal favorite is The Church of the Ascension. For over 20 years, I have volunteered and helped out at the NYC March. This year, I was assigned near The Church of the Ascension. They took care of my backpack for me, they gave me water, and they treated me like family. They were wonderful. They did not merely hand out water to tired, sweaty marchers, the handed out water with ice and lemon to the marchers.
For those who have never experienced NYC Pride, it is something very special, plus it can be a religious experience.
Pride in New York is something to behold. There are rallies, parties, film festivals, dances, concerts, a candlelight AIDS Vigil and religious services.
This year, as in year’s past, I attended the Gay Pride Shabbat service at Temple Emanuel in Edison, NJ. Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (CBST) is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) synagogue in the world and yes they have services during Pride. I believe openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was in New York to help celebrate Pride in New York on Pride Sunday. Area churches also have services to celebrate Pride.
Earlier in June, I attended some of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed (LGBTI) pride events in Asbury Park, NJ. There were special services at the Metropolitan Community Church and there were marching contingents from area churches. There were various religious organizations with tables at the Pride festival following the march. This year, as in years past, Trinity Church in Asbury Park handed out packets of seeds in the hopes that we plant them and bring flowers into our lives.
In New York City, there were more religious marching contingents than one could count. There were the Episcopal churches (lots of Episcopal Churches), CBST, Metropolitan Community Churches, Dignity (the gay and lesbian Catholic organization), Integrity (the Episcopal gay and lesbian organization), AXIOS Eastern and Orthodox LGBT Christians, Lutheran churches, Presbyterian churches, nondenominational churches, the Jesuit Church of Saint of Saint Francis Xavier, and so many others that I cannot even remember them all.
The NYC March can best be descried as a party for 1 million of your closest friends. There are wonderful people who I see once a year at Pride. The March route is four miles long and with this many people, it takes hours and hours in the usually hot end of June sun. After being on the March route for hours, Marchers finally reach the Village. As they enter the Village they come across two or three marvelous churches along the March route. These churches hand out water to the marchers. My personal favorite is The Church of the Ascension. For over 20 years, I have volunteered and helped out at the NYC March. This year, I was assigned near The Church of the Ascension. They took care of my backpack for me, they gave me water, and they treated me like family. They were wonderful. They did not merely hand out water to tired, sweaty marchers, the handed out water with ice and lemon to the marchers.
For those who have never experienced NYC Pride, it is something very special, plus it can be a religious experience.
Friday, June 26, 2009
A Heavy Heart
I write this with a heavy heart. I write this in pain, the pain one gets from freshly inflicted wounds, wounds inflected by those who preach hate.
As most of you know, I am doubly blessed, gay and Jewish. Everyday, I get to hear or read about my brothers and sisters who are persecuted or violently attacked because they are gay or lesbian or transgender or Jewish.
I live in the NYC Metropolitan area, which has a significant Jewish population. Therefore, while I experience hatred on a regular basis, it is not the same intense filth that one gets in areas without a sizable Jewish population.
For the last two days in a moderated, all faiths, religion forum, I and my Jewish brothers and sisters were attacked by a Pastor who preaches replacement theology. For those who do not know what replacement theology is, it is a discredited Christian teaching. Replacement theology is the religious justification for persecuting and murdering Jews during the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and the Holocaust.
When the bigot was called on his hatred, he was defiant. He was proud of his disrupting an all faiths forum. He was proud of the hate and pain he brought to people. He was proud of his perverse use of religion to inflict pain. He was proud because he believes that only he and his followers know the true word of G-d. While he was preaching hate, one of his supporters was actively ridiculing Judaism and making fun of the prophet Elijah and also one of the Jewish sages.
Today, in a Jewish Yahoo group, a Messianic Jew tried to convert me. For those who do not know what a Messianic Jew is, it is someone who converted to Christianity, yet has the nerve to claim to still be Jewish. Typically they try to then convert Jews to Christianity.
I have seen hate and violence close up. I have seen the NYPD do nothing while glass bottles were thrown at gays and lesbians during an anti-violence march in NYC.
I have seen some of the finest human beings I will be privileged to know die from AIDS while the government did nothing because; they were expandable, because they were a persecuted minority, because it was politically convenient to let them die. Yet none of that hate has prepared me for the last two days.
My life was threatened by a homophobe soon after Mathew Shepard’s murder and the Fair Lawn, NJ Police Department refused to make an arrest citing “insufficient evidence.” Insufficient evidence according to the Fair Lawn police would be footprints in the snow leading from the perpetrator’s property to the crime scene and back. The failure of the Fair Lawn Police Department ultimately lead to the situation deteriorating and becoming violent. By the way, years ago, a similar incident was handled very professionally by the Nassau County, NY Police Department and instead of violence, further incidents were avoided.
None of this has prepared me for the onslaught of hate in the last two days. None of the horrors I have seen have prepared me for the filth I have experienced in the last two days.
My heart is heavy because we are all children of G-d and there are those of us who preach hate and practice cruelty instead of love, peace, kindness and goodness. My heart is heavy because there are those of us who get off on causing misery to others. My heart is heavy because there are those who do not understand the concept of respect. My heart is heavy because there are those who insist on going into places they do not belong because they are so convinced they are right that they think they are exempt from matters of common courtesy and decency. My heart is heavy because one would hope after endless bloodshed and war that maybe, just maybe, a moderated all faiths forum would be a safe place to learn about each others' faiths, traditions and beliefs.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Allow Me to Introduce Myself
I was the first born to Jewish parents. My earliest religious experiences were my bris (The Jewish religious rite of circumcision at eight days of age) and being redeemed by my father (Redemption of the First Born). According to Jewish tradition, it was the first born who were to be sacred to G-d and were to serve him as Priests. Because of the sin of the Golden Calf, that privilege was transferred to the Kohanim. In some way, I want to reclaim what was once my birthright.
I am gay. Gay as in demonized by organized religion. Gay as in demonized by verses quoted from the bible. Gay as in taught that G-d does not love me, that I am not wanted.
The theme of my spiritual journey, is that of being twice blessed (Gay and Jewish) and my seeking to reclaim what was mine.
After much study, I have reached the point that I finally understand that G-d loves me. After much study, I understand that being Jewish is my birthright and that it comes with an inheritance that is priceless. Finally, I have reached the point were I am starting to understand the richness of my faith. Finally, I am starting to understand and appreciate the patience, love, tremendous kindness and forgiveness G-d has showered upon me.
My decision to become ordained was done after some serious soul searching. I needed to know that I knew enough about my faith to justify my becoming a Minister. I needed to know that I was going to take being a Minister seriously. Soon after becoming a Minister, I was contacted by the President of a gay organization that I had been involved with sometime before. The problem he called about was gay and lesbian homeless youth. He had just been involved in helping to find shelter for a teenage boy who had been kicked out of his home (with only the clothes on his back) because of his sexual orientation. After a lengthy talk, I offered to help out by leading a series of discussion groups and I started writing a series of articles designed to bring G-d’s love and affirmation to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersexed, and transgenedered community.
For me as a minister, this is about G-d loving us, and my sharing that love with those who feel unloved and unwanted. For me, this is about reclaiming my birthright and by reclaiming my birthright, I am fulfilling the reason G-d put me here.
We are all children of G-d and we are all here to help each other. If I can be of any help, please contact me.
I am gay. Gay as in demonized by organized religion. Gay as in demonized by verses quoted from the bible. Gay as in taught that G-d does not love me, that I am not wanted.
The theme of my spiritual journey, is that of being twice blessed (Gay and Jewish) and my seeking to reclaim what was mine.
After much study, I have reached the point that I finally understand that G-d loves me. After much study, I understand that being Jewish is my birthright and that it comes with an inheritance that is priceless. Finally, I have reached the point were I am starting to understand the richness of my faith. Finally, I am starting to understand and appreciate the patience, love, tremendous kindness and forgiveness G-d has showered upon me.
My decision to become ordained was done after some serious soul searching. I needed to know that I knew enough about my faith to justify my becoming a Minister. I needed to know that I was going to take being a Minister seriously. Soon after becoming a Minister, I was contacted by the President of a gay organization that I had been involved with sometime before. The problem he called about was gay and lesbian homeless youth. He had just been involved in helping to find shelter for a teenage boy who had been kicked out of his home (with only the clothes on his back) because of his sexual orientation. After a lengthy talk, I offered to help out by leading a series of discussion groups and I started writing a series of articles designed to bring G-d’s love and affirmation to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersexed, and transgenedered community.
For me as a minister, this is about G-d loving us, and my sharing that love with those who feel unloved and unwanted. For me, this is about reclaiming my birthright and by reclaiming my birthright, I am fulfilling the reason G-d put me here.
We are all children of G-d and we are all here to help each other. If I can be of any help, please contact me.
Same Sex Marriage
Same Sex Marriage
An Open Letter to Every Politician in the United States
The issue of same sex marriage is a simple issue. Same sex marriage is about; fairness, justice, human dignity and respect for that dignity. It is about standing before friends, family and loved ones and publicly stating your commitment to: love, honor, care for another human being. It is about having that person, who you love with all your heart; make that same commitment to you.
It is also about civil rights and legal rights, such as the right to inherit property, the right to make funeral arrangements for a loved one. It is about the right to visit someone in a hospital. It is about the right to help make medical decisions about the only person in the world whose life matters more than your own life.
We have a word for that commitment, the word is marriage, not civil union, not domestic partnership; only one word means all this and that word is marriage. We have only one word for that one special person in our lives and that word is spouse. No other word comes close, not domestic partner, not significant other, not any other term.
Our laws are written using the terms marriage and spouse. The many contracts we enter into during our lives, including but not limited to employment contracts, are written using the terms marriage and spouse. Our relationships are defined using the terms marriage and spouse.
Civil union is not the same as marriage. Civil union is well intentioned, but despite its intentions, it is an insult. Civil union and domestic partnership say that the state does not recognize our same sex loving relations as being equal to those of heterosexuals. Because our relationships are not equal, we are not equal. This is an insult to every gay man and lesbian.
For you the issue is moral courage, the challenge to do the right thing in the face of uncertain consequences. Organized religion cannot help guide you. The Unitarian Church, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Reform and Reconstructist branches of Judaism, and many other religions and religious leaders support same sex marriage. On the other side, there are vocal religions leaders who oppose same sex civil marriage. Therefore, religion does not have an unequivocal viewpoint that can guide you.
The proposed law allowing all loving adult couples to marry does not require any religion, and does not require any religious leader, to act against his or her or their understanding of G-d’s will. It merely grants the option of marrying to all those adult couples who wish to do so. Nobody is being forced to do anything.
Furthermore, one’s marriage is diminished if another loving couple is granted the right to marry. There is no limit to the number of marriages that can be performed, so that and if a same sex couple gets one then a heterosexual couple cannot. Mr. And Mrs. Smith’s marriage is not threatened, nor is it diminished, if Mr. and Mrs. Jones get married, so how can their marriage be hurt if Mr. and Mr. Jones get married?
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