Posted on 03/29/2005 5:00:36 AM PST by SJackson
Many advocates of an international gay parade in Jerusalem – another step toward legal recognition of homosexual marriage – tout gay advances as avant-garde. Actually, they are regressive – taking us back several thousand years to antediluvian times.
One of the litigants in a recent Israeli High Court of Justice victory giving two lesbian women adoption rights hailed the decision as "a sign that society has progressed." However, it turns out that legalizing such unions was a practice of the generation of Noah. The Midrash in Genesis points out that even though forbidden same-sex unions were widespread, "the generation of the Flood was not blotted out from the world until they wrote marriage deeds for males and males, and males and beasts, thus fully legalizing such practices. 'The Lord God is long-suffering for everything except for such behavior.'"
It is a severe violation to engage in these practices, but it was the legalization of these unions that caused it to rain on that parade, bringing the Flood in its wake.
Because of the pivotal importance of the sanctity of the family, we read Leviticus chapter 18 out loud in synagogue on Yom Kippur. Among other prohibitions, it contains the interdiction against engaging in homosexual acts. These practices are forbidden even if they have become hukim – legalized norms in the surrounding nations, whether in ancient Canaan or modern New Canaan, Connecticut. We are not forbidden to learn from the positive aspects of other cultures. But we must reject their to'evot – abominations – even if these practices and relationships have become legally sanctioned in the laws of other nations.
A Midrash on Leviticus differentiates conceptually between non-normative behavior itself and the more severe step of legalizing the non-normative behavior. In the Sifra the sages over a millennium ago commented incisively on that chapter we read on Yom Kippur, explaining as follows the verse "You shall not follow their legalized norms" (18:3).
This does not signify a prohibition against copying the construction or agricultural practices of the surrounding non-Jewish nations, but only signifies a rejection of the legalization of norms such as a male marrying a male, a female marrying a female, etc. This is the meaning of 'b'hukotehem lo telekhu' – "You shall not follow their legalized norms."
One major argument favoring same-sex marriages is that the state should not interfere with private, consensual relations of adults, and therefore cannot determine whether legalizing such an arrangement is wrong. The fallaciousness of this argument becomes apparent if we carry it to its logical conclusion. What if there were a 30-something brother and sister who decided to live together, and furthermore went ahead (after genetic testing showed no counter-indication) and had joint children? Would we sanction a parade of such "families"? Would the Israeli Supreme Court give its imprimatur to such a new family configuration consisting of a consensual, adult (brother-and-sister) union by claiming that it was in the best interest of the children to regularize an existing family? Would the court further claim it was not in its purview to pass judgment on how two adults conduct their conjugal relations? Even the most radical liberal might well be against allowing such a parade, and might argue against granting legal recognition to such "marriages."
Regarding homosexual and other forbidden unions, the Creator would not make a prohibition humans cannot abide by, though for some people this takes a supreme and heroic effort.
An additional aspect of the series of Supreme Court decisions on same-sex couples is that it is so incongruent with the Jewish-Israeli claim that Israel wants to coexist with its neighbors. It is primarily Jews who brought to this region a secular culture that focused on autonomy, enshrined the rights of individuals, and popularized Western permissiveness in dress and in social and family relationships.
These trends have evolved into a threat to the sanctity of the family.
It is a predominantly secular Jewish Supreme Court that is today legalizing aberrant family structures, to the dismay of most Muslims and Orthodox Jews, making Israeli Jews here even more persona non-grata. One step toward lessening friction in this region would be Israel's legalizing as the norm the traditional heterosexual family structure rather than publicly legitimizing same-sex relationships through parades and court cases.
One can sympathize with individuals who cannot form heterosexual relationships, whose life might be lonely without a partner. Loneliness is a cosmic tragedy, as reflected in the verse from Creation "It is not good for man to be alone." But the way the Creator intended to assuage this existential alienation is in the ensuing verse: "Therefore, I shall make a helpmate – ke-negdo – opposite him" (Gen. 2:18).
The late Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, in his posthumously published book The Family Redeemed, emphasized that "the helpmate stands not alongside but opposite Adam. Only in opposition does man find help. Loneliness can only be ameliorated if lonely man meets lonely woman. Man is redeemed from loneliness not alongside but opposite an existential antagonist."
Compassion is needed for those whose proclivities or decisions prevent them from redemption in heterosexual relationships, who forfeit the richness of traditional Jewish marriage. But we must also feel compassion for children who are raised in same-sex parental relationships that are quintessentially flawed. I say this knowing full well the remarkable intellectual and spiritual qualities with which many homosexual individuals are gifted.
It is chilling to think of the consequences ensuing from bestowing a mantle of legality on a family structure that negates firm concepts of masculinity and femininity. In an Israeli Supreme Court case five years ago that granted some recognition to a lesbian couple, the only one who dissented from the majority opinion was Arab Justice Abd al-Rahman Zouabi. He had the probity to eschew political correctness and say that the decision created an "abnormal family unit."
Perhaps he, and not the Jewish justices, intuitively understood what Rabbi Soloveitchik meant when he wrote, "Only in sharing with the opposite sex-personality may one hope to extricate himself from the predicament of loneliness."
The author is a Netanya-based translator.
God is answering the gay movement with aids around every corner
Now, he becomes the outcast!
The path to truth is narrow indeed...
Look, stop giving people a reason to point to those that believe in God as ignorant wacko's.
You have know idea what your talking about, and your statement is blatantly irresponsible!
Sorry, that was directed at sure_fine.
I don't remember any of the marriage stuff being in my bible.
...Oh, sorry, this is abuse. If you want an argument it's down the hall...Room three.
"taking us back several thousand years to antediluvian times."
"Ah. Those carefree Antediluvian days!" - Montgomery Burns
Actually, this situation is just sad. It scares me how much the "gay lifestyle" is permeating all cultures in all lands. For a supposedly small part of the population, they sure are infiltrating all aspects of life.
Then state it as such! If not, then back your belief up with evidence.
Don't just make some outlandish statement that's based in no fact about God.
I think the goal of the article is to slip in the absure and unprovable notion that homosexual marriage was around in Noah's time.
If it had been around the homosexuals would have been pushing that information for decades. I would submit that just as the 10% has been proven a LIE (by the homosexuals' own admission) this faux history BS is another intentional LIE.
you would be doing yourself a favor to find someone else to control... you won't be happy with what you find with me
"Rain on the gay parade"
Rain?, I'd like to P*** on the gay parade.
Now you are talking about an entirely different fetish.
Look, it's not about "controlling" anyone. I just think it's totally irresponsible to make a comment that has no basis in fact. It reflects on people that believe.
I have no problem with you making the comment as long as you state it as your belief.
A homosexual parade in the holy city of Jeruselam is a horrid stench that will reach up to the very nostrals of the mighty God. This is sheer depravity. God will not be mocked and his judgement will be certain. You have been warned.
look, this is a message board, not a court of law where every poster is sworn in, I treat it that way
YOU on the other hand seem to require credentials of any post that does not suit you, thats ok too I guess, as long as YOU freely offer yours up in the beginning as your authority to question anyone
Just weighing in with an opinion. It is my BELIEF that you are correct.
Ok, you made a comment about God that was totally irresponsible and baseless. If you want to go around making unfactual baseless statements about God I'm going to challenge them every time.
Hail to the message board!
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