Orthodox Jews take the Old Testament of the Bible and the Talmud literally, including many of the laws of Moses that Christians have long since abandoned. To the Orthodox, homosexuality remains "an abomination."
Conservative Jews have not dealt with homosexuality at all, while
Reform Jews have, at least formally, accepted it as a fact of life.
Two years ago, the Central Conference of American Rabbis voted not to consider sexual orientation when ordaining rabbis for Reform congregations. Nor is celibacy required for those who are ordained. Word is that the conference will soon vote to bless gay Jewish relationships on request.
"The Bible has many laws, shoulds and should nots, but never tells you why," says Reform Rabbi Joseph Weizenbaum of Temple Emanu-El in Tucson. "Basically it was telling Jews, you shouldn't be like the people around you. I don't think acient Jews knew what homosexuality was.
"All books, including the Bible, are written in a time-place situation," Weizenbaum said. "If we took the Bible literally, we would be dropping stones on bad kids and chopping off arms and legs. Imagine, cooking an animal in your back yard to please God!"
Weizenbaum has addressed the subject of homosexuality at temple services several times, he said. "I built up to it by telling them I had a personal secret I had carried since birth that makes me different from most people: I'm left-handed.
"I asked them if there was ever a day in their lives, when they were hitting puberty, that they were conscious of choosing to be heterosexual," Weizenbaum said. "I try to create a sense of empathy. Homosexuality is something a person is born with. It's not a moral choice.
"Homophobia strikes all people; it touches something deeper than social conscience," Weizenbaum said. "It is a very difficult thing to overcome."
9 comments on 3 Jewish Views of Homosexualty
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The Bible may not tell you why but that's why we have sages to esplain things for us.
AJ