Answers to Queries and Criticism (21 March 2017, 23 Adar, 5777)
Contents:
(a) Is it okay to be Jewish and gay?
(b) Why do some Jews support homosexuality?
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(a) Is it okay to be Jewish and gay?
Answer:
Someone who was born to a Jewish mother or was converted in an Orthodox Jewish court is Jewish.
Engaging in Homosexual actions is strictly forbidden by the Torah.
There are now two ways about it.
A non-Jew is also prohibited to do homosexual things.
The Bible condemns homosexuality and all other similar perversions.
Exodus 22:
19 Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 18:
22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:
13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
Transvestism is also forbidden.
Deuteronomy 22:
5 A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.
See:
Homosexuals are the Enemy. Why Homosexuality Should NOT be Tolerated!
http://hebrewnations.com/articles/homoenemy.html
In general being "gay" is not recognized as something one has no choice about.
If a person has committed homosexual actions they should repent, confess before God what they have done, resolve not to do it in the future.
They should seek to somehow to correct whatever damage they have caused in the spiritual and physical worlds.
All this of course require prayer and repentance.
Doing good is more powerful than being bad.
Begin to do good and the ability will be given you to overcome whatever weakness you may have incurred.
No-one is perfect.
We all have our own imperfections that we need to overcome.
May the God of Israel help all they who wish for HIS help.
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(b) Why do some Jews support homosexuality?
We wrote several answers showing that the Torah and Judaism condemn homosexuality in the case of both Jews and Gentiles.
The Bible condemns homosexuality and all other similar perversions.
Exodus 22:
19 Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 18:
22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:
13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
One of our answers was challenged along the lines that,
"It should be noted that you do not speak with authority for Judaism as a whole. You may disagree, but there do exist many Jews and Jewish congregations that wholly support gay unions.
Your answer is, as such, factually incorrect."
Our answer is that:
To report the attitude of Judaism to homosexuality, authority is not what is needed but rather Torah sources.
In condemning homosexuality we are speaking in the name of Scripture and also of all Jewish sources, as we understand them, for as far back as is known.
No-one disputes this.
It was protested that "many Jews and Jewish congregations ..."wholly support gay unions."
We were told that we have no right to "speak with authority for Judaism as a whole."
What is Judaism?
What does it mean to be Jewish?
Judaism is the Torah and its explanations and practices. It has its own inner protective mechanism.
Someone who denies the Bible is in contradiction to Judaism.
Homosexuality is condemned by the Bible. End of story.
You can have any kind of organization you wish and call it Jewish.
Bowling clubs, unions, associations, Democratic Party branches, Republican Party outlets, etc. They can all call themselves Jewish if they so wish.
They do not even have to have any Jewish members though if using the name one would expect them to do so.
They do not even have to like gefilte fish!
One cannot however express an opinion that contradicts the Torah and call it Jewish.
Nor can one say something against the Religious Jewish Law and claim that such opinion is Jewish from a Jewish point of view.
The Torah and Judaism condemn homosexuality.
Even if some Jews are homosexual they cannot change that reality.