www.isrealli.org blog, sponsored by Israeli government, posted an article about the “love” story of two gays, Jewish and Arab who met in Tel Aviv.When we pray, Next year, in Jerusalem! we don’t have that Israel in mind.
To Bill: According to Judaism and Christianity, homosexualism is an abomination. I don’t feel up to rewriting the Torah. I don’t seek to oppress homosexuals; just don’t want them flaunting their deviation in the Land of Israel. Sort of a zoning laws.Zoophilia is no less inborn than homosexuality.
“I appreciate your respectful response although I vigorously disagree.” That’s good. We’re discussing, not promulgating eternal truths. Those were promulgated well before our time )I asked Obadiah to answer your questions in a separate post.Why is it wrong to compare homosexuality with zoophilia and consensual adult incest? All of them are private, non-violent, consensual, and based on inborn drive. On what grounds would you allow homosexuality but not consensual safe adult incest?
To Jack: It is the point of Jewish existence to be un-modern. We cling to the values which where proclaimed three thousand years ago and are fully relevant now.
To Bill: Saying that homosexuality is inborn, but incest is not, you make quite an assumption, even a value judgment. Zoophilia is certainly inborn; to prohibit it based on the “rights” of sheep is a bit odd. At any rate, Bill, we seek to push homosexualism only our of public life and only in a tiny Judean community. Doesn’t the high STD rates among homosexuals confirm the allegations of debauchery?Absence of polygamy and slavery is strictening of the law, not loosening it. There is no commandment to have multiple wives or slaves. Would you suggest any moral maxims (as opposed to interpretations and necessary regulations) which are untenable today?Obadiah will prepare a detailed reply to your points about homosexuality.
To Ron: Equivalence of lustful looks with action was established in the Oral Law, though not all rabbis accepted that view. Jesus was not unique among the Jews in the Matthewan outlook.To Bill: there is no evidence of inborn predisposition to incest because a.it’s not a popular topic to study, and b.how would one judge the difference between cultural and inborn?You believe incest to be abomination. I have similar opinion about homosexuality. Why your restricted view is better than mine.How about polygamy with max 2 or 4 wives? How about consensual polygamy? Strong love of two women to one man? See, you cannot rationalize ethical preferences.To be as giving to others as possible is surely not Jewish morality, and I don’t believe Christian masses had ever practiced that.I also like the second state of Judea. That idea made me originally to follow Obadiah.
Even more, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew is congruent with the rabbinical teaching.