(no subject)

[sophiaserpentia]

A couple of times, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has written on Beliefnet about homosexuality in the Bible -- declaring that it is a religious sin, and not a moral or ethical sin -- making it just as sinful as, say, eating shellfish.

Basically what this means is that it is not inherently wrong, it is just something that Jews, as they observe the rules and laws of their religious teachings, are supposed to avoid.

This has some interesting ramifications. For example, it may have the effect of making Reform Judaism more tolerant of gays and lesbians in general, but LESS tolerant of gays and lesbians who are practicing Jews.

Secondly, one is tempted to ask what benefit one has from adhering to codes or laws that one knows are "religious" vs. ethical -- IOW if they serve mainly to identify the Jewish community, isn't this an arbitrary and stylized distinction that has little inherent meaning?

Comments

[herbalgrrl.livejournal.com]

more over, it posits that a group has the authority to make its members feel *wrong* for behavior that is ethical-- which , to my mind, makes the group illogical at best & unethical itself at worst.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

EXCELLENT point. Thank you.

& furthermore

[herbalgrrl.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I have no real problem asking someone to make a show of devotion or indentification thru some illogical gesture or personal sacrifice that serves to heighten his awareness of commitment. Where it gets squicky for me is when that act may be one that diminishes the well being of the participant (sexual repression) & when the participant has no say in renegotiating the terms of the sacrifice.

Re: & furthermore

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Ironically, I think this is where modern Judaism seems to be headed -- these days being an active Jew is portrayed almost as a state of "voluntary informed consent" -- not unlike the voluntary servitude one finds in BDSM. AFAIK Jews do not claim to have a lock on religious truth nor do they teach any kind of exclusionary salvation.