Judaism ForumAsk an Orthodox JewHi all! (inter alia) in this regard. Note the sequence of the text. We find out about God's cognizance of the "sin of Sodom and Gomorrah" in Genesis 18:20, BEFORE the attempted gang-rape in Genesis 19:5. Abraham seems to understand right away, in Genesis 18:23, that God intends to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah. (Orthodox) Judaism believes that voluntary and willful homosexual, lesbian, bestial and non-consensual heterosexual acts (even in the context of marriage) are inherently sinful at all times and in every context. (We infer the ban on lesbian acts from Leviticus 18:3 and 18:30.) We (orthodox Jews) certainly oppose the legalization of homosexual marriage in the USA (see http://www.ou.org/public/statements/2004/nate9.htm & http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=3346). As Rabbi Weinreb writes in the second article: I was recently (honorably!) discharged from the Israel Defense Force reserves after 11 years' service. I am/was a medic. Back in the spring of 1991, I did the 13-week medics' course. It was no secret that the commander of the IDF Medical Corps at the time was a homosexual. However, since he was a first-class doctor & officer, who kept his private life private and never let it interfere with his military & medical service, his sexual preferences were not an issue. He recently died (not from AIDS) & his long-time partner was forced to sue to receive the same benefits as the spouse of a widowed IDF veteran would receive. Unfortunately (I say), the (secular) civil courts here awarded him the benefits. While I do not think that it is right that he (or any homosexual) be penalized or discriminated against for his sexual preferences), I also don't think that it's right that he, in effect, be rewarded for them either. By choosing the way of life that he did, I think that he forfeited any claim to spousal benefits which, after all, are for spouses, which his partner was not. (A Catholic cyberfriend once told me: "I thought 'spousal benefits' were to provide for the wife who gave up her chance at a professional career to raise children. The children being the future benefit for which society was willing to pay the benfits. Now these benefits appear to be a monetary condolence paid to someone upon the loss of a sexual partner. Which follows a dark logic in a society that no longer considers children a community value.") But, as I mentioned, the courts here ruled otherwise. Recently, several Israeli homosexuals were "married" in Ontario & are trying to have their "marriages" recognized here. The court fight is already underway. Truth Seeker-Joshua, you posted: When were you in Haifa? When DW lived in Haifa (August 1987-July 1988), she lived across the street from the USO office: Link: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/viehaifa.html We saw sailors up there all the time. I remember sitting on the balcony of DW's flat (on Yefe Nof Street, right opposite the big hotel towers) & looking out over Haifa Bay when one of the big 6th Fleet aircraft carriers was there. The thing took up the entire Bay! Be well! ssv |
🌈Pride🌈 goeth before Destruction
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