Homosexuality from an Orthadox Jew - Dr. Laura Schlesinger

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance.

The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ...End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

James M. Kauffman,
Ed.D. Professor Emeritus,
Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
University of Virginia

Winning!

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I'm not getting the purpose of this thread. Is it a slap at Dr. Laura? Judaism? A link wouldn't hurt. As for Dr. Laura, she's a tool. I have found in my reading that Judaism is about the most tolerant of faiths when it comes to homosexuality.

My respect to the author. He explained himself so well, while being funny and not rude. Less fanatics and more people like him and world will be (a little) better. Now , i have to read it again.

Oh I wish Dr Laura had answered those questions, oh thats right they pick and choose what to believe from the bible to hide their own stupid bigoted/homophobic ideas.
Good on the person who sent the letter

Originally posted by intrepid
I'm not getting the purpose of this thread. Is it a slap at Dr. Laura? Judaism? A link wouldn't hurt. As for Dr. Laura, she's a tool. I have found in my reading that Judaism is about the most tolerant of faiths when it comes to homosexuality.

That is likely because I stuck in Social Issues when it was meant to be placed in the Jokes forum.
Would you be so kind as to move?

By no means was this to be a slap to Judaism. It was a highly intelligent rebuttal to some religious doctrine that these public figures try to cram down our throat.

A little more context: This was sent to me via email (please forgive me, as I as slightly overzealous in posting). I found some further information here:

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NakedCapitalism

Dr. Laura has an agenda, and like all people with an agenda, they pick and chose things that they agree with even though they don't agree with it in it's entirety.

"Orthodox" Remember that Dr. Laura is a convert. She wasn't born Jewish; she adopted it rather late in life. In other words, she is not "culturally" Jewish because she did not grow up within the Jewish faith. To claim that she speaks for orthodox Judaism would be like me converting to Catholicism last week, then proclaiming that I speak for the Catholic faith.

Originally posted by schuyler
"Orthodox" Remember that Dr. Laura is a convert. She wasn't born Jewish; she adopted it rather late in life. In other words, she is not "culturally" Jewish because she did not grow up within the Jewish faith. To claim that she speaks for orthodox Judaism would be like me converting to Catholicism last week, then proclaiming that I speak for the Catholic faith.

Thanks for the background information! I wasn't aware.

Oh. My. Gosh. That just made my day. I remember listening to her in the car with my mom when I was little. I always thought she was SO mean, yelling at people because she disagreed with them... But I guess they deserved it since they called her!

She's crazy. S&F OP

Hahaha, this is freaking amazing.

I love each and every question.

The super religious..

spreading hate for their god!

My problem with that is what about all the other crazy laws that applied 4000 or whatever years ago in the Old Testament? We don't stone people anymore, we don't have slaves, don't sacrifice animals... how do you pick and choose which laws from then still apply?

Homosexuality is not allowed in any religion.

The UN is going to add homosexual to the ones who have their rights in the society. Then Islamic middle east nations won't obey this law. Then the PTB will have reasons to invade those middle eastern countries.

کَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ لُوط الْمُرْسَلِینَ (160)
THE PEOPLE OF LOT BELIED THE MESSENGERS.
إِذْ قالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ لُوطٌ أَ لا تَتَّقُونَ (161)
WHEN THEIR BROTHER LOT SAID TO THEM:ِ ``WILL YOU NOT AVOID EVIL?''
إِنِّی لَکُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِینٌ (162)
I AM A TRUSTWORTHY APOSTLE FOR YOU.
فَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ وَ أَطِیعُونِ (163)
THEN BEWARE OF ALLAH AND OBEY ME.
وَ ما أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ مِنْ أَجْر إِنْ أَجْرِیَ إِلاّ عَلى رَبِّ الْعالَمِینَ (164)
AND I ASK YOU NOT ANY REWARD, THAT MY REWARD IS NOT EXCEPT UPON THE LORD OF ALL THE WORLDS.
أَ تَأْتُونَ الذُّکْرانَ مِنَ الْعالَمِینَ (165)
(SHOULD YOU BE THE ONLY CREATURE THAT) FROM AMONG THE WORLDS COME TO MALES (SEXUALLY)!?
وَ تَذَرُونَ ما خَلَقَ لَکُمْ رَبُّکُمْ مِنْ أَزْواجِکُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ قَوْمٌ عادُونَ (166)
AND YOU LEAVE YOUR WIVES THAT ALLAH HAS CREATED FOR YOU? YOU ARE RATHER A PEOPLE WHO TRANSGRESS.
قالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهِ یا لُوطُ لَتَکُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُخْرَجِینَ (167)
THEY SAID; O, LOT! IF YOU DESIST NOT, YOU SHALL BE BANISHED.

26 - 160:167

holy Quran

reply to post by hmdphantom


And this is why Religion is wrong, It goes against people who Love each other and says it is wrong, Religion is against Humanity by using 1000 year old rules what didnt help anyone in the first place it is just a way of control.
It is natural to have same sex relations, just look in nature.
As long as 2 people love each other what harm does it do? none but because your years old books authors were Homophobic that gives you the idea to spread hate against another human being who's only crime is love.
Down with Religion! we don't need it, most don't want it and we would be better off without it!!! (The book of monkey verse 2 chapter 7) See I can quote from a book and act all high and mighty..
Oh and I hope the UN does say it is wrong to punish people for being gay and takes acts against the regimes that do it. (Not war)
Wake up it's 2011 not 1611 ffs, wake up and think about other people not just your stupid homophobic ideas...
Rant over

reply to post by boymonkey74


I think nature doesn't always good things to offer us. Maybe we are supernatural and we are far superior than those animals and insects. Those species don't have logic in their behavior. It is their instinct that they just follow.

As long as 2 people love each other what harm does it do?

And the harm is to the society and the defect is by becoming a common behavior among individuals in the society.

See I can quote from a book and act all high and mighty..

quoting from a book is not giving what you think. People are high and mighty in their hearts and it can not be shown by quoting from a book.

reply to post by hmdphantom

What harm does it do? I see no harm at all..
Love causes no harm the only harm I see is coming from the people who persecute others for being who they are.
Religion causes more harm in society.

reply to post by freakjive

There is intense discussion even among Jewish scholars on this issue.

The world's leading scholar on Leviticus Jacob Milgrom put forward the position that the primary reason for the ban on male on male sex was motivated by the wasting of seed in a culture that needed viable offspring for their ethnic survival. Other sexual prohibitions were also to this end. The issue of category or biological identity was important but not the primary motivation. It was therefore intended as instruction to Israel only within a specific temporal and geographical setting.


In a paper "Does the Bible Prohibit Homosexuality?" he wrote...

"This biblical prohibition is addressed only to Jews. Non-Jews are affected only if they reside in the Holy Land, but not elsewhere (see the closing exhortation in Leviticus 18, verses 24–30). Thus, it is incorrect to apply this prohibition on a universal scale."

reply to post by hmdphantom

The UN is going to add homosexual to the ones who have their rights in the society. Then Islamic middle east nations won't obey this law. Then the PTB will have reasons to invade those middle eastern countries.

Then so be it, the PTB would have my support.

Any nation that breaches basic human rights (harsh punishments for homosexuals included) actually deserves to be invaded.

Having read the post, and seen that posting on the web, and even seen it on the West Wing.
As I am familiar with the whole gay/religion aspect the following can be stated:

How can any church justify the deliberate prejudice and ultimately the persecution of homosexuals? Is it not taught that God is love, that he gave his only son to die on the cross to absorb the sins of all man kind, even forgiving those who persecuted and put him to death? If the message is of love, and God is accepting, then how can any church deny or even openly persecute gay people in the name of God and Jesus?

It is the height of hypocrisy, where the message states one thing, yet would deny such to one group, cause it offends them. They are so willing to believe that a psychopath or a serial murder is welcome into heaven, yet at the same time, refuse to even accept that gay people, it just does not make sense at all. It can not be both ways as it would mean that we are condemned no matter what. The other part and shame, as the article pointed out, is that there is an inconsistency within the full Judaic belief, where those who would call themselves as Christian, tend to pick and chose the very rules and laws that are set out to govern every day life. They feel it is correct to turn around and just use a few of the laws, out of the 600 some laws in the bible to justify their actions. The question that now must come to mind, is what does God really think of all of this, and does it matter? After all if you are going to believe in the Judaism, the question should be asked, and if it matters that a person knows the text or lives the message and tries to adhere to all of it.

reply to post by hmdphantom

Homosexuality is not allowed in any religion.

You mean abrahamic religion? It is allowed in other religions.

reply to post by hmdphantom

And the harm is to the society and the defect is by becoming a common behavior among individuals in the society.

Sexual orientation is inherited basic instinct and cannot be changed. Noone is going to become a homosexual just because its tolerated, thats just homophobic propaganda.