Religious lgbt jews news part 8

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Religious Groups Counsel, Advocate on Behalf of LGBT Faithful 

 

4.15.10 : edgeboston.com
 
by Joseph Erbentraut
As the dialogue over marriage for same-sex couples remains largely framed by religious-based arguments, it should come as no surprise many LGBT people have abandoned faith all together. But an increasing number of groups have emerged to offer support, educational and social opportunities to LGBT people.
Activist Jay Michaelson founded Nehirim (which means “Lights”) in 2004 as an opportunity for LGBT Jews to “celebrate being queer and Jewish as a blessing and not a predicament.” Though originally only a small retreat, the group has blossomed into a nationwide grassroots network.
Nehirim’­­s Southeast retreat in Atlanta in November will be the first such gathering for the organization, which has previously focused its programming on the East and West Coasts. Michaelson, who grew up in Tampa, told EDGE this recent expansion has brought his organization to a new level; one he hopes will allow the group’­­s message of acceptance and celebration to reach more people.
“[Nehirim'­­s] been really life changing for me and I believe a lot of other people who have helped build this community,” he said. “It’­­s been really empowering to not let either the bigots or cowards define what our religion is for us. We’­­ve gone ahead and created the kind of community we’­­ve always wanted.”
Michaelson said Nehirim has served people from diverse backgrounds – everyone from LGBT people who had not explored their Jewish faith since their youth to Orthodox adults who had lived in the closet for decades.
“This is often the only place where they can be out as who they are, queer and proud, where it’­­s also not only about hooking up,” said Michaelson. “It’­­s about a fuller kind of picture, a community of people looking to find a meaningful connection with each other.”
Groups as diverse as Al-Fatiha, an organization for LGBT Muslims, to Affirmation, a group for gay Mormons, have sprung up to support LGBT faithful, but these organizations also seek to change their religious institutions from within.
LGBT activists and faith leaders from a variety of religious backgrounds gathered in Chicago last weekend for a first-of-its kind prayer breakfast. Attendees discussed strategies to overcome the long-standing tension between the two groups.
“It’­­s not enough for people of faith to fix their communities without taking their lessons to the world,” said the Rev. Joy E. Rogers of St. James Episcopal Cathedral at the breakfast.
But many complications still exist for LGBT-friendly faith leaders from religious institutions that have funded Proposition 8 and other anti-LGBT measures. Reeling from accusations the Roman Catholic hierarchy has covered up clergy sexual abuse for decades, some Vatican officials have publicly castigated gay men for corrupting the priesthood.
“Many psychologists and psychiatrists have demonstrated that there is no relation between celibacy and pedophilia, but many others have demonstrated, I have been told recently, that there is a relation between homosexuality and pedophilia,” said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’­­s secretary of state, told reporters at a press conference in Chile earlier this week as EDGE reported on Monday, April 12. “That is true. That is the problem.”
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry said Bertone’­­s assertion is not representative of the position of many of the church’­­s “middle managers” – pastors, presidents of Catholic colleges and universities and heads of Catholic hospitals.
While Cardinal Francis George, the highest-ranking American bishop, officially condemned New Ways Ministry, DeBernardo said his group’­­s educational and outreach programs and retreats remained as popular as ever, giving him hope for a more gay-friendly church sooner than many others could expect.
“We’­­re seeing much more of an interest on the part of those people working in the Church to learn more about gay and lesbian issues and they’­­re also coming in with more of an awareness to start from than even 10 years ago,” DeBernardo told EDGE. “I think one of the reasons the bishops are becoming more vociferous in their statements on homosexuality is because they realize Catholic people are becoming more pro-gay. The [bishops] are losing this debate within the church.”
 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

My Take: Jewish LGBT Leaders Need to Build a Movement 

 

6.29.10 : Religion - CNN.com Blogs
 

 Drinkwater (left) and Michaelson both work to build an inclusive
 LGBT community within the Jewish faith.Gregg Drinkwater is­­­ Deputy Director of Keshet, dedicated to creating an inclusive American Jewish community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Jews. Jay Michaelson­­­ is­­­ Executive Director of Nehirim, a national organization building community for LGBT Jews, partners and allies. More information at www.jewishinclusion.com


By Gregg Drinkwater and­­­ Jay Michaelson, Special to CNN
The American Jewish community is generally more progressive than other religious groups when it comes to gay issues.
All movements except Orthodoxy (which represents about 10% of American Jews) now ordain gay and lesbian rabbis, and perform same-sex weddings. There are gay synagogues, national LGBT­­­ Jewish organizations and a bevy of local groups ranging from TransTorah (learning opportunities for transgender Jews) to He’­­Bro (dance parties for gay Jewish men).
The trouble is that we do not speak with a unified voice.
Indeed, one of the strengths—and weaknesses—of contemporary Judaism is its decentralized nature. On the one hand, this means that divergence of opinion and practice is much easier to accommodate than in organizations like­­­ the Catholic Church.­­­  On the other hand,­­­ well, you know the joke: two Jews, three opinions.
Because of its decentralized nature, the Jewish community’­­s progressivism rarely translates into effective political muscle, or intra-communal organizing. Nor is there a unified agenda for what “inclusion” really means. Should limited resources be focused on creating safe schools, and safe summer camps for kids? (Anti-gay epithets are still very common among American Jewish teens.)
Or should a focus be placed on Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox communities, where children are still being disowned by their parents or sent to abusive and ineffective “reparative therapy” programs?
To address these questions, over 100 LGBT­­­ Jewish leaders are gathering in Berkeley, California, to build a stronger and more unified LGBT Jewish movement. Coming together for this historic LGBT Jewish Movement Building Retreat­­­ are activists representing 40 different LGBT­­­ Jewish organizations from throughout the United States.
Together with leaders from an additional 22 national and regional Jewish and LGBT­­­ organizations, foundation professionals and several international observers, those gathering in Berkeley want to define and energize the movement for LGBT inclusion in the Jewish world.
This convening­­­ builds on a long and proud history of LGBT­­­ Jewish organizing, which began nearly 40 years ago with the founding of gay and lesbian synagogues as safe havens for gay Jews. Synagogues (and their umbrella organization, the World Congress of GLBT­­­ Jews) have been and remain vital “safe spaces” for LGBT Jews, even as national organizations have grown and activists have worked for full inclusion and equality within “mainstream” institutions.
So, what are we, as two of the organizers of the convening, hoping comes­­­ out of the three days’ worth of meetings in Berkeley?
First, connection, conversation and community. This is a historic gathering — many of us have never met face to face, and we come from very different religious and cultural backgrounds. Just being in the same place at the same time is a key first step.
From that connection, we hope that participants will gain a renewed sense of themselves as part of a movement, rather than freelance activists or clergy members with responsibility only toward their synagogues’­­ membership. We are going to roll out practical proposals, from a unified online calendar and blogging software to ongoing working groups, to enable better coordination and communication.
We’­­re aiming for nothing less than a “consciousness shift” among LGBT Jewish leadership in the United States.
And finally, from that sense of ourselves as a movement, we hope to emerge with a unified agenda for change — or at least steps in that direction. There has been generous philanthropic support of LGBT Jewish activism.­­­ On Monday, a Funders’­­ Roundtable brought­­­ together the leading funders of this work for the first time — and we have achieved many of our goals. There’­­s a real sense that now is our moment to come together and set our priorities for the next decade.
There is, indeed, so much work still to be done. Just 10 months ago, an unknown gunman killed two people and injured many more at a Tel Aviv drop-in center for LGBT youth.
Gay people are still vilified and demonized by rabbis and communal leaders around the world — including the American Orthodox Union, which has recently put out a series of anti-gay statements. And as you read these words, somewhere, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish teenager, without access to the Internet or contemporary media, is wondering if he is the only gay Jew in the world, and if God hates him because he is gay.
This is why we’re gathering in Berkeley.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gregg Drinkwater and Jay Michaelson.
 

 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

American Rabbis Call for Gay Acceptance 

 

7.29.10 : The JC.com
 
By Rebecca Schischa

A­­­ group of prominent American rabbis have called for more acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Orthodox community.
The “statement of principles”, signed by over 80 community leaders, affirms the rights of Jews of all sexual orientations to “be welcomed as full members of the synagogue and school community… and treated under the same halachic framework as any other member of the synagogue they join”.
Six months in the making, the document – written by rabbis Nathaniel Helfgot of New York’s Yeshivat Chovevei Torah; Aryeh Klapper, dean of The Centre for Modern Torah Leadership in Boston; and Yitzchak Blau, an American-educated kollel head in Israel – states that harassing or demeaning gay Jews is “a violation of Torah prohibitions”.
It recommends that homosexuals should not be encouraged to marry someone of the opposite gender, as this can lead to “tragedy and… ruined lives”, and recognises that “change therapies” – controversial treatments promising to make a gay person straight – are often “ineffective or potentially damaging psychologically”.
The document stopped short of embracing gay sexual relationships, stating that halachic Judaism “views all male and female same-sex sexual interactions as prohibited”.
The authors are explicit in their commitment to halachah, saying that heterosexual marriage is “the ideal model” and that the signatories “cannot give [their] blessing to Jewish religious same-sex commitment ceremonies”.
Each synagogue must “establish its own standard with regard to membership for open violators of halachah,” the document said. However, it urged families of Jews in same-sex relationships to “to make every effort to maintain harmonious family relations”.
“We want Jews of this orientation to not feel shunned. The goal is now for communities to take up the challenge of fidelity to halachah on the one hand, and embrace people of homosexual orientation and their families as much as we can on the other,” said author Rabbi Helfgot.
The impetus for the statement was a high-profile symposium held at Yeshiva University in December 2009 entitled “Being Gay in the Modern Orthodox World”, in which alumni spoke openly of their struggles of being gay in the frum world.
“A group of educators decided it was time to give people some guidance on this sensitive matter,” said Rabbi Helfgot. “I’m sure there will be people on the right who won’t like it and people on the left who will say it hasn’t gone far enough, but that’s the nature of trying to write a balanced document and trying to be as inclusive as possible.”
American Jewish LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) groups have been quick to show their support.
“We are very pleased that so many courageous mainstream Orthodox rabbis have taken such an important step forward in recognising the needs of gays and lesbians in their communities,” said Jay Michaelson, of Nehirim, a national Jewish LGBT community organisation. “If this statement can help separate a halachic issue on the one hand, from fear and homophobia on the other, it will go a long way.”
Mordechai Levovitz, of JQYouth, a support group for young Orthodox gay Jews, said that the reaction from its 400 members was “overwhelmingly positive”, with many posting a link to the statement on their Facebook pages.
“Many of these statements heal open wounds. We needed Orthodox rabbis to speak out against homophobia.”
 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Prop. 8 Opponents Praise Court Ruling 

 

8.4.10 : The Los Angeles Times
 
Reporting by­­­ Lee Romney in San Francisco and Mitchell Landsberg in Los Angeles
Upon hearing of federal Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s ruling on Proposition 8, 85-year-old Phyllis Lyon uttered a quiet, “Bless his heart.”
She and her lifelong partner Del Martin were the first to be married in San Francisco’­­s City Hall in February 2004, in a private ceremony that opened the floodgates to thousands more weddings and multiple court battles.
Martin died in 2008, 56 years after she and Lyon joined together in a lasting lovers’­­ union. Lyon on Wednesday called Walker’­­s ruling “a wonderful statement” and said she planned to stick around until this battle was ultimately won nationwide.
She and her partner, and then wife, were initially opposed to the institution of marriage as early feminists. But it became clear to them in recent years that the prohibition against such marriages made gays and lesbians second-class citizens, she said.
“It’­­s a step toward making people understand that we’­­re human beings like everybody else and we deserve the same kinds of privileges that everyone else has,” she said, “with the same names.”
Jeanne Rizzo waited outside the federal courthouse in San Francisco for Walker’s ruling. She and her partner of 21 years, Pali Cooper, have been fighting from the trenches since the courts blocked the 2004 marriages and San Francisco officials closed the door right in front of them as they waited in line for a marriage license.
They became plaintiffs in the California Supreme Court case that briefly legalized the unions and wed, then began a new wave of activism to counter Prop. 8.
“I’­­m just so proud of us,” she said as she greeted well-wishers in the crowd. “It’­­s as it should be. It just proves that you really should not be leaving this to a popular vote. … My heart is full.”
Cooper, a chiropractor, was seeing patients Wednesday but Rizzo said, “I want to go home to my wife­­­…I can’­­t wait to go home and hug her.”
In Los Angeles, Rabbi Denise Eger, president of the Southern California Board of Rabbis, hailed the ruling but was waiting to hear whether it would be stayed.
“I don’­­t think anybody’­­s quite clear yet on whether it means that weddings can happen,” she said a short time after the ruling was handed down. “That’­­s the big question, whether I as a rabbi can start officiating.”
Eger, who is married to a woman, is rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in West Hollywood, which has a large gay and lesbian membership.
“Here’­­s my advice to those who have theological trouble with gay and lesbians getting married,” she said. “In our country, marriage is very much a civil right, and yet we also ensure freedom of religion — and freedom from religion.
“And so while there are those who are more theologically to the right wing, theologically conservative, who would not support marriage for gay people from their theological perspective, the answer is: They don’­­t have to do them,” she continued. “They have their freedom of religion in our country not to officiate. ­­­… For those of us who are theologically progressive, we also have the freedom of our religion to practice our values.”
“So it’­­s a very joyous day,” she said. “And I know there were many couples who wanted to get married who ­­­… are ready and I look forward to standing under the chuppah with them,” referring to the canopy used in Jewish weddings.
She added that the Board of Rabbis opposed Prop. 8, despite some dissent from its more theologically conservative members.


 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

An Orthodox Pledge of Compassion 

 

8.4.10 : The Forward
 
Opinion
By Steven Greenberg
It has been nearly a decade since the film “Trembling Before G-d” introduced Jewish communities around the globe to the very existence of faithful and observant gay Orthodox Jews and their struggles. While many in the Orthodox world paid attention to the film at the time, since then there has been little or no change regarding basic Orthodox policies toward gay Jews.
That’­­s why the recent “Statement of Principles on the Place of Jews With a Homosexual Orientation in Our Community” represents such a long-awaited milestone. Drafted by Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot in consultation with other rabbis, the document demands that gay Jews be “treated with dignity and respect,” and condemns harassment and demeaning treatment aimed at them. It also insists that they be “welcomed as full members of the synagogue and school communities.”
Impressively, the document was signed by more than 80 rabbis. Together, the document’­­s signatories have put forward the best starting point for a productive discussion on issues relating to homosexuality that has ever been advanced by any Orthodox rabbinate.
The document’­­s sweep confirms what I have observed over the past several years: There is a new mood in the Orthodox community. While even a few years ago the prevailing rhetoric was often caustic and harsh, today most Orthodox rabbis are empathetic, or at least moving in that direction.
Many of the specifics in the document appear to have come directly from the counseling experience of rabbis. The document says that gay people should not be encouraged to marry individuals of the opposite gender. No doubt, the divorces of many couples, and the complaints of women trapped in marriages to gay men, have discouraged rabbis from pushing gay people into straight marriages in the hope that the problems will work themselves out. Similarly, the growth of same-sex families who want a traditional education for their children seems to have prompted the document’­­s conclusion that children of gay couples should be accepted into Orthodox day schools. While these kinds of conclusions may seem obvious outside the frum world, they are bold innovations for many in the Orthodox community.
Importantly, the statement also supports gay Jews who decide to turn down “change therapy” (more commonly known as “reparative therapy”), citing their right “to reject therapeutic approaches they reasonably see as useless or dangerous.” This is surely a welcome relief to the many young gay Orthodox Jews whose parents, beset with confusion, sadness and fear, insist that their children try such therapies.
However, it must be said that on this account and others the document does not go far enough. I wish the document’­­s framers had more forthrightly condemned this destructive pseudo-therapy, which can do profound damage to desperate and vulnerable young people. Indeed, it has been rejected by every professional therapeutic organization in the country.
Also, while the document raises the need for sensitivity in regard to the higher risk of suicide among gay teens, it leaves the reader wondering as to the roots of this danger. Research by the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University has conclusively demonstrated that familial rejection, not the condition of being homosexual, is the main factor in suicide attempts. When parents are emotionally accepting of gay teenagers, however they may feel about homosexuality, the incidence of suicide drops to near normal. Taking note of this important finding would have provided valuable guidance to families acutely in need of it.
Perhaps the most fraught issue, however, is the how the document’­­s implicit demand for lifelong celibacy can be squared with its call for compassion. Can an Orthodox rabbi really share this untempered conviction with a struggling gay person without that person feeling profoundly blighted, hopeless and despondent?
Undoubtedly, rabbis must be responsible to a biblical ruling that has been unchallenged for millennia. But even if they are unable to give permission for same-sex relations, I would hope that rabbis could admit (at the very least in private counsel) to being confounded by the searing conflict that this dilemma produces. While one might think Orthodox discipline cannot admit such brokenness and frustration, in fact there are Orthodox rabbis who have been able to do so.
Leading Orthodox thinker Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo reminds us that God does not impose demands upon human beings that are beyond a person’­­s capacity. He applies this talmudic principle specifically to this issue: “It is not possible for the Torah to come and ask a person to do something which he is not able to do. Theoretically speaking it would be better for the homosexual to live a life of celibacy. I just would argue one thing ­­­— it’­­s completely impossible. It doesn’­­t work. The human force of sexuality is so big it can’­­t be done.”
Regrettably, there were no equivalent acknowledgments in this document.
Yet for all its shortcomings, the rabbis’­­ statement may well prove pivotal. Until now rabbinic compassion was largely private, shared between rabbis and those who turned to them for help. The more than 80 Orthodox rabbis who signed this document have publicly inaugurated a new communal commitment to compassion, and with it a new sense of human dignity for gay and lesbian Jews.
Until now many gay Orthodox Jews have felt no choice but to leave the communities they love. We are no longer required to be silent or to leave. We can stay and be honest. Different communities will respond in different ways to this call for compassion and human dignity, but there is no doubt that anywhere this document is taken seriously as an opportunity for conversation, people’­­s lives will get better. For that reason, the rabbis who took up the challenge to bring this consensus to the light of day are to be commended.
Rabbi Steven Greenberg is the senior teaching fellow at CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. He is the author of “Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition”( University of Wisconsin Press, 2004).
 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

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 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Orthodox Jews Open Gay Dialogue 

 

8.9.10 : Advocate.com
 
By Julie Bolcer
A large group of Orthodox Jewish leaders published a statement last month calling for gay members of their community to be treated with “dignity and respect.”
According to the Guardian, the statement, published on July 22, has garnered 170 signatories from Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States and Israel. While it does not call for a change in the religious law that opposes homosexuality, it does make progress by recognizing the right of gay people to reject efforts to change them, and allowing religious communities to determine their own policies on homosexuality.
Part of the statement says, “All human beings are created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect … Embarrassing, harassing or demeaning someone with a homosexual orientation or same-sex attraction is a violation of Torah prohibitions that embody the deepest values of Judaism.”
 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Gay Marriage and ‘Religious Freedom’ 

 

8.18.10 : Forward.com open in new window

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
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October 25, 2013
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February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
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Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
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December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
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Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

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Helping to integrate gay, Jewish identities 

 

11.3.10 : New Jersey Jewish News
 
Michael Hopkins, former JCC director, heads retreat programs – more at:
http://njjewishnews.com/article/metrowest/helping-to-integrate-gay-jewish-identities
 

 

   

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Website design by SimonAbramson.com
           


















 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

111 Reasons to Keep the Faith 

 

11.16.10 : Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Blog
 
This article was originally published in the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Blog.
The postcards for the fourth annual­­­ Queer Shabbaton New York promised big: We boasted Jewish and LGBT diversity, a celebration of secular and religious practices, and cutting edge Jewish thought, culture and community.
With a wealth of teachers, scholars, Rabbis, lay leaders, and community organizers, though, this all seemed attainable. We enlisted presenters like Dr. Warren Hoffman, author of­­­ The Passing Game: Queering Jewish American Culture;­­­ Audrey Beth Stein, author of­­­ Map;­­­ Jay Michaelson, Nehirim founder; and Rabbi Steve Greenberg, author of­­­ Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition.
But what nags at the heart and mind of the retreat director­­­—in this case, me­­­—is always the same:­­­ Who will come? What will we really have to offer?
And these particular questions, I think, are actually part of the struggle of being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (LGBT) in 21st Century America.­­­ These questions echo years of solitude in which we wonder,­­­ Am I the only one? Who will stand with me? And what will we really have to offer?

For LGBT people, these doubts reflect the experience of living in a society that insists we do not count or, worse yet, that we should not exist at all. Questions like these reveal what it is to survive being intentionally marginalized, discounted and erased from history. For LGBT Jews, there is also that old adage that many of us heard growing up­­­—You can always walk into any synagogue­­­—that we are still trying to fight for, reclaim or forget.
It is no wonder, then, that acceptance, celebration, support and community for LGBT people can never be taken for granted­­­—not even as an insider, not even as the retreat director.

But then 111 people show up.
We show up to learn about topics like LGBT Jewish history, building Jewish LGBT families and community building. We show up to engage in Torah study, to write about our own LGBT identities and to consider a call to action for LGBT homeless youth. Those of us who show up, we are of every generation, every Jewish practice and every stream and strand of LGBT life.And by showing up, we offer our act of resistance. We answer decade upon decade of­­­ Who Will Come and­­­ What Will We Really Offer; we insist in our collective faith in one another.
When the young LGBT students showed up, they show their hope and faith that it gets better. When the attendee from Kansas tells me that she traveled to Queer Shabbaton New York because it’­­s the closest that she can get to LGBT Jewish culture, she makes her own journey of faith.­­­ And when those who have been closeted finally see the smiling faces of other LGBT Jews, their prayers of faith are at long last reflected back to them.
Nothing is a Utopia, of course. I could write about how some participants were uncomfortable with the word Queer, itself, and how others feel that it is the only identity that applies; I could write about how we had a printing snafu with our registration packets; I could even write about how I avoided my own personal and professional nightmare, all wrapped up in almost serving a carafe of less than fresh Half and Half to a people already plagued with stomach tsuris.
But really, I’­­d rather say this: I am honored and proud to be a part of a community built on faith­­­—because what it means is that we will keep showing up. This last Queer Shabbaton actually converted me to my own suspicions: I believe that we will continue to practice faith together.­­­ Beyond our differences, beyond our various beliefs and beyond even my own worries ofWho Will Come, we LGBT Jews of Nehirim will go on binding our hearts up with one another because that is the single strongest action of faith.
The rest, as they say, is in the details: During Halloween weekend, 2010, over 100 LGBT Jews, partners and allies attended the fourth annual Queer Shabbaton New York, hosted by Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality. The event was co-sponsored by­­­ Congregation Beth Simchat Torah and­­­ The JCC in Manhattan, with generous support provided by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. The weekend was, by all accounts, a tremendous success.
Sasha T. Goldberg is the Associate Director and Director of Student Programming of­­­ Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality. A Jewish scholar, educator and community organizer, Sasha holds a Master’­­s Degree in Judaism from the Graduate Theological Union and has taught nationally on the intersections of Judaism and various cultural, social, sexual and religious identities.
 

 

   

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
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 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

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 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Nehirim’s ‘It Gets Better’ Video 

 

2.1.11 : YouTube
 

 

 

   

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Marriage Inequality: Not a Jewish Value
by Chris Bargeron  May 11, 2011

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota? ___Yes   ___No”
S.F. No. 1308, as introduced – 87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)
548732528 364c8dbe75 b 225x300 Marriage Inequality: Not a Jewish Value
Oy, are we here again already? With a never-ending election cycle, that is played out in the 24×7 media, which in turn feeds the claims, counter-claims and stylized posturing of politicians, it should come as no surprise that the leadership of the GOP-controlled state Senate and House of Representatives has fired the opening salvo of the 2012 campaign. What is at issue? It is not the deficit, or jobs, or health care, although one could be excused for assuming that any of these important issues would figure prominently in the lead-up to our next election of state government leaders. Instead, state senators and representatives have been debating whether or not any Minnesotan may choose to enter into a legal marriage with the person they love.
Specifically, two bills are working their way through the State Senate and House of Representatives that, if approved by both bodies, would place a constitutional amendment before voters that bans same-sex marriage on the 2012 general election ballot. Under Minnesota law, if the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by the legislature it does not require the governor’s signature and goes directly to the ballot. The timing of this measure gives the appearance of strong political motivation, as it has become conventional wisdom that key wedge issues increase voter turnout, especially among socially conservative voters who are also more likely to vote for socially conservative (nearly always GOP) candidates.
In recent decades, many “wedge issues” equate to civil rights for women and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (GLBT) people, and fair and reasonable treatment of undocumented immigrants. These divisive issues are exploited to shore up the power base of socially conservative politicians at the expense of marginalized or otherwise vulnerable people.
Now it is Minnesotans’ turn to determine whether or not we will put the civil rights of a minority of its citizens up to a vote of the majority in 2012.  I believe that this must not happen. Enshrining marriage inequality in the Minnesota Constitution is bad law and is inconsistent with Jewish values.
Bad Law
(Disclosure: I am not an attorney, so please use the following comments to begin your own inquiry on the legal consideration(s) of this issue.)
While state same-sex marriage bans have been key issues across the nation for several election cycles, such a ban in Minnesota would be redundant for two reasons. First, Minnesota banned marriages between two people of the same sex by statute in 1997. It is not possible for two men or two women to be issued a marriage license in Minnesota because it would be illegal for authorities to do so.
The second reason that same sex marriage ban amendment is redundant is particularly interesting. Minnesota has the distinction of being perhaps the first state in which its supreme court ruled that there is not a constitutional right for two people of the same sex to marry. In 1970 Richard Baker and James Michael McConnell applied for and were denied a marriage license in Minneapolis. They took their case all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court and the resulting decision, known as Baker v. Nelson has been binding on state courts for more than 30 years. This is not an arcane legal technicality. Earlier this year, this precedent was cited by a Hennepin County trial court as it dismissed a lawsuit to overturn the statute banning same sex marriage.  Minnesota is unique among states in regard to the extent our same-sex marriage ban is deeply embedded in case law. As compared to the legal status quo, a constitutional amendment is clearly unnecessary, and brings forth questions about the political motivations of its proponents.
Proposition 8: California’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban
At the national level, one can’t but help to look to California’s legal battle over Proposition 8. In 2008, the voters of California approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, which had the effect of closing a brief window during which gay and lesbian people were permitted to marry same-sex partners in California.  A federal court found Prop 8 to be unconstitutional last year but the ruling was stayed pending appeal that will almost certainly be forthcoming.
The reason I am mentioning California is that the court ruling overturning Prop 8 made some very compelling findings of fact. Among these finds are (emphasis is mine):
•Marriage is a civil, not religious, matter.
•Individuals do not generally choose their sexual orientation. An individual does not, through conscious decision, therapeutic intervention or any other method, change sexual orientation.
•The State has no interest in asking gays and lesbians to change their orientation or in reducing the number of gays and lesbians…
•Marrying a person of the opposite sex is an unrealistic option for gays and lesbians.
•Domestic partnerships lack the social meaning associated with marriage.
•Gays and lesbians have a long history of being victims of discrimination.
•Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians.
(Attribution: findings quoted above from Wikipedia article on the ruling, which cites each finding back to the court ruling.)
This case is about a California law, and may not have direct bearing on the ultimate outcome of a Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. However, each of these findings is intuitively true and therefore highly relevant. Further, a same-sex marriage ban is unjust. It unfairly targets gays, lesbians and their children for exclusion from the tangible and emotional benefits of companionship that, as we’ll explore next, is a sacred part of creation.
Jewish Values and Marriage Equality
As my rabbi taught recently, as Jews we affirm that every person is created in the image of God, and as we say in the Sh’ma every day, God is one. The natural extension of these two foundational elements of faith and tradition leads us to know that our connection to the Eternal One is inextricable from our connections with one another.
We also have a collective responsibility to honor and respect creation, and the Torah’s telling of the Creation story brings an interesting and perhaps surprising perspective to the question of marriage equality.
Jay Michaelson, a Jewish activist and scholar, visited Minneapolis in April and shared his views on the religious case for gay equality, with a particular focus on marriage. “The first, fundamental problem that God sees in creation is the problem of aloneness,” Michaelson said.  “After saying everything is good — the sky, the earth, the trees — suddenly God says, in Genesis 2:18, that ‘it is not good for a person to be alone.’  And so God sets about creating a companion for Adam.  Not a biological reproductive unit, mind you — a companion.
“Of course, Adam and Eve are the fundamental couple in the Genesis story, and they are heterosexual.  But Adam and Eve are the solution to a problem: the fundamental problem of aloneness.  So how do we understand this teaching today, now that we know that for about 5% of the population, that problem can only be solved by a person of the same sex?  The teaching holds: it is not good to be alone — and it is very good to be in a loving, committed partnership.  For most people, that partner will be of the opposite sex.  For some, the same sex.  But the religious value is the same in both cases: love heals the first flaw God finds in creation.”
In Michaelson’s upcoming book God vs. Gay?: The Religious Case for Equality, he analyzes the texts that are often used to condemn homosexual behavior and concludes, “there is no contradiction between these narrow prohibitions and the religious value of love.  None whatsoever.”
If we are to honor creation and our ties to all people, then we must recognize the inherent sacredness of all loving companionship. To establish laws that explicitly exclude one group of people from forming socially validated relationships – marriage – is to dishonor creation.
What You Can Do
When a democracy faces critical decision points, it is incumbent for all citizens to become involved. Here are a few simple suggestions on how you can engage with the issue of marriage equality.
Learn
Educate yourself on the issue of marriage equality and what is happening in Minnesota and nationally. Here are some resources to get started with:
Project 515: A Minnesota organization with a mission of working to ensure that same-sex couples and their families have equal rights and considerations under Minnesota law.
Outfront Minnesota: Advocates for equality for GLBT Minnesotans.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism:  A summary of the Reform movement’s position on GLBT equality, including marriage equality.
Speak Out
Call your state senator and state representative now to urge them not to write inequality into Minnesota’s constitution. Talk to your friends and family and urge them to do the same thing.
Lend Your Support
Any of the organizations identified above can make great use of your time or financial support to further the cause of marriage equality.
(Image: Jewish Women’s Archive)

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Tagged with: featured GLBT Jay Michaelson Judaism LGBT Marriage Equality Minnesota Politics Social Justice

About Chris Bargeron



Chris Bargeron endeavors to do his part to repair the world, one conversation or relationship at a time -- but tries not to think about it that way because that would be totally overwhelming. He is a non-profit leader, a clinical social worker, and writes about things that are on his mind. These days, Chris spends a lot of time thinking about living Jewishly and living well. He loves to read blog-post comments and hopes that you tell him what you're thinking about. Chris is a member of Shir Tikvah, and has a private psychotherapy practice in the Twin Cities. More information is available at www.bargeron.net.

 
 

Comments. Add Yours!

 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 11, 2011 at 10:34 AM
 

Good article! I’m a fairly conservative Republican and understand a lot about the arguments for those who want to preserve the current concept of marriage, but I enjoyed your points.
In your opinion, is the ability for a locality like MN to choose the laws they live by also a Jewish value? And if so, why does this trump that?
And also, can you conceptualize a form of marriage that would not be a Jewish value to support? Are there limits to your view of equality?
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 11, 2011 at 11:49 AM
 

@Matthew Gallagher: Thanks for your comment!
I believe that freedom from oppression and just governance are Jewish values. The ability for citizens to shape laws either directly, through the ballot, or indirectly, through their elected leaders, comes with the responsibility to maintain a just society. I believe that excluding gay and lesbian people from civil marriage is unjust, and that it is tantamount to oppression for the majority to impose this on a minority. In this instance, I believe the more compelling values are freedom from oppression and maintaining a just society.
Regarding your second question, my argument relates only to equal access to civil marriage for gay and lesbian people. I believe that the injustice at issue is the unfair restriction of access to marriage based solely on the sex of the two people wishing marry.
 
 

Mike
 May 11, 2011 at 2:10 PM
 

Chris,
If you think that the statement “Marriage is a civil, not religious, matter” “is intuitively true,” then why bring in the question of Jewish values at all?
I ask not because I oppose gay marriage (no, I support allowing it), but because I think that what Judaism has to say about it is in no way decisive.
What’s more, I suspect that you do, too. I don’t, of course, claim to know your mind, but answer this honestly — if it were somehow proven to you beyond all doubt that Judaism opposes gay marriage, would you switch to opposing it?
If so, then I apologize for challenging you a bit harshly. You are deeply principled, and, I strongly suspect, in a very small minority of our fellow opponents of the gay marriage ban.
If not, then I suggest that this argument, even if not entirely disingenuous, is unhelpful. If anything, by resting a part of your opposition to the ban on religion, you’re giving the ban’s supporters, a so-to-speak home-court advantage — you’re playing on their field.
Let’s be intellectually honest — the principled opposition to a ban on gay marriage is not based on religion. Freedom, equality, maybe — but not religion.
-Mike
P.S. I really like Jay Michaelson’s creative argument from Bereshit.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 11, 2011 at 4:37 PM
 

@Mike: From my perspective, Jewish values are available to guide Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, and are inclusive of – but not limited to – Judaism. That said, while it is true that the constitutional amendment that could potentially be put before the voters in 2012 pertains to civil marriage and not religious marriage, I do not agree that religion has no place in the debate. I support same-sex marriage because everything I know deep in my soul to be true tells me that it is just. I have difficulty looking at this question in a dualistic/either-or frame. The same things that make me a religious liberal Jew tell me that marriage inequality is wrong.
I cannot authentically answer your question asking what I would do if it was proven to me that Judaism opposes gay marriage, because I cannot imagine that happening.
You may argue that if I cite my religious views as I advocate for marriage equality that opens the door to requiring that I validate those who cite their religious views as they argue to limit marriage. I agree that does provide a tactical challenge in the struggle for marriage equality. However, in the end all I can do – all any of us can do – is to speak the truth as I know it. Someone I know told me that the problem with the religious argument against equality for GLBT people is that religious liberal people have ceded the religious argument to the conservatives. How would it be if we could speak out for marriage equality *because* we are religious, and *not in spite of* being religious?
One last thing: I think that the poem “I am a Jew Because,” by Edmund Fleg, describes beautifully Jewish values that are rooted in Judaism but are not limited to religious people:
I am a Jew because my faith demands no abdication of the mind.
I am a Jew because my faith demands all the devotion of my heart.
I am a Jew because wherever there is suffering, the Jew weeps.
I am a Jew because whenever there is despair, the Jew hopes.
I am a Jew because the promise of our faith is a universal promise.
I am a Jew because for the Jew the world is not completed; people must complete it.
I am a Jew because for the Jew humanity is not fully created; people must complete it.
I am a Jew because the faith of the people of Israel places humanity above nations, above Judaism itself.
I am a Jew because the faith of the people of Israel places above humanity, image of the divine, the
 Oneness of God.
(http://www.creedia.com/en/content/i-am-jew-becauseby-edmund-fleg)
I appreciate your comment, Mike!
 
 

Jenna Zark
 May 11, 2011 at 10:01 PM
 

Great poem, Chris and great post. It’s interesting in the context of Torah, because I have heard the argument that same-sex marriage is forbidden; I always answer there are 613 laws, how many are you actually keeping? How many laws are actually in place that are observed by most (or any) of us today? And if you are keeping all 613, you must be sacrificing lambs or something. At the Temple.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 12, 2011 at 12:26 AM
 

But why just focus on the gender issue? I know plenty of people in plural relationships who’d love to be in plural marriage. It’s a state of marriage not only with precedent in human history, but pretty much all the most famous Biblical Jews/Hebrews were polygamists. None of them were gay. Is it injust to keep them from marrying as well?
Because to me the value that you point out, that man is not meant to be alone, is a higher value than some of these other considerations, but where does someone draw the line? And what authority backs up that line when drawn? It would be unjust to keep people apart, but we don’t keep people apart, they just can’t enter into what some say is an arbitrary institution. When can we say, as a community, that we aren’t well served by endorsing something? Does our right to create the communities we want to live in ever trump someone else’s desire to feel accepted?
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 12, 2011 at 11:42 AM
 

@Matthew Gallagher:
There is no consideration of the legal status of polygamy taking place in Minnesota. The question here is why qualified gay and lesbian people should be kept from marrying the person of their choice – not how many people can marry. I am not arguing that there should be no rules regarding legal access to marriage, but only that the same rules should be applied justly. The “where will this lead” argument was raised in the twentieth century when laws barring race discrimination in marriage were repealed, and they are being raised again as we advocate to end sex discrimination in marriage. The end of race restrictions in marriage 40+ years ago has not led to changes in laws against polygamy, and there is no credible reason to believe that will happen if Minnesota were to repeal legal restrictions against same-sex marriage. And that is not even on the table.
In my view there is a difference between creating communities where people “feel accepted” and maintaining a just society that provides equal access to civil marriage. There are a lot of places where I could find myself in which I would not feel accepted and, frankly, where I would not in actuality be accepted. For example, as a gay man there are many Orthodox Jewish communities where the validity of the life I live would be questioned by many if not most people in the community. As much as this may sadden me, both for me and more importantly for GLBT people who are born into these communities, I accept that there are communities of faithful people who do not choose to accept me. Further, I accept that someday I may have the opportunity to marry a man I love under the chuppah in my shul, while at the same time other Jewish communities will continue to reserve the marriage ritual for opposite-sex couples. None of this would change if gay and lesbian people were granted equal access to civil (i.e., secular), marriage.
People within religious institutions (synagogues, churches, mosques, and related organizations) are free to set the norms of religious marriage as they see as fit based on their religious views. A common refrain in this national debate has been “If you don’t want same-sex marriage, don’t have one. “ If the citizens of Minnesota get a vote on the sex of the person I can civilly marry, when I do not get a vote on the sex of the person you can civilly marry, that is unjust.
 
 

Mike
 May 12, 2011 at 9:59 PM
 

See, Chris, this is what happens when you get religion into it — they throw polygamous patriarchs in your face.
Matthew,
Those are valid points, as far as they go. But turnabout is fair play, too.
Where would you draw the line?
 And on what authority?
I presume your line includes marriage interracial unions. Why?
And, just for clarity’s sake — what exactly is wrong with plural marriage (assuming consenting adults all around)?
As for the right to create communities, my answer is whenever it’s a thoroughly private act.
 Otherwise, our American concern with individual rights trumps community feelings.
 As an example, people may create an all-one-race neighborhood by informal agreement, but if they involve the state by entering into (enforceable) contracts to accomplish this, that’s illegal.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 13, 2011 at 5:13 PM
 

I point on the patriarchs to note that polygamy has a rich history of acceptance, but gay marriage doesn’t. That doesn’t have anything to do with right or wrong, of course. It’s simply a fact, and if the point is whether gay marriage is a Jewish value, then you have to extend that standard to judge other things, otherwise it’s just you twisting religion to your own personal preferences.
When you argue, for instance, that gay marriage is a right, then you have to ask why other forms of marriage aren’t rights, or concede that they are. And if they are, then you have to accept that too. The definition of marriage is what it is. If you want to change it, then change it, but acknowledge that you’re changing it.
I don’t think government should be in the marriage business. I think marriage is a great institution, but social engineering isn’t the government’s job. This is also the position of the Israeli government, actually, who has no civil marriage. Only religious.
Short of that, I think that people have the right of self determination. Gays can form whatever unions are special to them, and if states, through their legislature or through popular vote, want to allow them, or polygamists, or anyone to have access to traditional marriage, then that’s perfectly fine. Let them choose. The authority is the consent of the governed.
I don’t think marriage is a right, period, so I don’t know how civil rights enter into the conversation. I don’t believe laws should take personal affection into account, so it’s not a question of equality to me.
I include interracial unions because there is no difference between a black man and a white man, but there is a difference between men and women. I think it’s well meaning, but very naive to compare gay people and black people. And I think most black people would agree with me. I’ve never got pulled over by a cop in Mississippi for being bisexual.
I just think arguments about why people are terribly bad for denying people their rights aren’t going to fly. They’re insulting, I think. And ineffective.
I want to see people make the case why gay marriage is good for marriage and why people should support it. Don’t say “it’s not a threat to your marriage, and by the way marriage is already ruined by a high divorce rate.” I hate that argument, because it shows a disrespect for the institution. Let me know why marriage will be strengthened by this! And let me decide. People have tender hearts. Nearly everyone, when they stop to think, empathizes. They just don’t want to end up like Europe where the marriage rate is crashing, and the birth rate is crashing, and people care more about taking care of themselves than raising a family.
Plural marriage isn’t wrong to me, but is ridiculously hard, and most people can’t do it. And it opens a huge bucket of worms financially, legally, and emotionally, and to allow it is an endorsement of it, which could seriously mess some people up. But if the citizenry wants it, than they can allow it. And people have the right to protect their communities from those effects. They don’t have the right to keep people apart, in their own eyes and the eyes of God.
Alright. TL;DR, but I hope I answered all your questions intelligently.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 13, 2011 at 6:26 PM
 

@Jenna Zark: Thanks for your kind comments….they mean a lot.
 Chris
 
 

Mike
 May 14, 2011 at 9:55 AM
 

Matthew,
It looks to me like you and I are coming at this from entirely different perspectives. Yours is communitarian — prove to me that this is good for the community. Mine is that of individual rights — prove to me that this is not an unjustified limitation on individuals.
The American political culture — from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution onwards in our history holds up individual rights, not community wishes. So, for example, state’s rights have consistently lost out to individual rights.
Maybe it’s not good for the community to have gay marriage. Maybe it’s not even good to have gays at all — they raise all these troublesome issues and divide the community. Jews, too. And blacks. I’m not putting this argument in our mouth, but there is an argument to be made that homogeneity (or at least conformity) is better for the community.
(There’re also powerful arguments that communities are better off from diversity. Just anecdotally (and please excuse the somewhat stereotypical examples) — America is better off with than without Jewish scientists, black athletes, and gay entertainers.)
But that’s beside the point. In America (unlike many other countries) it’s not about the community — it’s about individual liberty.
If I publish a “subversive” newspaper, or put on a play that’s “in bad taste,” I don’t have to prove that this improves the culture. I have a right to do it, whether it’s better for the community or not. That’s liberty.
Interracial couples didn’t have to prove that their marriages improved marriage. Neither should same-sex couples.
To this you say that the cases are not analogous because “there is no difference between a black man and a white man, but there is a difference between men and women.” That just won’t fly.
Of course there’s a difference between men and women, *and* blacks and whites. Not a difference in worth. But there is a difference that we can tell (can see, in these cases). If we truly thought there was no difference, there would never have been discrimination. The whole concept of discrimination would have been absurd. The idea of equality is not that people are actually identical; it’s that we decided that, in things that matter, they are equal. And the most basic equality is equality before the law.
Yes, blacks and gays don’t face identical challenges. But they are both minority groups that are disliked by some proportion of society. And discriminated against.
That’s why they fight for their individual rights.
 But they don’t have to prove that they improve marriage for all.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 14, 2011 at 10:28 AM
 

But justice is blind, and a blind system doesn’t take into account race or sexual preference. It’s legal for one man to marry one woman. Everybody IS treated the same. That’s equality.
It also sucks rocks. But if you’re arguing from an equal rights perspective, it’s solid. I’m sorry. Gay people do have the same access to the system, it just doesn’t do anything worthwhile for them, but how is that the government’s problem? I don’t get anything out of a lot of laws, but I have access to them. I have equal access to social security as my grandparents, I just don’t qualify for it.
This is the crux of the problem. I love individual liberty, but we’re not discussing liberty, because no one’s liberty is being attacked. Marriage is not a natural right.
And no, there really is no biological difference between blacks and whites. Laws that treated them differently were based on scientific falsehoods, and unjustified discrimination. That’s why they fell.
we don’t live in an anarchistic, or even libertarian system. We make decisions as a community. No, those decisions can’t infringe on a person’s natural rights. But in all else, we make decisions as a community.
The GBLT community is best served by dropping this empty argument that only makes everyone outrageously outraged, and instead approach each other as human beings, appealing to each other’s best values and humanity.
Dr. King did far more to heal race relations by announcing his fondest hopes and dreams then by shaming others with calls of bigotry. And he even had the right to do it.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 14, 2011 at 10:43 AM
 

And, Mike, you have to address the same questions. If you believe this is about government securing individual liberty vis a vis marriage, then can you conceive of a form of marriage you do not think is a right? And defend why the line is drawn there, and by what authority.
And if you’re not in favor of limitations, then at what point does does it conceivably hurt my marriage through the weakening of the institution?
People always dismiss this as a slippery slope argument, but slopes are actually slippery. There are many groups with lawyers chomping at the bit to protest the government to allow marriage to include them. They’re ready to go, and if you can’t defend the line, then there isn’t one anymore. And why, ethically, don’t communities have the right to keep that from happening?
 
 

Mike
 May 14, 2011 at 12:23 PM
 

Maybe you’re right, Matthew, that people respond not to dry arguments about rights and justice, but to emotional appeals based on “humanity.” In that case, nothing I have to say is going to do any good.
Anyway, Chris, I’d like to point out that Matthew and I, by arguing what we argued about, demonstrated that religion is not what’s important in this debate.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 17, 2011 at 10:22 AM
 

@Mike: My eye is on the outcome, not the religiosity of those who support marriage equality. Yet, I remain hopeful that those of us who are religious and support justice for LGBT people can and will bring our whole selves to this debate and the work at hand.
Thanks for lending your voice to the conversation!
 
   

By Chris Bargeron

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Marriage Inequality: Not a Jewish Value
by Chris Bargeron  May 11, 2011

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota? ___Yes   ___No”
S.F. No. 1308, as introduced – 87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)
548732528 364c8dbe75 b 225x300 Marriage Inequality: Not a Jewish Value
Oy, are we here again already? With a never-ending election cycle, that is played out in the 24×7 media, which in turn feeds the claims, counter-claims and stylized posturing of politicians, it should come as no surprise that the leadership of the GOP-controlled state Senate and House of Representatives has fired the opening salvo of the 2012 campaign. What is at issue? It is not the deficit, or jobs, or health care, although one could be excused for assuming that any of these important issues would figure prominently in the lead-up to our next election of state government leaders. Instead, state senators and representatives have been debating whether or not any Minnesotan may choose to enter into a legal marriage with the person they love.
Specifically, two bills are working their way through the State Senate and House of Representatives that, if approved by both bodies, would place a constitutional amendment before voters that bans same-sex marriage on the 2012 general election ballot. Under Minnesota law, if the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by the legislature it does not require the governor’s signature and goes directly to the ballot. The timing of this measure gives the appearance of strong political motivation, as it has become conventional wisdom that key wedge issues increase voter turnout, especially among socially conservative voters who are also more likely to vote for socially conservative (nearly always GOP) candidates.
In recent decades, many “wedge issues” equate to civil rights for women and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (GLBT) people, and fair and reasonable treatment of undocumented immigrants. These divisive issues are exploited to shore up the power base of socially conservative politicians at the expense of marginalized or otherwise vulnerable people.
Now it is Minnesotans’ turn to determine whether or not we will put the civil rights of a minority of its citizens up to a vote of the majority in 2012.  I believe that this must not happen. Enshrining marriage inequality in the Minnesota Constitution is bad law and is inconsistent with Jewish values.
Bad Law
(Disclosure: I am not an attorney, so please use the following comments to begin your own inquiry on the legal consideration(s) of this issue.)
While state same-sex marriage bans have been key issues across the nation for several election cycles, such a ban in Minnesota would be redundant for two reasons. First, Minnesota banned marriages between two people of the same sex by statute in 1997. It is not possible for two men or two women to be issued a marriage license in Minnesota because it would be illegal for authorities to do so.
The second reason that same sex marriage ban amendment is redundant is particularly interesting. Minnesota has the distinction of being perhaps the first state in which its supreme court ruled that there is not a constitutional right for two people of the same sex to marry. In 1970 Richard Baker and James Michael McConnell applied for and were denied a marriage license in Minneapolis. They took their case all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court and the resulting decision, known as Baker v. Nelson has been binding on state courts for more than 30 years. This is not an arcane legal technicality. Earlier this year, this precedent was cited by a Hennepin County trial court as it dismissed a lawsuit to overturn the statute banning same sex marriage.  Minnesota is unique among states in regard to the extent our same-sex marriage ban is deeply embedded in case law. As compared to the legal status quo, a constitutional amendment is clearly unnecessary, and brings forth questions about the political motivations of its proponents.
Proposition 8: California’s Same-Sex Marriage Ban
At the national level, one can’t but help to look to California’s legal battle over Proposition 8. In 2008, the voters of California approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, which had the effect of closing a brief window during which gay and lesbian people were permitted to marry same-sex partners in California.  A federal court found Prop 8 to be unconstitutional last year but the ruling was stayed pending appeal that will almost certainly be forthcoming.
The reason I am mentioning California is that the court ruling overturning Prop 8 made some very compelling findings of fact. Among these finds are (emphasis is mine):
•Marriage is a civil, not religious, matter.
•Individuals do not generally choose their sexual orientation. An individual does not, through conscious decision, therapeutic intervention or any other method, change sexual orientation.
•The State has no interest in asking gays and lesbians to change their orientation or in reducing the number of gays and lesbians…
•Marrying a person of the opposite sex is an unrealistic option for gays and lesbians.
•Domestic partnerships lack the social meaning associated with marriage.
•Gays and lesbians have a long history of being victims of discrimination.
•Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians.
(Attribution: findings quoted above from Wikipedia article on the ruling, which cites each finding back to the court ruling.)
This case is about a California law, and may not have direct bearing on the ultimate outcome of a Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. However, each of these findings is intuitively true and therefore highly relevant. Further, a same-sex marriage ban is unjust. It unfairly targets gays, lesbians and their children for exclusion from the tangible and emotional benefits of companionship that, as we’ll explore next, is a sacred part of creation.
Jewish Values and Marriage Equality
As my rabbi taught recently, as Jews we affirm that every person is created in the image of God, and as we say in the Sh’ma every day, God is one. The natural extension of these two foundational elements of faith and tradition leads us to know that our connection to the Eternal One is inextricable from our connections with one another.
We also have a collective responsibility to honor and respect creation, and the Torah’s telling of the Creation story brings an interesting and perhaps surprising perspective to the question of marriage equality.
Jay Michaelson, a Jewish activist and scholar, visited Minneapolis in April and shared his views on the religious case for gay equality, with a particular focus on marriage. “The first, fundamental problem that God sees in creation is the problem of aloneness,” Michaelson said.  “After saying everything is good — the sky, the earth, the trees — suddenly God says, in Genesis 2:18, that ‘it is not good for a person to be alone.’  And so God sets about creating a companion for Adam.  Not a biological reproductive unit, mind you — a companion.
“Of course, Adam and Eve are the fundamental couple in the Genesis story, and they are heterosexual.  But Adam and Eve are the solution to a problem: the fundamental problem of aloneness.  So how do we understand this teaching today, now that we know that for about 5% of the population, that problem can only be solved by a person of the same sex?  The teaching holds: it is not good to be alone — and it is very good to be in a loving, committed partnership.  For most people, that partner will be of the opposite sex.  For some, the same sex.  But the religious value is the same in both cases: love heals the first flaw God finds in creation.”
In Michaelson’s upcoming book God vs. Gay?: The Religious Case for Equality, he analyzes the texts that are often used to condemn homosexual behavior and concludes, “there is no contradiction between these narrow prohibitions and the religious value of love.  None whatsoever.”
If we are to honor creation and our ties to all people, then we must recognize the inherent sacredness of all loving companionship. To establish laws that explicitly exclude one group of people from forming socially validated relationships – marriage – is to dishonor creation.
What You Can Do
When a democracy faces critical decision points, it is incumbent for all citizens to become involved. Here are a few simple suggestions on how you can engage with the issue of marriage equality.
Learn
Educate yourself on the issue of marriage equality and what is happening in Minnesota and nationally. Here are some resources to get started with:
Project 515: A Minnesota organization with a mission of working to ensure that same-sex couples and their families have equal rights and considerations under Minnesota law.
Outfront Minnesota: Advocates for equality for GLBT Minnesotans.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism:  A summary of the Reform movement’s position on GLBT equality, including marriage equality.
Speak Out
Call your state senator and state representative now to urge them not to write inequality into Minnesota’s constitution. Talk to your friends and family and urge them to do the same thing.
Lend Your Support
Any of the organizations identified above can make great use of your time or financial support to further the cause of marriage equality.
(Image: Jewish Women’s Archive)

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Tagged with: featured GLBT Jay Michaelson Judaism LGBT Marriage Equality Minnesota Politics Social Justice

About Chris Bargeron



Chris Bargeron endeavors to do his part to repair the world, one conversation or relationship at a time -- but tries not to think about it that way because that would be totally overwhelming. He is a non-profit leader, a clinical social worker, and writes about things that are on his mind. These days, Chris spends a lot of time thinking about living Jewishly and living well. He loves to read blog-post comments and hopes that you tell him what you're thinking about. Chris is a member of Shir Tikvah, and has a private psychotherapy practice in the Twin Cities. More information is available at www.bargeron.net.

 
 

Comments. Add Yours!

 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 11, 2011 at 10:34 AM
 

Good article! I’m a fairly conservative Republican and understand a lot about the arguments for those who want to preserve the current concept of marriage, but I enjoyed your points.
In your opinion, is the ability for a locality like MN to choose the laws they live by also a Jewish value? And if so, why does this trump that?
And also, can you conceptualize a form of marriage that would not be a Jewish value to support? Are there limits to your view of equality?
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 11, 2011 at 11:49 AM
 

@Matthew Gallagher: Thanks for your comment!
I believe that freedom from oppression and just governance are Jewish values. The ability for citizens to shape laws either directly, through the ballot, or indirectly, through their elected leaders, comes with the responsibility to maintain a just society. I believe that excluding gay and lesbian people from civil marriage is unjust, and that it is tantamount to oppression for the majority to impose this on a minority. In this instance, I believe the more compelling values are freedom from oppression and maintaining a just society.
Regarding your second question, my argument relates only to equal access to civil marriage for gay and lesbian people. I believe that the injustice at issue is the unfair restriction of access to marriage based solely on the sex of the two people wishing marry.
 
 

Mike
 May 11, 2011 at 2:10 PM
 

Chris,
If you think that the statement “Marriage is a civil, not religious, matter” “is intuitively true,” then why bring in the question of Jewish values at all?
I ask not because I oppose gay marriage (no, I support allowing it), but because I think that what Judaism has to say about it is in no way decisive.
What’s more, I suspect that you do, too. I don’t, of course, claim to know your mind, but answer this honestly — if it were somehow proven to you beyond all doubt that Judaism opposes gay marriage, would you switch to opposing it?
If so, then I apologize for challenging you a bit harshly. You are deeply principled, and, I strongly suspect, in a very small minority of our fellow opponents of the gay marriage ban.
If not, then I suggest that this argument, even if not entirely disingenuous, is unhelpful. If anything, by resting a part of your opposition to the ban on religion, you’re giving the ban’s supporters, a so-to-speak home-court advantage — you’re playing on their field.
Let’s be intellectually honest — the principled opposition to a ban on gay marriage is not based on religion. Freedom, equality, maybe — but not religion.
-Mike
P.S. I really like Jay Michaelson’s creative argument from Bereshit.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 11, 2011 at 4:37 PM
 

@Mike: From my perspective, Jewish values are available to guide Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, and are inclusive of – but not limited to – Judaism. That said, while it is true that the constitutional amendment that could potentially be put before the voters in 2012 pertains to civil marriage and not religious marriage, I do not agree that religion has no place in the debate. I support same-sex marriage because everything I know deep in my soul to be true tells me that it is just. I have difficulty looking at this question in a dualistic/either-or frame. The same things that make me a religious liberal Jew tell me that marriage inequality is wrong.
I cannot authentically answer your question asking what I would do if it was proven to me that Judaism opposes gay marriage, because I cannot imagine that happening.
You may argue that if I cite my religious views as I advocate for marriage equality that opens the door to requiring that I validate those who cite their religious views as they argue to limit marriage. I agree that does provide a tactical challenge in the struggle for marriage equality. However, in the end all I can do – all any of us can do – is to speak the truth as I know it. Someone I know told me that the problem with the religious argument against equality for GLBT people is that religious liberal people have ceded the religious argument to the conservatives. How would it be if we could speak out for marriage equality *because* we are religious, and *not in spite of* being religious?
One last thing: I think that the poem “I am a Jew Because,” by Edmund Fleg, describes beautifully Jewish values that are rooted in Judaism but are not limited to religious people:
I am a Jew because my faith demands no abdication of the mind.
I am a Jew because my faith demands all the devotion of my heart.
I am a Jew because wherever there is suffering, the Jew weeps.
I am a Jew because whenever there is despair, the Jew hopes.
I am a Jew because the promise of our faith is a universal promise.
I am a Jew because for the Jew the world is not completed; people must complete it.
I am a Jew because for the Jew humanity is not fully created; people must complete it.
I am a Jew because the faith of the people of Israel places humanity above nations, above Judaism itself.
I am a Jew because the faith of the people of Israel places above humanity, image of the divine, the
 Oneness of God.
(http://www.creedia.com/en/content/i-am-jew-becauseby-edmund-fleg)
I appreciate your comment, Mike!
 
 

Jenna Zark
 May 11, 2011 at 10:01 PM
 

Great poem, Chris and great post. It’s interesting in the context of Torah, because I have heard the argument that same-sex marriage is forbidden; I always answer there are 613 laws, how many are you actually keeping? How many laws are actually in place that are observed by most (or any) of us today? And if you are keeping all 613, you must be sacrificing lambs or something. At the Temple.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 12, 2011 at 12:26 AM
 

But why just focus on the gender issue? I know plenty of people in plural relationships who’d love to be in plural marriage. It’s a state of marriage not only with precedent in human history, but pretty much all the most famous Biblical Jews/Hebrews were polygamists. None of them were gay. Is it injust to keep them from marrying as well?
Because to me the value that you point out, that man is not meant to be alone, is a higher value than some of these other considerations, but where does someone draw the line? And what authority backs up that line when drawn? It would be unjust to keep people apart, but we don’t keep people apart, they just can’t enter into what some say is an arbitrary institution. When can we say, as a community, that we aren’t well served by endorsing something? Does our right to create the communities we want to live in ever trump someone else’s desire to feel accepted?
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 12, 2011 at 11:42 AM
 

@Matthew Gallagher:
There is no consideration of the legal status of polygamy taking place in Minnesota. The question here is why qualified gay and lesbian people should be kept from marrying the person of their choice – not how many people can marry. I am not arguing that there should be no rules regarding legal access to marriage, but only that the same rules should be applied justly. The “where will this lead” argument was raised in the twentieth century when laws barring race discrimination in marriage were repealed, and they are being raised again as we advocate to end sex discrimination in marriage. The end of race restrictions in marriage 40+ years ago has not led to changes in laws against polygamy, and there is no credible reason to believe that will happen if Minnesota were to repeal legal restrictions against same-sex marriage. And that is not even on the table.
In my view there is a difference between creating communities where people “feel accepted” and maintaining a just society that provides equal access to civil marriage. There are a lot of places where I could find myself in which I would not feel accepted and, frankly, where I would not in actuality be accepted. For example, as a gay man there are many Orthodox Jewish communities where the validity of the life I live would be questioned by many if not most people in the community. As much as this may sadden me, both for me and more importantly for GLBT people who are born into these communities, I accept that there are communities of faithful people who do not choose to accept me. Further, I accept that someday I may have the opportunity to marry a man I love under the chuppah in my shul, while at the same time other Jewish communities will continue to reserve the marriage ritual for opposite-sex couples. None of this would change if gay and lesbian people were granted equal access to civil (i.e., secular), marriage.
People within religious institutions (synagogues, churches, mosques, and related organizations) are free to set the norms of religious marriage as they see as fit based on their religious views. A common refrain in this national debate has been “If you don’t want same-sex marriage, don’t have one. “ If the citizens of Minnesota get a vote on the sex of the person I can civilly marry, when I do not get a vote on the sex of the person you can civilly marry, that is unjust.
 
 

Mike
 May 12, 2011 at 9:59 PM
 

See, Chris, this is what happens when you get religion into it — they throw polygamous patriarchs in your face.
Matthew,
Those are valid points, as far as they go. But turnabout is fair play, too.
Where would you draw the line?
 And on what authority?
I presume your line includes marriage interracial unions. Why?
And, just for clarity’s sake — what exactly is wrong with plural marriage (assuming consenting adults all around)?
As for the right to create communities, my answer is whenever it’s a thoroughly private act.
 Otherwise, our American concern with individual rights trumps community feelings.
 As an example, people may create an all-one-race neighborhood by informal agreement, but if they involve the state by entering into (enforceable) contracts to accomplish this, that’s illegal.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 13, 2011 at 5:13 PM
 

I point on the patriarchs to note that polygamy has a rich history of acceptance, but gay marriage doesn’t. That doesn’t have anything to do with right or wrong, of course. It’s simply a fact, and if the point is whether gay marriage is a Jewish value, then you have to extend that standard to judge other things, otherwise it’s just you twisting religion to your own personal preferences.
When you argue, for instance, that gay marriage is a right, then you have to ask why other forms of marriage aren’t rights, or concede that they are. And if they are, then you have to accept that too. The definition of marriage is what it is. If you want to change it, then change it, but acknowledge that you’re changing it.
I don’t think government should be in the marriage business. I think marriage is a great institution, but social engineering isn’t the government’s job. This is also the position of the Israeli government, actually, who has no civil marriage. Only religious.
Short of that, I think that people have the right of self determination. Gays can form whatever unions are special to them, and if states, through their legislature or through popular vote, want to allow them, or polygamists, or anyone to have access to traditional marriage, then that’s perfectly fine. Let them choose. The authority is the consent of the governed.
I don’t think marriage is a right, period, so I don’t know how civil rights enter into the conversation. I don’t believe laws should take personal affection into account, so it’s not a question of equality to me.
I include interracial unions because there is no difference between a black man and a white man, but there is a difference between men and women. I think it’s well meaning, but very naive to compare gay people and black people. And I think most black people would agree with me. I’ve never got pulled over by a cop in Mississippi for being bisexual.
I just think arguments about why people are terribly bad for denying people their rights aren’t going to fly. They’re insulting, I think. And ineffective.
I want to see people make the case why gay marriage is good for marriage and why people should support it. Don’t say “it’s not a threat to your marriage, and by the way marriage is already ruined by a high divorce rate.” I hate that argument, because it shows a disrespect for the institution. Let me know why marriage will be strengthened by this! And let me decide. People have tender hearts. Nearly everyone, when they stop to think, empathizes. They just don’t want to end up like Europe where the marriage rate is crashing, and the birth rate is crashing, and people care more about taking care of themselves than raising a family.
Plural marriage isn’t wrong to me, but is ridiculously hard, and most people can’t do it. And it opens a huge bucket of worms financially, legally, and emotionally, and to allow it is an endorsement of it, which could seriously mess some people up. But if the citizenry wants it, than they can allow it. And people have the right to protect their communities from those effects. They don’t have the right to keep people apart, in their own eyes and the eyes of God.
Alright. TL;DR, but I hope I answered all your questions intelligently.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 13, 2011 at 6:26 PM
 

@Jenna Zark: Thanks for your kind comments….they mean a lot.
 Chris
 
 

Mike
 May 14, 2011 at 9:55 AM
 

Matthew,
It looks to me like you and I are coming at this from entirely different perspectives. Yours is communitarian — prove to me that this is good for the community. Mine is that of individual rights — prove to me that this is not an unjustified limitation on individuals.
The American political culture — from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution onwards in our history holds up individual rights, not community wishes. So, for example, state’s rights have consistently lost out to individual rights.
Maybe it’s not good for the community to have gay marriage. Maybe it’s not even good to have gays at all — they raise all these troublesome issues and divide the community. Jews, too. And blacks. I’m not putting this argument in our mouth, but there is an argument to be made that homogeneity (or at least conformity) is better for the community.
(There’re also powerful arguments that communities are better off from diversity. Just anecdotally (and please excuse the somewhat stereotypical examples) — America is better off with than without Jewish scientists, black athletes, and gay entertainers.)
But that’s beside the point. In America (unlike many other countries) it’s not about the community — it’s about individual liberty.
If I publish a “subversive” newspaper, or put on a play that’s “in bad taste,” I don’t have to prove that this improves the culture. I have a right to do it, whether it’s better for the community or not. That’s liberty.
Interracial couples didn’t have to prove that their marriages improved marriage. Neither should same-sex couples.
To this you say that the cases are not analogous because “there is no difference between a black man and a white man, but there is a difference between men and women.” That just won’t fly.
Of course there’s a difference between men and women, *and* blacks and whites. Not a difference in worth. But there is a difference that we can tell (can see, in these cases). If we truly thought there was no difference, there would never have been discrimination. The whole concept of discrimination would have been absurd. The idea of equality is not that people are actually identical; it’s that we decided that, in things that matter, they are equal. And the most basic equality is equality before the law.
Yes, blacks and gays don’t face identical challenges. But they are both minority groups that are disliked by some proportion of society. And discriminated against.
That’s why they fight for their individual rights.
 But they don’t have to prove that they improve marriage for all.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 14, 2011 at 10:28 AM
 

But justice is blind, and a blind system doesn’t take into account race or sexual preference. It’s legal for one man to marry one woman. Everybody IS treated the same. That’s equality.
It also sucks rocks. But if you’re arguing from an equal rights perspective, it’s solid. I’m sorry. Gay people do have the same access to the system, it just doesn’t do anything worthwhile for them, but how is that the government’s problem? I don’t get anything out of a lot of laws, but I have access to them. I have equal access to social security as my grandparents, I just don’t qualify for it.
This is the crux of the problem. I love individual liberty, but we’re not discussing liberty, because no one’s liberty is being attacked. Marriage is not a natural right.
And no, there really is no biological difference between blacks and whites. Laws that treated them differently were based on scientific falsehoods, and unjustified discrimination. That’s why they fell.
we don’t live in an anarchistic, or even libertarian system. We make decisions as a community. No, those decisions can’t infringe on a person’s natural rights. But in all else, we make decisions as a community.
The GBLT community is best served by dropping this empty argument that only makes everyone outrageously outraged, and instead approach each other as human beings, appealing to each other’s best values and humanity.
Dr. King did far more to heal race relations by announcing his fondest hopes and dreams then by shaming others with calls of bigotry. And he even had the right to do it.
 
 

Matthew Gallagher
 May 14, 2011 at 10:43 AM
 

And, Mike, you have to address the same questions. If you believe this is about government securing individual liberty vis a vis marriage, then can you conceive of a form of marriage you do not think is a right? And defend why the line is drawn there, and by what authority.
And if you’re not in favor of limitations, then at what point does does it conceivably hurt my marriage through the weakening of the institution?
People always dismiss this as a slippery slope argument, but slopes are actually slippery. There are many groups with lawyers chomping at the bit to protest the government to allow marriage to include them. They’re ready to go, and if you can’t defend the line, then there isn’t one anymore. And why, ethically, don’t communities have the right to keep that from happening?
 
 

Mike
 May 14, 2011 at 12:23 PM
 

Maybe you’re right, Matthew, that people respond not to dry arguments about rights and justice, but to emotional appeals based on “humanity.” In that case, nothing I have to say is going to do any good.
Anyway, Chris, I’d like to point out that Matthew and I, by arguing what we argued about, demonstrated that religion is not what’s important in this debate.
 
 

Chris Bargeron
 May 17, 2011 at 10:22 AM
 

@Mike: My eye is on the outcome, not the religiosity of those who support marriage equality. Yet, I remain hopeful that those of us who are religious and support justice for LGBT people can and will bring our whole selves to this debate and the work at hand.
Thanks for lending your voice to the conversation!
 
   

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God Bless the Whole World – No Exceptions
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Gay, Female and Seeking a Home in the Orthodox Community 

 

5.18.11 : The Jewish Daily Forward
 
Gay, Female and Seeking a Home in the Orthodox Community
By Rebecca Schischa
 
Courtesy of Miryam Kabakov
Miryam Kabakov
The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale was the first Orthodox synagogue on Miryam Kabakov’­­s “You Are Not Alone” book tour. Kabakov, founder of the New York Orthodykes and the editor of the 2010 book “Keep Your Wives Away From Them: Orthodox Women, Unorthodox Desires” ­­­— an anthology of 14 essays by Orthodox (or Orthodox-leaning) women who identify as lesbian or LGBTQ ­­­— said the book tour is about hearing women’­­s stories and continuing the discussion that the book started. (Check out our recent podcast with Kabakov here.)
Rabbi Steven Exler, a member of the Hebrew Institute’­­s rabbinic staff, also thanked the audience for “heeding the call that this is an important conversation to be had.”
Alongside Kabakov at the May 16 event were contributors to the collection. They included the pseudonymous Ex-Yeshiva Girl with her “radical queer politics” and the lawyer Elaine Chapnik, each of whom read from their essays. Also taking part in a spirited Q&A was Chani Getter, a lesbian mother-of-three and a former member of the Hasidic community.
Speakers issued several challenges to the audience ­­­— a multigenerational, cross-denominational crowd, of both straight and gay people. Kabakov asked: “I ask you, members of the Bayit” ­­­— as the Bronx congregation is known to its members ­­­— “are you there for your LGBT members?”
Getter, who spoke with passion about her and her three children’­­s journeys to acceptance within the family’­­s Modern Orthodox community, closed her comments with the question: “Will you be one of the ones who makes it easy or difficult [for children of gay parents]?”
While there was debate about the issue of whether or not lesbian relationships are halachically prohibited, HIR community members showed active interest in ‘­­reconfiguring’­­ the issue away from halachic discussion, and sought out practical steps to make the community more LGBTQ-friendly.
“It’­­s about visible representation”, said Kabakov. “We want our life passages to be marked, just like you.” Other suggestions included getting Jewish schools to talk about diversity, and starting “intolerance to intolerance” campaigns.
A gay mom in the audience gave another suggestion: “Accept our straight children as potential marriage partners.” She recounted how her daughter was avoiding dating for marriage, fearing any partner would reject her once he discovered that her mother was gay.
There were also great moments of Jewish humor during the evening. One participant spoke about encountering at an Orthodox lesbian gathering a Bobover Hasidic woman who was bemoaning the dearth of suitable gay women to meet in her Hasidic community. Another participant suggested setting her up with “a great Lubavitcher woman.” To which the Bobover woman apparently replied in horror: “Lubavitcher? No way!”
Read more: http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/137917/#ixzz1NI24EBLD
 

 

   

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Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
Posted on 27. Sep, 2011 by Thom Nickels in Features, Religion, Reviews
Like most people, I weathered the media panic surrounding the coming of Hurricane Irene. Although the rational part of me remained calm, the media frenzy seemed to want people to overreact.
 The loud chorus of doom had taken over every other item in the news.
“Hurricane of the century,” “Hurricane of Hurricanes,” people were saying. Like a contagious fever, the panic element grew until some members of the broadcast media advised people to stock up on bottled water because Philadelphia’s water supply would probably become contaminated.
 The ‘Eve of Destruction’ scenario came mostly from TV’s talking heads that for two or three days at least devoted entire newscasts to news of murderous Irene on “her” Bloody Path of Destruction. Feelings of panic, like lone notes in a piece of classical music that eventually swell into a Wagnerian overture, grew until people began to do unusual things like chop down large trees on their lawns before the storm had a chance to knock them over.
 The talking heads had done their job: many were convinced that Armageddon was at hand.
 In the wake of the impending disaster, I did what any book lover would do: I turned the TV off and reached for a book.
 In this case I selected, “God vs. Gay, the Religious Case for Equality,” by Jay Michaelson.
 Michaelson, the author of three books and the founder of Nehirim, a community programming resource for LGBT Jews and their friends, has written an explicitly honest book about his journey to self acceptance.
“For many years, I lived as an Orthodox Jew,” Michaelson writes, “strictly observing the minutiae of Jewish law. But I have also wandered far from my roots. I have spent many weeks on silent meditation retreats in Buddhist traditions—traditions in which I now teach as well.”
When reading this statement my mind raced back to what the Dalai Lama is on record as saying about homosexuality. Liberal, mostly secular American Buddhist adherents aside, this is what His Holiness is on record as saying: “A Western friend asked me what harm could there be between consenting adults having oral sex, if they enjoyed it.  But the purpose of sex is reproduction, according to Buddhism. The other holes don’t create life. I don’t mind – but I can’t condone this way of life.”
(Minus the reference to holes, this could also be a statement by another His Holiness, Benedict XVI of Rome).
 Michaelson is no slouch when it comes to knowing both the Old and New Testaments.  He writes that he’s studied the New Testament “as someone deeply involved with ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.”
In fact, there doesn’t seem to be much that he hasn’t studied, whether it’s Islamic, Hindu, or what he calls “nonaligned.” He considers himself fortunate to have journeyed so far and wide.The reason for his submergence into reading and scholarship was to ease his pain as a gay man.
“I contemplated suicide virtually every day of my life for almost ten years. And I tried everything. Abstinence, negative reinforcement, fantasizing about women. I was even in a loving relationship with a woman for over a year, trying all the while to be straight.”
In a sense, Micahelson’s story sounds like every other coming out epic, but the difference here is that the author wanted to know whether coming out was spiritually the right thing to do. It’s one thing to follow secular self-help psychology about being who you are, the ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’ school of life which tends to paint everything with a broad brush. Michaelson wanted to be

Beacon Press
certain he was ‘okay’ if only because he was tired of asking himself why God had made him that way. “How could I be so evil?” he asks, “I couldn’t make sense of it.”
But even after a lengthy period of questioning, researching and finding a life partner, the thorn is still in his side. He admits that, “I don’t want to be gay. I’ve had homophobia ingrained in me, and all things being equal, I’d rather be straight. I envy my straight friends, who can get married and have families that are not scrutinized and delegitimized.”
But are gays and lesbians getting married today being scrutinized and delegitimized? Perhaps they are in rural cities and states, but in New York City? Even if both of the answers to this question are yes, the societal trend is away from these impediments.
God vs. Gay got me thinking about the many forms of ingrained homophobia.
 Consider the closet case who mouths homophobic slurs, or closeted politicians who do not support gay rights. Internalized homophobia, however, can also effect the seemingly out and proud. These are gay people who for one reason or another are unnecessarily hard on one another. You used to see this on a wide scale within activist organizations or lgbt communities where various leaders with large egos would clash with other leaders or peers. It’s one thing to have a falling out or a disagreement that stays within the bounds of ‘agreeing to disagree,’ quite another when it evolves into a paralyzing decades-long immobilization.
 As a Philadelphia artist friend of mine commented recently when his mostly-gay art exhibit received good reviews from the city’s straight reviewers but was panned by the only gay reviewer: “I got a really snarky review from a fellow homo!”
 “What is it with homos hating other homos?” he asked.
 At a loss for words, I couldn’t help but question whether a smattering of internalized homophobia, posing as intelligent criticism, wasn’t at work here.
 Although God vs. Gay risks boring the reader with the all too predictable re-examination of biblical verses that seem to condemn same sex love, Micahelson has more interesting things to say about this than the average commentators of this litany.
 Of special note is his focus on Jesus’ attitude towards eunuchs, “who were also very queer in their societal context.”  Eunuchs from birth, or the spiritually castrated as referenced in Matthew 19, seem to jive with Clement of Alexandria’s contention that “some men, from their birth, have a natural sense of repulsion from a woman, and those who are naturally so committed do well not to marry.”
Michaelson asks: Is Matthew 19 referring to such men?
 Some of Michaelson’s other conclusions: That Leviticus 18:22 is a prohibition on male anal sex in the context of idolatry.
 That for the early Church fathers, including St. Paul, the problem was sexuality, not homosexuality.
 That the Old Testament’s prohibitions on male anal sex are linked to prohibitions on idolatry. “They are about ritual purity, not ethical law,” he says.
 That St. Augustine, who had love affairs with both men and women, later advocated “having natural sex with a prostitute rather than ‘unnatural’ sex with oneself or another man.”
That St. Thomas Aquinas believed that homosexual behavior “is no worse than masturbation—or, for that matter, lending money at interest, which was also called ‘unnatural.’”
Michaelson’s respectful treatment of traditions not his own, and his avoidance of journalistic attacks on easy contemporary targets like the Catholic Church, gives his voice added weight. He writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.
“Accepting religious diversity is good for religious communities because it is precisely the flexibility of religious values that enables them to survive and adapt,” he writes. “The history of religion is marked by exactly this sort of progress—right from the beginning….The law, which God had set down only a few chapters earlier, changes when suppressed voices are heard and a cogent claim for justice is staked. This is how religion is meant to operate.”
Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
 by Jay Michaelson
Beacon Press
Paperback, 9780807001592, 205pp.
October 2011

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About Thom Nickels
Thom Nickels is a Philadelphia-based author/journalist, the author of nine published books, including: The Cliffs of Aries (1988), The Boy on the Bicycle (1991-1994), Manayunk (1997), Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia (2000), Tropic of Libra (2002), Out in History and Philadelphia Architecture (2005). In 1990, Mr. Nickels was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and a Hugo Award for his book, Two Novellas. He was awarded the Philadelphia AIA Lewis Mumford Architecture Journalism Award in 2005 for his book Philadelphia Architecture and his weekly architectural columns in Philadelphia Metro. He has written feature stories, celebrity interviews, and social commentary columns for The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, the Philadelphia Bulletin, City Paper, The Philadelphia Weekly, The Philadelphia Gay News and The New Oxford Review. His travel essays have appeared in Passport Magazine.  His column, Different Strokes in the Philadelphia Welcomat in the early 1980s, was one of the first out lgbt columns in a mainstream newspaper. He’s currently the architectural writer/critic columnist and feature writer for ICON Magazine (New Hope, PA), a contributing editor at Philadelphia’s Weekly Press, and a weekly columnist for Philadelphia’s STAR publications. Mr. Nickels also writes for the Broad Street Review and The Gay and Lesbian Review. His novel SPORE was published in July 2010. His novella Walking Water & After All This (1989)-- is currently available on Amazon and will be a paperback later this year He is listed in Who’s Who in America, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.  You  can visit Nickel's webcast here.

Tags: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality, Jay Michaelson, Queer Rites, Spirituality, Thom Nickels
 
4 Responses to “Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality”
 

Steve Berman 27 September 2011 at 1:33 PM #

Thom, please consider–especially considering that the author of the book is Jewish–to not use the term “Old Testament” but rather “Hebrew Bible.” Many Jews find the usage of “OT” to be offensive.
Reply
 

Amos Lassen 28 September 2011 at 6:42 PM #

I agree with Steve–you can also use the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. I found Jay’s book to be not only well written but extremely important and not just for Jews.. I received an advance reader copy a few months ago and went through it word by word and page by page. I consider myself to be well educated in Judaism and in gay literature and I found that there is still so much more to think about.. It is a welcome addition to our canon ans will undoubtedly be on my year;’s best list/
Reply


Trackbacks/Pingbacks
1.God vs. Gay? Book Launch | LGBT Human Rights. Gay News, Entertainment, Travel - October 25, 2011
[...] of a handful of Biblical verses about sexuality for the modern reader. In doing so, the author tackles seven controversial passages, dissecting the Hebrew in order to get at the root meaning of those passages, which have long been [...]
2.God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality | jaymichaelson.net - January 17, 2012
[...] Lambda Literary (Thom Nickels)  Michaelson “writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.” [...]
 
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Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
Posted on 27. Sep, 2011 by Thom Nickels in Features, Religion, Reviews
Like most people, I weathered the media panic surrounding the coming of Hurricane Irene. Although the rational part of me remained calm, the media frenzy seemed to want people to overreact.
 The loud chorus of doom had taken over every other item in the news.
“Hurricane of the century,” “Hurricane of Hurricanes,” people were saying. Like a contagious fever, the panic element grew until some members of the broadcast media advised people to stock up on bottled water because Philadelphia’s water supply would probably become contaminated.
 The ‘Eve of Destruction’ scenario came mostly from TV’s talking heads that for two or three days at least devoted entire newscasts to news of murderous Irene on “her” Bloody Path of Destruction. Feelings of panic, like lone notes in a piece of classical music that eventually swell into a Wagnerian overture, grew until people began to do unusual things like chop down large trees on their lawns before the storm had a chance to knock them over.
 The talking heads had done their job: many were convinced that Armageddon was at hand.
 In the wake of the impending disaster, I did what any book lover would do: I turned the TV off and reached for a book.
 In this case I selected, “God vs. Gay, the Religious Case for Equality,” by Jay Michaelson.
 Michaelson, the author of three books and the founder of Nehirim, a community programming resource for LGBT Jews and their friends, has written an explicitly honest book about his journey to self acceptance.
“For many years, I lived as an Orthodox Jew,” Michaelson writes, “strictly observing the minutiae of Jewish law. But I have also wandered far from my roots. I have spent many weeks on silent meditation retreats in Buddhist traditions—traditions in which I now teach as well.”
When reading this statement my mind raced back to what the Dalai Lama is on record as saying about homosexuality. Liberal, mostly secular American Buddhist adherents aside, this is what His Holiness is on record as saying: “A Western friend asked me what harm could there be between consenting adults having oral sex, if they enjoyed it.  But the purpose of sex is reproduction, according to Buddhism. The other holes don’t create life. I don’t mind – but I can’t condone this way of life.”
(Minus the reference to holes, this could also be a statement by another His Holiness, Benedict XVI of Rome).
 Michaelson is no slouch when it comes to knowing both the Old and New Testaments.  He writes that he’s studied the New Testament “as someone deeply involved with ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.”
In fact, there doesn’t seem to be much that he hasn’t studied, whether it’s Islamic, Hindu, or what he calls “nonaligned.” He considers himself fortunate to have journeyed so far and wide.The reason for his submergence into reading and scholarship was to ease his pain as a gay man.
“I contemplated suicide virtually every day of my life for almost ten years. And I tried everything. Abstinence, negative reinforcement, fantasizing about women. I was even in a loving relationship with a woman for over a year, trying all the while to be straight.”
In a sense, Micahelson’s story sounds like every other coming out epic, but the difference here is that the author wanted to know whether coming out was spiritually the right thing to do. It’s one thing to follow secular self-help psychology about being who you are, the ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’ school of life which tends to paint everything with a broad brush. Michaelson wanted to be

Beacon Press
certain he was ‘okay’ if only because he was tired of asking himself why God had made him that way. “How could I be so evil?” he asks, “I couldn’t make sense of it.”
But even after a lengthy period of questioning, researching and finding a life partner, the thorn is still in his side. He admits that, “I don’t want to be gay. I’ve had homophobia ingrained in me, and all things being equal, I’d rather be straight. I envy my straight friends, who can get married and have families that are not scrutinized and delegitimized.”
But are gays and lesbians getting married today being scrutinized and delegitimized? Perhaps they are in rural cities and states, but in New York City? Even if both of the answers to this question are yes, the societal trend is away from these impediments.
God vs. Gay got me thinking about the many forms of ingrained homophobia.
 Consider the closet case who mouths homophobic slurs, or closeted politicians who do not support gay rights. Internalized homophobia, however, can also effect the seemingly out and proud. These are gay people who for one reason or another are unnecessarily hard on one another. You used to see this on a wide scale within activist organizations or lgbt communities where various leaders with large egos would clash with other leaders or peers. It’s one thing to have a falling out or a disagreement that stays within the bounds of ‘agreeing to disagree,’ quite another when it evolves into a paralyzing decades-long immobilization.
 As a Philadelphia artist friend of mine commented recently when his mostly-gay art exhibit received good reviews from the city’s straight reviewers but was panned by the only gay reviewer: “I got a really snarky review from a fellow homo!”
 “What is it with homos hating other homos?” he asked.
 At a loss for words, I couldn’t help but question whether a smattering of internalized homophobia, posing as intelligent criticism, wasn’t at work here.
 Although God vs. Gay risks boring the reader with the all too predictable re-examination of biblical verses that seem to condemn same sex love, Micahelson has more interesting things to say about this than the average commentators of this litany.
 Of special note is his focus on Jesus’ attitude towards eunuchs, “who were also very queer in their societal context.”  Eunuchs from birth, or the spiritually castrated as referenced in Matthew 19, seem to jive with Clement of Alexandria’s contention that “some men, from their birth, have a natural sense of repulsion from a woman, and those who are naturally so committed do well not to marry.”
Michaelson asks: Is Matthew 19 referring to such men?
 Some of Michaelson’s other conclusions: That Leviticus 18:22 is a prohibition on male anal sex in the context of idolatry.
 That for the early Church fathers, including St. Paul, the problem was sexuality, not homosexuality.
 That the Old Testament’s prohibitions on male anal sex are linked to prohibitions on idolatry. “They are about ritual purity, not ethical law,” he says.
 That St. Augustine, who had love affairs with both men and women, later advocated “having natural sex with a prostitute rather than ‘unnatural’ sex with oneself or another man.”
That St. Thomas Aquinas believed that homosexual behavior “is no worse than masturbation—or, for that matter, lending money at interest, which was also called ‘unnatural.’”
Michaelson’s respectful treatment of traditions not his own, and his avoidance of journalistic attacks on easy contemporary targets like the Catholic Church, gives his voice added weight. He writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.
“Accepting religious diversity is good for religious communities because it is precisely the flexibility of religious values that enables them to survive and adapt,” he writes. “The history of religion is marked by exactly this sort of progress—right from the beginning….The law, which God had set down only a few chapters earlier, changes when suppressed voices are heard and a cogent claim for justice is staked. This is how religion is meant to operate.”
Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
 by Jay Michaelson
Beacon Press
Paperback, 9780807001592, 205pp.
October 2011

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 0

 
 0
 
About Thom Nickels
Thom Nickels is a Philadelphia-based author/journalist, the author of nine published books, including: The Cliffs of Aries (1988), The Boy on the Bicycle (1991-1994), Manayunk (1997), Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia (2000), Tropic of Libra (2002), Out in History and Philadelphia Architecture (2005). In 1990, Mr. Nickels was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and a Hugo Award for his book, Two Novellas. He was awarded the Philadelphia AIA Lewis Mumford Architecture Journalism Award in 2005 for his book Philadelphia Architecture and his weekly architectural columns in Philadelphia Metro. He has written feature stories, celebrity interviews, and social commentary columns for The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, the Philadelphia Bulletin, City Paper, The Philadelphia Weekly, The Philadelphia Gay News and The New Oxford Review. His travel essays have appeared in Passport Magazine.  His column, Different Strokes in the Philadelphia Welcomat in the early 1980s, was one of the first out lgbt columns in a mainstream newspaper. He’s currently the architectural writer/critic columnist and feature writer for ICON Magazine (New Hope, PA), a contributing editor at Philadelphia’s Weekly Press, and a weekly columnist for Philadelphia’s STAR publications. Mr. Nickels also writes for the Broad Street Review and The Gay and Lesbian Review. His novel SPORE was published in July 2010. His novella Walking Water & After All This (1989)-- is currently available on Amazon and will be a paperback later this year He is listed in Who’s Who in America, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.  You  can visit Nickel's webcast here.

Tags: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality, Jay Michaelson, Queer Rites, Spirituality, Thom Nickels
 
4 Responses to “Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality”
 

Steve Berman 27 September 2011 at 1:33 PM #

Thom, please consider–especially considering that the author of the book is Jewish–to not use the term “Old Testament” but rather “Hebrew Bible.” Many Jews find the usage of “OT” to be offensive.
Reply
 

Amos Lassen 28 September 2011 at 6:42 PM #

I agree with Steve–you can also use the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. I found Jay’s book to be not only well written but extremely important and not just for Jews.. I received an advance reader copy a few months ago and went through it word by word and page by page. I consider myself to be well educated in Judaism and in gay literature and I found that there is still so much more to think about.. It is a welcome addition to our canon ans will undoubtedly be on my year;’s best list/
Reply


Trackbacks/Pingbacks
1.God vs. Gay? Book Launch | LGBT Human Rights. Gay News, Entertainment, Travel - October 25, 2011
[...] of a handful of Biblical verses about sexuality for the modern reader. In doing so, the author tackles seven controversial passages, dissecting the Hebrew in order to get at the root meaning of those passages, which have long been [...]
2.God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality | jaymichaelson.net - January 17, 2012
[...] Lambda Literary (Thom Nickels)  Michaelson “writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.” [...]
 
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Queer Rites: ‘Faitheist’
Queer Rites: November 2012
Queer Rites: Faith Politics and Sexual Diversity
Queer Rites: June 2011
Thom Nickels: Affliction, Morality, and Liberation
Queer Rites: Where Are All the Old Philadelphia LGBT Heroes?
‘Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders’ by Joy Ladin
‘Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion & Spirituality’ Edited by Kevin Simmonds
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Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
Posted on 27. Sep, 2011 by Thom Nickels in Features, Religion, Reviews
Like most people, I weathered the media panic surrounding the coming of Hurricane Irene. Although the rational part of me remained calm, the media frenzy seemed to want people to overreact.
 The loud chorus of doom had taken over every other item in the news.
“Hurricane of the century,” “Hurricane of Hurricanes,” people were saying. Like a contagious fever, the panic element grew until some members of the broadcast media advised people to stock up on bottled water because Philadelphia’s water supply would probably become contaminated.
 The ‘Eve of Destruction’ scenario came mostly from TV’s talking heads that for two or three days at least devoted entire newscasts to news of murderous Irene on “her” Bloody Path of Destruction. Feelings of panic, like lone notes in a piece of classical music that eventually swell into a Wagnerian overture, grew until people began to do unusual things like chop down large trees on their lawns before the storm had a chance to knock them over.
 The talking heads had done their job: many were convinced that Armageddon was at hand.
 In the wake of the impending disaster, I did what any book lover would do: I turned the TV off and reached for a book.
 In this case I selected, “God vs. Gay, the Religious Case for Equality,” by Jay Michaelson.
 Michaelson, the author of three books and the founder of Nehirim, a community programming resource for LGBT Jews and their friends, has written an explicitly honest book about his journey to self acceptance.
“For many years, I lived as an Orthodox Jew,” Michaelson writes, “strictly observing the minutiae of Jewish law. But I have also wandered far from my roots. I have spent many weeks on silent meditation retreats in Buddhist traditions—traditions in which I now teach as well.”
When reading this statement my mind raced back to what the Dalai Lama is on record as saying about homosexuality. Liberal, mostly secular American Buddhist adherents aside, this is what His Holiness is on record as saying: “A Western friend asked me what harm could there be between consenting adults having oral sex, if they enjoyed it.  But the purpose of sex is reproduction, according to Buddhism. The other holes don’t create life. I don’t mind – but I can’t condone this way of life.”
(Minus the reference to holes, this could also be a statement by another His Holiness, Benedict XVI of Rome).
 Michaelson is no slouch when it comes to knowing both the Old and New Testaments.  He writes that he’s studied the New Testament “as someone deeply involved with ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.”
In fact, there doesn’t seem to be much that he hasn’t studied, whether it’s Islamic, Hindu, or what he calls “nonaligned.” He considers himself fortunate to have journeyed so far and wide.The reason for his submergence into reading and scholarship was to ease his pain as a gay man.
“I contemplated suicide virtually every day of my life for almost ten years. And I tried everything. Abstinence, negative reinforcement, fantasizing about women. I was even in a loving relationship with a woman for over a year, trying all the while to be straight.”
In a sense, Micahelson’s story sounds like every other coming out epic, but the difference here is that the author wanted to know whether coming out was spiritually the right thing to do. It’s one thing to follow secular self-help psychology about being who you are, the ‘I’m OK, You’re OK’ school of life which tends to paint everything with a broad brush. Michaelson wanted to be

Beacon Press
certain he was ‘okay’ if only because he was tired of asking himself why God had made him that way. “How could I be so evil?” he asks, “I couldn’t make sense of it.”
But even after a lengthy period of questioning, researching and finding a life partner, the thorn is still in his side. He admits that, “I don’t want to be gay. I’ve had homophobia ingrained in me, and all things being equal, I’d rather be straight. I envy my straight friends, who can get married and have families that are not scrutinized and delegitimized.”
But are gays and lesbians getting married today being scrutinized and delegitimized? Perhaps they are in rural cities and states, but in New York City? Even if both of the answers to this question are yes, the societal trend is away from these impediments.
God vs. Gay got me thinking about the many forms of ingrained homophobia.
 Consider the closet case who mouths homophobic slurs, or closeted politicians who do not support gay rights. Internalized homophobia, however, can also effect the seemingly out and proud. These are gay people who for one reason or another are unnecessarily hard on one another. You used to see this on a wide scale within activist organizations or lgbt communities where various leaders with large egos would clash with other leaders or peers. It’s one thing to have a falling out or a disagreement that stays within the bounds of ‘agreeing to disagree,’ quite another when it evolves into a paralyzing decades-long immobilization.
 As a Philadelphia artist friend of mine commented recently when his mostly-gay art exhibit received good reviews from the city’s straight reviewers but was panned by the only gay reviewer: “I got a really snarky review from a fellow homo!”
 “What is it with homos hating other homos?” he asked.
 At a loss for words, I couldn’t help but question whether a smattering of internalized homophobia, posing as intelligent criticism, wasn’t at work here.
 Although God vs. Gay risks boring the reader with the all too predictable re-examination of biblical verses that seem to condemn same sex love, Micahelson has more interesting things to say about this than the average commentators of this litany.
 Of special note is his focus on Jesus’ attitude towards eunuchs, “who were also very queer in their societal context.”  Eunuchs from birth, or the spiritually castrated as referenced in Matthew 19, seem to jive with Clement of Alexandria’s contention that “some men, from their birth, have a natural sense of repulsion from a woman, and those who are naturally so committed do well not to marry.”
Michaelson asks: Is Matthew 19 referring to such men?
 Some of Michaelson’s other conclusions: That Leviticus 18:22 is a prohibition on male anal sex in the context of idolatry.
 That for the early Church fathers, including St. Paul, the problem was sexuality, not homosexuality.
 That the Old Testament’s prohibitions on male anal sex are linked to prohibitions on idolatry. “They are about ritual purity, not ethical law,” he says.
 That St. Augustine, who had love affairs with both men and women, later advocated “having natural sex with a prostitute rather than ‘unnatural’ sex with oneself or another man.”
That St. Thomas Aquinas believed that homosexual behavior “is no worse than masturbation—or, for that matter, lending money at interest, which was also called ‘unnatural.’”
Michaelson’s respectful treatment of traditions not his own, and his avoidance of journalistic attacks on easy contemporary targets like the Catholic Church, gives his voice added weight. He writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.
“Accepting religious diversity is good for religious communities because it is precisely the flexibility of religious values that enables them to survive and adapt,” he writes. “The history of religion is marked by exactly this sort of progress—right from the beginning….The law, which God had set down only a few chapters earlier, changes when suppressed voices are heard and a cogent claim for justice is staked. This is how religion is meant to operate.”
Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality
 by Jay Michaelson
Beacon Press
Paperback, 9780807001592, 205pp.
October 2011

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Yes, Yes: Cole Swensen, Anna Maria Hong, Emily Abendroth, and Jen Hofer read at Unnmaeable BooksYes, Yes: Cole Swensen, Anna Maria Hong, Emily Abendroth, and Jen Hofer read at Unnmaeable Books'Gentlemen’ s Disagreement: Alfred Kinsey, Lewis Terman, and the Sexual Politics of Smart Men' ...'Gentlemen’ s Disagreement: Alfred Kinsey, Lewis Terman, and the Sexual Politics of Smart Men' ...'Girl's I've Run Away With' by Rhiannon Argo'Girl's I've Run Away With' by Rhiannon ArgoMiguel Gutierrez, "I went to the city..."Miguel Gutierrez, "I went to the city..."
 
 0

 
 0
 
About Thom Nickels
Thom Nickels is a Philadelphia-based author/journalist, the author of nine published books, including: The Cliffs of Aries (1988), The Boy on the Bicycle (1991-1994), Manayunk (1997), Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia (2000), Tropic of Libra (2002), Out in History and Philadelphia Architecture (2005). In 1990, Mr. Nickels was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and a Hugo Award for his book, Two Novellas. He was awarded the Philadelphia AIA Lewis Mumford Architecture Journalism Award in 2005 for his book Philadelphia Architecture and his weekly architectural columns in Philadelphia Metro. He has written feature stories, celebrity interviews, and social commentary columns for The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, the Philadelphia Bulletin, City Paper, The Philadelphia Weekly, The Philadelphia Gay News and The New Oxford Review. His travel essays have appeared in Passport Magazine.  His column, Different Strokes in the Philadelphia Welcomat in the early 1980s, was one of the first out lgbt columns in a mainstream newspaper. He’s currently the architectural writer/critic columnist and feature writer for ICON Magazine (New Hope, PA), a contributing editor at Philadelphia’s Weekly Press, and a weekly columnist for Philadelphia’s STAR publications. Mr. Nickels also writes for the Broad Street Review and The Gay and Lesbian Review. His novel SPORE was published in July 2010. His novella Walking Water & After All This (1989)-- is currently available on Amazon and will be a paperback later this year He is listed in Who’s Who in America, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.  You  can visit Nickel's webcast here.

Tags: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality, Jay Michaelson, Queer Rites, Spirituality, Thom Nickels
 
4 Responses to “Queer Rites: God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality”
 

Steve Berman 27 September 2011 at 1:33 PM #

Thom, please consider–especially considering that the author of the book is Jewish–to not use the term “Old Testament” but rather “Hebrew Bible.” Many Jews find the usage of “OT” to be offensive.
Reply
 

Amos Lassen 28 September 2011 at 6:42 PM #

I agree with Steve–you can also use the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. I found Jay’s book to be not only well written but extremely important and not just for Jews.. I received an advance reader copy a few months ago and went through it word by word and page by page. I consider myself to be well educated in Judaism and in gay literature and I found that there is still so much more to think about.. It is a welcome addition to our canon ans will undoubtedly be on my year;’s best list/
Reply


Trackbacks/Pingbacks
1.God vs. Gay? Book Launch | LGBT Human Rights. Gay News, Entertainment, Travel - October 25, 2011
[...] of a handful of Biblical verses about sexuality for the modern reader. In doing so, the author tackles seven controversial passages, dissecting the Hebrew in order to get at the root meaning of those passages, which have long been [...]
2.God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality | jaymichaelson.net - January 17, 2012
[...] Lambda Literary (Thom Nickels)  Michaelson “writes with a graceful conviction, without the tinge of prejudice or a harsh axe to grind.” [...]
 
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 .   

The United and The Undivided - L.A. Witt
Haffling - Caleb James

Related Articles
Queer Rites: ‘Faitheist’
Queer Rites: November 2012
Queer Rites: Faith Politics and Sexual Diversity
Queer Rites: June 2011
Thom Nickels: Affliction, Morality, and Liberation
Queer Rites: Where Are All the Old Philadelphia LGBT Heroes?
‘Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders’ by Joy Ladin
‘Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion & Spirituality’ Edited by Kevin Simmonds
‘Emma Goldman: Revolution as a Way of Life’ by Vivian Gornick
In The News: Hellfire, Treehouse Press, and the (Not-So) Rapture of Pregnancy
 
 
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Michael Musto: The Bible is Actually Pro-Gay 

 

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Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
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Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

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Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
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New York, NY

more

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Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

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Library Journal Review of God vs. Gay 

 

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Library Journal Review of God vs. Gay 

 

10.18.11 : Library Journal open in new window

&lt;p&gt;Your browser does not support iFromes, however you can &lt;a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/book/891256-421/arts__humanities_reviews_august.html.csp"&gt;click here to read this article.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
 

 

   

 ©2013 Nehirim • (212) 908-2515 • info[at]nehirim.org
Website design by SimonAbramson.com
           































 

Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Library Journal Review of God vs. Gay 

 

10.18.11 : Library Journal open in new window

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Your browser does not support iFromes, however you can &amp;lt;a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/book/891256-421/arts__humanities_reviews_august.html.csp"&amp;gt;click here to read this article.&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
 

 

   

 ©2013 Nehirim • (212) 908-2515 • info[at]nehirim.org
Website design by SimonAbramson.com
           































 

Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Library Journal Review of God vs. Gay 

 

10.18.11 : Library Journal open in new window

&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Your browser does not support iFromes, however you can &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/book/891256-421/arts__humanities_reviews_august.html.csp"&amp;amp;gt;click here to read this article.&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;
 

 

   

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Website design by SimonAbramson.com
           





























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Fiction Nonfiction Children's Religion Comics Audio Web Exclusive PW Select 

God vs. Gay?
The Religious Case for Equality
Jay Michaelson. Beacon, $25.95 (232p) ISBN 978-0-8070-0159-2

      


 Michaelson, biblical scholar and founder of the Jewish GLBT organization Nehirim, makes the case that God-versus-gay is a lie. Not only is there no conflict between being gay and being religious, but also the core values of Judaism and Christianity demand that GLBT individuals be respected and welcomed. In the first and last thirds of the work, Michaelson explores those core values and anticipates the benefits of making religion less hostile to homosexuality. While well-reasoned, added depth and length would make his claims more persuasive. The central third of his book shows why the biblical verses commonly used to attack homosexuality should not be understood that way. Although this material has been more convincingly presented elsewhere, having it alongside the other two parts of the work underscores why gay-friendly scripture readings should be more compelling. The audience for the book remains unclear; sometimes Michaelson addresses GLBT individuals, sometimes allies, and sometimes opponents of legal equality. This scattering keeps the book from providing much concrete advice. As a salvo in the case for equality, however, it shows how to reframe the debate and stop seeing a chasm between God and gay. (Oct.)
Reviewed on: 08/08/2011
Release date: 10/01/2011

ALSO BY THIS AUTHOR

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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Publishers Weekly Review of God vs. Gay 

 

10.18.11 : Publisher's Weekly open in new window

&lt;p&gt;Your browser does not support iFromes, however you can &lt;a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8070-0159-2"&gt;click here to read this article.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
 

 

   

 ©2013 Nehirim • (212) 908-2515 • info[at]nehirim.org
Website design by SimonAbramson.com
           





























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Nehirim GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality

 

 
     
 About
 Retreats
 Programs
 Advocacy
 On Campus
 Is Nehirim for Me?
 Resources
   
 

Sign up to receive our newsletter 

 facebook donate contact us
 

Upcoming Retreats
October 25, 2013
Queer Shabbaton New York 2013 & Student Leadership Conference
JCC in NYC
February 14, 2014
Queer Jewish Student Retreat 2014
Boston, MA
March 7, 2014
Nehirim East Gathering
Falls Village, CT
August 8, 2014
Women’s Retreat 2014
Falls Village, CT

more

Upcoming Programs
November 5, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — November 2013
New York, NY
December 3, 2013
Ma’agal: The Nehirim Women’s Circle — December 2013
New York, NY

more

Nehirim in the News
Pride Interview: Alyssa Finn and Nehirim
Jul 9, 2013 | Repair the World
Panel urges greater acceptance of LGBTs through word and deed
May 24, 2013 | Jewish Press of Tampa
Jay Michaelson: Homophobia | The Quest of Life
May 10, 2013 | Quest of Life

more

 

 

Nehirim selected for Slingshot List of 50 Most Innovative Jewish Nonprofits 

 

10.20.11 : Nehirim
 
New York, November 20, 2011 ­­­— Nehirim, the leading national provider of community programming for LGBT Jews, partners, and allies, has been named one of the 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in North America by Slingshot ‘­­11—’­­12, a resource guide for Jewish innovation.
The Slingshot guide is used by philanthropists, volunteers, not-for-profit executives, and program participants to identify trailblazing organizations grappling with concerns in Jewish life such as identity, community, and tradition.
Jay Michaelson, Nehirim’­­s founding director, said, “Our inclusion in Slingshot ‘­­11—’­­12 is a tremendous honor and a strong validation of how we’­­ve created a national community of diverse folks committed to a more just and inclusive world.”
JYW was chosen for inclusion in Slingshot ‘­­11—’­­12 for the second time by a panel of 36 foundation professionals from across North America. Finalists are chosen based on their strength in four areas: innovation, impact, leadership, and organizational efficiency.
According to Will Schneider, executive director of Slingshot: “Slingshot highlights those organizations that work to ensure that Jewish life isn’­­t left behind as the world moves forward. We had more applications than ever this year, with a wider variety of missions. In order to be selected by our evaluators, innovations and their impact had to resonate more than ever.”
 

 

   

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Inspiring LGBT Religious Leaders

 By Paul Brandeis Raushenbush  Posted: 10/20/2011 1:45 pm EDT  |  Updated: 09/04/2013 12:21 pm EDT



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Reflecting and shaping the culture in which it is embedded, religion has historically been hostile to LGBT-identified people and communities. However, over the last three decades more denominations, congregations and individuals have come out in support of honoring the full humanity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people. Today, hundreds, if not thousands, of religious communities are truly places of celebration, healing and hope for all people.
This initial list of 15 ground breaking individuals is just a sampling of the many LGBT religious leaders who have reclaimed religious traditions and communities. We hope that you will use the feature on this slideshow to add gay religious leaders who you feel should be included. Meanwhile, we thankfully acknowledge the ongoing contributions of these inspiring religious leaders.

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Most Inspiring LGBT Religious Leaders
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Rev. Dr. Mark Achtemeier

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Chely Wright

Chely Wright: Confessions of a Gay Christian Country Singer 
The very root of who I am and the core of what Country Music seems to be about is honesty, openness and accessibility. But I had to close myself off in order to survive.

Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D.

Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D.: What Was the Real Sin of Sodom? 
The true sin of the Sodomites as described in the Bible has nothing to do with same-sex acts per se. Rather, the ancient Sodomites were punished by God for a far greater sins: radical inhospitality.

Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D.

Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, Ph.D.: "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" And Other Modern-Day Heresies 
I believe those Christians who "hate" LGBT sexualities and gender expressions while allegedly "loving" LGBT people are nothing more than modern-day gnostics, who were condemned as heretical by early Church theologians.

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Filed by Paul Brandeis Raushenbush  | 
  


     


 



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Sohailhs
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08:51 PM on 11/10/2011
homosexuality is indeed immoral behavior and is a major sin in Islam. The practice of homosexuality began with the people of Lut (Alyhis Salaam). Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran:
????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ????????
“And (remember) Lut, when he said to his people: Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceded you has committed in the worlds?” (7:80)
 In this verse, the word “Fahishah”, which means an atrocious, obscene, lewd, shameless act, is referring to the practice of homosexuality. After the people of Sodom ignored the warnings of Lut (Alayhis Salaam) to stop this act and to follow the true path, Allah Ta’ala wiped them out with a severe punishment by turning their towns upside down and burying them with stones of baked clay. This was a telling punishment by Allah Ta’ala for going against the natural order created by Him.
 Allah Ta’ala has also stated in several places of the Quran that He has created men and women so that they may be mates for each other (in marriage). The inception of marriage for mankind on Earth was to maintain the human race through procreation. Therefore, it is absolutely clear that homosexuality is strictly prohibited.

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rey del nada
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07:31 AM on 11/02/2011
I believe many Muslim scholars would indicate that Irshad Manji is in fact not Muslim.

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Hectrev1
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05:36 PM on 10/31/2011
Congratulations to Archbishop Michael Seneco for his pastoral leadership.

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iamone3
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07:22 PM on 10/28/2011
Homosexuality is an evolutionary dead end. It is contrary to the survival of the species. Just facts.

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GDWhiteman
Christian mystic iconoclast .
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12:54 PM on 10/29/2011
Our species is in no apparent danger of going extinct as a result of too few of us.

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LintLass
"When you can balance a tackhammer on your head... .
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01:57 AM on 10/30/2011
Funny thing about that is that you really have to be a breeder who doesn't understand we're a social species to say that.
 If this was about breeding, we wouldn't be talking here, cause we wouldn't. We'd be breeding.

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footearowl
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05:47 AM on 10/28/2011
You people who have lost yourselves to the mental and emotional illness that is lgbt Lost-Goofy-Boneheads n Twits need to resign yourselves to The Written Word and not try and bend it to fit whatever platform which you "choose" to speak from!! The bottom line here, ooops uhhm sorry boys NOT that one, is to learn The Truth and then refrain from doing any more of what ails you currently and Pray that your footsteps and heart will lead you to "A New Understanding" so that the old way of life is left behind making it possible for "A New Creature" to appear, one who is
 ready and obedient To Both Keep and Do The Will and Word Of God Almighty!! Heyy, don't get mad at me, just get it together and change your acts so that you DO NOT INFLUENCE THE AS YET UNEXPOSED AND THE YOUNG WHO HAVE NOT EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN, KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE SCOURGE AND VILE ILLNESS THAT WOULD TAKE THEM ALL SO WILLINGLY!!!!

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Planet Pluto
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08:07 AM on 10/28/2011
You may or may not be a little nutty.... BUT....
 You do have a point there when you say, "Do not influence the as yet unexposed." Truth be told, that is precisely the m.o. of some in the LGBT community (as well as others obsessed with sexualizing our entire culture).
 Take NY, for example, where sarting next year there will be mandated sex ed starting in middle school which will teach people in as early as 7th grade not about the mechanics of sex or the biology, but about anal sex, homosexuality, anal sex, and, my personal favorite, "oral sex with braces." The students will be given 'risk cards' detailing different sexual acts with a detailed rating on them for each (as if any sexual act is really 'safe' for a 7th grader).
 While I'm a bit skeptical of your post (seems a little over the top for me), I will say that you hit the nail on the head with that one statement. For the most part, unless specifically brought to their attention, a 7th grader would likely not even consider many of the things that are slated to be taught to them next year. (Feel free to do a Google News search)
 The funny thing is, "they" continuously force sex into society's youth, then turn around and say, "Well, kids are doing it anyway, so we might as well address it." It's like a glass shop owner smashing neighborhood windows on the weekend.

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detroitblkmale30
Wise Men Still Seek Him .
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10:20 AM on 10/28/2011
F&F

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priceofliberty
Faith without questioning is not faith. .
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09:25 AM on 10/28/2011
lol. Umm. I think you should re-read the written word. Its not these people that are bending it. Its the tradition that has been around for 700 years that bent it. Yes 700 not 2000.

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detroitblkmale30
Wise Men Still Seek Him .
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10:21 AM on 10/28/2011
Sorry that doesnt fly. The twisting is being done by these leaders the written Biblical word doesnt equivocate.

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JohnT1919
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06:53 PM on 10/27/2011
Reverend Mel White, founder of Soulforce should also be included. Congrats to all.

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starjack
astrologer & radical queer muslim activist .
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10:55 AM on 10/27/2011
What? No Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?

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Planet Pluto
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11:23 AM on 10/26/2011
Reclaim?

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Stokes
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07:47 AM on 10/26/2011
I believe that the unbiased love of the Almighty is for all of mankind who are seeking relief through a Higher Power. I believe that God is raising up a people who have put on the armor of the Holy Spirit to restore the true teachings of Christ as each is inspired by the wisdom of God's messenger. I also think it wise to listen to and understand the reasoning of some atheists. Judgementalism is as rampant among as many who claim to be Christians as is among some radicals in the Muslim faith. Christians have been programmed to look down on some just as southerners have been programmed to look down on people with dark skin. God is a Spirit of love and truth. God's spiritual love does not require physical contact.

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Trekkiefandom
Truth, happiness, Liberty, and freedom of all .
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12:49 PM on 10/26/2011
well said.

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Gillsans
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11:57 PM on 10/23/2011
I tried adding a slide, but it didn't go through - and he may not be eligible for this list since he died earlier this year, but I don't see how it can be complete without a mention of Rev. Peter Gomes. A brilliant preacher and writer, he came out in 1991. His "The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart," written a couple of years later, opened many minds (including mine).

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Coloradem
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02:04 PM on 10/24/2011
Gomes was an amazing man.

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revsusanrussell
Episcopal priest and LGBT activist .
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06:57 PM on 10/23/2011
What a great cloud of witnesses -- many of whom I am honored to call friends and brothers and sisters in the struggle. They show us that it is long past time time to take to heart the words of Rabbi Abraham Heschel, who famously said, “Few are guilty, but all are responsible.” We -- progressive people of faith -- may not be guilty of the religion based bigotry that has wounded countless members of God’s beloved LGBT children but we responsible for offering a counter-narrative to the lies that have been told about the God we serve – the God of love, justice and compassion.
 Also on my list: Rabbi Denise Eger; Rabbi Temple Kol Ami, founding member of HRC Religion Council and past-president So Cal Board of Rabbis and the Very Reverend Michael Hopkins; past-president of Integrity USA and an architect of the Episcopal Church's movement forward on LGBT ordinations and the blessing of same-sex union.
 The Reverend Canon Susan Russell
 Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles/All Saints Church, Pasadena

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Carolyn Kennedy
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12:48 AM on 10/23/2011
Missed a few--- Carter Hayward, lesbian, Episcopal priest and writer; Amy deLong, Methodist pastor recently stood trial for officiating at the marriage of two women; Rev. Dr. William Johnson, first openly gay man to be ordained by a mainline Protestant church (United Church of Christ)

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HGfromOmaha
A hungry, free man not a well-fed slave .
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10:56 PM on 10/22/2011
Oh! This is going to be good! I haven't even read the comments yet but I'm going to grab a drink and start reading the "Christians" attacking one another! I can almost visualize all the pasting of Bible verses that's about to take place. Can't wait to count how many times the term "true Christian" is used!
 This is going to be great!

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Lucy0808
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10:40 PM on 10/22/2011
Most of the items that were called sins in the bible are not considered sins today. It keeps changing and even the most conservative reactionary Christian doesn't call all of the sins of the bible sins for today. Mylord, the bible supported slavery in a jolly way and sujugation of women and other people especially the gentiles. In Leviticus, the jews were allowed to wipe out villages with women and children included. Everyone. No religious sect in modern times advocates such stuff although it was in the not so long ago past.
 Most of the posts by Christians on this thread have been anything but Christian with the love and forgiveness described by Jesus. Like Gandhi said, "I like your Jesus, but the Christians, not so much". I feel the same after reading the posts here and having dialogues with some pretty bigoted dark people. I'm sure there are very good people. I know there are, but in this thread most have been dreaming some very dark dreams with a very mean avatar.
 My daughter is gay and I raised her through her tough life. She is a very intelligent, thoughtful human being. Her depth and open heart and mind is a wonder for me to see. She is now in a loving relationship. She is teaching me about love. Love. Love and laughter. Love and compassion. Understanding. There is no way that her behavior is sin. It is love.

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HGfromOmaha
A hungry, free man not a well-fed slave .
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11:23 PM on 10/22/2011
You know they're going to lash out at you and say some evil things Lucy......and it's supposed to come from a place of "love".......the same mentality as what they used in boot camp....."The beatings will continue until morale improves"......
 Good for you and your daughter. You're supposed to be there for her. That's your child. She is who she is. I believe in God and God doesn't make mistakes. He makes people as they are.
 So many people are hung up on the Bible, not knowing where it came from, when it was written, by whom it was written, how the books were selected, and which books were left out. Let's talk about the Gospel of Thomas and how Jesus viewed true salvation. Of course this means nothing to the "scholars" you'll see writing on these pages because they refuse to acknowledge anything they can't understand or regurgitate from memory.
 Oh well. I love reading the attacks. These people truly believe their own hype. Arrogant. Prideful. Boastful. Condescending.
 Disgusting.

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Lucy0808
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1195 Fans
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11:47 AM on 10/23/2011
Thank you for posting a gracious and supportive post. A needed "pause or reprieve" on this thread to say the least. It doesn't fix this problem of over the top self-righteousness, but acknowledges the silliness.
 Peace be with you.

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Pale Writer
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246 Fans
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08:03 PM on 11/08/2011
I am a Christian and if anyone were to attack Lucy on this issue or any other, I would be the first one to draw my sword (metaphorically speaking) and defend her. She is not a Christian. I believe she is Buddhist. So none of this applies to her or her daughter. Everyone deserves to live in peace. Even on a message board. Just because folks engage in discussion, it does not always equate to "attack". Everyone gets a chance to make their stance, get challenged, and defend it. It's called civil discourse. Those who decide to chide and belittle, do not get the opportunity for intelligent dialogue. Most people will not engage them. Sure folks can be arrogant, prideful, boastful and condescending. I have seen my share from Atheists attacking me...but it makes no difference to me. I shake off the dust from my shoes and move on. Disgusting walks on both sides of the street...

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