Faith Complex: Davven the Gay Away?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Davven the Gay Away? Chaim Levin, an orthodox Jew from Crown Heights Brooklyn, discusses his journey coming out as a gay man when others urged him to suffer in silence.
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Tragic accidents or afflictions in which someone loses a limb or is born blind or deaf or, G-d forbid, contracts cancer are indeed mostly permanent situations. However, none of those tragic situations are a Torah-violating condition like homosexuality which posits that one is not capable of finding fulfillment without violating Torah law.
In other words a deaf person has no Torah obligation to hear a shofar, nor does he express a deep desire to violate biblical law. He is able to lead a kosher life without any type of Torah violation. The same is true of someone who is blind or has cancer. There is no inherent contradiction with Torah law in those situations.
In fact many other permanent types of situations where one is born with a physical or spiritual affliction such as a mamzer (child of a biblically prohibited relationship) or even a tumtum or an androgyne (person born with unsure or mixed genders) may halachically enter into marriage. There is a kosher outlet for each and every situation. A mamzer can marry another mamzer or a convert. According to the Rambam and Nodeh b’Yehuda, a tumtum and an androgyne can get married as well.
There are other situations which temporarily may not have a kosher outlet, such as that of an agunah. However, these are circumstantial and changeable situations with possible solutions. A witness may show up to testify to the death of the missing husband and free the agunah. Or a recalcitrant husband may finally give his wife a get.
Impossible, life-long, Torah-prohibited situations with no achievable solutions are not possible, is, in fact, unique to the falsehood stated about homosexuality. None of these other tragic or difficult situations enumerated above include a permanent, unalterable, Torah-violating condition with no hope for any type of satisfactory solution, as is being falsely posited about homosexuality.
To the person above, think about what the rabbis said about observance and holocaust survivors. Because of the anguish, torture and pain of the holocaust, the rabbis said that you cannot judge someone that is not religious after going through the holocaust. You will never understand it, but many homosexuals suffer from such mental anguish from society, family and internally that no one should ever judge a homosexual!
Take a look at some of the articles on my blog that bring you more information on this topic... http://richdweck.blogspot.com/
"The Pink Elephant"- Ideas of an American Gay Syrian Jew (Rich Dweck)
I recommend the "My Writings" and "Parents Section" as the first two areas you explore. Topics:Homosexuality and Religion,Parental roles,Bullying, Extremism,Women's Rights,Spirituality, Interfaith,Inspiration,Community and more! Remember God loves you no matter what! NO ONE HAS A MONOPOLY ON GOD! Last thing, PARENTS please read "A study about the effect of family rejection of LGBT children." Know the effects of rejecting your child! Please remember that SILENCE is ACCEPTANCE!
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