The Danger of Blurring Lines

It is also pretty clear that – whether genetic or not –same sex attractions are formed very early in life and cannot be changed.

I have also expressed my view that homosexuals should be treated like human beings created in the image of God that they are.  That requires treating all human beings with dignity regardless of who they are attracted to.

That is one reason I was particularly upset by the way Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis was treated by the UK’s Charedi leaders.  They dis-invited Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis to sit on their dais of they DafYomi Siyum HaShas event at Wembley Arena in London. That was because they objected the compassionate and sensible LGBT guidelines he issued for Orthodox religious schools in the UK. Guidelines that are in consonance the requirements of OFSTED, the UK’s Office for Standards in Education. With the courageous exception of Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu,  who boycotted the Siyum when he found out that Rabbi Mirvis was dis-invited, that was a new low for that ‘august’ body.

The question is, what exactly is it - that was so troubling about Rabbi Mirvis’s LGBT guidelines. Do they actually believe that LGBT people should be thrown to the wolves?

I don’t know about that – but I think it is their misguided approach to LGBT people that is at the heart of this issue. They apparently do not distinguish between the sin and the sinner. I doubt that they actually believe that same sex attractions even exist. That when people say they are gay it is really Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) talking. And that being attracted to a member of the same sex it is an aberration to his ‘real ’ attraction to members of the opposite sex. That is why they believe in ‘conversion therapy. They think it is simply a matter of overcoming their Yetzer Hara based desire. A desire that somehow went askew from what all men are innately attracted to.

It is with that in mind that they reject the very idea of acceptance of gay people. They see it as tantamount to accepting the forbidden act itself. They see advocacy of tolerance to be advocacy of the behavior. A behavior we are obligated to change in those that are ‘mistakenly’ inclined to.

That is a function of their unwillingness to accept  years of research into the subject by some of the finest social scientists, experts in their field.  And that is attributable to another attitude. One which disdains Limudei Chol – secular studies. If you don’t respect secular studies, why would you accept the conclusions of its experts?

There has been a movement - or perhaps even a trend - among some Orthodox rabbis to follow up their laudably tolerant attitude with action. As was the case recently in Australia. Taking a cue from Rabbi Mirvis’s guidelines they want to issue their own. Which in addition to affecting their religious schools would mean opening up their pews to the gay community and welcoming them equally along with everyone else.

I support this trend. A policy of communal inclusion will surely help encourage people with same sex attraction to be observant. By no means does this say that forbidden behavior is now permitted. It means they will be treated like any other Jew. All of whom sin in one way or another. But none of whom are judged. Unless they advocate sinning.

As important as this policy is - there is a hidden danger that must somehow be addressed. Which is exactly the kind of thing the UK’s Charedi rabbis are concerned about. Which is the is more than  just accepting the sinner. It can very easily be appear that orthodoxy accepts the sinful behavior as well.  

That is exactly what the LGBT community wants. That is their goal. It isn’t just about accepting people based on their character in a otherwise non judgmental way. It is about completely normalizing anything to do with being gay. Including the normalization of male to male anal sex. 

Their argument is that it as long as there are 2 consenting adults, what they do in the bedroom ought to be as acceptable as what heterosexual people do. We have to accept gay people fully including accepting every way they express their love in consensual ways. Same as heterosexual people. 

Orthodox Judaism must never be seen that way. There must be a clear line drawn between accepting people and accepting sinful behavior that they might be engaged in. Yes, we must welcome all people with open arms. Provided that line is somehow drawn. It must be done. But it must be done without hurting the very people you want to help.

The bottom line is that Orthodox Judaism - defined as adherence to Torah and rabbinic law cannot be seen to be normalizing sinful behavior while at the same time it must be seen as accepting every Jew for who they are regardless of who they are attracted to. Those lines should never be blurred.