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ASK RABBI DAN
by: Rabbi Dan S. Wiko PhD
  See the rabbi's bio.
 
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This Month...

Editor's Comment
Michael looks at:
Farewell, Shalom and Adieu


Features
An Open Letter from Abba to His Family

Enough With The Political Finger-Pointing!

Revisiting the Haggadah

Eddy's Recipe List
Victoria Sponge

Book Review
Unstrung Heroes

The Outspeaker
Encouraging violence is never correct

Batya
Good times and bad times with Batya

Nathan Weissler
What my friendship with Michael Hanna-Fein meant to me


Marjorie Wolfe
An Interview with Paul Reiser

BC's Backlot
The Last Shalom

This And That
My Treasure Chest

Three Symbols of Passover

Stress

Lynn Ruth Miller
How we all became part of a bigger story

Mel Yahre
A few words for my friend

Eddy's Thoughts
Don't let life flutter by

The Bear Facts
How I found Michael

 

 

On Thursday, July 12, 2007 I was asked the following question:

Why do the different denominations of Judaism hold conflicting beliefs about homosexuality and same-sex marriage?

This was my response:

Orthodox, or traditional Judaism, basically, follows the letter of the "law"...that it is a "sin" to both spill one's seed and to "lay with a man as you would a woman". If both those acts are seen as sinful, then marriage resulting out of that sin is totally unacceptable. Judaism allows for the feelings harbored by a homosexual but denounces as sinful when they are acted upon. Gays and lesbians who were raised in the orthodox tradition, needless to say, have the most difficulty with these "laws".

Conservative Judaism, as it does in most instances, allows for a broader interpretation of these "laws", basically accepts homosexual actions as acceptable but may or may not have an issue with same-sex marriages,

Reform is far more accepting of individual "freedoms" and, consequently, has no issues at all or, very few,

Rabbi Dan

If you have questions about a personal matter, or jewish practices and customs, you can submit them to me by e-mail. I answer all queries directly, or through this column, when the question is informative to our community.

Thank you for your kind attention and this opportunity to share with you,
Rabbi Dan S. Wiko
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