Cheers,

C’mon. You don’t have to be gay to enjoy anal:

sexuality.abou...
sexuality.abou...

bashert? lahavdil!!!!!!

Whatever the intent of the marchers was is irrelevant. They weren’t breaking ANY laws. OK now I am pooped. I’ll write more later.

And so we must ask the fundamental question: Was the more heinous crime the sexual immorality, or was it the worship of Pe’or?

I believe the answer becomes clear when we attempt to understand the nature of Pe’or worship. The Mishnah in tractate Sanhedrin teaches that Pe’or was worshipped by defecating in front of him – hardly the kind of appetizing religious cult which would attract masses of adherents. But apparently Pe’or was very popular, at least with Midian and Moab. And I would suggest that Pe’or remains popular until this very day. What was the Pe’or god saying to its adherents? Defecation is a normal human function, and the individual who relieves himself feels relieved! Do whatever is natural to do, do whatever makes you feel good. “Let it all hang out;” if this is your nature, if the act is natural, then it becomes correct to express it.

Is this not merely a re-statement – or cultural precursor – of much of contemporary, post-modern thought, of John Brown’s Eros and Civilization and Herbert Marcuse’s attitude towards life?! Discipline has become the “Hobgoblin of little minds,” and self-expression takes precedence over duty to family, to country and to ideal. It is a ramification of Korah’s “we are all holy” as is, without the necessity of sacrifice and striving, and a confirmation of the fact that there are no absolutes with regard to what is proper or improper conduct. Everyone has the right to his feelings, and everyone is right from his/her point of view. Ethics are “situational,” dependent upon one’s situation, and every individual is a genius when it comes to justifying his desires in his subjective situation.

This is a far cry from Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents which presumes the price of limiting one’s desires in order to form a civil society; it is the very antithesis of the Jewish ideal of “perfecting the world in the Kingship of the Divine” and the necessity of self-sacrifice in order to achieve that goal.

What was the greater crime, worshipping Pe’or or indulging in public fornication? They are both precisely the very same thing. Pe’or teaches that if one feels like fornicating one fornicates, when and with whom one wishes to do it. After all, sex has nothing to do with love and sanctity and everything to do with a natural physical urge, much more in line with defecation than a sacred union.

From this perspective, the Rabbinical voices like the Meiri were absolutely correct: idolatry has little to do with theology and much to do with the “disgusting, immoral practices” of those who follow the teachings of the likes of Pe’or.

Have your freedom and your democracy, Am Yisrael! Whoop it up! See where it gets you, if you haven’t noticed yet which direction we’re heading in. We will pay the price again and heavily, guaranteed.

- No, I was talking about everyone. Especially the Haredim.

There were however only individual protesters – maybe a handful.

- So why are you so angry?

Because freedom of assembly is considered a basic right in any democracy.

- nobody was complaining about freedom of assembly. The parade was designed to promote the validity of a certain lifestyle, not to assemble. That is nothing to do with democracy. In my opinion it was completely unnecessary and reflected very badly on Israel and Jerusalem, but not as badly as the Haredim protesting, which was just a chilul Hashem.

I am also happy to report that my heterosexuality emerged unscathed from having witnessed all the assembled queers

- I’m very glad to hear that. I think you should be more polite and pc in your language though (with all due respect). Using language like ‘homos’, ‘queers’ and unnecessary explicitness is not my thing.

Have a great Shabbos

And Well done Leah on your big day.

Why didn’t everyone stay at home? Are you talking about the homos? Look, they wanted to march, for whatever reason. It’s their right as citizens. The parade was subdued and as respectful of the sensibilities of Jerusalemites as could be. I wish i could say the same thing of our Haredi friends – why do they always take out their anger on garbage bins? I know the rabbis told them to behave but still. I could say the same thing about the- why didn’t they stay at home and do their own thing? Because freedom of assembly is considered a basic right in any democracy. Haredim cannot expect to benefit from the fruits of democracy while simultaneously trying to deny the same benefits to others. It makes no sense in a democracy and until further notice, Israel is still a democracy.

I am also happy to report that my heterosexuality emerged unscathed from having witnessed all the assembled queers. Granted those rainbow balloons are pretty compelling but I guess anal sex just isn’t my thing.

Rabbi Sedley