Another religious person speaks up in favor of the Gay Pride parade

November 8, 2006 - 9:37 AM by

. . . or, more accurately, another religious blogger speaks up against the violent haredi protests against the gay pride parade. Boy, try saying that five times fast.

Amechad, an observant Conservative immigrant to Israel, writes:

This Friday I will be marching at the March for Pride and Tolerance (the gay parade). As some of you know, I have spoken out against the Conservative movement admitting gays and lesbians to the rabbinical school because I do believe that halakhically certain sexual actions are forbidden and that heterosexuality ought to be the “norm” HOWEVER that is my personal view. . . .

On the other hand, . . . The opposition [to the parade] is not about halakha and the halakhic issues of homosexual sex and relationships — you want to have that discussion, please do — but nothing more than homophobia and hatred.

I support free speech and I oppose violence. The true desecration of Jerusalem — which is not only the Holy City for Judaism, Christianity and Islam and the eternal capital of the Jewish people but also a real city in which people live and the political capital of the State of Israel and also my home — is the violence of those who want to suppress free speech. As a religious Jew, I will be there on Friday in support of freedom and tolerance. Homosexual Jews need to be welcomed as part of the Jewish community just as we welcome all Jews who don’t observe all 613 mitzvot (all Jews, clearly including the haredim).

Tags: • Category: General, Life, Politics 

Comments

3 Comments on Another religious person speaks up in favor of the Gay Pride parade

  1. aliyah06 on Wed, Nov 8th 2006 1:19 PM

    2. He’s got guts. I agree with him, and I’m frum….I think the biggest desecration is hatred–and if you have a halachic problem with homosexuals, okay, I get the text…..but that doesn’t mean you need to go looking to maim or kill them, either. You wanna protest? Carry a sign? But the justifications I’m hearing from the charedim (“We’re like Pinchas, and its okay to kill the sexually sinner!”) is appalling–and this from people who live on the dole and send their sons to yeshiva instead of the army.

    The parade route was published today and its no where near any neighborhood–it winds from public buildings through the park and to the Givat Ram campus. You would have to actively search for this parade to be offended by the participants.

  2. David on Fri, Nov 10th 2006 1:12 AM

    3. You should hear the Ohio Evangelical Christians villify and attack gay and lesbian people in the USA. They consider them to be “sub-human”.

    So much for religous people.

    Faith and Force are synonymous.

  3. Gray on Fri, Nov 10th 2006 2:42 PM

    4. Wow! He’s doing the ethically right thing. Very impressive. I hope this sets an example, especially for religious Jews.

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