(cont'd)
3. But G–D made them that way. G–D must want them to be this way. They don't have any choice.
Response:
This assertion is fundamentally wrong on so many levels! Let's take it piece by piece.
a) Let us assume for the moment that there is a gene that determines sexual preference. We will do this simply for the sake of argument, as there is enormous evidence that homosexuality and other such behaviors are learned, often stemming from abusive childhoods.
To claim that because G–D made someone a certain way absolves them of responsibility for their behavior would mean the death of civilization. By your reasoning, every thief, every murderer, every rapist, every abuser can blame G–D for wiring him that way and earn the sympathy of his accusers. It's G–D's fault. G–D made him do it.
No society on earth, religious or secular, allows a genetic predisposition for any behavior or personality trait to be used as an excuse for behaving in an unacceptable way. There is also no other class of people that makes this argument to rationalize their behavior. So this is really nothing more than a sinister attempt to blame G–D — a G–D you don't really believe in and whose authority you don't accept — for the fact that you do as you please.
In so doing you have amputated the moral conscience from the human being. A sinner who feels remorse and guilt has hope for rehabilitation. A sinner who believes he has no choice, that G–D made him do it, nay, that G–D wants him to do it, no longer has hope. You act as if you are doing the sinner a favor by removing his guilt and separating him from his conscience, but you are in fact his greatest enemy, robbing him of his only chance to reconnect to his spiritual source. Your crime is greater than his.
We can easily pity those who submit to their temptations, for all of us stumble at times, but how can we pity those who encourage sinners that they have no choice in the matter, and thereby to give up any hope of doing better?
b) You also assume that just because G–D made someone a certain way, He expects him to remain that way and follow all his natural impulses. How absurd!
Were that the case, why would the Torah even need to be written?
Shall we assume that because a child is born uncircumcised that G–D wants him to remain that way? Shall we assume that one who is born and raised a miser shall refrain from giving charity? Shall we assume that one who has a cruel nature shall commit cruel acts, in accordance with G–D's supposed will? You don't really believe any of this, and if this is the best defense you have for those who engage in forbidden sexual acts, then you had best stop arguing on their behalf.
c) You claim they don't have any choice. Not only does this fly in the face of the fundamental principle that all people have free choice, it is easily disproven. It is so easily disproven that you surely know it is a lie, and you don't really believe it.
If gay people really cannot control themselves, how is it that they generally manage without any difficulty to commit their sexual acts in private, in accordance with the secular laws on decency? Why do they not impulsively commit sexual acts the very moment the urge strikes, wherever they may be and with whomever may be the target of their "love"? How do they manage to restrain themselves until they are alone together?
Clearly, they can control themselves. Someone who truly lacks any self-control had best be locked up, for they would be a danger to themselves and all they encounter. The question, therefore, is the extent to which we can expect them to control themselves.
The Torah has expressed G–D's expectations on this matter quite clearly. Being that G–D created the sexual impulse, G–D created the world and all that is in it, and G–D has perfect knowledge, we must trust that G–D would not demand someone to control that which is uncontrollable, nor punish him for failing to do so. Hence, the only logical conclusion is that those with homosexual tendencies can most certainly control their behavior, they are expected to control their behavior, and they are responsible for their actions.
We do not deny that the challenge may be overwhelmingly difficult for some people, and we will lovingly support them and assist them however we can in dealing with the challenges they face. However, we can only do this for those who recognize that it is their responsibility, it is within their capabilities to rise to the challenge, and this is what G–D demands of them. We cannot support those who blame G–D for their behavior and reject any sense of personal responsibility and accountability.
4. But really, what's the big deal what two people do in the privacy of their bedroom, so long as it is consensual and no one is being hurt?
Response:
This challenge is also based on false assumptions, and is nothing but an attempt to minimize the severity of the sin and cast us as religious predators.
First of all, as noted, this is not simply two people doing something in the privacy of their bedroom. This is a movement with a far-reaching agenda, celebrating perverse behavior, encouraging it, aggressively seeking to change social norms, hijack the education system, persecute and prosecute all those who stand in their way. If only this were two people doing something in the privacy of their bedroom! In light of this, we categorically reject your attempt to disarm us from defending all that we hold dear against this onslaught.
Second of all, as Jews we are responsible for one another. Even if this sinister movement disbanded, we would still be concerned about immorality inside the home, just as you expect us to be concerned about other sinful acts that are committed behind closed doors. Indeed, the argument that a crime was committed inside the home does not hold up in secular court. Spiritual crimes cannot be ignored simply because they are kept out of public view, especially those that by their very nature normally occur behind closed doors.
The laws of arayos are particularly emphasized by the Torah because they are the foundation of the Jewish family and all of society. You challenge us why we should care. How can we not care?
Furthermore, Chazal teach in multiple places that wherever gay marriage is enshrined in the law, G–D brings plagues and destruction that do not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. We find this by no other commandment. We count on G–D to protect us when thousands of missiles are raining down upon our cities, that they should strike empty fields instead of causing indiscriminate destruction. We pray to G–D to protect us from plagues and pandemics that turn every breath we take into a potential death sentence.
This same G–D has some expectations of us as well. We want G–D to watch over us and protect us both inside and outside the privacy of our homes. Why should He do so if we allow all manner of wanton behavior to be committed in public and private, contaminating His land and corrupting His people?
Indeed, to turn a blind eye to behaviors that drive G–D's protection away would be truly hateful toward those who engage in these behaviors and all those affected by them — which is everyone.
Just as the family and friends of alcoholics, drug addicts, and gamblers intervene to urge their loved one to stop engaging in behavior that is harmful to himself and others, we must do the same. This intervention is not always met with appreciation —quite the contrary — but we recognize it as a loving act by people who care.
It is the same here. Our intervention is not an act of hatred, but an act of love. We care about the people engaging in these behaviors and the impact it has on others. It would be convenient in the short term to let them do as they please without any objection, but knowing the destruction this brings on them and others, we simply cannot do so. If there were no consequences to their behavior, we truly wouldn't care, but the consequences could not be more severe. We have no moral choice but to intervene.
Conclusion
Our ancestors allowed avoda zara to spread throughout the land, and they excused themselves from objecting. Their indifference led to the destruction of all we had. Today, while thousands of people march through our streets celebrating the obscene, the overwhelming majority of rabbis and ordinary people are silent, uninterested and unwilling to stand for what is right.
I have no position of authority, no following, and little influence beyond the persuasiveness of my words. I have nothing material to gain from writing this, have no axe to grind, and derive no particular pleasure from inviting enmity upon myself for airing unpopular views. I can easily absolve myself from speaking up about this issue, as most others have done. If it were about me, I would not write this.
But it is not about me. It is about all of us, everything we have, and everything we wish to have. Preserving what we have and achieving what we desire does not come automatically.
I call upon my rabbinic colleagues to rouse themselves and spread Torah truth without shame or fear. I call upon my brothers and sisters to object to any attempt to spread a modern version of avoda zara in our holy land.
Finally, I call upon those who have been lured into perverse lifestyles and corrupt ideologies to take responsibility for their behavior and return to the Torah.
Let us truly be — as G–D declares us — a kingdom of kohanim and a holy nation.
Visit chananyaweissman.com for the mother lode of articles and books.
Visit rumble.com/c/c-782463 for my Torah classes, Amalek and Erev Rav programs, and much more.
Buy my books on Amazon here or contact me directly to purchase in Israel.
Download Sefer Kibbutz Galuyos pdf here or ePUB here, or buy on Amazon here.
Download Tovim Ha-Shenayim as a PDF for free!
weissmans@protonmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment