Conservative Jewish Seminary Admitting Gay Students

[LSU]

Don't the Jews base their beliefs on the Old Testament? Funny that they can get past it (or interpret it differently) whereas some Christians cannot...all based on the same text, for the most part.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070326/ap_on_re_us/conservative_jews_gays&printer=1;_ylt=AinI8KmWPzAFib1xTxHSqV5H2ocA


Jewish seminary to admit gays

By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion WriterMon Mar 26, 11:24 AM ET

The major seminary and flagship institution of Conservative Judaism said Monday it will start accepting openly gay and lesbian students, after scholars who interpret Jewish law for the movement voted to allow it.

Arnold Eisen, the incoming chancellor for the Jewish Theological Seminary, said the decision was made after extensive discussion with faculty and students, a survey on views of the issue within the movement and a meeting of the school's trustees.

"The larger issue has been how we can remain true to our tradition in general and to halakah (Jewish law) in particular while staying fully responsive to and immersed in our society and culture," Eisen said in a statement distributed to the school community and its supporters.

The Conservative branch holds the middle ground in American Judaism, adhering to tradition while allowing some change for modern circumstances.

The larger and more liberal Reform Jewish movement, as well as the smaller Reconstructionist wing, allow gays to become rabbis; the Orthodox branch bars gays and women from ordination.

In December, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards voted to allow the seminaries to decide on their own whether to admit openly gay students. However, their decision also left leeway for synagogues to reject gay and lesbian clergy if the congregations believe that same-sex relationships violate Scripture.

Earlier this month, a smaller Conservative seminary in Los Angeles, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, announced that it has accepted its first openly gay and lesbian applicants.

____

[IBC]

Don't the Jews base their beliefs on the Old Testament? Funny that they can get past it (or interpret it differently) whereas some Christians cannot...all based on the same text, for the most part.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070326/ap_on_re_us/conservative_jews_gays&printer=1;_ylt=AinI8KmWPzAFib1xTxHSqV5H2ocA


Jewish seminary to admit gays

By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion WriterMon Mar 26, 11:24 AM ET

The major seminary and flagship institution of Conservative Judaism said Monday it will start accepting openly gay and lesbian students, after scholars who interpret Jewish law for the movement voted to allow it.

Arnold Eisen, the incoming chancellor for the Jewish Theological Seminary, said the decision was made after extensive discussion with faculty and students, a survey on views of the issue within the movement and a meeting of the school's trustees.

"The larger issue has been how we can remain true to our tradition in general and to halakah (Jewish law) in particular while staying fully responsive to and immersed in our society and culture," Eisen said in a statement distributed to the school community and its supporters.

The Conservative branch holds the middle ground in American Judaism, adhering to tradition while allowing some change for modern circumstances.

The larger and more liberal Reform Jewish movement, as well as the smaller Reconstructionist wing, allow gays to become rabbis; the Orthodox branch bars gays and women from ordination.

In December, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards voted to allow the seminaries to decide on their own whether to admit openly gay students. However, their decision also left leeway for synagogues to reject gay and lesbian clergy if the congregations believe that same-sex relationships violate Scripture.

Earlier this month, a smaller Conservative seminary in Los Angeles, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, announced that it has accepted its first openly gay and lesbian applicants.

____
Are they gonna try and change 'em gay ya think?

[LSU]

Are they gonna try and change 'em gay ya think?



I've only heard of Christians being able to do that, not Jews. But maybe I missed it.

[LSU]

I'm suprised they didn't tell them in the past that they had a choice to be either a student or a homo. That probably would've weeded some of the fruities out.

[IBC]

I've only heard of Christians being able to do that, not Jews. But maybe I missed it.
Did you catch that interview on the Daily Show?

[LSU]

Did you catch that interview on the Daily Show?


Perhaps. After seeing so many, it's hard to discern which were which.

[IBC]

Perhaps. After seeing so many, it's hard to discern which were which.
They interviewed one of the guys that was a "reformed" homosexual. he now was a "sexual reorientation" trainer. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

[Reagan Smash]

So we can eat cock and beaver, but not pork or shellfish. Man, sometimes I think I should have gone Buddist

[IBC]

So we can eat cock and beaver, but not pork or shellfish. Man, sometimes I think I should have gone Buddist
Mmmmm, shrimp and crab. Mmmmm, beaver.

[Tom Joad]

So we can eat cock and beaver, but not pork or shellfish. Man, sometimes I think I should have gone Buddist


http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

[Iron Jaw]

I've only heard of Christians being able to do that, not Jews. But maybe I missed it.

Christians can forgive anyone for anything through Jesus. Including sins such as adultury or homosexuality.

However, I've never found anywhere in the Bible (Old or New Testament) that advocates homosexualty as a correct way of life.

Some Christian Denominations have gone as far as allowing openly homosexual clergy. Now the way I look at the scriptures, I would assume this would be fine if the person repented and did not openly advocate homosexualty as a correct lifestyle - according to the scriptures the member of the clergy preaches, it is not. But, as all people are sinners including all members of the clergy, he/she does have access to forgiveness. Jesus did not tell the adultress who was being stoned under Jewish law, to continue her lifestyle and that he approved of it. He forgave her for her sins and told her to go and sin no more.

I bring up this issue because I was raised as an Episcopalian (Anglican), a denomination where the rites and rituals are almost identical to Catholicism. Recently though, an openly homosexual priest was appointed as Bishop and advocates homosexuality as a correct lifestyle. The decision to promote Gene Robinson to Bishop has divided the Anglican community to the point a huge split is eminent.

Robinson is not the first homosexual priest in the Angilican Church, and the Catholic Church also has a history of known homosexual priests. But he is one of the first who has come out openly and advocated the lifestyle.

Thus, the Anglican community faces extreme division (many parrishes have already dropped out of the community and reunited with the South African Anglican Communion. A similar rift, though not as widespread, happened in the mid 70's when the Anglican Church allowed women to become priests.

Thus, the Anglican Communion, the third largest Christian denomination in the world behind Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Catholic, is facing severe divisive problems. Of course, considering the problems the Roman Catholic Church is currently facing with the child molestations (a priest here in Yuma was sentenced to 10 years in prison - the guy Baptized my daughter 16 years ago......my wife is a Roman Catholic and I had no problem baptizing the kids in the church.....the Anglican and Catholic Churches accept one another's baptisms and confirmations - I remember telling my wife the priest looked like a "he/she"......a name we use for the transvestites from Mexico we arrest on the border occasionaly - the wife was pi$$ed for me talking about a priest that way).

One thing though - I think the Catholics could solve many problems by allowing married priests. Many years ago (1970's), the Catholics were short of priests and allowed Anglican priests to move over to the church. Anglican priests are allowed to marry (most have large families) and many who were married made the transfer. So if you see a married Catholic priest, he more than likely was one who moved over from the Anglican side in the 70's - or he's a maverick. The current Pope doesn't seem too hot on the issue of married priests though.

[MTVike]

One thing though - I think the Catholics could solve many problems by allowing married priests. Many years ago (1970's), the Catholics were short of priests and allowed Anglican priests to move over to the church. Anglican priests are allowed to marry (most have large families) and many who were married made the transfer. So if you see a married Catholic priest, he more than likely was one who moved over from the Anglican side in the 70's - or he's a maverick. The current Pope doesn't seem too hot on the issue of married priests though.

My wife also believes priests should marry, and there are good arguments for it.

The reading on it that I have done always seems to go back to the same prinicple of the Catholic doctrine: The world changes, but the church does not and will not simply because of the political and cultural pressures of modern times.

Man will never be satisfied. Instead of trying to change the church he should look to the church for answers that are eternal.

There is a certain elegance to that position.

[Iron Jaw]

My wife also believes priests should marry, and there are good arguments for it.

The reading on it that I have done always seems to go back to the same prinicple of the Catholic doctrine: The world changes, but the church does not and will not simply because of the political and cultural pressures of modern times.

.

And that would be appropriate if Catholic priests had never allowed for married priests historically. It was not until the year 1139, after the Second Lateran Council that celebacy was madated in the church. But was not always enforced, as many priests continued to marry for a considerable time after the edict (the word didn't spread to quickly in the middle ages). Many of the Popes were married prior to that, in particular the original Pope, St. Peter, as were most of his fellow Apostles. There is no record, however, of any Popes getting married after reaching the Papacy - all who were, were married prior to their promotion. Some, such as Clement IV, became a priest and later Pope, after his wife passed away. Thus, he was essentially a single man when he entered into the Holy venue.

St. Paul briefly touches on married vs. non-married priests. But in plain words, Paul basically told the priests to marry if they needed to but that they could devote themselves more fully to the post if they didn't have to care for a family. The times, of course, need be placed in proper perspective. In St. Paul's time Christianity was a new religion - a continuation with fulfillment of Judaism. The new priests were traveling evangelists, and it took a year to travel from point "A" to point "B." Dragging a family along - or leaving a family behind was difficult at best. It probably was a good thing to remain single. But many didn't - and it was not required law.