Dr. Laura misrepresents Judaism

by Michael J. Mazza

PITTSBURGH (U-WIRE) - Radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger has angered millions with her unfavorable comments about homosexuality. The controversial chatmeister reiterated her position during a Sept. 6 appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live." In response to King's queries, Schlessinger declared that the only moral choice for individuals with a homosexual orientation is to suppress their feelings.

Schlessinger, an observant Jew, appealed to her religious tradition in her argument. She claimed that the Torah, the cornerstone of Jewish sacred literature, is clear on matters of sexual morality, and that the role of a Jewish rabbi is to explain this divine law to the people.

When King pointed out that Schlessinger's ideal rabbi merely is explaining his interpretation of Jewish law, his guest snapped, "No, not his interpretation." She added, "I don't second-guess God."

But King is right. The Hebrew Bible, like most collections of sacred literature, is a long and complex body of writings that is open to multiple interpretations. Schlessinger is incredibly arrogant to assume that her or her rabbi's interpretation (yes, interpretation) is the only valid one. And she is being either dishonest or willfully ignorant about the fact that numerous Jewish rabbis, in fact, disagree with her on the topic of homosexuality and the Torah.

In fact, the Jewish world is full of rabbis who believe that lesbian and gay relationships, complete with sex, are not inherently sinful. And many of these rabbis go so far as to preside over religious ceremonies that bless lesbian and gay unions. One such forward-thinking individual is Rabbi Denise Eger, who serves the gay-friendly Kol Ami synagogue in West Hollywood, Calif. (http://www.kol-ami.org).

Featured in the May 1999 issue of the gay men's magazine Genre, Eger affirmed her commitment to social justice for gay people. She also acknowledged a painful reality, "One of the challenges for any sexual minority is that the society around us tries to dehumanize us." Ironically, many have found the rhetoric of "Dr. Laura" to be just such a dehumanizing force.

Another rabbi whose approach contrasts sharply with that of Schlessinger is Ariel Friedlander, who participated in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival in Sydney, Australia on March 4. Ben Hills of the Sydney Morning Herald reported that adherents of the Reform branch of Judaism "turned out in droves" to cheer on Friedlander, Holocaust survivor Susie Wise and others who took part in this celebration of lesbian and gay pride.

It is not just individual rabbis who oppose Schlessinger's narrow-minded position. On March 29, the Central Conference of American Rabbis (http://www.ccarnet.org) voted overwhelmingly to allow its members to officiate at Jewish same-sex unions. Because the conference serves at least 1.5 million Reform Jews, this was a major affirmation of the moral validity of committed same-sex partnerships.

The big difference between the CCAR and Schlessinger is that the conference recognizes that there is a diversity of opinion on this issue and supports the decision of those rabbis who choose not to preside at same-sex union ceremonies. In contrast, Schlessinger refuses to acknowledge that any other opinion besides her own might be valid.

And it seems to me that Schlessinger's approach to the Bible is deeply flawed. In fact, most modern Jews recognize that certain sections of the Torah are bound to a specific time and culture, and need not necessarily apply to Jewish life today. How many Jews, for example, would seriously ostracize a man unfortunate enough to have lost a testicle due to cancer or an accident (Deuteronomy 23:1)? And how many modern Jews participate in the slave trade. (25:44-46)? But "Dr. Laura," whose spiritual vision appears to be clouded by an irrational fear of gay people, only sees those scattered verses which support her ugly agenda.