Marriage equality OK with UPJ
The Union for Progressive Judaism welcomes recent moves to have Marriage Equality recognised through the legislative system of Australia.
Stephen Freeman
UPJ President, Stephen Freeman: said “As we stated in our Submission to the Senate Inquiry to the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill in 2010 as stated in Genesis (1:27) “and God created humans in God’s own image” (B’Tselem Elohim)” Accordingly people should be treated equally regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation.”
“Now, as then, we state our total support for the GLBT community and are proud that our congregations and rabbis gladly welcome them as equal members of our community. We call on the Parliament of Australia to recognise their call for justice and equality with regard to marriage and all other aspects of living in a civil society.”
All people should be treated with human dignity and and the upmost equality.
The Torah does not sanction all forms of human behavior and interaction.
A Jew cannot rewrite that which G-d wrote.
There are religious theologies which believe that the Chumash was written by man, possibly inspired by a G-dly spirit, we live in a free society, they have the right to such a postion , however that is not Torah Judaism.
Judaism is not a social justice movement where we automatically accept the mores of our hosts concepts of correct and incorrect ad hoc, social justice is a component of and is enshrined in Toras Moshe and the Talmud to reflect the Divine Plan in the pre Messianic Era.
It is not determines solely through social intercourse, by legislation in Parliament or courts of law.
The important part of this conversation is that Australian civil law is not dependent on Jewish law and in order for all people to be treated with human dignity and the utmost equality there is often an incompatibility with Jewish law.
Halacha is rooted in dignity for women and men.
Civil Law can vacillate.
I am more than happy to study the original sources and the respona with anyone.
Some material is only in Hebrew, however I shall translate.
Welcome support for removal of state-sanctioned discrimination.