Homosexuality: identity, culture, and social context

Homosexuals

The purpose of this work is to examine the traditional Jewish position on the matter of homosexuality. Included will be the historical development of the position according to the Bible as well as of other authors and the range of modern positions on the subject. Considered will be the overall goal in the author's writing and whether or not existing social practices are the focus of change or reform as well as developing an understanding of the relation of the author on the issue as to their tradition of beliefs as to life, religion and morals. Further this work will attempt to answer whether the author's opinion fit with other views held. Finally this work will examine how the author arrived at their present position either through logical deduction, inspiration, and interpretation of the Bible or the appeal to the tradition's authorities.

Introduction

Homosexuality is an issue that is handled differently by each and every culture and on the cultural and societal level is viewed from perspectives that are different depending upon the teachings and laws within a specific setting. While some cultures do not view homosexuality as being inherently wrong there are others, such as the Christian religion who stand against homosexuality and consider it to be evil and unacceptable. The Jewish tradition as well views homosexuality, particularly among the male members of its society to be a terrible sin.

What Sayeth the Catholic Church?

Condemnation is the word used in the BBC World Service News Report on Sunday July 9, 2000 which states that Pope John Paul spoke against gay rights in Rome during a march held on Saturday. The Pope describes homosexuality as an "offense to Christian values" The remarks were likely to anger activists among the 700,000 total attending the Gay Pride march. The Pope gave reaffirmation that the Church's position would not be comprised and that it would remain opposed to homosexuality. In a catechism the Pope stressed the belief of the church that homosexual acts "are against nature and are therefore intrinsically evil ... [Adding that] "All types of unjust discrimination towards such people must be avoided. " (BBC News, 2 July 2005)

The Viewpoint of Christianity

Holding the same position in relation to homosexuality and the Catholic Church is the most cherished literature of Christianity, The Holy Bible which states in Leviticus 18:22, that the Torah prohibits male homosexual sex and labels this practice as to'evah abominable'. The Torah informs that under halakha Jewish law male homosexual sex is prohibited in all forms. However, the problem lies in the fact that studies have shown that the majority of homosexuals do not choose to be homosexual but that they are born with it as an inherent trait just as are most heterosexuals. The Talmud of the Jewish faith teaches that all people are not strictly male or female in all dimensions of being.

I. George W. Bush and Homosexuality

President George W. Bush has said that he is a Christian and in his views on homosexuality he shows it well. Bush holds the bible to be an authority and has let this background based in religion speak against homosexuality. Bush's stand on abortion can basically be summed up by him saying that he believes the FDA's approval of RU-486 was wrong and this belief adheres to the prohibition of homosexuality that Bush supports.

II. Ulrichs & Freud on Homosexuality

Sigmund Freud writes that, "It is a great injustice to prosecute homosexuality as a crime and a cruelty too." Freud's cohorts that preceded him such as Ulrichs believed that all men were born with normal sexuality. Ulrichs Invents Urnings was the author of Vindex a pamphlet seeking to defend "Urnings" or men who were homosexual by nature. "Urnings are attracted to other men because they are hermaphrodites of the mind. Even thought they have male bodies, their souls are female so they naturally are drawn to male sexual partners. Therefore laws like that impose criminal penalties on Urnings are unjust.

III. Krafft-Ebing

Krafft-Ebing, Vienna, 1886 was a German Professor of Psychiatry who published his work Psychopathia Sexualis with Especial Reference to the Antipathic Sexual Instinct: A Medico-Forensic Study and claimed that homosexuality can be caused by either masturbation or debauchery, however the most common cause or origin of the disease is degenerate heredity. Although his work has been used by judges and police to justify punishment against homosexuals in reality he stood against punishing homosexuals for their disease. Krafft-Ebing wrote that judges needed to discern between those who were perverse and those who were perverts in their sentencing of these individuals.

IV. Shumley Boteach -- A Jewish Rabbi

Shmuley Boteach, a Jewish Rabbi states that he spoke in November 1991 at the Oxford University Medical Society in a panel debate on the subject of homosexuality. Each speaker was allotted fifteen minutes to speak their opinion. The first to speak was a psychiatrist. Boteach states that the psychiatrist was militant and "instead of speaking dispassionately on the way in which homosexuality is viewed by mental health professionals, he began to psychoanalyze all those who are not homosexual, or are opposed to it, explaining their approach s an illness. He maintained that all those who pour scorn and derision on homosexuals do so in order to suppress their own latent homosexuality." (Boteach, 2005) The second speaker was a chaplain who "went to great lengths to damn Christianity's attitude to homosexuality: he advocated a complete change in an approach to non-heterosexuality, saying the church begin to view homosexuality as a viable and acceptable lifestyle." Boteach states that it was the first time he had heard a minister "disparage his own religion....there he was, sitting in his robe and collar, making fun of St. Paul and the Church fathers....even Jesus himself did not escape his attack."