Cut Off Gay Rights Politicians, Orthodox Rabbis Rule

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- A panel of rabbis respected as authorities on Torah law issued a sweeping ruling to cut off support for politicians who promote normalizing the sin of homosexuality.

In a strongly worded decision, some of the most prominent Orthodox rabbis advised their communities to "no longer continue to support or elect leaders who have publicly showed their approval for giluyai arayos [immoral unions], activities that stand exactly opposite of all our work as Jews to increase the awareness and influence of Hashem the Almighty in this world... No money, no public displays of approval, and no votes should be given to politicians who have made documented, public statements or who have voted in favor of laws that seek to normalize the[se] forbidden relationships."

The ruling follows last month's vote in the New York State Senate, which the rabbis called "an open miracle," where "Hashem thwarted the will of nearly every top elected leader of the state." The Senate reaffirmed traditional marriage by an overwhelming margin, rejecting proposed changes to the definition of marriage that would legitimize homosexuality.

The rabbis criticized use of the secular government to redefine the language. "Marriage is a word that has a definition accepted by all the world from time immemorial: it means the legalized union between a man and a woman for the purpose of forming a family. Human lives have meaning to the extent that they reflect the values taught by the Torah. No government has the power to create meaning by bestowing new definitions to behaviors that are abhorrent to the Torah."

The panel, organized as Vaad L'Shmor Kehillasenu ("Board to Protect Our Communities") includes, Rav Yisroel Belsky, a Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath; Rav Avrohom Yaakov Nelkenbaum, a Rosh Yeshiva of Mirrer Yeshiva; and Rav Chaim Krauss, Mara D'Asra of Kahal Bais Yisroel and Rosh Kollel of Kollel Ohel Chaim; all from Brooklyn, and Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Mara D'Asra of Congregation Nachlas Yitzchak, from Queens.

The New Jersey State legislature is preparing to vote on changing the definition of marriage to include homosexuality. Governor Jon Corzine, who supports the bill, was unseated by Governor-elect Christopher Christie, who has stated his intention to veto the measure.

The matter was brought to the Vaad by Dovid Z. Schwartz, who said, "We're grateful that such prominent leaders of our communities showed the courage to draw a bright line on this important issue. Immoral unions squander the awesome drive of human desire and waste those life-giving affections that should be reserved to a man and woman working to build their own family. But all human reasons put aside, the Almighty Creator has decreed immoral unions are forbidden to Jews by the Torah, and to the gentiles by the Seven Laws of Noah."

The Seven Laws of Noah is a universal legal, moral and spiritual code binding on all mankind and the bedrock of human civilization. Every human being is created in the image of G-d, and affirms the Divine nobility of his soul and the brotherhood of all mankind by abiding by the Seven Laws of Noah. In addition, every person can earn a share in the eternal world to come by upholding the Seven Laws of Noah in the name of the Torah given to Moses.

SOURCE Dovid Z. Schwartz