Progressive Judaism backs marriage
The Rabbinic Council of Progressive Rabbis for the Australasian region has come out in support of marriage equality and urged the Gillard Government to act.
“We, the members of the Moetzah, the Rabbinic Council of Progressive Rabbis of Australia, Asia and New Zealand, support marriage equality under Australian law,” the Council wrote in a statement.
“Judaism teaches that all human beings are created … in the image of God, and are therefore entitled to full dignity and equality. The Jewish people are all too familiar with discrimination and worse, and we reject it however rationalised.”
“Australian law should guarantee equality; marriage being both a religious and a civil status. There is no reason for Australian law to limit or discriminate against the civil or legal rights of any individual or group.”
“Therefore, we, the Moetzah, call upon the Australian Government to enact speedily legislation granting full marriage equality.”
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich, and the former head of the Australian Medical Association, Prof. Kerryn Phelps (pictured), both welcomed the statement which they said highlighted support for marriage equality among many people of faith.
“We welcome the Rabbis’ strong statement in support of marriage equality because it highlights that people of faith can and do support full legal equality for all Australians,” Greenwich said.
“Too often this issue is wrongly portrayed as ‘God vs gays’ when it is really about the equality and dignity of all people.”
“The statement is important, not only because it is made by religious leaders, but because it is based on religious values such as the recognition of human dignity and because it recalls the deep discrimination Jewish people have endured.”
Phelps, who was married in a Jewish ceremony in the US to her wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps said she was pleased that leaders from her faith had decided to declare support for my marriage and call on the Australian Government to do the same.
“Rabbis have been performing same-sex marriage ceremonies for some years now, and it’s important these marriages have the same legal recognition as other marriages,” Phelps said.
“The recognition and respect that my faith provides our relationship gives us great strength.”
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What about the rights of children to be raised by their
married biological parents?
Now Gays can’t offer that to children,
they are not equal to heterosexual breeding couples,
get over it!
“Judaism teaches that all human beings are created … in the image of God, and are therefore entitled to full dignity and equality”
This must be the most ridicules misquote i’ve ever read, firstly just to clarify when the Torah says Man was created in the image….every jew with the slightest knowledge of torah knows this means that man was created with the same attributes as g-d meaning man has the ability if he chooses, to be kind,generous,loving etc etc… and people asol have to choice not to be like that. These progressive’s must be forgetting that it also says in the Torah (the one that they so called believe in) that a man can not marry another man. Now that means simply that, meaning although they can not get married it does not mean they can not have a meaningful relationship. Just for example a Jew and a non jew, of course they can have a meaning relationship but bottom line according to jewish law they can not be married.
The progressives are full of contradictions, and anyone with a little common sense will hopefully realize this, and basically people who contradict themselves really can’t be relied upon to give a TRUE depiction of what the torah is actually saying.
Woo Hooo for the Progressive Rabbinic Council! This article makes me proud to be a Jew! Let’s hope other religious organisations listen, learn and act positively too.
Bill, part of me wants to negate your opinion merely because of the terrible spelling and grammar. I’m struggling to determine exactly what your point is…
Bill, nobody is forcing you to get married, as an individual you deserve the right to choose whether you want to get married- equal marriage equally will not effect the rights of a heterosexul couple to have a traditional marriage, family, and religious ceremony.
The Rabbinic Council of Progressive Rabbis is leading the way on extending the same fairness in law that others have, by supporting Marriage regardless of your sexuality.
The idea we should not have Civil Rights, simply because of our sexuality, is abhorrent. All we are seeking is to live as freely as any person. We ask no more and seek no less.
As my Anglican Bishop said to me, “The Church never owned Marriage”.
Marriage discrimination, follows the discrimination in the Federal Equal Opportunity Act. Essentially the government is advocating hate, by proclaiming laws that say if you are heterosexual, you are superior, and if you are in the GLBTI community, you are inferior, and less deserving of Civil Rights because you were born.
The fact is Gillard has policies that lead to great suffering in the community. From an elderly person being denied access to a Nursing home, to a couple not being able get married, there is no mistaking the cruelty of Labor towards people in the GLBTI community.
I really dont like the Fact, that if we get Married, to what degree will the married Couple “Be Faithful.”thats what a married commitement is all about is it not!? Yes I know that even the Straights are not faithful to one another, all the time! You know they wont be if they are not accountable to a Higher Power or any other than themselves!,As thats how it was in the Beginning,Yet the World;with all its Headanism(if thats how its Spelt) want what they wont; when they wont it. like Spoilt Children,And you know, most likely they will. to their own Ruin.Lets try to do it Different.Also so Children dont have to suffer being either without a mum and a Dad when there is the choice to bless them wth one or the other! Im only so Glad I had Both and Yet” They had their Issues like all people.But they were My Mum and Dad.We all must think of the Big Picture and not just ourselves and you know! Those Hristian may stop attaking us as it seems! Thanks and sorry bwt my Poor writing.
Bill.
I find it totally unreal that we Gays have to be like everyone else are we not individuals,I know that once we get the marriage right that there will a possibility we will wont it all.
This is an important step for both Judaism and for the push for marriage equality. It is great to see religious organisations getting involved in this. Progressive Rabbis have been performing same-sex commitment ceremonies in Australia since 2008, but are unable to perform same-sex marriages until the Federal Government allows.
who knows, perhaps we are pressuring just the right people. Sooner or later which buffoon is in power will have to listen to us. Then, those who want to marry can, and those who don’t can choose that option. But the point will be the word “option”. It’s high time the at least 10% of the community are listened to.