CHRISTIANITY
noun
1. the Christian religion, including the
Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox
churches.
2. Christian beliefs or practices; Christian
quality or character
3. a particular Christian religious system
4. the state of being a Christian.
5. Christendom.
6. conformity to the Christian religion or to
its beliefs or practices.
HINDUISM
noun
1. the common religion of India, based upon the religion of the original Aryan settlers as
expounded and evolved in the Vedas, the
Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, etc., having
an extremely diversified character with
many schools of philosophy and theology,
many popular cults, and a large pantheon
symbolizing the many attributes of a single
god. Buddhism and Jainism are outside the
Hindu tradition but are regarded as related
religions.
BUDDHISM
noun
1. a religion, originated in India by Buddha
(Gautama) and later spreading to China,
Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeastAsia, holding that life is full of suffering
caused by desire and that the way to end
this suffering is through enlightenment
that enables one to halt the endless
sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject.
ISLAM
noun
1. the religious faith of Muslims, based on
the words and religious system founded by
the prophet Muhammad and taught by the
Koran,the basic principle of which is
absolute submission to a unique and
personal god, Allah.
2. the whole body of Muslim believers, their
civilization, and the countries in which
theirs is the dominant religion.
JUDAISM
noun
1. the monotheistic religion of the Jews,
having its ethical, ceremonial,and legal
foundation in the precepts of the Old
Testament and in the teachings and
commentaries of the rabbis as found chiefly in the Talmud.
2. belief in and conformity to this religion,
its practices, and ceremonies.
3. this religion considered as forming the
basis of the cultural and social identity of
the Jews.
*DEFINITIONS CURTEOSY OF DICTIONARY.COM
RELIGION &
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
AROUND THE WORLD
"In contemporary India LGBT people face discrimination and marginalization. This results from cultural attitudes imposed by the British during their long occupation of India. There is no condemnation of homosexuality in the ancient Hindu texts, and no bias against LGBT people is evident up to the 19th century. In a few Hindu lawbooks, same-gender sexuality is described as producing a state of impurity, but it can be expunged by a ritual bath.
Homosexuality is discussed frankly and without condemnation in the ancient Hindu sexual treatises. In the Kama Sutra, in Chapter VI, lesbianism in harems is described, and in Chapter IX, male and female homosexuality in the context of a discussion of oral sex. To quote the Kama Sutra, Chapter IX: "...in all things connected with love, everybody should act according to the custom of his country and his own inclination."
There are many accounts of beings who transformed their gender by supernatural means in the ancient Hindu epics and Puranas. One prominent example occurs in the Mahabharata. A transgender person, Sikhandin, plays a pivotal role in that ancient Hindu epic. In book 5, Chapter 191-5, the origin of Sikhandin is related. Sikhandin was born as the daughter of King Drupada of the Panchalas, who had previously been childless. Druapada begged the God Mahadeva, to give him a son. He told him that "Thou shalt have a child who will be a female and male. Desist, O king, it will not be otherwise."
His wife gives birth to a baby girl, Sikhandin. King Drupada conceals the gender of his child and proclaims a male heir has been born, and Sikhandin is raised as a boy. When Sikhandin comes of age, a marriage is arranged with an unnamed daughter of King Hiranyavarman, of the Dasrnakas. Hiranyavarman is described as Drupada's brother. The two women are married, "...and the former soon came to know that that latter was a women like herself." The daughter of King Hiranyavarman sends word back to her father about the deception, and he proclaims war as a result: "Thou hadst, from folly, solicited my daughter for thy daughter!"
At this juncture, Sikhandin flees into the forest, where she encounters a Yaksha, a demon, named Sthunakarna. Sthunakarna says that he will grant one boon to Sikhandin, who asks to become a male, the swap to be temporary until the situation with King Hiranyavarman is cleared up. So the princess exchanges gender with the demon; and, now a prince, returns to the city which the army of King Hiranyavarman is about to besiege. King Drupada tells his brother, now truthfully, that Sikhandin is a man, and that he can prove it. King Hiranyavarman sends "a number of young ladies of great beauty" to Sikhandin, and they report back that he is "a powerful person of the masculine sex." Unfortunately, the demon, now female, is placed under a curse by the lord of the Yakshas, and the sex exchange is permanent. Sikhandin grows into a mighty warrior.
Sikhandin later plays an important role during the cataclysmic battle which is the central part of the Mahabharata. In the climax of Book 8 of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, one of the chief protagonists, is killed because he refuses to attack a charge which is led by Sikhandin, because Sikhandin was born female. This ends up being the turning point in the battle and the war.
In this story we see what might, hypothetically, be an very old tale of a same-sex union woven into the vast epic of the Mahabharata. How old may be indicated by the fact that cousins are being married, which is typical of tribal societies worldwide. In Ancient Egypt women who attained positions of power wore male clothing, including false beards, in order to formally establish their leadership; for such a woman to marry a woman as a political maneuver would not be inconceivable.
Sikhandin, raised as a boy, is ready and willing to exchange gender magically. Once having switched to the male gender, he excels at the role, and becomes a famous and very skilled warrior. Sikhandin is reconciled with his transformed masculine identity, despite the fatal display of chivalry by his opponent Bhishma in battle. This brings into relief the contradictions of ancient Hindu society with regard to gender roles."
"There are about half a dozen direct references to what we today term homosexuality in the Tanach and NT, and a few others which are relevant but not direct. Two of the most negative passages are found in the book of Leviticus, alongside a mass of ancient Jewish food and incest taboos, purification rituals and medical protocols. In the New Testament, there are several instances in the Epistles where Paul disparages homosexuality. Notably, at no point in the Gospel narrative does Jesus condemn homosexuality.
Another point to note is that there was no word for homosexuality, in the sense that we now use the term, in ancient Hebrew or Greek. So the text of the Tanach and NT uses circumlocutions or eumphemisms in these passages.
As far as lesbianism goes, the Bible is silent. There is no explicit mention (or condemnation) of female homosexuality in the Tanach, and it turns up only once (very tangentially) in the NT.
In the beginning...
Some esoteric Jewish traditions hold that God is hermaphroditic in nature, and that Adam was originally an hermaphrodite. This is based on a reading of Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." This theme is developed with great detail in the Kabbalah; For instance see this passage from the Kabbalah Unveiled. Rabbi Samuel-bar-Nachman is quoted by Carpenter as saying "Adam, when God created him, was a man-woman (androgyne)". Maimonides (ibid.) is quoted likewise: "Adam and Eve were created together, conjoined by their backs." This is similar to the androgyne mentioned in Plato's Symposium.
The Sin of Sodom
Then there is the story of the destruction of the city of Sodom, (Genesis 18:16-19:29). Sodom has given its name to the now somewhat quaint-sounding term 'Sodomy', which originally meant a specific male homosexual sex act. Eventually it was expanded to mean any form of sexual expression which happened to be illegal, including things that married heterosexual couples do every day.
The next passage bears closer examination. Lot (Gen 19:8) asks the mob to 'do' his two virgin daughters instead, but not the two guests, 'for ... they came under the shadow of my roof.' The rest of the story is well-known: divine wrath ensues, the mob is blinded, the cities of the plain are destroyed by fire and brimstone while Lot and his family flee, Lot's wife is turned to a pillar of salt because she looks back, and only Lot and his daughters escape. In an often ignored coda to this story, Lot's daughters have incest with him by getting him intoxicated, (Gen 19:31), presumably to repopulate the country; a similar motif is found in the story of Noah. As in other Biblical narratives, even the heroes end up committing horrendous sins, driven by circumstances. But many ignore the entire context of the story in the rush to justify their own bigotry.
Note that in this context 'abomination' means human sacrifice and idol worship, not shared tax breaks for long-term same-sex couples, or sexual practices you can see on cable after 10 o'clock. Furthermore, 'abomination' is at the end of the laundry list. The primary sin of Sodom, by this account, was that their society was materialistic, greedy and uncharitable. Social and economic justice is a thread that runs through the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament alike, and it is not difficult to extrapolate this to modern struggles for equality, such as those of LGBT people. When governmental and religious institutions and their leaders perpetuate oppression, it would not be farfetched to say that they are committing the actual sin of Sodom.
Leviticus
Matthew 22:37, Jesus is quoted as saying:
22:37 ...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
And in John 13:34, he is additionally quoted as saying:
13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
"Male homosexuality is only implied in the Qur'an, and there is no mention of lesbians or transexuals.
The story of Lot is repeated numerous times (e.g., 26:165-6, 27:55, and 29:28-9).
The Yusuf Ali translation of 26:165 runs: "Of all creatures in the world will ye approach males, and leave those whom God has created to be your mates, Nay ye are a people transgressing all limits"
The Palmer translation of 27:55 is: "And Lot ... said to his people: 'Do ye approach an abominable sin while ye can see? do ye indeed approach men lustfully rather than women? nay! ye are a people who are ignorant.'"
These passages reflect the post-classical Jewish and Christian interpretation of the Sodom narrative, as well as Aristotle's widely accepted (but incorrect) view that animals do not engage in homosexual acts.
In context, the Qur'an mentions other cities which were destroyed, not just Sodom; including the legendary cities of 'Ad and Thamud. These have much different narratives. For instance, in Thamud "there were in the city nine persons who despoiled the land and did not right." (27:49). In Surah 11 a parallel is drawn between the story of Lot and the Biblical flood narrative of Noah. This is a constant theme that runs throughout the Qur'an. It draws freely from Biblical, Talmundic and traditional Arabic lore of civilizations overwhelmed by catastrophes brought on by hubris.
The common motif of these stories is that the people of these cities defy God, and ignore his prophets; not that they engage in particular sexual practices. God is warning, through the Qur'an, that He is the creator and destroyer of all things. This is a much larger concern, on a cosmic scale, than what people do in their bedrooms.
There is a possible mention of male homosexuality in Surah 4:16. Yusuf Ali translates this as:. "If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, Leave them alone; for God is oft-returning, Most Merciful" (emphasis inserted). Palmer's translation of the same passage is: "And if two of you commit [adultery], then hurt them both; but if they turn again and amend, leave them alone, verily God is easily turned, compassionate". (Adultery is implied from the previous paragraph). Palmer notes: "the commentators are not agreed as to the nature of the offence here referred to. The punishment to be inflicted is also the subject of dispute." This stands out here, because this Surah (The Women) codifies a number of laws and regulations about sexual behavior, and in each case except for this, the text lays out specific punishments.
There is also a cryptic passage in Surah 76: one of the rewards in Paradise is described as "eternal boys...[like] scattered pearls...and when thou seest them thou shalt see pleasure and a great estate." (Palmer). Whether these are supposed to simply be attendants or companions is left to the imagination.
There is, however, explicit condemnation of homosexuality in the Hadith, which are traditional sayings from early Islam which have acquired legal status. For instance, Williams in his anthology Islam, quotes the following Hadith (p. 83): Bukhārī . . . from Ibn ‘Abbās: "The Prophet cursed men who act like women and women who act like men, and said, 'Drive them from your houses.' He expelled such people, and ‘Umar did it as well."
"Twice in the Torah, we are told, "You shall not lie with a man as in lying with a woman." (Lev. 18: 22 and 20: 13).
Nothing about how I view the biblical proscription of male homosexuality, and why I think the oft-quoted lines in tbe Hebrew Bible are no longer God's will - and how the Torah seeks to transcend itself on several dimensions of sexual ethics.
If my experience was replicated by others, no wonder opponents of same-sex marriage thought the article ignored the serious religious issues. It did.
What I did answer was that at the initial human level, the more anyone gets to know gay and lesbian couples, the clearer it is that they live as holy or sometimes unholy lives as different-sex couples, and their relationships are just as worthy of spiritual affirmation and celebration. So of course it is important, not only for the sake of Jewish peoplehood or the Christian church or the Muslim umma to be "inclusive" toward them, but also important for God's sake -- literally.
Then those who are religiously committed and who honor the Torah (whether Jews, Christians, or Muslims) find a sticking point in its text. And that is when a serious theological analysis becomes necessary."
"The Biblical prohibition of same-sex sexual relationships is rooted in three basic rules the Hebrew Bible prescribes for proper sexual ethics:
(1) Have as many children as possible. (Gen. 1:28: "Be fruitful, multiply, fill up the earth, and subdue it.");
(2) Men should rule over women (Genesis 3:16, where God says to Eve, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you") ; and
(3) Sex is delightful and sacred (Song of Songs, throughout). Celibacy was strongly discouraged.
Let us look at the Bible's three basic rules of sexual ethics. "Be fruitful and multiply" worked against homosexuality, but what shall we do today, when the Earth is so "filled" with human beings that the whole web of life is at risk, and so "subdued" by human technology that the world-wide climate is in crisis? Like the rabbis who wisely warned against raising goats, today should we be encouraging, not forbidding, sexuality that avoids biological multiplication? We might read the precept to be fruitful and expansive emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually rather than arithmetically and biologically.
The rule that a man must rule over a woman left no room for a relationship of two men. Which should rule over the other "as with a woman"? Two "dominant" men trying to have an intimate relationship would overload the computer circuits and shatter the relationship. Two "subordinate" women, however, would not even turn on the computer -- and indeed, the Hebrew Bible is uninterested in what we would call lesbian relationships."
"Theravada Buddhism:
This is one of the largest divisions of Buddhism. It is also known as the "Southern" School. Using information drawn from a presentation on legalizing same-sex marriages in Hawai'i, we find:
The Buddha formulated 5 precepts of Right Conduct .
One of these is: "I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct" ("not to go the wrong way for sexual pleasure" appears to be a more accurate translation.) 1
The Buddha did not specifically define the term "sexual misconduct."
However, he did stress the importance of "above all, do no harm to others or to oneself."
Some Buddhists conclude that sexual misconduct would include adultery, child molestation, incest, rape, sexual abuse in any form, and sexual harassment. Further, safe and consensual sexual activity by a committed couple is not misconduct (whether engaged in by a heterosexual or homosexual couple). 2
From the Theravada Buddhist standpoint, all relationships: gay, lesbian or straight, are often considered personal matters of mutual consent. If a relationship promotes the happiness and well-being of both parties, then it is positive and acceptable. Many Buddhists agree with most therapists, human sexuality researchers, religious liberals, etc. and believe that sexual orientation is beyond a person's control, as are race and gender. It is discovered,and not chosen. They feel that gays and lesbians should have the same civil rights and benefits as do all other persons.
Kerry Trembath wrote that Buddhists base ethical decisions on:
-
The consequences of one's actions: whether the end results are primarily negative involving injury or regret, or primarily positive involving pleasure and joy.
-
The universalibility principle: how we would feel if the action was done to us. A man committing adultery with another man's wife would not be acceptable because if the situation were reversed, one would feel angry and betrayed.
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The instrumental principle: whether the action is helpful to our goal of Nirvana.
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The person's intention: whether the action is motivated by love and kindness or manipulation and coertion. 1
He commented that Buddhist leaders have generally interpreted coercive sex, sexual harassment, child molestation and adultery to be sexual misconduct. But heterosexual or homosexual consensual sex within a relationship is acceptable. He concludes:
"Unfortunately, it cannot be said that homosexuals in countries where Buddhists are in the majority are any more free from prejudice and discrimination than they are in other countries. Everywhere it has taken root, Buddhism has absorbed aspects of the dominant culture, and this has sometimes been to its detriment. Neither is it true to say that people who espouse Buddhism are themselves any more free from prejudiced views than those of other persuasions. However it is clear that there is nothing in the Buddha's teachings to justify condemnation of homosexuality or homosexual acts. It seems to me that many gays and lesbians, particularly in Western countries, are drawn to Buddhism because of its tolerance and its reluctance to draw rigid moral lines, although of course I have no hard evidence for this. ... The same principles would be used to evaluate all relationships and sexual behaviour, whether heterosexual or homosexual."
Another Buddhist practitioner, A.L. De Silva, writes:
"As homosexuality is not explicitly mentioned in any of the Buddha's discourses (more than 20 volumes in the Pali Text Society's English translation), we can only assume that it is meant to be evaluated in the same way that heterosexuality is. And indeed it seems that this is why it is not specifically mentioned. In the case of the lay man and woman where there is mutual consent, where adultery is not involved and where the sexual act is an expression of love, respect, loyalty and warmth, it would not be breaking thethird Precept. And it is the same when the two people are of the same gender. Likewise promiscuity, license and the disregard for the feelings of others would make a sexual act unskillful whether it be heterosexual or homosexual. All the principles we would use to evaluate a heterosexual relationship we would also use to evaluate a homosexual one. In Buddhism we could say that it is not the object of one's sexual desire that determines whether a sexual act is unskillful or not, but rather the quality of the emotions and intentions involved."
"However, the Buddha sometimes advised against certain behavior not because it is wrong from the point of view of ethics but because it would put one at odds with social norms or because its is subject to legal sanctions. In these cases, the Buddha says that refraining from such behavior will free one from the anxiety and embarrassment caused by social disapproval or the fear of punitive action. Homosexuality would certainly come under this type of behavior. In this case, the homosexual has to decide whether she or he is going to acquiesce to what society expects or to try to change public attitudes. In Western societies where attitudes towards sex in general have been strongly influenced by the tribal taboos of the Old Testament and, in the New Testament, by the ideas of highly neurotic people like St. Paul, there is a strong case for changing public attitudes."
However, the above discussion is only applicable to lay Buddhists. Very different rules apply for Buddhist monks. They are required to abstain from all types of sexual behavior -- both from opposite-sex and same-sex activity.
Zen Buddhism:
"The Zen tradition deals with sexuality within the broader category of sensual indulgence... Both hedonism and ascetic masochism are violations of the Middle Path." 4 Sexual practices which harm, manipulate, or exploit others is forbidden (e.g. sex with children, with persons who are engaged or married to other persons, with persons unable to give informed consent, etc.) Zen Buddhism does not "make a distinction between heterosexual and homosexual" sex. It encourages sexual relationships that are "mutually loving and supportive."
Robert Aitken, co-founder and teacher of the Honolulu Diamond Shangha testified before the Hawai'ian Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law on 1995-OCT-11. He commented that Zen Buddhist monks, nuns and devout lay persons accept 16 precepts, one of which is "I take up the way of not misusing sex." 5 He interpreted this guideline as forbidding sex that is self-centered, exploitive, non-consensual, unwholesome or destructive, in either a heterosexual or homosexual context. "Loving relationships between unmarried men are treated very positively in Buddhist scriptures." However, these are not "of an overtly sexual nature."
"For example, in the Old Testament, Genesis 19, we see the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot implores the people of his town not to act wickedly and to leave his male guests alone. The story goes on to describe the persistence of the townsfolk in wishing to indulge in homosexuality and the subsequent annihilation of the two communities. Other verses in the Old Testament also prohibit homosexuality, e.g. Leviticus 18:22, 20:13.
In the New Testament, we see similar proscriptions in I Corinthians 6:9, I Timothy 1:8-10, Romans 1:26-27 (the translation used is the New American Standard Bible).
You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. [Leviticus 18:22]
Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 6:9-10]
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. [Romans 1:26-27]"
"In the Quran, we see reference to homosexuality in the story of Lot (the translation used is Quran: The Final Testament, translated by Dr. Rashad Khalifa).
Lot: Homosexuality Condemned
Lot said to his people, “You commit such an abomination; no one in the world has done it before! You practice sex with the men, instead of the women. Indeed, you are a transgressing people.” His people responded by saying, “Evict them from your town. They are people who wish to be pure.” [7:80-82]
Lot said to his people, “How could you commit such an abomination, publicly, while you see? You practice sex with the men, lustfully, instead of the women. Indeed, you are ignorant people.” The only response from his people was their saying, “Banish Lot's family from your town; they are people who wish to be pure.” [27:54-56]
Medical research has to date found no evidence of a genetic cause or predisposition towards homosexuality. In any case, God prohibits it. Therefore, even if any such genetic link were found, the argument against it would be similar to that against consumption of alcohol or gambling. The latter two are associated with the make-up of one’s genes, but that does not make them acceptable in God’s eyes. In fact, much the same as homosexuality, God terms intoxicants and gambling as abominations of the devil (Quran 5:90). As such, we must refrain from any behavior that God commands against. While we may be inclined to sin; the test is to remain steadfast."
"There are five references in the Qur'an which have been cited as referring to gay and lesbian behavior. Some obviously deal with effeminate men and "masculine women." The two main references to homosexual behavior are:
"We also sent Lut : He said to his people : "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." Qur'an 7:80-81
"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk." Qur'an 26:165
Both references relate to gay sexual activities; lesbian practices are not mentioned in the Qur'an.
The Hadith and homosexuality: The Hadith are collections of sayings attributed to Muhammad. Many Hadiths (ahadith) discuss liwat (sexual intercourse between males). Two examples are:
"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes."
"Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the one that it is being done to." (in reference to the active and passive partners in gay sexual intercourse)
There is at least one mention of lesbian behavior mentioned in the Hadith: "Sihaq (lesbian sexual activity) of women is zina (illegitimate sexual intercourse) among them."
Treatment of homosexuals within Islam:
According to a pamphlet produced by Al-Fatiha, there is a consensus among Islamic scholars that all humans are naturally heterosexual. 5 Homosexuality is seen by scholars to be a sinful and perverted deviation from the norm. All Islamic schools of thought and jurisprudence consider gay acts to be unlawful. They differ in terms of penalty:
The Hanafite school (currently seen mainly in South and Eastern Asia) teaches that no physical punishment is warranted."
"Two verses in Leviticus (18:23 and 20:13) express unequivocal condemnation of male homosexual sex (although it is not clear whether what is referred to is intercourse or all sexual acts between men). According to Leviticus 20:13: "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
As evident by its language, the biblical prohibition does not extend to female homosexual acts, though later commentators disapproved oflesbianism. One rabbinic source associates female homosexuality with the activities of the Egyptians and Canaanites, from which the Jews are supposed to abstain. Other authorities describe lesbianism as lewd or promiscuous, but do not consider it a capital offence. The Leviticus verses also imply that it is the act of homosexual sex, not the homosexual person, that is abhorred.
Much attention has been given to the word "abomination" (to'evah in Hebrew). Though the terminology seems callous, the same word is used in Deuteronomy14:3 in reference to forbidden animals. Several traditional sources temper the harshness of the "abomination" by citing the lack of procreative potential as the reason for the abominable nature of the homosexual act. Interestingly, the medieval book Sefer HaHinuch compares homosexual sex to marrying a barren woman.
Nonetheless, the traditional Jewish position on homosexuality is still difficult for many liberal-minded Jews, and the liberal denominations have debated the extent to which gays and lesbians can be fully integrated into religious communities.
The first and least controversial step taken by the Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform movements was to endorse civil equality for gays and lesbians. The CCAR, the Reform movement's rabbinical council, took an early and active role in fighting for gay rights. In 1977 it drafted a call to decriminalize homosexual sex and to end all discrimination based on sexual orientation."
"Ancient Hindu law books, from the first century onward, categorize non-vaginal sex (ayoni) as impure. But penances prescribed for same-sex acts are very light compared to penances for some types of heterosexual misconduct, such as adultery and rape.
For example, one Hindu text, the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy, imposes a minor fine on a man who has ayoni sex. Modern commentators sometimes misread another text, the Manusmriti, the authoritative words of Brahma, interpreting its severe punishment of a woman’s manual penetration of a female virgin as suggesting that the text is anti-lesbian. In fact, however, the punishment is exactly the same for either a man or a woman who engages in this act, and it is related not to the partners’ genders but to the loss of virginity and marriageable status. The Manusmriti does not suggest punishing a woman who penetrates a female who is not a virgin, and the Arthashastra prescribes a negligible fine for this act.
The sacred Hindu epics and the Puranas, a compendia of devotional stories, contradict the law books. They depict gods, sages and heroes springing from ayoni sex. Ayoni sex never became a major topic of debate, nor was it categorized as an unspeakable crime.
There is no evidence of anyone in India ever having been executed for same-sex relations.
“Same sex desire and even sexual activity have been represented and discussed in Indian literature for two millennia, often in a nonjudgmental and even celebratory manner,” according to Hindu scholar Ruth Vanita. For example, the erotic sculptures on ancient Hindu temples at Khajuraho and Konarak, and the sacred texts in Sanskrit constitute irrefutable evidence that a whole range of sexual behavior was known to ancient Hindus. The tradition of representing same-sex desire in literature and art continued in medieval Hinduism.
Another sacred text, the fourth-century Kamasutra, emphasizes pleasure as the aim of intercourse. It categorizes men who desire other men as a “third nature.” The text goes on to subdivide such men into masculine and feminine types and describes their lives and typical occupations (including flower sellers, masseurs and hairdressers). The Kamasutra also includes a detailed description of oral sex between men and refers to long-term unions between male partners.
Hindu medical texts dating from the first century also provide taxonomies of gender and sexual variations, including same-sex desire."
"The two most often cited Biblical texts concerning homosexuality are both found in the book of Leviticus, where they are in the context of a larger section directing sexual behavior. First, it is written: “Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abhorrence.” (Leviticus 18:22) The second citation is from Leviticus 20:13, where we read that “If a man lies with a male as one lies with a woman, the two of them have done an abhorrent thing; they shall be put to death-their blood guilt is upon them.”
However, we are also guided by the very basic belief that all human beings are created b’tselem Elohim (in the Divine image), as it says in Genesis 1:27, “And God created humans in God’s own image, in the image of God, God created them; male and female God created them.” Rabbi David Saperstein said in Congressional testimony in support of ENDA that “regardless of context, discrimination against any person arising from apathy, insensitivity, ignorance, fear, or hatred is inconsistent with this fundamental belief. We oppose discrimination against all individuals, including gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, for the stamp of the Divine is present in each and every one of us.”
Each of us, created in God’s image, has a unique talent, with which we can contribute to the high moral purpose of tikkun olam, the repair of our world. Excluding anyone from our community lessens our chance of achieving this goal of a more perfect world.
The Reform Movement has been an advocate of gay and lesbian rights since 1965, when the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) passed a resolution calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality. In 1977, the URJ and the CCAR passed their first resolutions dealing with this issue, calling for human rights for homosexuals. Since then, the URJ, CCAR, WRJ, CSA, and NFTY have passed resolutions dealing with issues specific to Reform Judaism, such as inclusion of gays and lesbians in the rabbinate and cantorate, as well as national issues, such as support for civil marriage, elimination of discrimination within the Armed Forces and the Boy Scouts, and support for explicit workplace non-discrimination and civil rights legislation. Gay, lesbian and bisexual outreach and inclusion has been of great importance to the Reform Movement in recent years.
The Reform Movement has long been a proponent of civil unions on the secular, purely legal, level. However, in March 2000, the Central Conference of American Rabbis made history by becoming the first major group of North American clergy, as an organization, to give its support to those in its ranks choosing to perform same-gender ceremonies. The resolution, ‘Resolution on Same Gender Officiation,’ supports the decision of individual rabbis to officiate, or not officiate, at same-gender ceremonies.
The resolution calls for the Reform rabbinate to develop sample ceremonies, or liturgy, for those rabbis who choose to officiate at same-gender ceremonies. While it leaves the choice of officiation up to the individual rabbis, theresolution states that a relationship between two people of the same gender can serve as the foundation of stable Jewish families and is worthy of affirmation through appropriate Jewish ritual. The resolution does not suggest that these ceremonies are “marriages”; each individual rabbi is given the power to decide, within the context of faith, what each ceremony represents".