Otoyomegatari - Vol. 12 Ch. 86.5

[Thrembs]

I apologize in advance for a possibly indiscreet question, are you a religious queer person? I've always found many religions to be quite unfair to queer people, so I've always been intrigued by people whose religious faith transcended that.

Yup.
like everyone, I pick and choose or reinterpret stuff that i don’t like.
A lot of branches of Judaism are really accepting of queerness. In Conservative Judaism misgendering and deadnaming are considered sins, because it violates basic human dignity. Same goes for homophobic behaviour. (Arguably homophobia itself. “You shall not hate your neighbour in your heart” and all.)

some otherwise VERY traditional communities, too. There are Hasidic communities that are queer friendly. Not many, but it’s a thing.
I’m not in, near or have the option of joining one (my wife is never gonna be more than Reform. We’re having a Conservative wedding, though. We’re not religiously married, yet).
I’m not especially heavy-duty in practice, because it just doesn’t fit in my life.

I’ve said this many times about my personal beliefs and practice: I don’t think Th e Bible has it right. I think Judaism has it right. I like the approach to life and how it integrates appreciation and reverence. I gotta Jew what I gotta Jew.

One of the rabbis at my home synagogue and the rabbi at the local one (moved like 180 miles away) are both gay.
Home synagogue added specifically-labeled “all gender” bathrooms, for people who don’t feel comfortable using the gendered ones.

Heck, people wanna cite verses to be transphobic or homophobic? Isaiah says all trans people go to heaven (vast oversimplification, but yeah), and King David repeatedly makes out with his boyfriend Johnathan and composes a love song for him when he dies.

Yeah, I be religious. I also know it’s all made up. I just think that a lot of what was made up got it right, from a philosophical and theological perspective.

Fact vs Truth. Complex subject.

 

[Thrembs]

It's funny that Shirin channeled her big badonkers into big muscles, lol.

Conservation of mass.

 

[SuperOniichan]

Yup.
like everyone, I pick and choose or reinterpret stuff that i don’t like.
A lot of branches of Judaism are really accepting of queerness. In Conservative Judaism misgendering and deadnaming are considered sins, because it violates basic human dignity. Same goes for homophobic behaviour. (Arguably homophobia itself. “You shall not hate your neighbour in your heart” and all.)

some otherwise VERY traditional communities, too. There are Hasidic communities that are queer friendly. Not many, but it’s a thing.
I’m not in, near or have the option of joining one (my wife is never gonna be more than Reform. We’re having a Conservative wedding, though. We’re not religiously married, yet).
I’m not especially heavy-duty in practice, because it just doesn’t fit in my life.

I’ve said this many times about my personal beliefs and practice: I don’t think Th e Bible has it right. I think Judaism has it right. I like the approach to life and how it integrates appreciation and reverence. I gotta Jew what I gotta Jew.

One of the rabbis at my home synagogue and the rabbi at the local one (moved like 180 miles away) are both gay.
Home synagogue added specifically-labeled “all gender” bathrooms, for people who don’t feel comfortable using the gendered ones.

Heck, people wanna cite verses to be transphobic or homophobic? Isaiah says all trans people go to heaven (vast oversimplification, but yeah), and King David repeatedly makes out with his boyfriend Johnathan and composes a love song for him when he dies.

Yeah, I be religious. I also know it’s all made up. I just think that a lot of what was made up got it right, from a philosophical and theological perspective.

Fact vs Truth. Complex subject.

Are you referring to things like “our friendship is stronger than any love for women” and so on? Yes, homophobic Christian or Jewish priests would be very surprised to find out what their understanding of friendship would look like centuries later. However, few complained about the works of art that Da Vinci and Michelangelo created for them (I'm not sure about Leonardo, but as far as I know Michelangelo was proudly gay or bisexual). Not to mention the whole "Execution of St. Sebastian" thing. This duality seems to me somewhat hypocritical on the part of the church (or power, remember the story of the denial of Tchaikovsky’s sexuality in Russia), since many things are simply interpreted depending on how profitable and convenient they are.

But if you are able to achieve psychological and spiritual balance by incorporating both the religious and queer parts of your identity, then maybe it really is better for you? People should be able to determine for themselves how to live.

 

[Thrembs]

Are you referring to things like “our friendship is stronger than any love for women” and so on? Yes, homophobic Christian or Jewish priests would be very surprised to find out what their understanding of friendship would look like centuries later. However, few complained about the works of art that Da Vinci and Michelangelo created for them (I'm not sure about Leonardo, but as far as I know Michelangelo was proudly gay or bisexual). Not to mention the whole "Execution of St. Sebastian" thing. This duality seems to me somewhat hypocritical on the part of the church (or power, remember the story of the denial of Tchaikovsky’s sexuality in Russia), since many things are simply interpreted depending on how profitable and convenient they are.

But if you are able to achieve psychological and spiritual balance by incorporating both the religious and queer parts of your identity, then maybe it really is better for you? People should be able to determine for themselves how to live.

No, there‘s a commandment. I think it’s in Numbera. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” Jews aren’t allowed to hate other Jews. Absolutely not speak poorly of each other. It’s really complicated. Judaism is more about how you live than what you believe. Believing in Gd involves like 5 or 6 of 613 commandments.
and they only apply to us.

Christianity is a whole other thing. Most of it comes from Paul of Tarsus, who never even met Jesus. More about what you feel and believe and there’s this dualism.

 

[Potato_pattie]

That’s so precious, they still have a similar bond and similar personalities. (Many thanks to the translators.)

 

[lazyoldman]

Me on the left.

 

[Thrembs]

Source: I'm half-Jew.

Which half?
”You’re Jewish” or ”Well, ummm… alright, you’re Jewish.”

(My standard on patrilineal inheritance is “Your father is Jewish? Do YOU say you’re Jewish? Cool. You’re in the minyan.”)

 

[SuperOniichan]

Which half?
”You’re Jewish” or ”Well, ummm… alright, you’re Jewish.”

(My standard on patrilineal inheritance is “Your father is Jewish? Do YOU say you’re Jewish? Cool. You’re in the minyan.”)

Maternally. My mother's ancestors are Ukrainian-Belarusian Jews with speculative Polish influence.

 

[Thrembs]

Maternally. My mother's ancestors are Ukrainian-Belarusian Jews with speculative Polish influence.

Oh, then there’s no half about it.
but it’s up to you if you practice or not, ofc.

 

[SuperOniichan]

Oh, then there’s no half about it.
but it’s up to you if you practice or not, ofc.

Do you think that I have no Jewish roots? Or that anyone with a Jewish mother can be considered a full-fledged Jew?

 

[Thrembs]

Do you think that I have no Jewish roots? Or that anyone with a Jewish mother can be considered a full-fledged Jew?

Anyone with a Jewish mother is a full-fledged Jew.
So no half, just whole. Sorry I wasn’t clear.