Rabbi Yehuda Levin knows how to get press – emulate Pat Robertson. Levin, the spokesman of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, issued a press release today warning that lifting the military ban on gays and lesbians serving open in the military is equivalent to the “spiritual rape” of the military:
When Americans are suffering economically and millions need jobs, it’s shocking that the Administration is focused on its ultra-liberal militantly homosexualist agenda forcing the highlighting of homosexuals and homosexuality on an unwilling military. This is the equivalent of the spiritual rape of our military to satisfy the most extreme and selfish cadre of President Obama’s kooky coalition.
When it comes to “kooky” Levin knows his stuff. His release goes on to mimic Robertson’s past statements about gays and lesbians – and the alleged acceptance they are currently enjoying in the United States – as the cause of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.
We have seen the underground earthquake, tsunami, Katrina, and now Haiti. All this is in sync with a two thousand year old teaching in the Talmud that the practice of homosexuality is a spiritual cause of earthquakes. Once a disaster is unleashed, innocents are also victims just like in Chernobyl.
Levin’s release says that he represents “1,000 rabbis” in this belief, but their own web site only boasts “800+ members” but does not list specific affiliations. The group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews have apparently been around since 1945, and “seeks to promulgate the cause of Torah-true Judaism through an organized rabbinate that is consistently Orthodox.”
Levin says he agrees “with Eileen Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness that this will hurt the cohesiveness of the military, cause many to leave the army, and dramatically lower the number of recruits, perhaps leading to the reinstatement of a compulsory draft.”
However, that belief runs counter to many studies already done that show lifting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would not adversely affect the military in any way.
- In 1993 RAND Corp. concluded that openly gay people in the U.S. military do not negatively impact unit cohesion, morale, good order, or military readiness.
- Several other military-commissioned and GAO studies have concluded that open service does not undermine military readiness, troop morale or national security.
In addition 24 countries, including Israel, allow openly gay service members without any adverse affect upon military cohesion or readiness.
As for natural disasters, Levin may want to study up on what causes earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. I don’t see “gays and lesbians” listed among the data. But, fundamentalists of all stripes never let the facts get in the way of a good, scary, story.
”We plead with saner heads in Congress and the Pentagon to stop sodomization of our military and our society. Enough is enough.”
Indeed, it is.
Tags: gays in the military, lgbt, rabbis
While Rabbi Yehuda Levin's socio-political perspectives are conservative, Levin is not a Conservative rabbi (based on movement of affiliation within Judaism), but rather, I believe he identifies as an Orthodox rabbi. The Rabbinical Alliance of America (Igud HaRabbonim) is a national rabbinic organization committed to upholding the beliefs and practices of Orthodox Judaism, of which he is a member. Furthermore, the unsupported beliefs Levin shared primarily gain power through perceived religious authority, although most rabbis from the other major sects of Judaism would disagree with Rabbi Levin's perspective, on numerous grounds, including that of treating all human beings with dignity and respect.
It makes we wonder why, if we are the cause of all these disasters, they seem to be happening in areas that are known to suffer them.
Am I tempting God to wonder why relatively gay friendly Scandinavia and Britain are still pretty free from earthquakes and hurricanes. Conversely the not so welcoming state of Albania has had some pretty devastating floods.
Also I wonder about God's deal with Abraham to spare Sodom if but 10 righteous people were found there. Is this the same God who would punish the innocent in blanket bombing campaigns by tsunami and earthquake? Perhaps the deal with Abraham was a one off and not in keeping with God's true nature.
Then again perhaps natural disasters are just that - natural, unlike, say, the economic crisis which was caused by the greed, recklessness and incompetence of men and women who cared nothing for their fellow human beings except in so far as they were sources of revenue.
The church's condemnation of these guys has been - underwhelming.
Bravo, sapphire! Well said.
Rabbi Levin: "When Americans are suffering economically and millions need jobs, it’s shocking that the Administration is focused on its ultra-liberal militantly homosexualist agenda forcing the highlighting of homosexuals and homosexuality on an unwilling military."
Or in other words, "when Americans are suffering economically and millions need jobs, its shocking that the Administration would try to help Americans (i.e., homosexuals) get, and keep, jobs in the U.S. Military".
I've always scratched my head over the concept that a rough, tough group of fighting men and women are expected to handle hails of bullets, bombs and IEDs, and the hatred of civilians in the countries they invade, but quake in their boots at the thought that some same-gender member of their unit might be looking at them romantically or lustfully.
Encouraging a policy which causes the discharging of thousands of trained Arabic translators from the U.S. Military, during two wars which require thousands of Arabic translators to avoid problems with civilian casualties and local politics, is acting against the best interests of the U.S. Military and the U.S.A. itself.
The real spiritual rape of the U.S. Military is robbing the military of needed military personnel just because someone in the military is hung up about their own sexuality.
Comments closed
The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.