December 28, 2011

A coalition of over 150 Orthodox rabbis, respected mental health professionals, community leaders, and others from across America and several foreign countries have released the “Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality.” The declaration is a response to what the signers call “a major public campaign to gain acceptance for homosexuality.” Below are two excerpts from the declaration.

“The Torah makes a clear statement that homosexuality is not an acceptable lifestyle or a genuine identity by severely prohibiting its conduct. Furthermore, the Torah, ever prescient about negative secular influences, warns us in Vayikra (Leviticus) 20:23 “Do not follow the traditions of the nations that I expel from before you…” Particularly the Torah writes this in regards to homosexuality and other forbidden sexual liaisons.”

“We emphatically reject the notion that a homosexually inclined person cannot overcome his or her inclination and desire. Behaviors are changeable. The Torah does not forbid something which is impossible to avoid. Abandoning people to lifelong loneliness and despair by denying all hope of overcoming and healing their same-sex attraction is heartlessly cruel. Such an attitude also violates the biblical prohibition in Vayikra (Leviticus) 19:14 “and you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind.”

The complete declaration can be found at http://www.torahdec.org/Default.aspx.