Two faiths picked their leaders today

[dsc]

http://www.joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/03/gay-rabbi-to-head-rabbinical-group.html#disqus_thread

Yesterday Rabbi Jason Klein was elected to head the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. He is the first openly gay man to head any such group in the United States. Israel's Haaretz reports:

Reconstructionist and Reform seminaries have ordained gay rabbis for decades. The Conservative movement began to allow openly gay rabbis to attend their seminaries in 2006. Orthodox seminaries and rabbinic associations continue to bar gay rabbis. The Reconstructionist movement is the smallest and newest of the non-Orthodox movements in the United States. Its ideas, however, have been particularly influential, and graduates of its seminary, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Seminary, fill a wide range of positions throughout the Jewish community.

end of quote

I don't think I need to link the other one.

Religious doesn't have to mean homophobic. It doesn't have to mean that supporters of gay rights are working for Satan. It doesn't have to preclude women's rights. It bears noting that Judaism is actually an older religion than Catholism. The Catholic hierarchy chooses bigotry plain and simple.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Catholics are free to practice their religion anyway they want

it is when they try to force others to believe as they do
then Catholics need to be put in their place (their narrow little world)

[Sherman A1]

2. And

the same sentiment should be applied to all.

[Swamp Lover]

3. point well taken

i'm wondering if the few remaining Catholics in Gaza have read your post, as well as their neighbors.

And, as far as I can tell, the modern Christian dictates that are CLEARLY OBJECTIONABLE towards homosexuality and roles of women in society are all found in the Old Testament. Where did we get that pesky book, that seems to so thoroughly contradict Christ's message of love and inclusion?

ANY Religion or religious practicioner, that seeks to harm others, is missing the point of it's own message.

[JI7]

4. the jewish religion (and most others) are different from the Catholics in how it's organized

i guess the way catholics are organized can be more similar to buddhists with the pope and dalai lama being word figures.

while the rest of the religions have figures which are more localized .

[Paul E Ester]

5. Is it true the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association only has 300 members?

That seems hardly representative and from the numbers, might be a "fringe" movement.

Are marriages performed by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association recognized by Israel?

If your going to attack a religion, you should at least come up with a apples to apple comparison.

[dsc]

6. that is more than the number of cardinals who voted in the conclave

[Paul E Ester]

9. Total church membership (both lay and clerical) in 2007 was 1.147 billion people

In 2007, Vatican records listed 408,024 Catholic priests in the world.

I'm sure it's a lot like herding cats.

[dsc]

10. I think the membership being 300 in the rabbinate means 300 rabbis not 300 congregants.

[Happyhippychick]

8. I'm a reconstructionist Jew, it's really not radical at all.

And I have no idea if my marriage is recognized in Israel, nor do I care. The government there is terrifyingly Orthodox and their opinion of my marriage means nothing.

[arely staircase]

7. good for them, god's blessings

best wishes to pope francis and rabbi klein from this episcopalian.

[idwiyo]

11. Good for them, most welcome news.