Fifty years ago, being frum meant basically that you had the same ethical standards as the general population but that you were more committed to what people called the ritual laws of Judaism (Shabbat, kashrut) and expected to be more scrupulous in observing these generally accepted ethical and moral standards (although the general population loved to find frum people who did not meet these standards).
Today, though, it has changed. Being frum now often means to be at odds with many moral and ethical views that are becoming more accepted. From gay rights to women's rights to abortion to euthanasia and so on, the world is in flux over many ethical and moral issues. It can no longer be said that there is even one generally accepted moral standard in the general population so for sure it cannot be assumed that frum individuals share basic ethical outlooks with the general population. The question is: how does this impact on our presentation of Torah? Does everything now become a chok even as we feel it is a mishpat?
The strangest problem, though, may be that those I, for example, side with in many conclusions are not necessarily the ones I side with in general outlook, even in general ethical/moral outlook and those with whom I disagree may also be the ones that I find more like me in general outlook. For example, I clearly am disgusted by the way the Taliban and other extremists treat an adulterer and, especially, an adulteress but in attacking such people I find myself joining with those who don't even think adultery is that wrong if wrong at all. And I express my views on adultery, I am, furthermore, almost immediately categorized with the Taliban. That is especially true in the matter of gay rights. If I express any opposition to homosexuality based upon my religious principles, I am branded as homophobic and racist.
I wonder where this will all take us in the future as I believe we are entering into a new dynamic in relating to the world.
Rabbi Ben Hecht
2 comments:
The enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend.
The issue of gay rights is increasingly distressing. In truth, most Americans still feel that homosexuality is wrong, yet political correctness and new legislation are threatening to make us into a persecuted majority. It's all part of the campaign to paint religiousity as antiquated and outdated.
As you imply, it requires a new kind of strength to affirm the Torah's ethical code in opposition to what society tells us is enlightened and right.
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