decadence and perversion always bring judgment from abvove on a people and a nation. How sad that Israel does not learn from it's own past history and again repeats it's same rebellion against her Creator.

Why do you allow talkbacks with the slur "fag" in them? Surely you see this reflects a lazy element of hate speech. Then again, who would ever consider the Israelis a loveable, peaceful, and well-mannered bunch of people?

the bus drivers, the waiters, the construction workers, the athiests, ... Who is not allowed to speak?

You ask so innocently, Bunnie. But your innocent tone belies your homophobic tendencies. Some people have voices that matter more than others. You know that. By your comments, I don't think you understand American history very well. Father Coughlin ranted about Jews back in the the day. He incited hatred of Jews and his listeners accepted his remarks because of his revered position. So Bunnie, you either speak disingenuously about the right to speak (and cover for your homophobia) or you have half a brain. Pick one and let's move on.

I'll never forget one scene from the Gay Pride parade of '98 in Paris. I was taking a long walk through the city on that Shabbat afternoon when I heard the parade in the distance. This wasn't my kind of scene so I didn't stick around long, but one float in particular caught my attention: it belonged to a local Jewish gay organization. They were spending their Shabbat in a very different way - scantily or cross-dressed, dancing to raucous music, pelvic thrusts and all. Truly a sorry exhibition. One can be forgiven for concluding that they were more "proud" of being gay than being Jews.

Leaving aside the fact that gay Jewish life in Israel is a matter for Jewish discussion (and that does not include you, Marcel), you are a singlularly uninteresting homohater.

Bunnie, the issue isn't the right to speak, but whether such a rabbi is an appropriate candidate for president. I think this clown makes rabbis look bad. Maybe most of them ARE bad. I am willing to believe it. One thing is clear: this guy doesn't like gay marches or gays attending synagogues in Tel Aviv. He doesn't want gays anywhere it seems. Perhaps he should worry more about the morality of a government that expels Jews from parts of the land of Israel. Oh but that would be controversial, and we can't expect THAT from a rabbi. Maybe he could worry about all the heterosexual couples who don't marry because of tax-based marriage penalties or who do not have enough children. Oops, that would be controversial too.

when the first gay Jewish kid gets murdered in Israel under his Presidency, and the murderers turn to the Rabbi for justification

This is just shameful bigotry. This man has no business being the president of anything. Does he know how many Gay people died in the Holocaust using the same "logic" he is using? And why does this site allow talkback users to use the term "fag"? Would they allow similar types of epithets about Jewish people. I suspect not.

We can tolarate homosexuality but we have the right to not accept it

Rav. Lau for president.

If the Gay Shame crowd want to pursue their perversions, why can't they have their parade somewhere in a deserted area - like in the middle of a desert. The only thing they will 'accomplish' is to destroy the entire society around them, which appears to be their intention. Why can't the mayor of Jerusalem stop the parade? Is that not what the people elected him to do - represent their interests? Why is the Israeli justice system through the police dictating morality to the people of Jerusalem? The justice system must respect and abide by the morality of the majority, not force rulings on the general population that is hateful to them.

seems like everyone allowed to speak, and none to think

because Israel is not a despotism... so far

May be not everyone considers being Jew and gay controversial

Bunnie, Hundred of thousands of people in a certain country have passed judgements based on their own education and lifestyle, people which did not follow the same path were set aside, cast out of society, as they were not following the " Norma" edicted by people thinking just like you....we know the result ! The country was Nazi Germany , the era was 1933-1945....When will you start attacking honosexual in the streets of S.M ( Ca ) ? So much from tolerance Bunnie !!!

Lately, when we most need to hear our spiritual leaders, their voices are nowhere to be found. Had they massively opposed disengagement in an active way, it would not have occurred so quickly and sheepishly, had they opposed much laziness going on on divorce matters, life could have been easier for many. We, need spiritual guidance and not a bunch of sissy rabbis that wont speak too much lest they face opposition. AS for the homosexual community, WHY THE HELL DO YOU LOOK FOR APPROVAL IF YOU FEEL YOUR THING IS SO KOSHER???? YOUR parades and complaints on the rabbi's FREEDOM OF SPEACH is exactly what seems to bother you. YOU want the FREEDOM to express your ways in public in a city in which roughly 90 % abhors your ways. And WE also want the FREEDOM of having a city that is holy and shows holy. There is nothing wrong with democracy, the majority not only doesnt like this idea, it runs contrary to the spiritual atmosphere that bound us. So since you like your voice to be heard, hear to the voice of the majority of this city too. So what would you like for OLMERT,- to appoint a rabbi that wont rule on religious matters ?? (THIS IS A MAJOR RELIGIOUS ISSUE , not a "political" one as you may think). IF Rabbi Lau will be president he will still be a Rabbi. IF you feel great about your lifestyle, you do your thing. It just seems unrealistic that you're obsessed in trying to push mainstream judaism to do so as well. You even call for rabbis not to do their job because it does not suit your own agenda. You complain about some talkbacks being too homophobic (which would be more natural) - but what about your being jewishphobic far and beyond what others dislike you? Sometimes I do work on gainning understanding and acceptance of your community, and then you guys speak nonsence of rabbis, jerusalem and everything that reminds you there's something "unusual" about it. Use all your energies to get help, MANY will be willing to do so

I notice that homosexual perverts, or their sympathizers, seem dependent on arguing that those who stand up for morality, rejecting sexual perversions as a threat to family and society, are "spreading hatred." That charge perverts logic, the fallacy of ad hominem. Comparing rejection of homosexual perversion, a sexual proclivity, to the gassing of Jews, based on racism, by the Nazis is - perverted. Beyond the perversions of pedophilia, adultery and the like, the perverted mind seems to find consistency in relying on perversion even as a way of thinking. Paqid 16, The Netzarim Israeli Orthodox Jew www.netzarim.co.il

This is same person who, after our Conservative synagogue in Jerusalem was fire bombed by "newly penitent" Jews who were subsequently convicted, pointedly referred to the edifice as a building, not a synagogue. He is well worthy of his successors as chief rabbi, Metzger the liar and Amar the family educator. Into the dustbin with him and all his ilk. he is no symbol of unity but of Orthodox control and repression.

SK, you are right that the rabbis should be outspoken against the expulsion of Jews from Israel and against heterosexual couples who live together yet do not get married. They should do these things IN ADDITION to speaking out against "gay pride" parades in the Holy Land -- where is the conflict? Just because someone eats non-kosher doesn't mean he should go ahead and violate the Shabbat

Our Rabbis stood up and defended the values of the Torah. That's why they're here. If they don't they need to relinquish the title. All these "gay leaders" are doing is attempting to censor an opinion they don't care for. Stalinism at its finest. #22 - its not an ad hominem attack, its a straw man, but your point, that such accusations are spurious, is well taken.

You are correct that it is a straw man. My compliments on your logical observation. If you'll review #20, though, I think you'll see that the straw man constitutes ad hominem. Their arguments contain more than one logical fallacy. If we searched through them I suspect we would both find more. Paqid 16, The Netzarim Israeli Orthodox Jew www.netzarim.co.il

First 2 submissions in editor's recycle bin. Becoming desensitized to homosexuals, thanks in no small part to Hollywood and media hedonism, emboldens their close cousins, other sexual perversions ranging from pedophiles to rapists, adulterers, swingers, stalkers, etc. The emerging rise in the incidents and severity of such perversions cannot be explained independent of the increasing acceptance of homosexual perversion. Accepting some perverts emboldens all perverts. Calling homosexuals "gays" instead of perverts or abominations accedes to their perversion, suggesting that they are merely enlightened, harmless and loving people. That emboldens other perverts to justify their perversions as equally right and deserving of the same acceptance; such is their mind. Who can put that genie back in the bottle? So Kol ha kavod to Rav Lau for standing up for Torah. Anyone who doesn't is no Torah teacher, regardless of credentials. Paqid 16, The Netzarim Israeli Orthodox Jew www.netzarim.co.il

Those currently living a homosexual lifestyle know deep in their hearts that Rabbi Law is right. They think if they can flaunt their non-Jewish and non-Christian behavior choice in Israel and sully the world's holiest city, they can at the same time silence their own own conscience. Anyone who cares about this subject would learn a lot from the book, Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, by the Jeffrey Satinover. http://www.satinover.com/main.htm Therapists who used to help gays choose life, know they still can help many, but they have become afraid to do so because of political correctness, which denies hard scientific facts. Some caring people still do help those in the homosexual lifestyle know there are choices. www.jonahweb.org (Jewish oriented) and www.narth.org (for everyone)

If the gays have a problem being called an abomination let them take up the matter with G-d. It was G-d Himself in the Torah that called homosexuality an abomination, nevertheless we ae taught to hate the sin not the sinner. Rav Lau did not denounce these people he denounced their lifestyle their sinful ways. They are welcome to repent and be good jews once again.

Rabbi Lau is the most worthy man for the position. He speaks in the name of Torah. What do homosexual people want him to do? Deny the truth of the Torah? Rabbi Lau is a man of compassion who loves his fellow Jews. To love your fellow Jew is a Torah commandment. However, being a G-d fearing Rabbi, he is compelled to speak out against homosexuality and such blatant sexual promiscuity as a gay parade. We should remember that Israel is the Holy Land and Jews are a Holy People. It is written thus in the Holy Torah.