Pride parade in Tel Aviv
Photo: Ofer Amram
Fight corruption, not gays
Religious public should fight more urgent violations of biblical law than pride parade
Some things repeat themselves every year: A Star is Born (the Israeli version of American Idol), the excuses of Israel's soccer team, and yes, also the gay pride parade. Like every year, a representative of the gay community will give interviews to any media outlet willing to listen, and like every year, the haredim and religious will fill the airwaves with zealousness and draw the usual comparisons to beasts and Sodom and Gomorrah.
It's interesting to note that it is issues of modesty that enrage the religious public most and arouse special interest. Why can't the fighters and zealots of this sector be so strict when it comes to other prohibitions?
New Tactic
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One example is the hypocrisy of not protesting the parade of Shabbat desecration that takes place each week far from their eyes, especially in Ga'ash and Shefayim. According to the Bible, Shabbat desecrators are also punishable by death. But fighting gays is apparently more exciting, much sexier, and it's apparently also easier to wage war on the weak.
Isaiah's version
Among those protesting, it seems that some know exactly why Israel is facing all those troubles. It's all because of the gays.Well, the prophet Isaiah has a different version regarding what gets God angry. "How is the faithful city become a harlot!" he asks, and continues, "Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them."
As thoroughly as I examined the prophet's words, I could not find anything there about the pride parade – Prophet Isaiah talks only about government distortions and social corruption.
Then why have I not seen anyone protesting so heatedly against "rebellious princes," or against the scandalous appointment of rabbinical judges and injustice at the rabbinical courts? Perhaps no one really pays attention to God's prophets anymore?
Let God take care of business
If God wants to settle the score with someone, he does not need a gang of garbage bin-torching haredi hoodlums. When God wants to, he can handle things on his own. He has already proven himself in projects slightly more serious than the pride parade - the parting of the Red Sea and bringing down Jericho's walls, to name a few. So stop belittling him and give him some credit.Moreover, stop the incitement. I'm also not happy with the parade being held in Jerusalem, but I don't use sewerage rhetoric that compares human beings to animals.
However, I do want to laud the haredi public. It seems that they eventually changed their mind and by putting a curse on the marchers, they handed over the responsibility for taking care of the parade to the Almighty. Maybe now they will have time to address more important and pressing matters, such as fighting political corruption.
