Religious Doctrines

Introduction

Religious doctrines in the society are vested on pre-established rule end regulations that acts as the fundamental requirement on communities entitled or interests individuals. Religious harmony in a particular group is mounted on the level of adherence of the established notions towards achieving a common goal. Notably, various religious organizations are evident in the society each mounted on its specific laws. The established laws contribute to large part in influencing the behavioral patterns of its followers due to the fact that responsive nature as well as attributes is fostered by the briefs and teachings provided. In relation to traditional Judaism laws were formulated in order to control and promote particular behavioral patterns acceptable in the society in regard to social settings. Traditional Judaism id detailed in establishing social notions aimed at ensuring particular characters are noticeable among its followers and certain behaviors are prohibited. From this perspective traditional Judaism either fosters particular actions or behavioral patterns in the society or condemns them by strongly opposing their occurrence among the Jews. However, queer Jews have been identified as exhibiting actions and characters that tend to contradict with the laws of traditional Judaism.

Though queer Jews are committed in maintain their attachment with the native laws of the Jew they highlights behaviors and actions showing noticeable inconsistency with the traditional Judaism laws. The fact that participation and having mutual attachment with traditional Judaism is vested on the capacity of an individual or community to adhere to Judaism law it poses to be a challenge to queer Jews. The disparities between Jewish lives advocated by traditional Judaism and queer Jews deprives queer Jews from taking actions roles in Judaism. The differences are mainly based on sexual and gender aspects and regardless of queer Jews commitment to be identified as a committed Jew their actions as well as perceptions to social aspects pose to keep them outside Jewish life. This is the fundamental challenge of the queer Jews in being committed Jews posed by traditional Judaism. in this case this paper wishes to conduct a detailed study on the challenges as well as on practical survey on various responses regarding the challenges.

Challenges faced by queer Jews

Although the desire of queer Jews in becoming integral part of the traditional Judaism, their interests meet challenges based on their social lives. Notably, traditional Judaism is a well organized religious organization based on Jewish traditions therefore it is vested on laws that should guide and control the behavioral patterns of entire organization. However, queer Jew exhibit certain social attributes prohibited by the traditional Judaism laws. The fact that the queer Jews are interested in being associated with traditional Judaism they are faced with challenges in life especially regarding their in integrating their social perception with that established by the traditional Judaism laws. The challenges posed by traditional Judaism on queer Jews can be approached from either gender or sexuality perspectives as discussed below.   

Gender based challenges

The issue of gender has been a sensitive issue not only in the comprehending Jewish way of life but in advocating accountability on the social aspects. Gender identity is geared towards identifying human position in society mainly based on physical aspect. Though there exists other aspect that either describes an individual as either a male or a female the physical approach has been deployed foe centuries. From this perspective privileges and treatment of the two genders as awarded and the superior one was entitled to vast privileges in the society rather than on one capability (Shneer & Aviv 8). In relation to traditional Judaism the male gender was entitled to various privileges in contrast with their female counterpart. Women under laws established in the traditional Judaism were perceived as the less privileged gender and were restricted in conducting particular activities eternally or at particular period when experiencing a specific condition. The physical appearance on an individual played a significant role in providing an individual with accessibility to specific areas.

For instance studying Kabbalah as well as reading Torah in the synagogue was based solely on the physical appearance of an individual rather than on other factors that described personality of an individual. However, the queer Jew contradicts with the established approached in giving privileges in the society. From the perspective that physical appearance of an individual does not influence capacity of an individual to respond to respective issues in the society effectively. Also, the physical appearance of an individual is not adequate to describe an individual to fit in a particular gender group in the society. The fact that that tradition Judaism fails to recognize that particular conditions in the society are possible regarding gender orientation of an individual it based identification on gender solely on the physical appearance on an individual (Shneer & Aviv 57).

Acknowledgement of the diversion in gender orientation acts as the basis of argument brought forward by queer Jews in the society. However, the need to be parts of the indigenous Judaism carets a conflict of ideologies regarding the gender orientation and the determining facts that an individual belongs to particular gender. Therefore, integration between traditional Judaism and queer Jews tends not to interface based on the differences on gender orientation. This not only pose to be a challenge to integration process but also in accommodating and accepting queer Jews as committed and abiding followers of native Judaism law.

The issue of transgender raises controversy in identification of the gender of an individual as well as changing the physical identity in order to meet orientation of a different gender. In this case individuals in the Jewish society highlighting physical orientation of both genders trend to be neglected by the laws of the Judaism and deprived certain privileges. According to traditional Judaism laws the gender orientation of a child registered at birth remains the gender till the death. This shows that changing of ones gender is highly prohibited in the Jewish cultural practice due to the fact that an individual should maintain particular gender identity. Regarding the mechanism deployed or reasons influencing to gender transsexual the initial identity remains and the privileges awarded to a specific gender is unaltered by the operation. In addition under Jewish law the Jew people are prohibited from undertaking surgery to alter their sex orientation hence modification of ones orientation is unlawful. In response to issue of transgender among the Jews the Judaism law seriously marginalized individuals highlighting this form of an orientation (Shneer & Aviv 98).

On the other hand queer Jews perceive the issue differently from traditional Judaism laws and identify victims of transgender as part of the Jewish community and should be embraced by the society regardless of multi-gender orientation. Also, the queer Jews give the Jewish the freedom to alter their orientation and it is not perceived rigid and unalterable after birth. The gender alteration freedom established on this notion tend to conflict with the native Judaism laws though Jews cultural practices are vested on these laws therefore taking active role in Judaism from this perspective may be perceived as against the Judaism law. In this a case association with the indigenous Judaism from queer Jews perspective on gender issue is a challenge due to the pre-established laws and embracing queer Jews would be either contradicting with the laws or altering with the culturally rich Jewish way of life. The approach on transgender by queer Jews is geared towards simplifying social aspect in the society as well as accepting certain conditions in the Jews community but not to oppose the Judaism law. The fact that queer Jews wish to maintain attachment with the traditional Judaism the law established on gender issue pose to be a challenge towards evaluating the society in simplified way and taking active roles in traditional Judaism.    

Sexuality based challenges

Sexuality is a sensitive issue associated with numerous controversial arguments due to various cultural beliefs as well as religious differences. In relation to the Jews people sexuality has been a core are of interest and individual personality and attachment with the community can be based on one's sexuality. There are is pre-determined expectation on attributes of individual in the society regarding sexuality and a diversion from this notion is mostly perceived as an infringement of the established social and religious laws. In Relation to traditional Judaism sexuality was keenly evaluated and various expectations on the human race were established to monitor and promote acceptable behavioral patterns and interaction. On the other hand queer Jews has its own way of perceiving sexuality among the Jews people yet want to maintain a close attachment with traditional Judaism practices. The established expectations and laws on sexuality under traditional Judaism pose to be a challenge to queer Jews to take active role and engage in various activities in traditional Judaism. In order to comprehensively evaluate and effectively identify specific challenges posed by the native Judaism ideologies on queer Jews it is convenient to approach the issue from different perspectives.

Homosexuality

The issue of homosexuality receives varying reactions from the society but a considerable portion of the society highly discourages affairs between male partners. Homosexuality has been in existence for centuries and is becoming common among various community groups. Evaluating homosexuality among Jews people in relation to challenges established by the traditional Judaism on queer Jews towards establishing a comprehensive attachment between them it is crucial to consider the ideologies established by each. Traditional Judaism opposes the homosexuality based on various factors that perceive it as an action against humanity as well as against the call of mankind on reproduction. According to traditional Judaism homosexuality is a deliberate act of violating laws of the Jews therefore it is highly discouraged under this context. The fact that homosexuality involves attraction between males, contradiction in the social a sector arise.

During creation God created Adam and Eve who were a man and a woman to dwell on earth and reproduce. From this perspective various contradicting factors in relation to homosexuality arises.  Notably the process of creation only a man and a woman are created rather partner of the same gender orientation. Therefore the wish of the creator is to establish partners of different sex orientation in the society instead of relations of same gender (Boyarin   Itzkovitz & Pellegrini 2003). In order to reproduce and promote continuity of society partners of different gender must be involved. In this a case homosexuality deprives the notion reproduction from the mankind hence is discouraged from traditional Judaism perspective. Therefore traditional Judaism opposed strongly homosexuality on the basis that it violated with the established plans of the creator and would erode continuity of the society. Also, homosexual rabbis had to be straight in terms of sexuality in order to take religious roles in the synagogues.

On the other hand the queer Jews are supporters of homosexuality in the society as perceived the lifestyle as any other form and should be allow in the society. However, the queer still wish to be associated with traditional Judaism and take active role in the religious institutions under the native Judaism. Due to the fact that they support social aspects that conflict with the laws under traditional Judaism the conflict is challenge in participating in the holy activities based of native Jewish laws. Regardless of the wish and interest of the queer Jews to be recognized in the traditional Judaism institutions and activities their religious wishes and actions are unlawful to in relation to native Judaism beliefs. This pose to be a huge challenge queers Jews in being endorsed in activities and operations of traditional Judaism of the Jews people.      

 Homoerotic sexuality of female

Information related to female homoerotic in the Traditional Judaism is not clear on the acts of lesbianism but various issues regarding female sexuality have been highlighted. Therefore, prohibition is not generally on lesbianism but based on various acts that were committed during the ancient times. The identified activities were identified as unethical sexual activities of the female hence were highly forbidden in the Jewish society. Though sexual contact is not common in the traditional Judaism in the discussion of female homoerotic, "rub" is highly used to show sexual connection between women. Those involved in the numerous issues involve contact and rub but actual sex is not noticeable in establishing prohibition of particular activities in the traditional Judaism laws (The Editor 2).  Girl or a woman who rubs with another person of the same gender is prohibited from marrying a priest or a spiritual leader in traditional Judaism.

Also the law prohibited young ladies from sleeping in one bed because the father perceived the situation as delicate and would culminate to rubbing between the young women. Rubbing would prevent them from marrying priest therefore sleeping together was unlawful. It is argued that promoting sharing of a bed would lead to desire to seek sexual satisfaction outside marriage (The Editor 4). Also, bed sharing at the youth stages would enhance the wish of a woman to share the bed with the husband during menstrual period during when both physical and sexual contact is prohibited. Rubbing between women in the Jews is highly perceived as homoerotic activities among the women and is highly prohibited. Though traditional Judaism has not established a direct prohibition on lesbianism the created perspective shows the perception established by the traditional Judaism on female homoerotic in the society.

However, queer Jews perspective on female homoerotic varies from that of traditional Judaism laws. Queer Jews wishes to embraces homoerotic in the society and promote attraction on women to women with out creating hindrance to attraction urge. Also, queer Jews not only promote avenues that usher social settings against laws in the native Judaism but also cause conflicts with the behavioral patterns advocated by the traditional Judaism.  Though the queer Jews have interests in taking active role in traditional Judaism activities their perception and wishes to promote homoerotic in women contradicts with teaching of traditional Judaism. This not only poses as a challenge to queer Jews from the perspective of traditional Judaism but also acts as a platform to eliminate them from various operations as well as attachment with the rich Jews culture that form as an identity to the people of Israel. Notably, disparity between traditional Judaism and queer Jews on homoerotic on female is the fundamental challenge towards accommodating queer Jews in crucial activities and positions in traditional Judaism.

Survey on different responses to challenge

The various challenges posed by traditional Judaism on queer Jews to take active role as well as associating fully with the native Judaism in both practice and in the interactive world have received responses from the interested stakeholders in the society. Responses are geared towards fostering attachment with traditional Judaism regardless of their social approach in the society. Also, the responses wishes to promote integration between the notions established by queer Jews and the traditional Judaism ideologies. Notably, the cultural practices of the Jews people in the society are perceived of high status and the Jews highly prefer being associated with the culture hence the fact that traditional Judaism tend to hinder queer Jews from comprehensive attachment with the renowned culture of the Jews (Katz 1).

This portrays the basis of the various responses towards the posed challenges by the traditional Judaism to queer Jews. According to surveys conducted on the issue numerous responsive actions and organizations related to traditional Judaism but promoting the social perspective of the queer Jews in the society. For instance a number of organizations affiliated to cultural practices of the Jews as guided by the native Judaism laws. The fact that the native society of the Jews practicing laws under the traditional Judaism is rigid on the regulations established and fails to accommodate changes to reflects the current social issue, sprit groups have been established though mounted of Jews culture.

For instance Rabbinical Assembly associated with the international association of conservative rabbis has been transformed and currently ordinations gays and lesbians in its operations and positions in the religious institutions in the Jews society. This should a major reaction to the challenged posed by the traditional Judaism to eliminate homoerotic community from taking active role in the Jewish culture regardless of commitment to life a Jewish lifestyle. From this perspective Jews can participate in various active in the religious institutions regardless of their attraction orientation in the society. Also, barriers to take positions and active role in Jews religious activities from traditional Judaism perspective were eliminated by the approach established Rabbi Assembly.

In addition due to the challenges posed the numbers of Jews associated with traditional Judaism doctrine in the Jewish society are reducing at an alarming rate due to numerous hindrances established especially on sexual orientation and transgender condition (Katz Para 2 & 3). The fact that the number of native Jewish practicing and adhering to traditional Judaism doctrine is continually decreasing the rich culture of the Jewish people may become absolute in the society. This call for an urgent responsive action from the involved institutions and stakeholders aimed at restructuring the demands advocated by the indigenous Judaism in order to effectively mitigate cultural erosion.

Conclusion

The established barrier and behavioral checks by traditional Judaism doctrine is geared towards promoting religious ethics and eliminate moral degradation from the society. The Jewish people have the ultimate right to be associated their cultural practices but it is mounted on specific restriction to foster appropriate social environment in the society. Notably, Jewish cultural values are identified as supreme in the society hence native Jewish value close association with the values. Therefore, the Jewish community strives to be identified with ancient Jews doctrine regardless of their behavioral patterns. This results to emergences various conflicts between the doctrine and particular groups in the society that are identified as challenges.

In relation to the challenges faced by the queer Jews the Jewish religious communities should be establish avenues to address to the challenges posed by the native Judaism to queer Jews in order to promote both social cohesion and morals in the society. For instance the Jews organizations on religious issues should formulate changes in order to accommodate nature drive scenarios in the society rather than condemning them. On the other hand it should hold forums in various areas to promote moral value and emphasize on the needs to adhere to the call of God in every aspect.