Is the Gay Jew Another Forbidden Fruit?

Throughout the past century, Judaism, as one of the most influential organized religions of the Western world, has been subject to a necessary evolution given the advent of modern times. The authoritative members of the Jewish community have dealt with such modern issues as the advancement of technology and legitimated specific parameters by which Jews may remain within the bounds of halakha. However, with the rising social acceptance of homosexuality throughout the world, Judaism as a whole has remained stunted in its progress. How is a gay male Jew within any community supposed to reconcile his place in the world when the Torah has been repeatedly interpreted as 'anti-homosexual' throughout the entire existence of Judaism as a way of life? For the purpose of validating the homosexual Jew's rightful existence in the world, it is necessary to recognize all potential meanings and interpretations of the Torah. Only then will it be possible for Judaism to thrive as a living religion rather than to falter as an exercise in obsolescence or unjust authority.

The popular Jewish conception that homosexuals live in opposition to God's will is rooted in specific passages from the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament. According to the New International Version of the Bible, Leviticus 18:22 reads:

"'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.'"
Later in the book, verse 20:13 reads:

"'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is

detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.'"