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Daniel Stringfellow

Trembling Before G-D

  • I would like to first say I do not know anything about the Jewish faith and everything I am about to say is from a documentary I just watched called “Trembling Before G-D”. 

     I thought I had it bad in the Christian faith but at least I have another place I can go.  The Documentary is about Ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews and gays within.   Like the Christian faith they are not accepted because of the laws within their religion.  A few of the gay people shown in this film was sent to therapists and to pray.  When this did not work they were told they would have to live a celibacy life.  Others where shunned by their family and not allowed into the house for fear of disease.  There was a lesbian that was still married to her husband and had to take anti-depressants because she could not fully love her husband.  She even asked him for a plutonic relationship and he wouldn’t go for that.  Some of the gays stated that if they came out the community could take their children away from them.

     This sadness me to no end to know that people are raised in a culture so rich just to have it taken away because of something they didn’t ask for.  These people lived eat, and breathed God all the time.  When they come out it is as if their soul is ripped out of their chest because they will have to live a lie and get married, they are forced to live alone, or they are forced from the community. 

     I am not saying that the Jews should change their faith because it has been around longer than Christianity.  I am not even saying they should accept gays because they would be changing their laws and that would be ageist God in their eyes.  I am just saying why has gays been left out, shunned, abused, or killed in all the old religions?  Now if I am missing an old religion that accepts gays please let me know.

     **Note:  I know there is a lot more than Orthodox Jews and there are Jews that do not have any problems with gays.  I am not writing this with hatred in my heart, just with sorrow.**