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From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Clarification indeed!
Message-ID: <544@unc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Jul-85 15:09:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: unc.544
Posted: Fri Jul  5 15:09:33 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Jul-85 05:39:22 EDT
References: <277@ucdavis.UUCP> <329@mhuxi.UUCP> <611@sfmag.UUCP> <612@sfmag.UUCP> 
Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann)
Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lines: 44
Summary: 

>>    
>>    1) The sin of male homosexuality is punishable by death  by skila
>>    (stoning).  Of  the  4  methods   of execution, skila is the most
>>    severe.  The only other sexual offenses punishable by  skila  are
>>    certain  types  of  incest, and  having  sex  with  an animal. By
>>    contrast, adultery is punishable by lesser forms of execution.

In article  rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) writes:
>
>I am reprinting this excerpt from Samet's article for the benefit of those
>who have complained to me in private mail that I am "attacking" someone
>who is not advocating doing any harm to any group of people, thus why should
>he be compared to Nazis.
>
>Try this little test:
>
>Group X has a book that they consider to be the absolute truth.  That book
>says that another group, group Y, is abominable and worthy of being killed.
>
>Prove or disprove the validity of the claim using these examples:
>
>1) X = Jews, Y = homosexuals
>
>2) X = Nazis, Y = Jews
>
>NOTE: claiming that in example 1 the book used really is the absolute
>truth while this is not the case in example 2 gets you an automatic zero
>on the test unless you can prove that claim...

One difference is that the Nazis did not kill the Jews because of the
Jews' behavior.  They killed the Jews simply for being what they were.
Even a blond, 5 year old, daughter of a Christian minister would be
sent to her death, if it were assertained that she had a trace of Jewish
ancestry.

The Torah, on the other hand, specifies NO punishment merely for BEING
homosexual.  I.e, it is not sinful to have homosexual impulses.
The sin is ACTING on those impulses.

You'll have to modify your analogy, Rich.  Perhaps you will better
make your point if you compare the Torah's attitude on homosexuality
with the Spanish Inquisition.

	Frank Silbermann