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Mikael
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Dear Dr. Laura
March 21, 2003 - 11:29 AM
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An interesting tidbit someone passed my way...
Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality. Recently, she said that as an observant Orthodox Jew, she believed homosexuality to be an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and therefore could not be condoned under any circumstances.
The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet:
Dear Dr. Laura,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that Knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the Homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other specific laws and how to follow them.
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighborhood nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?
I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?
Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some room for negotiation here?
Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19: 27. How should they die?
I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
My uncle has a farm. He violated Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16). Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws?
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan…
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Mike Cartier
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Good!
March 22, 2003 - 12:35 PM
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Congrats on the posting, I loved it! It surely does bring home the point of some people's intolerance.
Michael Cartier
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 22, 2003 - 12:43 PM
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Thanks! I really like things like this because they put into perspective bizarre statements like those made by Dr. Laura. There are SO many more letters like this one that need to be written!
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Benni Chapman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 24, 2003 - 08:14 AM
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Laura Schlessinger can go to the nearest heaven and God will accept her.Good work Mikael and I agree with Michael this a smack in the very face of intolerace and abuse of God's name to drive intolarant agendas.The Laura Schlessinger-likes are they reading but?
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Andrew Lauman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 25, 2003 - 04:15 AM
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So are you calling jews intolerant? Wouldn't that be hypocritical?
By stereotyping one religion, biases you against their beliefs, so doesn't that make you intolerant?
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 25, 2003 - 06:45 AM
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I don't recall anyone calling Jews intolerant... and I don't see why calling someone intolerant would be hypocritical because they're Jewish. Jewish people, like anyone else, can be intolerant too. We're also not stereotyping anything. The letter brings up a whole bunch of rules in the Bible that are questionable, in order to bring to light the fact that this belief, which may be shared by Orthodox Jews, is also questionable in our opinions.
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 25, 2003 - 07:35 AM
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And besides, Dr. Laura may be Orthodox but the Old Testament isn't only used by Jews.
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Andrew Lauman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 25, 2003 - 10:29 AM
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Yes,
Abraham is the father of three world religions. Christianity, Muslim and Jews.
I am just arguing for argument's sake. 
What is intolerance?
This opening statement has judge all orthodox jews of their religion.
What gives people rights to judge one another?
Why should Dr. Laura have the right to judge others?
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 25, 2003 - 10:44 AM
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I think there's a difference between having a contrary opinion and being intolerant... You can tolerate someone's opinions, as long as they don't encroach upon your well-being in some way. When homosexuals are persecuted because of religious beliefs, though, it's no longer a case of intolerance vs. tolerance, because any behaviour that puts human beings at risk shouldn't be tolerated...
What do you think?
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Benni Chapman
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Laura Schlessinger-likes & disciples can go to heaven
March 26, 2003 - 01:37 AM
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Thank you Mikael well said.Please dont be arguing with Bladerunner he said just now he is arguing for arguments sake. Yes this is what i think when homosexuals are pesecuted in the name of God or Allah or any religin its manipulation and abuse of his/her name for people to justify their hypocritic agendas. Is Bladerunner a Laura Schlessinger-like,or wannabe?or you just playing
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Andrew Lauman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 30, 2003 - 08:54 AM
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Wannabe, 
What is persecution Mikael? Are jews killing homosexuals? Are Muslims? How about christians? Or are we merely telling people our beliefs?
I don't believe in homosexuality because I don't think it is in alignment with God's/Allah will for people. However, I am not forcing that choice. Intolerance comes from not allowing people a choice. Forcing people to go against their will.
Albeit in the past, the church has been wrong in how it has handle this issue. As with other choices, but fortunately the church is becoming stronger and is moving on and understanding the power of enabling people with a choice.
And so if people choose homosexuality, I don't believe that an emotional/physical/spirtual life can be achieved through this lifestyle. So much so, that it will bring destruction onto their lives.
However, homosexuality is no different than any other sin. Guilt, worry, lies, hate and whatever.
My sister is gay and I love her, but don't believe in what she is doing. But it doesn't make me love her any less.
So does that make me intolerant? Just because I don't believe that their lifestyle choice is right??
On the opposite end, I believe that homosexuals in entertainment, media, education and government are imposing policies and ideas that are slanted against faith beliefs. Slanting religion as an intolerant forum. And so much so, that popular public catches onto the trend. And why? Because it is a good cause for justifying their lack of faith.
For example, Sven Robinson trying to make the bible hate literature. What a joke.
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 30, 2003 - 11:27 AM
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Originally posted by Bladerunner
What is persecution Mikael? Are jews killing homosexuals? Are Muslims? How about christians? Or are we merely telling people our beliefs?
Actually homosexuals do get killed simply because of their sexual orientation - case in point, Matthew Shepard (http://www.matthewsplace.com/). Of greater occurrence is discrimination against gays. I'm sure you've never been insulted, ridiculed or been beaten up because you are straight. All of the gay people I know have horror stories of being attacked or confronted because of their sexual orientation. It all leads me to wonder, what are people so afraid of? Maybe people who hate homosexuals are gay themselves and are too scared to come out of the closet because they think they'll be ostracized. Maybe it's just that some people are afraid of things that they don't understand and rather than make an effort, they simply take out their fear on the person in question.
I don't believe in homosexuality because I don't think it is in alignment with God's/Allah will for people. However, I am not forcing that choice. Intolerance comes from not allowing people a choice. Forcing people to go against their will.
That's the thing - intolerant people will attempt to push their will on others. Now, you have every right to feel however you want about homosexuality. Your beliefs can still be right or wrong in the eyes of others, but you are allowed to have them. When someone imposes them on another person, that is when intolerance is a problem. I think that tolerance is the ability to attempt to understand the behaviours of others and to see things in their true light. Homosexuality is not a threat and is not something scary that should be hidden away. That's why people should be more tolerant with regards to homosexuality. If you were to argue that I should be more tolerant of groups such as Neo-Nazis or the KKK, I would argue that the comparison is invalid because the "raison d'etre" of homosexuals is not to eradicate certain groups of people or to promote hatred.
Albeit in the past, the church has been wrong in how it has handle this issue. As with other choices, but fortunately the church is becoming stronger and is moving on and understanding the power of enabling people with a choice.
If by "enabling people with a choice" you mean "continuing to discriminate against individuals based on their sexual orientation", then yes, I'd agree with you.
And so if people choose homosexuality, I don't believe that an emotional/physical/spirtual life can be achieved through this lifestyle. So much so, that it will bring destruction onto their lives.
Why do you feel this way? How is homosexuality going to bring destruction into someone's life? If you're in love with someone, does it matter what their sex is? You may not consider being gay an option for you personally, but it doesn't mean that it is a sin or otherwise destructive. If people can be happy with someone of the same sex, who are we to tell them they can't? Who gives us the authority to judge others based on their sexual orientation? I don't believe that a tolerant, just God would want gay people to be physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation.
However, homosexuality is no different than any other sin. Guilt, worry, lies, hate and whatever.
I fail to see any similarity between these "sins" and homosexuality. Guilt, worry and hate are emotions that are felt by human beings. I don't see how feeling guilty or worrying is a sin either, but I'll let that slide. So, if you could explain how being gay is like hating, I'd appreciate it.
My sister is gay and I love her, but don't believe in what she is doing. But it doesn't make me love her any less.
That's very noble of you... how would you feel about her if she wasn't related to you and you didn't have that bond?
So does that make me intolerant? Just because I don't believe that their lifestyle choice is right??
If you want to debate semantics, better words might be "prejudiced" or "narrow-minded".
On the opposite end, I believe that homosexuals in entertainment, media, education and government are imposing policies and ideas that are slanted against faith beliefs. Slanting religion as an intolerant forum. And so much so, that popular public catches onto the trend. And why? Because it is a good cause for justifying their lack of faith. For example, Sven Robinson trying to make the bible hate literature. What a joke.
From your point of view, beliefs of some homosexuals are slanted against "faith beliefs". This means that homosexuals are protesting their right to exist and to have their own free will in determining their sexual preferences, in order to live their lives in peace without interference from people who have no basis for drawing any conclusion about gay people and yet do anyways. If "faith beliefs" are the type of beliefs that will cause a human being to go up to another human being and say "you are an abomination because you're gay", then do they really correspond with God's will? Why would God want us to hate each other? Humans are very different and if anything, this difference enriches our lives. To say that a specific group is committing a sin, when the only reason you have for it is the Bible, is sad.
If the Bible is the source of all that is good and holy, then I'd like to hear your explanation of such pleasant stories as that of the man and his concubine. The man allows his concubine to be ravaged for hours by an angry mob while he hides in a house and goes to sleep, and then when she lies dying on the doorstep, he chops her into several pieces and sends these pieces to far ends of the country. I'm not making this one up by the way =)
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Luke Lieberman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 30, 2003 - 11:31 AM
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jeez mike,
I couldn't read that post!
Just.. to.. long..can't.. make it...bye
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Mikael
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 30, 2003 - 11:36 AM
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lol yeah it IS pretty long. hang in there luke :P you'll have to read it when you've had some coffee or something!
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Andrew Lauman
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Re: Dear Dr. Laura
March 31, 2003 - 05:35 AM
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That was a long post!! Well written though.
Hmmm, first of all, of course you are going to have idiot people who in the name of God will kill others. Which has happened through out history. I will give some more stories at a later time.
I don't think this man was killed in the name of God though, but rather in the name of intolerance.
Yes, Michael, unfortunately there are many people who in the name of God and say they are Christians aren't going to make Heaven. Many are caught in self righteousness, hatred, selfish ambition and so forth. And so unfortunately, you aren't always going to see Christ like actions through Christians. That is a fact of life. And so the way to life is narrow and few find it.
However, what you failed to mention is how 100 million christians are being persecuted by other faiths. Being killed, hacked up, slander and villified. Much more so than any other faith. It is ridiculously out of proportion. http://www.persecution.com/ is a great start to check out how intolerance is coming towards Christians in violent and hateful ways.
And so the pendulum of intolerance swings both ways.
Above all things. I don't think it is healthy because men having sex with men cannot be healthy. How can anal sex be healthy? Love has nothing to do with it Mike. I have many male friends whom I dearly love, but don't have anal sex with them. Some of which are homosexual.
It doesn't align with creation. Once systems run out of alignment to it's natural flow. Diseases and destruction come forth.
As in the case of premarital sex. People are choosing to have sex outside of marriage. Great, they have a choice. Now people are worrying about all these new diseases that are popping up. You are smart guy Mike. Figure it out. It's not too complicated. There's a natural order to the universe and if those laws are not lived by, you will see cosmic decay. As what you see all around you.
Cheers
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