Geoff Coupe's Blog

Reflections on life at “De Witte Wand”…

“Verging On Fascism”

There was unease last week in Amsterdam’s Orthodox Jewish community when it emerged that their nominal Chief Rabbi, Aryeh Ralbag (who lives in New York), stated that homosexuality was an illness that could be cured. As a result of this patent nonsense, the Chief Rabbi found himself suspended by the community.

Now the US-based Committee for the Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality, which includes Rabbi Ralbag as one of its members, has opined that it is “shocking” that a chief rabbi in the Netherlands has been suspended for his statements on “centuries-old religious truths”, and that this action is “verging on fascism”. Welcome to Planet Godwin.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. They are no different to the Catholic Church or Islam in their touching adherence to ancient and false beliefs about human sexuality. But what really raised an eyebrow was the report that

…the rabbi believes his life would be in danger if he came to the Netherlands.

Ralbag told the NRC newspaper: ‘I have strong indications that my wife and I would not be sure of our lives if we came to the Netherlands now.’ He declined to say what the threats were but did say he took them ‘extremely seriously’, the paper reported.

I’m sorry rabbi, but you really are living in another world if you think that to be the case. The Amsterdam Orthodox community, and the rest of us, are merely pointing out what an idiot you are. Idiots don’t deserve death, they deserve education.

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7 responses to ““Verging On Fascism””

  1. TomT Avatar
    TomT

    Perhaps he’s worried education would be such a shock to his system as to prove fatal.

    Reply
    1. Geoff Coupe Avatar
      Geoff Coupe

      Could be. Or perhaps he’s just letting his imagination run riot?

      Reply
  2. al feersum Avatar
    al feersum

    We’re in a similar place with disability – more specifically, ‘hidden’ disabilities, like autism. ‘Idiots’, i.e. those in the medical profession who follow the 40 year old definitions of conditions and the ignorant general public who see ‘autism = retard’ don’t seem to be able to realise that their understanding of said conditions is so far out of date, so that when a ‘Celebrity’ (whether it be a common or garden sleb, or a medical sleb) states something along the lines of ‘Autism is caused by the inhalation of pollen grains from tagetes patula’, people then get on the bandwagon and try and ban the sale and ownership of a humble flower, for fear that their unborn children may ‘contract’ a terminal ‘disease’ (in much the same way that homosexuality was viewed, pre-enlightment: association with ‘one of those’ will make you contract queerness, and you’ll die from it). Consequent lawsuits get filed by parents of kids with autism demanding some sort of recompense from garden centres, seed suppliers go into panic and withdraw all their stock because they can’t afford to be bogged down in some useless legal battle and don’t want to lose trade…

    … but ultimately, it all boils down to idiots who either refuse to be educated, or are afraid to be educated… and usually, because someone who they respect (previously mentioned slebs who are famous for publically humiliating themselves in the mass media, or other ‘influential’ persons, like priests or doctors whose expertise is in an incompatible field) has uttered some speculative comment, said idiots further their ignorance by believing the rubbish that has, like effluent from an industrial sewer, fallen out of the speaker’s mouth.

    Reply
    1. al feersum Avatar
      al feersum

      … or, perhaps, bearing in mind your adoptive homeland…

      “Autism is caused by the inhalation of pollen grains from tulipa tarda”

      Reply
      1. Geoff Coupe Avatar
        Geoff Coupe

        Hah! And, of course, Al, you’re right. It’s all too easy to dismiss people who are different. Reading Amanda Baggs’ blog is a constant reminder to me to open my eyes. (https://ballastexistenz.wordpress.com/). But for some, it becomes very easy to dismiss people because you believe that God does it as well…

        Reply
        1. al feersum Avatar
          al feersum

          Hmm… yes…. God. Well, as an agnostic secularist (not an atheist – though this is a pretty close description), I have no truck with superstitious claptrap. And what’s worse is that for (at the very least) the Abrahamic* faiths, the religious texts effectively state: ‘Don’t listen to what other people say, because it might be a falsehood. Go and find out for yourself’ – and yet, still they listen to the ‘intepretation’ of God’s word… and in some of the worst examples, if you directly ‘converse’ with God, you’re either a heretic or a lunatic because you aren’t allowed: only designated priests (and in the case of a couple of particularly virulent and inward looking Abrahamic sects, only _the highest priest_) are allowed to talk to converse with God. And yet, and yet… where is the evidence that the texts demand you find to affirm your faith? Science, on the other hand, demands proof, and regularly supplies it, often supplying more proofs that contradict earlier proofs, but that doesn’t matter: the proof only has to last long enough to ensure we’re on the right track… 😉

          * I won’t identify those faiths individually for fear of militant retribution, as this often happens when someone writes something that is considered heretical…

          Reply
  3. al feersum Avatar
    al feersum

    * … although saying that, I’m surprised either of us haven’t been the target for said retribution, you because you’re sinning against God, and me because I’ve been cursed by God… ho hum…

    Reply

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