Cynical writes:
“For example, the (misquoted above) Teshuva about driving on Shabbos was passed in the early 20th century, and we know it is weak on Halakhic grounds. It is a reflection of the time when it was written, a time when it looked like people would live too far away from synagogues to attend, and it condoned driving ONLY to the synagogue, but nowhere else.”
“I still have very little problem saying that someone who drives only to shul is Shomer Shabbos.”
So if it was a reflection of the time when it was written, and if it is no longer relevant, and if the CJLS knows that it is weak on Halakhic grounds, why doesn’t the CJLS revoke the Teshuva of allowing someone to drive to “shul” on Shabbos? How can someone who is being Mechalel Shabbos be Shomer Shabbos ?!
“Gays and gay marriage? Are homosexual acts permitted by the Torah and rabbinic Judaism? Clearly not. Would I stand up on a soapbox and lecture people? No, not only would I look like a fool, but people wouldn’t listen, and I would turn them off to Judaism even more. Would I perform Kiddushin for a homosexual couple? No, I don’t think that’s what Jewish law defines as a marriage. I might be able to be convinced to perform some kind of Jewishly-influenced commitment ceremony without the word marriage attached.”
You don’t want to look like a fool in front of people. You only want to look like a fool in front of G-d, who has proclaimed the practice of homosexuality as an abomination.
How can even a “commitment ceremony” between 2 gay people be “Jewishly-influenced,” whatever that means, if Judaism prohibits the practice of homosexuality ?!