Trans Spirituality 7/26/21
On July 18th, Jews around the world observed Tisha B’Av or the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av. On this solemn date we commemorated the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BCE by the Babylonians, and the Second Temple in 70 CE by the Romans. The destruction of the First Temple is described in the books of Jeremiah, and Lamentations. The destruction of the Second Temple is in the Talmud.
In addition, a very large number of other tragedies and attacks against the Jewish people have occurred on this Hebrew date, including key events of the Inquisition, by Ferdinand and Isabella, and of the Holocaust/Shoah.
Why do these events happen so often? In Hebrew we call it Sin’at Hinam or “Senseless Hatred”. We really don’t know why so many other cultures hate us and attack us as they do, but this is our reality.
Sadly, the Jewish community shares this in common with the BIPOC and Trans communities.
According to Remembering Our Dead, the list of trans deaths since last TDOR, there have already been 58 trans deaths this year. Nearly all of these have been violent deaths at the hands of other people! This is more than in any other year on record and we still have FOUR months until TDOR. Friends this is totally UNACCEPTABLE and unprecedented!
Why is it like this in 2021? Maybe COVID? Maybe the rise of White Supremacy? Maybe the haters are angry that 45 lost? I really do not know. What I do know is this. When you look at the list, the vast majority of the deaths occur in the BIBLE BELT! The very place where people should know better.
The Book of Matthew commands that Jesus said the GREATEST commandment is to first love GOD with all your heart, your soul and your being, then love your neighbor as yourself. It also commands that you shall “Judge not lest you be judged, for what you see as a splinter in their eye is as a log in your eye.”
If these “so-called Christians” would read and follow these commandments in the book of Matthew, instead of getting so hung up on a brutish misinterpretation of a Levitical commandment, things would be a far sight better. And to be clear, they certainly do not follow any of the other Levitical commandments, as far as I know, so why get so hung up on this one, which they are reading incorrectly anyway? It’s pretty hypocritical anyway!
So I call on these “so-called Christians” to read their Bibles, and ask themselves that vital question, “What would Jesus do?” If they honestly can’t figure it out, they can come to me, the rabbi, and I’ll teach them Christian Scripture – yes I can do it, but I should not have to, but if necessary I will. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.
But, it’s right here in this message. The most important things are those two commandments from Matthew – the rest is commentary, now go and learn (To borrow from the great sage Hillel).
Peace out,
Rona
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Category: Transgender Body & Soul
About the Author (Author Profile)
Rabbah Rona Matlow (ze/hir) is an AMAB NB trans woman. Ze is a retired navy nuclear power officer, permanently disabled veteran and ordained rabbi. Ze is the author of the upcoming book “We are God’s Children Too”, part autobiography and part text which debunks the myths that conservative clergy have been teaching about trans and queer people for millennia. Ze is a communal activist, pastoral counselor and educator. Hir websites are http://www.RabbahRona.us and http://www.RonaMatlow.com.Subscribe
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