A Zionist Rabbi in Israel has called LGBT culture a sickness but insisted his followers were not homophobic, but ‘sane’
(Picture: Screengrab Ynet)
A prominent Israeli Rabbi has said Israel is ‘being taken over by LGBT sickness’, but said his followers aren’t homophobic.
Zionist Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira said LGBT focus meant that people expressing support for ‘conventional’ religious families are unfairly branded ‘homophobic’.
It comes despite his widely-publicized opposition to gay culture.
He argued that the support of ‘healthy religious families’ has been the basis ‘of all humanity and the Torah throughout history’, reported local website Haaertz.
Speaking at the National Union party’s religion and state platform launch on Tuesday (6 March), Shapira said that Israel ‘is looking more and more like LGBTistan.’
Israeli Rabbi: ‘We are becoming a country that looks like LGBTistan’
‘We are courageous people, we are the Land of Israel’s heroes, and we are not scared of the LGBT trend.
‘I have invested many hours in helping people with difficulties in this area.
‘But no, we’re not homophobes, we’re believers and we’re healthy people. And there is an illness which is growing and spreading.
‘More and more, we are becoming a country that looks like LGBTistan.’
‘It’s insane to see homophobia as the problem with Religious Zionism’s image’
‘Anyone who speaks about a believing and healthy family is immediately classed as someone who has phobias. He’s an extremist.
‘Why? Because he said something that has always been the basis of all of humanity and all of the Torah. It’s insane to see this as the problem with Religious Zionism’s image.’
However, the Rabbi says the religious and military-bound Hesder yeshivas group expresses the voice of ‘sanity’ rather than extremism.
The conference called for opposition to same-sex marriages.
‘When the atmosphere around is LGBTistan, we are distressed, because we are singled out for expressing the voice of sanity.’
He also claimed that he did not support the ostracism of gay people from family life.
According to the Times of Israel, Shapira was one of dozens of rabbis who signed a letter sent in July 2017 to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, opposing adoption by gay couples.