Religious Beliefs and Acceptance

By Rabbi Levi Cunin

This past week, a person that I have known for a number of years shared with me some words that were short and to the point. I asked her permission to share her heartfelt words with you. I thank her in advance for her huge heart. 

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Dear Rabbi Levi,

Help me! The "think good" work has really been working for me and I am forever grateful for the teachings of the Baal Shemtov!  

But... I am right now at a real road block! I am so sick and tired of hearing religious people use un-G-dly words towards fellow good hearted, love-filled individuals who happen to also be gay. As you know, this is a very sensitive subject for me personally, and in any case is it not true that the foundation on our faith is rule numero uno, “love”? I don’t get it! How does someone call themselves "religious" if at the same time they bare such hatred in their heart? Did you we not study in the teachings "the foundation to love of G-d is first the love of His creation?"

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Dear friend, 

Your words are so on and I truly feel your pain. Ideologically opposed positions are not a license for hatred! Especially for a person ascribing their views on the basis of the faith! In Torah, the number one rule is to love! As the great sage Hillel said, “The rest of the Torah is just commentary.” Love is not something that is reserved for those who live their life the way you do, or share your ideological views. Love means that we imagine our ourselves being in the other person’s “life story”; how would we want to be treated?

Hate, I was taught, is an expression of darkness. My teacher - the Rebbe - taught me that the only way to eliminate darkness is to illuminate it! Every act of goodness and kindness performed by mankind is yet another candle in illuminating the darkness and hatred. Here is an example of a “goodness and kindness” campaign. The type of light that we pray will remove all hate from our hearts, one candle at a time! Are you in?

Shabbat Shalom!