A panel of rabbis gave permission Wednesday for same-sex commitment ceremonies and ordination of gays within Conservative Judaism, a wrenching change for a movement that occupies the middle ground between orthodoxy and liberalism in Judaism.

The complicated decision by the Conservative movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards leaves it up to individual seminaries whether to ordain gay rabbis and gives individual rabbis the option of sanctioning same-sex unions. (Via WP)

I wasn’t shocked by the fact that Jews are easing laws to the benefit of homosexuals, as much as the news piece grabbed my attention as to how that is going to happen.

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards founded by the Rabbinical Assembly in 1927, re-interprets or change the law through a formal argument through a voting system.

The CJLS is composed of 25 rabbis (voting members), and five laypeople, who participate in deliberations but whom do not have a vote. When any six (or more) members vote in favor of a position, that position becomes an official position of the committee. Any particular issue can generate from one to four official positions. When multiple positions are validated, they usually have much common ground. (Source)

This unique integration of democracy into the law and consequently the religion thereafter is truly astonishing. While we (as Muslims) still stand shy of even considering such a thing, and continue to go back to old scriptures and hairy clerics for fatwas to legitimize a perpetual stream of issues that relate to our daily activities, lacking any sort of a unified cross-sector body that speaks of the “true Islam” that everybody agrees on.

As to the issue of homosexuality, now that the international opposing voices lowered their strict views about it and came to accept gays and lesbians as apart of society. Maybe we will live to witness another “great integration” one like that of the black/slaves had throughout the past century.

Who knows, it only took around 80 years for the affirmative action act to float.. Homosexuals just might have something sooner!