So THIS is loshon Horah?

I made a list and I want to know which of these items are lahon horah then?

As far as I see some are facts (e.g. Rav Hutner liking opera), some are impressions (e.g. ones derived my encounter with Masorti Jews), some are good sociological trends (e.g. neither reform nor Orthodoxy dying out), some are interpretations (e.g. that Rambam's Principles were for the masses whilst the Guide was for those seeking truth- the view of Abarbanel), some are philosophical qualms (e.g. Kiruv groups use of dualism), some are pragmatic evaluations (e.g. inability of Reconstructionist Judaism to be attractive), moral principles (e.g. fighting racism no matter which big rabbi said it) etc etc

Yet they are all things that I would like to say. They are all things that I think are important to say. They are all things that are of concern if we don't want Judaism to be corrupt, elitist, boring, unsatisfying, false, intellectually dishonest, split apart, violent, self-interested or hypocritical. Now some of the points will be inconvenient, distressing, or just plain chutzpadik. I can perfectly well understand why a reform person is upset that I don't view their practice as authentically Jewish, or a chareidi person if I say they are insecure. But, get over it or hate me, argue back or ignore me, act differently to how you used to be or show you behaved that way all along, share some different experiences and show the beauty of your point of view but.... don't stop me having opinions.

If “not having an opinion” or at least “not saying it” is what is required to keep the your interpretation of laws of lashon horah, then I will not be cowed away for standing up for truth and morality as I perceive it. Especially when what I am being asked to suppress are the philosophical viewpoints of the Chazal or the Rishonim themselves. I do not, and will not, belong to a Catholic Israel where conformity overrides emet. And yes, I'm poor, stupid and spiritually low. And your point is? Is someone who is spiritual and clever make their opinion right? What I say is probably wrong- but that is the miracle of dialogue- you can tell me.

But yes, if there is a genuine grievance about the ill effects that my utterance will have, I will change it or at least clarify what I meant. I have done in the past and will do again. But first, note there is no attempt at character assasination. Secondly, I stand by the points I make (unless proved wrong) but will seek to mitigate harmful effects on people. Third, PLEASE, PLEASE read what I say carefully.

1. Don't put words in my mouth. For example I never claimor have claimed that child molestation is more frequent in Chareidi enclaves than elsewhere; just that they don't speak out against the cases that are there. Nor do I calim that Reform Jews or Reform Judaism are stupid, incoherent, irrational and I don't know they are wrong either; just that from an Orthodox perspective I can't see them as legitimate.
2. A generalisation is just that. No pretensions are made that all Anglo Jews are emotionally stullified, all Masorti are dogmatic, or all Orthodox members of the Knesset out for themselves. But there is a trend I have noticed, and is important to say, and one which I'm waiting you to tell me is incorrect.
3. Don't take a disagreement of opinion for a criticism. No I don't think gedolim are necessary experts in certain Jewish philosophers but neither would I expect them to be. Yes, Orthodox feminists fit their Orthodoxy into their feminism but doesn't mean I think they are insincere. Yes, reform Judaism is a break from tradition but that doesn't mean that doesn't lead to any positive benefits.
4. Don't take a true theoretical statement for a practical cause of action. That Israel is wrong to remain in the West Bank doesn't mean it's prudent to get out tomorrow.
   

So yeh...

• Liberal Judaism plays the pluralist card but are quite happy to de-legitimate Orthodox Judaism.
• The Reform movement is a radical departure in Jewish tradition.
• When reform Rabbi Jonathan Romain says that the Reform Beth Din has solved the 'agunah' problem by saying “G-d wouldn't allow something immoral”, he has merely ignored the problem and not solved it.
• There is only so much you can do to make Leviticus read “it's okay to have male homosexual sex”.
• How does it serve anyone by calling Orthodox Judaism “medieval”?
• Orthodoxy need to learn a drive for social action from Reform Jews
• Progressive Judaism is one of the most 'supernatural' strands of Judaism because they can tell us what G-d wants without any method for finding out.
• Reform Judaism has to accept it is not legitimate in the eyes of the Orthodox.
• Only Progressive Jews and Lubavitch are prepared to go to where the Jews are.
• Conservative Judaism understands halacha in a non-traditional way. 'Halacha has always changed' is ill-defined and cannot be used to justify anything.
• Louis Jacob's “liberal supernaturalism” is just a little too liberal and a little too supernatural.
• Louis Jacobs was clearly a mensch, a scholar and a devout orthoprax Jew, and a shame on Orthodoxy for scapegoating him
• Masorti Judaism has moved a long way from Rabbi Louis Jacobs and for all intents and purposes, deny Torah min Hashamayim altogether.
• In a supposed synthesis between traditional and modern values, Conservative Jews rarely spell out the traditional values.
• Conservative Jews take a very dogmatic line about 'Bible Criticism' despite having any convincing evidence for their point of view.
• It is clear that Masorti Judaism fills a need which many intelligent, observant Jews have and Orthodoxy needs to take its head out of the sand.
• Only Chareidi Judaism spells out what it is, whilst everyone else can focus on what they are not: Not-Chareidim.
• There is a disconcerting habit of Masorti people I have met to paint themselves as the heir to a “Non-Fundamentalist Orthodoxy” and call people who disagree with them “Fundamentalists”
• Orthodoxy isn't dying any time soon, and so non-Orthodox Judaism will have to shut up and deal with it.
• Reconstructionist Judaism is just wrong when it thinks that changing Judaism's doctrines will make it attractive to modern Jews.
• Neither Modern Hebrew nor Ashkenazi are 'more authentic' or 'more original' (If any is, Yemenite Hebrew is probably closer).
• I am sceptical of Rabbi Berkovit's attempts to intuit the values of Judaism.
• When people label themselves “Modern Orthodox”, it usually means they are lax about halacha.
• Rashi is sometimes wrong and does not always give the pshat.
• Centrist Orthodox Jews are scared to pasken Halacha.
• Modern Orthodox Jews, unlike Conservative Jews can be intellectually daring without being needlessly controversial.
• A large proportion of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance would rather fit their Orthodoxy into their feminism, than their feminism into their Orthodoxy.
• Hirschian Jewry such as that in England has led to a tepid, heartless Judaism.
• Just because a Modern Orthodox shul allowed something 40 years ago doesn't make it halachically acceptable.
• A lot of Modern Orthodox is pseudo-intellectual and pretentious and distracts from emunah peshuta.
• Modern Orthodoxy's inability to go anywhere but London shows their inability to live up to their ideals.
• Messianic Religious Zionism can lead to a dangerous religious violence.
• Settlers often put “the land” higher than G-d
• When rabbis (acknowledged gedolim even) make racist remarks, they deserve to be vocally criticised.
• It is odd and frankly unnecessary to justify “Madda”; so stop it and get on with studying it.
• The Israeli government are harming the future of existence of a Jewish state by remaining in the West Bank.
• Rav Hutner enjoyed the opera and studied at the University of Berlin.
• There is more to midrash than “The Midrash Says....”
• Ralbag didn't believe in hasgacha peratit
• If a particular Jewish philosopher's thought is not something the Gedolim knows much about, it doesn't show negligence on their part, nor does it make them any less of a Gadol, but means they should defer to those philosophers' who do know more about it than they.
• The Chareidi world censors massive parts of the mesorah and the views of many Rishonim would not count as 'Orthodox today'.
• Religious members of the knesset harm the religious cause by trying to impose religious legislation on people.
• Rambam wrote his Principles for the religious masses but the Guide for those who are seeking the truth.
• Artscroll's translation of Shir haSharim ruins the metaphor it's trying to make.
• Hagiographies do not inspire 'yirat shamayim' in a way that the Gedolim who they are writing about would approve.
• Kiruv groups teach an outdated Christian, philosophical idea called “Dualism”.
• Those who say the world is 5769 years old, in the sense the laymen understands a “year” is false.
• Those who claim that the Torah gives an account of evolution, are incorrectly insinuating that the sages didn't understand Genesis.
• Only Chareidi Judaism seems to put real effort into prayer.
• Reform Judaism isn't dying any time soon, and the Orthodox will have to learn to live with it.
• I've heard too many Orthodox rabbis speak 'lashon horah” about the Chief Rabbi.
• It's not for a few Roshei Yeshiva who have an alien world-view to me, to pasken for me.
• Rav Eliyashiv was wrong to ban Rabbi Slifkin's works on evolution.
• It is a sign of insecurity when Chareidim do things such as ban 2/4 beat music, go through books like “Ethics from Sinai” to purge all non-Jewish references; and reinterpret people like Rav Hirsch to say one can only study for parnassa.
• There are a lack Chareidi rabbis denouncing cases of massive fraud against the government, or speaking out to protect victims of Child Molestation, for fear of mesirah and lashon horah.
• Judaism hasn't got out the ghetto, halacha is failing to adapt to national life and is irrelevant for most Israelis.
• Ibn Ezra learnt a biblical interpretation from a Karaite; and Abarbanel from the Christians.