Rabbi Yehuda Levin knows how to get press – emulate Pat Robertson. Levin, the spokesman of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, issued a press release today warning that lifting the military ban on gays and lesbians serving open in the military is equivalent to the “spiritual rape” of the military:

When Americans are suffering economically and millions need jobs, it’s shocking that the Administration is focused on its ultra-liberal militantly homosexualist agenda forcing the highlighting of homosexuals and homosexuality on an unwilling military. This is the equivalent of the spiritual rape of our military to satisfy the most extreme and selfish cadre of President Obama’s kooky coalition.

When it comes to “kooky” Levin knows his stuff. His release goes on to mimic Robertson’s past statements about gays and lesbians – and the alleged acceptance they are currently enjoying in the United States – as the cause of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

We have seen the underground earthquake, tsunami, Katrina, and now Haiti. All this is in sync with a two thousand year old teaching in the Talmud that the practice of homosexuality is a spiritual cause of earthquakes. Once a disaster is unleashed, innocents are also victims just like in Chernobyl.

Levin’s release says that he represents “1,000 rabbis” in this belief, but their own web site only boasts “800+ members” but does not list specific affiliations. The group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews have apparently been around since 1945, and “seeks to promulgate the cause of Torah-true Judaism through an organized rabbinate that is consistently Orthodox.”

Levin says he agrees “with Eileen Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness that this will hurt the cohesiveness of the military, cause many to leave the army, and dramatically lower the number of recruits, perhaps leading to the reinstatement of a compulsory draft.”

However, that belief runs counter to many studies already done that show lifting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would not adversely affect the military in any way.

In 1993 RAND Corp. concluded that openly gay people in the U.S. military do not negatively impact unit cohesion, morale, good order, or military readiness.

Several other military-commissioned and GAO studies have concluded that open service does not undermine military readiness, troop morale or national security.

In addition 24 countries, including Israel, allow openly gay service members without any adverse affect upon military cohesion or readiness.

As for natural disasters, Levin may want to study up on what causes earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. I don’t see “gays and lesbians” listed among the data. But, fundamentalists of all stripes never let the facts get in the way of a good, scary, story.

”We plead with saner heads in Congress and the Pentagon to stop sodomization of our military and our society. Enough is enough.”

Indeed, it is.