Freedom

Via JMG: Why Young People Leave The Church

Dan Savage points us to this fascinating story:

When asked by The Barna Group what words or phrases best describe Christianity, the top response among Americans ages 16-29 was “anti-homosexual.” For a staggering 91 percent of non-Christians, this was the first word that came to their mind when asked about the Christian faith. The same was true for 80 percent of young churchgoers. (The next most common negative images? : “judgmental,” “hypocritical,” and “too involved in politics.”)

In the book that documents these findings, titled unChristian, David Kinnaman writes: “The gay issue has become the 'big one,' the negative image most likely to be intertwined with Christianity’s reputation. It is also the dimensions that most clearly demonstrates the unchristian faith to young people today, surfacing in a spate of negative perceptions: judgmental, bigoted, sheltered, right-wingers, hypocritical, insincere, and uncaring. Outsiders say [Christian] hostility toward gays... has become virtually synonymous with the Christian faith.”

Later research, documented in Kinnaman’s You Lost Me, reveals that one of the top reasons 59 percent of young adults with a Christian background have left the church is because they perceive the church to be too exclusive, particularly regarding their LGBT friends. Eight million twenty-somethings have left the church, and this is one reason why.

The author of the piece, Rachel Held Evans, has closed commenting on her post because "I want to keep this a safe place for conversation." Read some of the responses from her Christian readers and you'll see why.

Labels: bigotry, LGBT rights, religion

Reposted from Joe

Via Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center FB:

Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center

Constant awareness
The practice of Dharma should bring you to the point where you can maintain the same constant awareness whether in or out of practice sessions. This is the quintessential point of all spiritual instruction; without it, however many mantras and prayers you recite, however many thousands of prostrations and circumambulations you do, as long as your mind remains distracted none of it will help to get rid of your obscuring emotions. Never forget this most crucial point.

Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

 

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma May 16, 2012

Buddhanature Mind

What is the Buddha-nature? It is a mind that is open and completely unencumbered. It is empty. And it gives birth to warmth and compassion for other people.

- Reginald Ray, "The Power of Solitude"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center/ Facebook:

 

Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center

‎"We know that all is impermanent; we know that everything wears out. Although we can buy this truth intellectually, emotionally we have a deep-rooted aversion to it. We want permanence; we expect permanence. Our natural tendency is to seek security; we believe we can find it. We experience impermanence at the everyday level as frustration. We use our daily activity as a shield against the fundame...ntal ambiguity of our situation, expending tremendous energy trying to ward off impermanence and death. We don't like it that our bodies change shape. We don't like it that we age. We are afraid of wrinkles and sagging skin. We use health products as if we actually believe that OUR skin, OUR hair, OUR eyes and teeth, might somehow miraculously escape the truth of impermanence".

 

-Pema Chodron

Via Follower of the Buddha / Facebook:

 

 

Follower of the Buddha

November 27, 2010

I am the owner of my karma .
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit.
 

The Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya V.57 - Upajjhatthana Sutta

 

Tags: Follower of the Buddha

Via www.nytimes.com:

 

For Some, Same-Sex Marriage Is Not Politics, It’s Personal

www.nytimes.com

 

Like many others, politicians are less influenced by party, faith or color on the question of favoring greater legal protections for gays, both liberals and conservatives say.

Occupy Borders (Bi National couples unite) via Equality Texas

“If you don’t know anyone who’s gay, then it’s an alien lifestyle,” said Theodore Olson, the former solicitor general for President George W. Bush who supports same-sex marriage. But, he added, when “you realize that that’s Mary from down the street, she’s a lesbian and she’s with Sally, what would it be like if they couldn’t be together?” people come around.

Via AmericaBlogGay:

GOP, religious right scared about backlash on marriage debate

It's fascinating when both the lead religious right hate group and the head of the Republican party play nice on same-sex marriage. LA Times: Sen. Rand Paul, who said he wasn't sure President Obama's views on marriage "could get any gayer," was rebuked by an influential evangelical leader Sunday. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, appearing onCBS' "Face the Nation," strongly...

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma

Tricycle Daily Dharma May 15, 2012

Participate Fully

Cleaning the bathroom or chopping the onions is no less important than sitting in deep meditation. Grasping this and acting on it is called waking up.

- Janet Jiryu Abels, "Participate Fully"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

CREDO Mobile and The Other 98% shared The 99 Uniting's photo on FB:

Harvey Milk Anthem - "I Have Tasted Freedom"

Via Gay Marriage USA Facebook:

My Two Moms with Zach Wahls

Via JMG: Breaking News From World Net Daily

 

World Net Daily today provides the breathless news that Starbucks has endorsed same-sex marriage. Note how the linked item carefully avoids mentioning any dates on a story that is months old. Wanna bet NOM paid for this?

Labels: hate groups, NOM, Starbucks, World Net Daily

Reposted from Joe

Aziz Ansari on Gay Marriage

Via JMG: CBS Poll: 62% Of Americans Support Same-Sex Marriage Or Civil Unions

According to a just-published CBS poll, almost two-thirds of all Americans support some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples. The real number to watch is that 18-44 age range. Time is on our side, always.

Labels: CBS, civil unions, marriage equality, polls

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Gallup: Gay Is The New Normal

Gallup reports today:

The slight majority of American adults, 54%, consider gay or lesbian relations morally acceptable. Public acceptance of gay/lesbian relations as morally acceptable grew slowly but steadily from 38% in 2002 to 56% in 2011 and is now holding at the majority level. This Gallup trend mirrors the growth in public support for legalizing gay marriage, which has risen from 42% support in 2004 to 50% or greater support in the last two years. Americans' support for gay rights on both questions leveled off in this year's Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 3-6.

Labels: Gallup, LGBT rights, polls

reposted from Joe