Friday, November 28, 2014

Flower of the Day: 11/28/14

“The experience of jumping into the abyss of denied feelings can only happen once you have understood the importance of this experience. If you have not yet understood this, you won't be able to jump because you will be terrified. At this moment, you become aware of your false faith. Without true faith, you could remain paralyzed on the edge of the abyss unable to jump for a long time, perhaps for many life times. Such skepticism is actually an elevated state of consciousness since it acts as a bridge that leads from false faith to true faith. In order to go beyond skepticism, it’s necessary to understand the importance of re-experiencing one’s denied feelings.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Dialy Dharma


Grief Bringing Us Home | November 28, 2014

It is our grief / heavy, relentless, / trudging / us, however resistant, / to the decaying and / rotten / bottom of things: / our grief bringing / us home.

- Alice Walker, "Turning Madness into Flowers"



Thursday, November 27, 2014

Via Zeit online: Wie eine Perversion menschlicher Natur

Wie eine Perversion menschlicher Natur

Ich bin schwul und Anhänger der Bahai-Religion. Ein Dilemma, denn die Bahai erlauben keine Homosexualität. Ein Leserartikel von Lukas Jung

A very free google translation into English follows:

 ------
 A few years ago I resigned from the church and converted to the Baha'i faith. Baha'is believe that the Divine for humans is not clear but is revealed through spiritual personalities in different cultures and eras. These figures include not only Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Baha'i faith, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, and the founders of other religions.

The aim of the Baha'i Revelation is the unity of mankind in diversity. Bahai not proselytize why. They recognize the other religions unconditionally and enter into a dialogue with them. You want to build a peaceful and united society of people in all their diversity.
These views and the lived spirituality in the form of simple devotions, prayers, meditations and the service of the people told me too much. In a pretty young church I learned to better understand the scriptures, to broaden my horizons to develop myself spiritual, human and intellectual further. Soon I also took over functions in the community. I became a member of spiritual councils, even once chairman of such Council. It was a wonderful time.

But I could never resolve a conflict: I'm gay - gay Bahais but may not live their sexuality. I should seek therapeutic help me and take steps towards heterosexuality, I was advised. They gave me writings of religious figures from the 1950s to read, where homosexuality is described as a disease as a disorder, as a perversion of human nature.

However, the Baha'is believe that religion and science are to enter into a harmonious relationship. If the religious teachings contain something that is contrary to science, it must be revised. This is a fundamental principle of the Baha'i faith. And while it is being applied in other areas, it is ignored when it comes to homosexuality.

Due to some failed relationships with men I took the writings on homosexuality unfortunately very much to heart. I began to think that the problems in the gay community had its basis in homosexuality. I began to see myself as a perversion of human nature. For two years I denied myself and tried to develop feelings that I had not. Every time I saw an attractive man, I told myself that it was wrong to feel that way. I hated myself.

Fortunately, I finally met capable therapists who advised me, myself, so assume I am. So I began again more open with my homosexuality. I also told them some Bahai and only learned tolerant to very positive reactions. However, some of the religious leaders advised me not to serve within the community. Above all, I should not conduct children's classes and youth groups. The highest national body, the National Council, called on me in a letter not to participate in activities for children.

I was shocked and hurt. Was that the much-vaunted unity in diversity? The abolition of prejudice? The harmony of science and religion?

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I sought contact with other lesbian and gay Bahai. I found them online. Tucked away. Injured. Excluded. The website gaybahai.net lists some of their stories. There are stories of pain, suffering and self-hatred - fueled by a religion that is committed to the aim of reducing prejudice and to create unity in diversity.

At the moment I consider myself as an agnostic rather than a believer. Much of the Bahai I see now critical. Even my connection to spirituality, religion and belief, I have lost, weakened to God. I guess I should leave the Bahai, on the other hand I love and appreciate my community.

I still believe that the Baha'i religion has great potential to contribute good in the world. But first she must be self-critical and its principles match with their dogmas. You must finally the issue of homosexuality the same openness have placed such other topics as well.

The author writes under a pseudonym. His real name is known to the editors.

This post is part of our series who believes it.  


The original is here

Via George Takei / FB:


A Native American thanksgiving day song


Flower of the Day: 11/27/14

“Free will is a great mystery. It’s true that it does exist, for it is a law of this realm – the question is, ‘Who in you uses this power of choice?’ The human being does have a free will, but until one learns how to use this power of choice, there are many ups and downs, many mistakes and successes. All of this is absolutely necessary because only by making these mistakes does one learn.”
Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma


We Receive This Food in Gratitude | November 27, 2014

We receive this food in gratitude
From all beings who helped to bring it to our table,
And vow to respond in turn to those in need
With wisdom and compassion.


- Zen Mountains and Rivers Order, "A Vegetarian Thanksgiving"


Via Daily Dharma


Strain Out Whatever's Inessential | November 30, 2014

Zazen [meditation] and poetry are both studies of the mind. I find the internal pressure exerted by emotion and by a koan to be similar in surprising and unpredictable ways. Zen is a wonderful sieve through which to pour a poem. It strains out whatever’s inessential.

- Chase Twichell, "The Ghost of Eden"


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Via JMG: FLORIDA: Lawmakers Introduce Sweeping LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill


Via Equality Florida:
Earlier today, Representative Holly Raschein (R- Key Largo) and Democratic Whip Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D- Boynton Beach) filed legislation in the Florida House and Senate respectively that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in employment, housing and public accommodations. Known as the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), the legislation would amend Chapter 760 of the Florida State Statutes that currently prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or marital status to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The bill would add protections for more than 536,000 LGBT adults living in Florida. Despite overwhelming public support and the passage of local equal rights ordinances throughout the state, there is no statewide law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida.
The map above shows the states that presently provide employment and housing protections. The darker-shaded states include gender identity as well as sexual orientation. For a slightly different map that depicts public accommodation protections, click here.


Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via STOP-Homophobia.com / FB:


Via DailyKos:


Via justabahai: Bahais are not united in being against same sex marriage!

Bahais are not united in being against same sex marriage!

by justabahai
A friend wrote: "Yesterday during the celebration of the Day of the Covenant, the issue of homosexuality popped up during a talk citing how America is legalizing marriage for gays, state by state. The person giving the talk said this is wrong and that what keeps the Baha'is united from these negative forces is the […]
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We Are from the Future — Next Stage: Revolution of Love


Flower of the Day: 11/26/14

“Every change has three phases: a death or deconstruction (an ending), a neutral zone (a waiting period where nothing happens), and a rebirth (the emergence of something new). Usually, the greatest difficulty lies in this first phase because we have been conditioned to believe that all deconstruction is negative – but this is not true. At the deepest level, all deconstruction is positive, but it is always painful. This is because human beings cling to everything, from relationships, to work, to their house, to their children. The change may only occur internally, such as a pattern that is being dissolved, and if one is attached to this pattern, one will suffer.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via JMG: Mississippi Joins The Cerulean States




Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via NO H8 Campaign: Hell done froze over, gay marriage in Mississippi !


Via Daily Dharma


A Portal to Liberation | November 26, 2014

It is through the everydayness of. . . art that we are blessed to experience the ordinary mind as a portal to transcendence and liberation.

- Charles Johnson, "The Dharma and the Artist's Eye"


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Cory Booker Repost


Via New Civil Rights: New Study Shows Homosexuality 'Is An Essential Part Of Human Evolution'

Researchers at England's University of Portsmouth believe they have found a scientific explanation for homosexuality and their theories could even provide support for same-sex marriage as being completely natural.
The scientists link the hormone progesterone, which is naturally-occurring in both men and women, to socialization and see it as a tool that "promotes bonding."
"The frequency of homoerotic behavior among individuals who do not identify as having an exclusively homosexual sexual orientation suggests that such behavior potentially has adaptive value," the researchers write.
LOOK: Large Study Finds 'Pretty Good Indication' Of Genetic Link To Homosexuality
And they seem to have found an evolutionary case that supports same-sex relationships and marriage, even finding them advantageous.
"From an evolutionary perspective we tend to think of sexual behaviour as a means to an end for reproduction," Diana Fleischman, the study's lead author, states. "However, because sexual behaviour is intimate and pleasurable, it is also used in many species, including non-human primates, to help form and maintain social bonds. We can all see this in romantic couples who bond by engaging in sexual behaviour even when reproduction is not possible."
That sex is scientifically found to be not solely designed for reproduction debunks religious extremists' claims that man-woman marriage is the only "natural" marriage.
"To test whether homosexual behaviour really does go hand in hand with a need to form close bonds with others of the same sex, they decided to compare sexual behaviour with the level of a certain hormone in the blood," City AM reports.
Progesterone is also known as a “social” hormone – it is produced mainly in the ovaries in women and in the adrenal glands in men, and encourages a person to engage with others in a positive way.
They asked a group of participants questions such as "The idea of kissing a person of the same sex is sexually arousing to me," and: "If someone of the same sex made a pass at me I would be disgusted”. They compared the answers to the level of progesterone in the blood.
The results, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, show that the people with higher levels of the hormone are indeed more inclined to have homoerotic thoughts.
Heterosexual men and women, for example, were more open to the idea of engaging in homosexual behaviour when progesterone was high. Men also produced more of the hormone and felt more homosexual if they were reminded of a societal need to be friendly with other males.
Fleischman adds that "the research suggests that having exclusively heterosexual thoughts is a disadvantage – it’s better to be a little bit attracted to the opposite sex." 

Image via Flickr

Make the jump here to read the original and full article:

http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/new_study_proves_evolution_supports_same_sex_marriage