Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Via Huffington Post: 7 Things Churches Can Do to Make Queer People Feel Welcome
For as long as I can remember, the church, for me, has been a place
characterized by shame and hurt. I remember Christian high school
friends telling me that I would go to hell for being Queer. I remember
hearing sermons from televangelists about the evils of homosexuality,
and church leaders pressuring youth leaders to cast out their Queer
members. I've heard more talk of "love the sinner, hate the sin," and
"God didn't make gay," than anyone should, and I've even received
personalized hate mail declaring that "God hates dykes."
While I've never believed being Queer automatically counted me out, I've been unable to find a church community that I, as a Trans person, could really call home -- a place I could engage in conversations around faith and sexuality, faith and gender.
Last fall, a co-worker invited me to meet with a group of leaders from her church who were working to make their community more open and affirming. As the Director of LGBTQA Advocacy and Education at the local college, I suppose I was a logical choice, though this colleague knew nothing of my lifelong struggles with faith.
Through talking with these people about their desires to be inclusive and their belief in God's love extending to all people, I found my mind re-opening to faith, to God. Because of these conversations, I realized that it is possible for Queer people to feel welcome and safe at church. Ultimately, it begins with education and relationships.
Make the jum here to read the 7 things all churches can do to help make Queer people feel welcome.
While I've never believed being Queer automatically counted me out, I've been unable to find a church community that I, as a Trans person, could really call home -- a place I could engage in conversations around faith and sexuality, faith and gender.
Last fall, a co-worker invited me to meet with a group of leaders from her church who were working to make their community more open and affirming. As the Director of LGBTQA Advocacy and Education at the local college, I suppose I was a logical choice, though this colleague knew nothing of my lifelong struggles with faith.
Through talking with these people about their desires to be inclusive and their belief in God's love extending to all people, I found my mind re-opening to faith, to God. Because of these conversations, I realized that it is possible for Queer people to feel welcome and safe at church. Ultimately, it begins with education and relationships.
Make the jum here to read the 7 things all churches can do to help make Queer people feel welcome.
Via JMG: Sen. Bernie Sanders To Enter 2016 Race
Via the Associated Press:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce his plans to seek the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday, presenting a liberal challenge to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Sanders, an independent who describes himself as a "democratic socialist," will follow a formal statement with a major campaign kickoff in his home state in several weeks. Two people familiar with his announcement spoke to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity to describe internal planning. Sanders will become the second major Democrat in the race, joining Clinton. He has urged the former secretary of state to speak out strongly about issues related to income inequality and climate change. The former first lady and New York senator is viewed as a heavy favorite in the Democratic primary and formally entered the race earlier this month.Oh this will be interesting.
This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind
Eleven years
after Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex couples to
marry, the Supreme Court on April 28 will hear arguments about whether
to extend that right nationwide. The case comes amid a wave of gay
marriage legalization: 28 states since 2013, and 36 overall. Such
widespread acceptance in a short amount of time isn't a phenomenon
unique to gay marriage. Social change in the U.S. appears to follow a
pattern: A few pioneer states get out front before the others, and then a
key event—often a court decision or a grassroots campaign reaching
maturity—triggers a rush of state activity that ultimately leads to a
change in federal law.
We looked at six big issues—interracial marriage, prohibition, women’s suffrage, abortion, same-sex marriage, and recreational marijuana — to show how this has happened in the past, and may again in the very near future.
We looked at six big issues—interracial marriage, prohibition, women’s suffrage, abortion, same-sex marriage, and recreational marijuana — to show how this has happened in the past, and may again in the very near future.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 29/04/2015
“Enquanto tenta suprir a sua carência ganhando dinheiro, comendo ou
comprando coisas, você prejudica prioritariamente a si mesmo. Mas,
quando tenta suprir a carência dominando o outro, as coisas complicam.
Porque, para dominar o outro, você precisará fazer com que ele se sinta
inferior. Esse é um jogo perverso. Você faz o outro se sentir impotente
para poder se sentir potente; você joga a culpa no outro para não se
sentir culpado. Isso é maldade de verdade.”
Para ler o Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/prembaba01
“Mientras intentas suplir tu carencia ganando dinero, comiendo o comprando cosas, te perjudicas prioritariamente a ti mismo. Pero cuando intentas suplir la carencia dominando al otro, las cosas se complican. Porque para dominar al otro, necesitarás hacer que él se sienta inferior. Este es un juego perverso. Haces al otro sentirse impotente para poder sentirte potente, le hechas la culpa al otro para no sentirte culpable. Eso es maldad de verdad.”
"When we try to compensate for our neediness by making money, eating or buying things, we are mainly hurting ourselves. But when we try to compensate for this neediness by dominating others, things get complicated. In order to dominate others, we need to make them feel inferior. This is a perverse game. We make the other feel powerless in order for us to feel powerful; we lay the blame on the other to not feel guilty ourselves. This is true evil. "
“Mientras intentas suplir tu carencia ganando dinero, comiendo o comprando cosas, te perjudicas prioritariamente a ti mismo. Pero cuando intentas suplir la carencia dominando al otro, las cosas se complican. Porque para dominar al otro, necesitarás hacer que él se sienta inferior. Este es un juego perverso. Haces al otro sentirse impotente para poder sentirte potente, le hechas la culpa al otro para no sentirte culpable. Eso es maldad de verdad.”
"When we try to compensate for our neediness by making money, eating or buying things, we are mainly hurting ourselves. But when we try to compensate for this neediness by dominating others, things get complicated. In order to dominate others, we need to make them feel inferior. This is a perverse game. We make the other feel powerless in order for us to feel powerful; we lay the blame on the other to not feel guilty ourselves. This is true evil. "
Via Daily Dharma
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