Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 26, 2012

Nothing Born, Nothing Dying

From the intrinsic standpoint—one of body, of Buddha-nature—non-killing means that there is nothing being born and nothing dying. The very notions of 'birth' and 'death' are extra. Life does not divide up into things to be killed or not killed; it is just this one body, constantly changing.

- Bernard Glassman, "Precept Study: Ethics in Action"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through August 28th, 2012
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member

Via Humor GLS - LGBT / FB:

Via JMG: Hate Group Hypocrisy Of The Day

Remember all the screams about yard signs and chikin graffiti? According to the American Family Association, vandalism is totally OK when it's their side doing it.

AFA was recently contacted by a Home Depot employee who says the boycott of Home Depot is being effective. "We have customers who come into our store and confront our store managers over the HD's support of Gay pride. The AFA is having an effect on HD." She also shared that many employees disagree with the company's pro-gay-marriage stand. In June, a "Gay Pride Month" poster (photo right) was put up in her breakroom. "HD is as committed as ever to the changing of laws in favor of same sex marriage. They had absolutely no empathy for those employees who voiced offense with the display. This was mandated by corporate directive. Therefore the display was torn down at least 2 times."

Freepers are thrilled.

Labels: AFA, hate groups, hypocrisy, religion

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Tyler Clementi's Mother: I've Changed

The mother of Tyler Clementi, the gay Rutgers student who leaped to his death from the George Washington Bridge, says she's riddled with self-blame but has come to a new understanding about her son's sexuality.

“I think some people think that sexual orientation can be changed or prayed over,” she said now, in her kitchen. “But I know sexual orientation is not up for negotiation. I don’t think my children need to be changed. I think that what needed changing is attitudes, or myself, or maybe some other people I know.” She decided she could no longer attend her church, because doing so would suggest she supported its teachings against homosexuality.

And she took strength from reading the Bible as she reconsidered her views. “At this point I think Jesus is more about reconciliation and love,” she said. “He spoke more about divorce than homosexuality, but you can be divorced and join a church more than you can be gay and join churches.” What has troubled her most is the thought that Tyler believed she had rejected him.

Read the full sad article.

Labels: LGBT youth, New Jersey, parenting, suicide

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 25, 2012

Being Careful with Thoughts

People are often careless about the thoughts they give rise to, assuming that once they forget about a thought, that thought is finished. This is not true. Once you give rise to a thought, it keeps functioning, and eventually its consequences return to you.

- Daehaeng Kun Sunim, "Thinking Big"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through August 27th, 2012
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member

Via Wipe Out Homophobia / FB:

Via JMG: Record 470 Openly LGBT Delegates To Attend Democratic Convention

At least 470 delegates at the Democratic Convention will be openly LGBT. Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade:

The upcoming Democratic National Convention is set to have a record number of openly LGBT delegates, although goals for some states aren’t being met, according to new data from the National Stonewall Democrats. The organization as of Wednesday evening identified at least 470 openly LGBT delegates that are set to attend the convention, but more data is expected to become public at a later time. A total of 5,963 delegates are set to come to Charlotte, N.C.., for the event during the week of Sept. 3. Having 470 delegates exceeds the goal of 418 delegates at the convention and is already higher than numbers from 2008, when 277 delegates participated.

California leads the pack with 74 LGBT delegates. States sending only one: Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming. Several states are sending LGBT delegates for the first time ever.

Labels: Charlotte, Democratic convention, gay politicians, JMG, LGBT rights, North Carolina

reposted from Joe

From the San Francisco 49ers: It Gets Better

Family and Freedom - Republicans for Marriage Equality

Expanding Marriage Rights does not Redefine Marriage