A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma: Sitting Regularly
October 22, 2011
Sitting Regularly
Plan to sit at the same time each day. One of the benefits of doing this is that one gets to know the mind that doesn’t want to sit. Personally, I like to sit immediately upon waking up in the morning. For many people, this seems to be a good time, before we become engaged in the activities of the day. But if you have small children or a demanding job, this may not be possible. And some of us have rebellious natures, so any routine presents a problem. Then we need to be flexible. |
– Narayan Liebenson Grady, "The Refuge of Sitting"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Friday, October 21, 2011
Via JMG: Perkins: Cain Is Right On Gay "Choice"
And this is the same Tony Perkins who on July 27th of this year said: "Same-sex attraction is not a choice." Somebody's losing track of their own bullshit.
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
October 21, 2011
Right Interest
Right effort is effort with wisdom. Because where there is wisdom, there is interest. The desire to know something is wisdom at work. Being mindful is not difficult. But it’s difficult to be continuously aware. For that you need right effort. But it does not require a great deal of energy. It’s relaxed perseverance in reminding yourself to be aware. When you are aware, wisdom unfolds naturally, and there is still more interest. |
– Sayadaw U Tejaniya, "The Wise Investigator"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Via Ameicabloggay: So does Herman Cain want to do guys but he simply "chooses" women instead?
Now we know what kind of pizza Herman Cain likes.
I'm always fascinated by people who think being gay is a choice. It says to me that for them, being straight is a choice. Meaning, they're bisexual - they like both, and therefore of course they think it's a "choice" to be gay, because for them it was a "choice" to be straight (i.e., a choice to have sex with women instead of acting on their desires to have sex with men). I think Herman Cain just shared a bit more than he bargained for. Piers Morgan on CNN via Politico:
Morgan: You're a commonsense guy..You genuinely believe that millions of Americans wake up in their late teens normally and go, you know what, i kind of fancy being a homosexual? You don't believe that, do you?
Cain: Piers, you haven't given me any evidence to believe otherwise.
Morgan: My gut instinct, Herman, tells me that it has to be a natural thing.
Cain: So it's your gut instinct versus my gut instincts. I respect their right to make that choice. You don't see me bashing them. I respect them to have the right to make that choice. I don't have to agree with it. That's all I'm saying
Morgan: It would be like a gay person saying, Herman, you made a choice to be black.
Cain: You know that's not the case. You know I was born black.
Morgan: Maybe if they say that, they would find that offensive.
Cain: Piers, Piers. This doesn't wash off. I hate to burst your bubble.
Morgan: I don't think being homosexual washes off.
Neither does being a bigot.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
JMG HomoQuotable - Andrew Sullivan
"To rid the world of Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki and Moammar Qaddafi within six months: if Obama were a Republican, he'd be on Mount Rushmore by now." - Andrew Sullivan. One his readers chimes in: "Bush and Saddam - One Trillion dollars and thousands of US lives. Obama and Qaddafi - One Billion dollars and zero US lives."
The Sacramento Bee CapitolAlert
BREAKING NEWS
Judge denies bid to make Proposition 8 donor identities secret
A federal judge this afternoon denied a challenge to California's campaign disclosure law by proponents of Proposition 8, who sought to make donors' identities secret, claiming they were harassed.Read more
Via JMG: Home Depot To AFA: Get Lost
Daily Finance reports that Home Depot is continuing to ignore the demands of the American Family Association, who wants the DIY giant to pull out of all gay-friendly events.
Home Depot is holding its line on the issue: "Our response on this has been and continues to be that we respect the diversity of all people and maintain an inclusive culture," Home Depot spokesman Steve Holmes said in an email. "This is what [Chairman] Frank [Blake] told the AFA publicly at our annual shareholders meeting earlier this year." Home Depot isn't the only high-profile company the AFA has targeted. It has also tangled with Walt Disney (DIS), Procter & Gamble (PG), and PepsiCo (PEP). The AFA, which brags on its website that it has been on "the frontlines of America's culture war" since 1977, insists that it has nothing against gays. All it wants is for corporate America to remain "neutral" in these same conflicts, according to Sharp. That includes both supporting gay causes and marketing to the LGBT community.Home Depot has earned your business. Go buy a dishwasher.
Via JMG: White House Recognizes Spirit Day
In recognition of GLAAD's anti-bullying Spirit Day, the White House purpled the backgrounds on its Twitter and Facebook pages.
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
October 20, 2011
What We Call “Sacred”
Life is possible. Situations are possible. And anybody can start to gain some kind of insight and appreciation of their lives. That’s what we call “sacred.” It doesn’t mean something dramatic, but something very simple. There’s a sacredness to everyone’s life. |
– Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, "A New Place, A New Time"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Via JMG: New App Tracks Gay Scandals
Product description:
Instant alerts when homophobic lawmakers get caught in gay sex scandals! iScandal tracks hypocrisy among anti-gay lawmakers. Functioning like the "It's been XX days since our last accident" signs you see in factories, whenever a new scandal breaks, iScandal sends a push notification and the option to spread the word. Though lighthearted and fun, iScandal serves a meaningful purpose in highlighting the hypocrisy endemic in the anti-gay movement. iScandal makes no claims other that what has already been reported in the mainstream news but may have been missed by some people.Now available for iPhones and Androids. Cost: 99 cents.
Via JMG: NEW JERSEY: Gov. Chris Christie Denounces Anti-Gay Teacher Vicki Knox
Speaking on a local radio show, today NJ Gov. Chris Christie denounced public school teacher Vicki Knox, who last week posted an anti-gay tirade to her Facebook page.
“I think that kind of example is not a positive one at all to be setting for folks who have such an important and influential position in our society. I'm really concerned about those kinds of statements being made.” Christie went on to say he would “like to see an examination of how that teacher conducts herself in the classroom.”The Human Rights Campaign approves.
“We applaud Governor Christie for doing the right thing and speaking out against the anti-LGBT vitriol this teacher chose to bring into the classroom,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Governor Christie’s denouncement sends a very strong message that intentionally and publicly spreading malicious rhetoric and falsehoods about LGBT Americans is unacceptable and cannot go ignored. Now, Union Township school officials must take action that adequately addresses the severity of Ms. Knox’s behavior.”
Via JMG: HRC Launches National Marriage Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign has launched a national edition of the marriage equality campaign that was so well-received in New York. First up is Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
reposted from Joe
reposted from Joe
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma: Spiritual Bypassing
October 19, 2011
Spiritual Bypassing
Many of us originally turn to the dharma at least in part as a way of trying to overcome the pain of our psychological and relational wounding. Yet we are often in denial about or unconscious of the nature or extent of this wounding. As a result, being a “good” spiritual practitioner can become a compensatory identity that covers up and defends against an underlying deficient identity, where we feel bad about ourselves, not good enough, or basically lacking. Then, although we may be practicing diligently, our spiritual practice can be used in the service of denial and defense. And when spiritual practice is used to bypass our real-life human issues, it becomes compartmentalized in a separate zone of our life that remains unintegrated with our overall functioning. |
– John Welwood, "Human Nature, Buddha Nature"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Via JMG: The Truth About 9-9-9
As the above analysis of Herman Cain's 9% federal flat tax plan shows, only those who make more than $200,000 annually would see any reduction. Folks who make $30K - $75K would see an increase of about $4300. No wonder he's been endorsed by GOProud. And the above chart doesn't even address the punishment the poor would endure from a 9% national sales tax.
Via Gay Politics Report: Oregon voters may get a chance to reverse marriage ban
- Basic Rights Oregon says it is gauging the effects of a two-year campaign that aimed to educate people about marriage equality, to decide whether there is enough support to propose a statewide ballot measure reversing the existing ban against gays and lesbians marrying. New polling nationally and in Oregon shows a marked increase in the number of people who believe gays and lesbians should have equal marriage rights, but one pollster cautioned it still may be too soon to test that support in the voting booth. The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) (10/16)
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
October 18, 2011
What We’ve Been Practicing For
In times of crisis, we often feel we don’t have the time or energy to practice, but those are precisely the times when the practice is most necessary. This is what we’ve been practicing for: the situations where the practice doesn’t come easily. When the winds of change reach hurricane force, our inner refuge of mindfulness, concentration, and discernment is the only thing that will keep us from getting blown away. |
– Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "What We’ve Been Practicing For"
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)