Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Via JMG: BRUSSELS: Anti-LGBT Lobby Linked To American Conservative Groups
The EU Observer reports that the anti-gay lobby in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union, has financial links to anti-gay conservative groups in the United States.
One such lobby group is European Dignity Watch, founded in 2010, advocating "life, the family and fundamental freedoms." According to the EU transparency register, it has an annual budget of €80,816 - all in the form of anonymous donations. It rallies against abortion, euthanasia, but most ardently against gay rights. It accuses the European Parliament of pressuring member states into legalising same-sex marriage, and the European Commission of bias for hosting a pro-gay photo exhibition.Among those suspected of secretly funding European anti-gay groups is the Heritage Foundation, the DC-based conservative think tank founded in 1973 by Joseph Coors. The anti-gay groups cited in the EU Observer's article vehemently deny that they are paid by American organizations.
Via JMG: NEW RECORD: Chick-Fil-A Donated Almost $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2010
Equality Matters reports: In early 2011, Chick-fil-A came under fire for its donations and political ties to a number of anti-gay groups. Though Chick-fil-A continues to deny supporting an anti-gay agenda, the company has donated over $3 million to organizations like the Family Research Council and Exodus International between 2003 and 2009. And in 2010 alone, Chick-fil-A donated over $1.9 million to anti-gay causes, more than any other year for which public records are available.The bulk of the 2010 donations came in a $1.2M grant to the Marriage & Family Foundation. Another $500K went to the Fellowship For Christian Athletes, who requires applicants to sign their Sexual Purity Pledge:
God desires His children to lead pure lives of holiness. The Bible is clear in teaching on sexual sin including sex outside of marriage and homosexual acts. Neither heterosexual sex outside of marriage nor any homosexual act constitute an alternate lifestyle acceptable to God. While upholding God’s standard of holiness, FCA strongly affirms God’s love and redemptive power in the individual who chooses to follow Him. FCA’s desire is to encourage individuals to trust in Jesus and turn away from any impure lifestyle.
Via JMG: WASHINGTON STATE: Microsoft Heads Ballmer & Gates Donate To Marriage
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer have each donated $100,000 to Washington state's marriage equality movement. The AP cites Zach Silk, campaign manager for Washington United for Marriage, who says the checks were cut on Friday and are being reported to the state Public Disclosure Commission Monday afternoon. The Washington state Legislature passed the law allowing same-sex marriage earlier this year, and it was signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire in Feb. But an effort to put that law up to a vote was successful, meaning Referendum 74 -- seeking to overturn the law allowing same-sex marriage in Washington state -- is on the ballot in November.In November last year, Microsoft joined in the filing of an amicus brief supporting the overturn of DOMA. (Tipped by JMG reader Alex)
Via AmericaBlog Gay:
"The
fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more
happy, comfortable with myself, and proud
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma
Tricycle Daily Dharma July 3, 2012
The Limited Mask of Self
Of
all the words we use to disguise the hollowness of the human condition,
none is more influential than 'myself.' It consists of a collage of
still images—name, gender, nationality, profession, enthusiasms,
relationships—that are renovated from time to time, but otherwise are
each a relic from one particular experience or another. The defining
teaching of the Buddhist tradition, that of non-self, is merely pointing
out the limitations of this reflexive view we hold of ourselves. It’s
not that the self does not exist, but that it is as cobbled-together and
transient as everything else.
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- Andrew Olendzki, "Self as Verb"
Monday, July 2, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma
Tricycle Daily Dharma July 2, 2012
Uprooting the Seeds of Anger
We
all know anger from experience, but when we are asked to pause and
consider, ‘What is this anger?’ it’s not always so easy to see what it
is. Yet when we approach our feelings of anger with awareness, with
mindfulness, it becomes a productive part of our practice. We find,
after all, that anger has something to teach us.
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- Jules Shuzen Harris, Sensei, "Uprooting the Seeds of Anger"
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma July 1, 2012
Being Unafraid of Pain
You
don’t have to be afraid of pain. If it’s going to be there, you can let
it be there—but don’t let the mind be in pain with it.
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- Upasika Kee Nanayon, "Tough Teachings to Ease the Mind"
Via JMG: LAOS: US Embassy Supports Nation's First-Ever LGBT Pride Celebration
Laos has held its first-ever LGBT Pride event with the support of the U.S. Embassy. More than 100 people attended the event, which took place on the sports field of the U.S. Embassy. The guests of honor were U.S. Ambassador Karen Stewart and Dr. Bounpheng Philavong, Director of the Center for HIV/AIDS/STI (CHAS) at the Lao Ministry of Health. During their remarks, both Dr. Bounpheng and Ambassador Stewart congratulated the event organizers for taking an important first step to achieving full acceptance of LGBT people in Lao society.The theme was "Proud To Be Us."
"The message we want to send is that no matter what you look like or where you come from or what your sexual orientation is, every single one of you is a person with value and should be treated with dignity and respect," Ambassador Stewart told the crowd to loud applause. The event drew performers and participation from a number of organizatons that provide outreach and services to Laos' LGBT community, including the Purple Sky Network, Lao Positive Health Association (Lao PHA), Population Services International (PSI), the Burnet Institute, Family Health International (FHI), the Vientiane Youth Center for Health and Development, and UNFPA.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma June 30, 2012
True Dharma
Dharma
is not about credentials. It’s not about how many practices you’ve
done, or how peaceful you can make your mind. It’s not about being in a
community where you feel safe or enjoying the cachet of being a
'Buddhist.' It’s not even about accumulating teachings, empowerments, or
'spiritual accomplishments.' It’s about how naked you’re willing to be
with your own life, and how much you’re willing to let go of your masks
and your armor and live as a completely exposed, undefended, and open
human person.
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- Reginald Ray, "Blazing with Wakefulness"
Friday, June 29, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma June 29, 2012
Enjoying the Silence
Silence
doesn’t mean not talking and not doing things; it means that you are
not disturbed inside. If you’re truly silent, then no matter what
situation you find yourself in you can enjoy the silence.
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- Thich Nhat Hanh, "The Heart of the Matter"
Via AmericaBlogGay:
Anti-gay Republican tries to woos gays on health care by invoking same-sex marriage
This
is laughable:
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC): “The Supreme Court’s precedent in this case
will far exceed health care. In short, government is now able to make
you do anything by penalizing you with a tax. If future governments
don’t like marriage it will be able to tax you if you want to get
married. That goes both ways – for traditional and gay marriage. If
future governments want to limit the...
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma June 28, 2012
Suffering's Lessons
It
is because of pain and suffering that we first want to practice. And
it’s because of pain and suffering that we attain enlightenment. Regard
suffering as a teacher, and an inspiration.
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- Mingyur Rinpoche, "The Easy Middle"
Via AmericaBlog Gay:
Team Obama loves the gay
New
video from the Obama campaign. Yes, it wasn't always easy getting
these accomplishments to occur, but they did occur, and won't with
Romney. The last several years we told the President that we'd better
see some significant promises kept, or else. And, in the end,
significant promises were kept - not all of them, but enough of them to
merit keeping our promise in return.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma June 27, 2012
Sex as Sacred Energy
Much
of the language around sexuality has to do with fire: 'in the heat of
passion'; 'a burning desire'; 'she has a new flame.' This is the fire of
creation. It’s not just my sacred energy I need to be in touch with and aware of, it is the fire of all creation from moment to moment to moment.
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- Nancy Baker, "Sexual Misconduct"
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Via AmericaBlog Gay:
Dan Savage on meth abuse, sex addiction, and gay Republicans - a simply brilliant must read
Dan
Savage writes of GOProud, a newish gay Republican organization that
recently endorsed Mitt Romney after admitting that they'd have endorsed
any GOP presidential candidate, regardless of who it was (a bizarre
admission for any group that claims to be a "gay rights group," even a
Republican one).
Dan's post is brilliant. He talks about homophobia and how it destroys
gay lives, while the...
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma
Tricycle Daily Dharma June 26, 2012
What Nonattachment Is Not
Unfortunately,
we can easily confuse nonattachment with avoidance of attachment.
Avoidance of attachment, however, is not freedom from attachment. It’s
another form of clinging—clinging to the denial of your human attachment
needs, out of distrust that love is reliable.
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- John Welwood, "Human Nature, Buddha Nature"
Sunday, June 24, 2012
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