Via Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche:

"The first two, the inner arms, have palms joined at the heart, holding a sky-blue, wish fulfilling jewel. This symbolizes that in whatever way Chenrezig manifests to benefit beings, the quality of Chenrezig's mind is never separate from the all pervasive, non referential state of dharmakaya (primordial wisdom).

"The four arms and hands signify the four immeasurables: immeasurable loving kindness, immeasurable compassion, immeasurable joy, and immeasurable equanimity. Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Boundless Compassion, is the very embodiment and realization of the four immeasurables. The four immeasurables are the vehicles through which Chenrezig benefits beings; therefore, Chenrezig has four arms.

"In the outer right hand, Chenrezig is holding crystal beads and moving them the way we use a mala to count mantras. This symbolizes that there is not one moment when Chenrezig does not benefit beings. Like the steady movement of counting the beads, Chenrezig is continuously benefiting sentient beings and turning the wheel of enlightened activity.

"In the outer left hand, Chenrezig holds a lotus flower. This symbolizes that, in benefiting sentient beings, Chenrezig manifests in whatever forms are necessary in accordance with the mental capacities, circumstances, and aptitudes of sentient beings. For instance, if Chenrezig appeared in the form of a human among certain kinds of sentient beings, (animals, for instance), these animals might run away. For this reason, Chenrezig may appear in the form of an animal. In a similar way, Chenrezig may appear in any of the different realms, such as the hell realm or the hungry ghost realm. However Chenrezig may appear, he remains free from any of the samsaric stains of the various realms, the way a lotus flower growing in a swamp appears free of the stain of the mud. The left hand of Chenrezig, holding the flower, symbolizes that stainlessness."

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche

JMG Editorial Of The Day

From the Baltimore Sun:

The opponents [of same-sex marriage] are resorting to spurious arguments to convince voters that the law will somehow be unfair to those with objections to gay marriages because they don't want to face the real question of fairness at stake. Should the law treat people differently because of their sexual orientation? Or should everyone be treated equally? Maryland's gay marriage ordinance doesn't require anyone to violate their religious beliefs or personal conscience. As much as we hope the debate over this issue will persuade everyone in the state of the value of acceptance and tolerance, the law doesn't force anyone to change the way they think. All it does is to remove a major vestige of discrimination from state law, and that is something all Marylanders should be able to support.

Labels: Baltimore, marriage equality, Maryland

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Undercover At NOM's Anti-Gay Conference

Equality Matters reporter Carlos Maza went undercover at a NOM conference to pose as a straight college student interested in "defending traditional marriage." Today he has posted a lengthy accounting of the events, seminars, and outright lies told to NOM's young attendees.

Maza's report is quite lengthy and I'll excerpt just a bit:

At noon, I sat in on a talk titled "The Truth About Same Sex Parenting Studies," led by economist Douglas Allen. I had read Allen's work through the Ruth Institute blog before - including a piece in which he wrote that same-sex relationships were more unstable, unhealthy, and promiscuous than heterosexual relationships.

Allen began his talk by attempting to debunk the enormous body of research indicating that same-sex parents can effectively raise children. He listed a number of familiar but inaccurate criticisms of modern same-sex parenting studies: sample sizes are too small, sample sizes aren't random, the studies' authors are biased, and so on.

Allen went on to claim that lesbian relationships were more likely to experience instability and dissolution because women's menstrual cycles become synchronized when they live together for a long period of time. I could barely choke back my laughter when I heard Allen's explanation. I'd been exposed a lot of terrible arguments against allowing same-sex couples to raise children, but "lesbians will menstruate at the same time" was the kind of claim I'd expect to hear from someone parodying the anti-gay position.

A few moments later, though, I wasn't laughing...

Read the full Equality Matters report.

Labels: hate groups, Media Matters, NOM, religion

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Log Cabin Republicans Publish Full-Page Marriage Ad In Tampa Newspaper

Good for them! Now let's see if they endorse the man who has pledged to inflict an anti-gay marriage amendment upon the U.S. Constitution.

Labels: homocons, LCR, LGBT rights, RNC, Tampa

reposted from Joe

Republican Party Won't Budge on Marriage Equality: Aug 27 Marriage News Watch

Major news in the Prop 8 case, with new briefs filed with the US Supreme Court. Another survey shows a majority of Americans support the freedom to marry, so why is the Republican party turning its back on relationship recognition? And challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act were already on the fast track, but now that track could get even faster.

AFER online: http://afer.org
AFER on Facebook: http://facebook.com/AFER
AFER on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AFER

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 28, 2012

Transforming Obstacles

Every meditator has challenges. Rather then taking the obstacles as problems or as unfortunate distractions, a more useful attitude is to patiently and contentedly learn the skills and insights that can transform them into stepping stones along the path of practice.

- Gil Fronsdal, "Evaluate Your Meditation"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through August 30th, 2012
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Via JMG: GOP Platform: Obama Adminstration Supports Overseas Homosexual Agenda

Again we see (probably) the hand of Tony Perkins in the GOP party platform, this time in its foreign policy section. Think Progress quotes from a leaked copy:

The effectiveness of our foreign aid has been limited by the cultural agenda of the current Administration, attempting to impose on foreign countries, especially the peoples of Africa, legalized abortion and the homosexual rights agenda. At the same time, faith-based groups — the sector that has had the best track record in promoting lasting development — have been excluded from grants because they will not conform to the administration’s social agenda. We will reverse this tragic course, encourage more involvement by the most effective aid organizations, and trust developing peoples to build their future from the ground up.

Lest we forget, Perkins denounced Obama for expressing opposition to Uganda's plan to start executing homosexuals. That's the real "homosexual agenda" of the Republican party.

Labels: bigotry, GOP, hate groups, Obama administration, religion, theocracy, Uganda

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: The Top Male Couples Of Fantasy Fiction

After Elton has launched a tournament to pick the hottest of the 32 male-male TV couples that dominate the world of fantasy "slash" erotica. The elders of the genre, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, are pitted against their modern day counterparts from the latest edition of Star Trek.

Labels: After Elton, Star Trek, television

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Judge Orders Prop 8 Case Closed

Interesting turn of events reported by Chris Geidner:

The trial court judge in California who has taken over hearing the federal court case challenging Proposition 8, the state's amendment limiting marriages to one man and one woman, ordered the case closed today — which would allow same-sex couples to marry in California. The order comes despite the fact that proponents of Proposition 8 have requested the Supreme Court to review the case because, Judge James Ware wrote today, all requests to stay the judgment in the case have been denied. The proponents made no request of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court to stay the case pending resolution by the Supreme Court.

What happens next is unclear. Could same-sex marriages resume in California before the Supreme Court even decides whether to hear the appeal of its overturn?

UPDATE: AFER spokesman Matt Baume tells me by email that today's "case closed" ruling was just "administrative housekeeping" and that we're still on standby regarding whether SCOTUS will hear the case. As you were...

Labels: California, LGBT rights, Proposition 8

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: CALIFORNIA: San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore "Father Of Prop 8" Cordileone Busted For Drunk Driving

The brand new Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, has been arrested for drunk driving. Cordileone is widely considered the "father of Proposition 8."

Police in San Diego say Bishop Salvatore Cordileone was arrested over the weekend for driving under the influence. Police say it happened in San Diego's College District just before 12:30 Saturday morning. Bishop Cordileone is currently bishop of Oakland -- a post he's held since 2009. Last month Pope Benedict chose Bishop Cordileone to become archbishop of San Francisco -- replacing retiring Archbishop George Niederaur. He's scheduled to assume the new post in October.

I'll have the delicious mug shot ASAP. (Tipped by JMG reader Mark)

Labels: alcohol, California, Catholic Church, Catholics, cults, drunk driving, Proposition 8, San Francisco

Reposted from Joe

Via Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center / FB:

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma August 27, 2012

Getting a Sense of Humor

Fortunately, getting a sense of humor doesn’t come with a price tag. It simply requires understanding that everything we experience is universal; all the humiliations and hijinks are a part of life; each and every one of us gets to slip on the banana peel. So pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and laugh about it, for crying out loud.

- Josh Korda, "Now What?"

Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection through August 29th, 2012
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Who Loves You Baby by Michael Beckwith (Lyric Video)

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
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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
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Via Wipe Out Homophobia / FB: