Last week NOM was all over the hate web trumpeting an unsourced poll which claimed that French support for same-sex marriage had "plummeted." Not according to a poll released today.
Reposted from Joe
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Subject: If I were Bahá'í !
Subject: If I were Bahá'í !
"If I were Bahá'í!" is Tarek Heggy's newest addition to his series of articles entitled " If I were ...! Google search-engine would provide access to some of the earlier pieces of this series, such as "If I were an Egyptian Copt", "If I were a Saudi Shiite!", "If I were a Syrian Kurd!". The publication of "If I were an Egyptian Nubian!" is eminent. Defending the rights of minorities and religious freedoms represent an essential corner-stone of Tarek Heggy's writings, together with advocating the basic values of modernity : plurality, otherness, women rights, freedom of speech, critical mind, relativity, civil & secular state ....etc. According to Tarek Heggy, the top enemies of such values are totalitarian dogmas such as Marxism, Islamism and any religion when it endeavours to run societies.
---------------------------------------
-------------------
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world of the systematic plan to eliminate all trace of the Bahá'í Faith and the Bahá'ís from Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have brought to the attention of all the great personalities and the intellectuals of the world the respect and regard with which their peers in Egypt received 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Son of Bahá'u'lláh) during His visit to this country in the early 20th. Century, and with what filth and disregard today's pretentious personalities and false intellectuals of Egypt smear the fair name of Bahá'í and the Bahá'ís.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the Al Azhar Establishment and say to its honourable Ulamá: How could you decide today that Bahá'í is not a religion when the Superior Shar'ia Tribunal of Beba/Souhag ruled in 1925 that "Bahá'í is an independent religion."
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the Al Azhar Establishment which with all the mosques, mesdjids and kettab schools at their disposal in Egypt, have found it necessary to disown the Bahá'í Community of their main centre building to use it for a Qur'ánic school.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the imprisonment of some 92 Bahá'ís - men and women - aged between 2 and 80 years. They were arrested between midnight and dawn from all over Egypt and transfered to jail in Tanta; then falsely accused of treason, misconduct and espionage, far and wide in the media, for no other reason than because they are Bahá'í.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the frequent arrest of Bahá'ís, men and women, their incarceration in jail for days, weeks or months for interrogation. The courts have never found them guilty of neither crime nor fault, but they were Bahá'í.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Art in the west and in the east, to the case of one of the greatest and most admired artists of Egypt, Hussein Bikar, who was arrested in his home and driven to jail with other renowned Bahá'ís for days of interrogation regarding his and their Bahá'í Faith.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Art in the west and in the east, and would say to them: Hussein Bikar, one of the greatest and most admired Artists of Egypt had no Identity card at his death at almost 90 years of age. The Egyptian Authorities refused to issue one with "Bahá'í" mentioned in the space for religion.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: Imagine that in Egypt of the 21st. Century, individual Identity cards have to include the binding indication of the religion of the individual?
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: Imagine that in Egypt of the 21st. Century, individual Identity cards must include the binding indication of one of only three religions notwithstanding the individual's wish or faith ?
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: In Egypt of the 21st. Century, the sons and daughters of Bahá'ís are issued individual Identity cards with a dash (--) for religion while their parents are refused identity cards: WHY ? Because the Egyptian State does not recognize Bahá'í marriage!
O people of the world: come and take stock of administrative excellence!
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness all the Ministers of Education of the world and informed them that: The Minister of Education of Egypt has declared that he will refuse admittance of children - yes children! of Bahá'ís to the government schools because the children are Bahá'í!
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world that the new Egyptian Constitution contains the necessary elements for the elimination of the Bahá'í minority in Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world that burning the homes of Bahá'ís takes place with impunity in Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Mass Media, of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and informed them that in Egypt, inciting to kill Bahá'ís, through TV and speeches is normal and is done with impunity!
In spite of all this:
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have said to those in authority in Egypt: I am loyal to my country, I love my country, I strive for the success and progress of my country and I consider the children of my neighbours as my children without consideration of religion or creed. How wonderful would Egypt be were you, who are in authority, to follow in this same path.
------------------------------
(1) http://www.muslimsdebate.com/t
(2) http://www.gatestoneinstitute.
(3) http://www.tarek-heggy.com/Eng
(4)
https://www.google.com/webhp?h
(5)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=
URL to archives is http://listserv.buffalo.edu/ar
"If I were Bahá'í!" is Tarek Heggy's newest addition to his series of articles entitled " If I were ...! Google search-engine would provide access to some of the earlier pieces of this series, such as "If I were an Egyptian Copt", "If I were a Saudi Shiite!", "If I were a Syrian Kurd!". The publication of "If I were an Egyptian Nubian!" is eminent. Defending the rights of minorities and religious freedoms represent an essential corner-stone of Tarek Heggy's writings, together with advocating the basic values of modernity : plurality, otherness, women rights, freedom of speech, critical mind, relativity, civil & secular state ....etc. According to Tarek Heggy, the top enemies of such values are totalitarian dogmas such as Marxism, Islamism and any religion when it endeavours to run societies.
---------------------------------------
If I were Bahá'í ! by : Tarek Heggy.
-------------------
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world of the systematic plan to eliminate all trace of the Bahá'í Faith and the Bahá'ís from Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have brought to the attention of all the great personalities and the intellectuals of the world the respect and regard with which their peers in Egypt received 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Son of Bahá'u'lláh) during His visit to this country in the early 20th. Century, and with what filth and disregard today's pretentious personalities and false intellectuals of Egypt smear the fair name of Bahá'í and the Bahá'ís.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the Al Azhar Establishment and say to its honourable Ulamá: How could you decide today that Bahá'í is not a religion when the Superior Shar'ia Tribunal of Beba/Souhag ruled in 1925 that "Bahá'í is an independent religion."
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the Al Azhar Establishment which with all the mosques, mesdjids and kettab schools at their disposal in Egypt, have found it necessary to disown the Bahá'í Community of their main centre building to use it for a Qur'ánic school.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the subject of the imprisonment of some 92 Bahá'ís - men and women - aged between 2 and 80 years. They were arrested between midnight and dawn from all over Egypt and transfered to jail in Tanta; then falsely accused of treason, misconduct and espionage, far and wide in the media, for no other reason than because they are Bahá'í.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Justice in the world on the frequent arrest of Bahá'ís, men and women, their incarceration in jail for days, weeks or months for interrogation. The courts have never found them guilty of neither crime nor fault, but they were Bahá'í.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Art in the west and in the east, to the case of one of the greatest and most admired artists of Egypt, Hussein Bikar, who was arrested in his home and driven to jail with other renowned Bahá'ís for days of interrogation regarding his and their Bahá'í Faith.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the concourse of Art in the west and in the east, and would say to them: Hussein Bikar, one of the greatest and most admired Artists of Egypt had no Identity card at his death at almost 90 years of age. The Egyptian Authorities refused to issue one with "Bahá'í" mentioned in the space for religion.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: Imagine that in Egypt of the 21st. Century, individual Identity cards have to include the binding indication of the religion of the individual?
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: Imagine that in Egypt of the 21st. Century, individual Identity cards must include the binding indication of one of only three religions notwithstanding the individual's wish or faith ?
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and said to them: In Egypt of the 21st. Century, the sons and daughters of Bahá'ís are issued individual Identity cards with a dash (--) for religion while their parents are refused identity cards: WHY ? Because the Egyptian State does not recognize Bahá'í marriage!
O people of the world: come and take stock of administrative excellence!
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness all the Ministers of Education of the world and informed them that: The Minister of Education of Egypt has declared that he will refuse admittance of children - yes children! of Bahá'ís to the government schools because the children are Bahá'í!
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world that the new Egyptian Constitution contains the necessary elements for the elimination of the Bahá'í minority in Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have informed the world that burning the homes of Bahá'ís takes place with impunity in Egypt.
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have taken for witness the world Organizations of Mass Media, of Law and Justice and of Human Rights, government and non-government alike, and informed them that in Egypt, inciting to kill Bahá'ís, through TV and speeches is normal and is done with impunity!
In spite of all this:
* If I were Bahá'í: I would have said to those in authority in Egypt: I am loyal to my country, I love my country, I strive for the success and progress of my country and I consider the children of my neighbours as my children without consideration of religion or creed. How wonderful would Egypt be were you, who are in authority, to follow in this same path.
------------------------------
For more of Tarek Heggy's writings in English :
(1) http://www.muslimsdebate.com/t
(2) http://www.gatestoneinstitute.
(3) http://www.tarek-heggy.com/Eng
(4)
https://www.google.com/webhp?h
(5)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=
URL to archives is http://listserv.buffalo.edu/ar
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma January 26, 2013
Helping Each Other Through
History's
accelerating like technology's accelerated. Can't go back. We can blow
the whole show up. Or we can calm fear, see the world is really
changing, like a dream, & go explore & help each other through.
It's all safe because as Einstein & the Buddhists secretly tipped
everybody off long ago: the whole show is a harmless wave-illusion.
|
- Allen Ginsberg, “‘Letter to the Wall Street Journal,’ 1966”
Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through January 27th, 2013
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
Friday, January 25, 2013
Via JMG: SCOTUS Asked Not To Rule On DOMA
The Supreme Court does not have the power to rule on the case the Justices have agreed to review on the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, a Harvard law professor argued in a brief filed Thursday evening. The professor, Vicki C. Jackson, also argued against letting the Republican members of the House of Representatives’ leadership defend DOMA’s validity, saying they do not speak for Congress, or even for the House.Chris Geidner has more analysis at Buzzfeed:
If the Court accepts this advice, it probably would miss its chance to rule during the current Term on DOMA’s Section 3, which defines marriage for all federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman. It has been challenged by same-sex couples who are legally married, as they seek the federal benefits at issue. There is not time, in the remaining months of the Term (unless the Court would really rush things), for review of another DOMA case, even though others are pending.
The Court on December 7 agreed to review the constitutionality of Section 3 in the case of United States v. Windsor (docket 12-307). At the same time, however, it added questions about its authority to do so and then invited Professor Jackson to argue two points: One, whether the Obama administration can appeal a case that it won in a lower court (it believes DOMA is unconstitutional, and the lower court ruled that way). And, two, whether the House’s three GOP leaders could satisfy the Constitution’s Article III requirement that they have a legal right to be DOMA’s defenders in court.
In discussing why the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group — the 3-2 Republican majority of which voted to take up the defense of DOMA after the administration's 2011 decision to stop defending the law — does not have the authority, or standing, to be there, Jackson argued: "It is the Executive Branch, not Congress, that is obligated to "take Care" that laws are enforced. Moreover, any injury that might arise from nondefense of a law would be to the whole Congress, which one House cannot alone assert." The Supreme Court appointed Jackson to argue these positions because, presumably, the justices decided they wanted a view outside of the views presented before lower courts on these questions. By the terms of that appointment, then, it was expected that Jackson would be arguing these views.
Labels: DOMA, Edith Windsor, feds, SCOTUS
Via Gay Poltics Report:
U.S. could fall behind as Latin America races toward LGBT equality
J. Lester Feder details a "striking" advance in LGBT equality across Latin America, where Argentina allows same-sex couples to marry, and Chile has passed an LGBT non-discrimination law. The U.S. Supreme Court justices who will decide two landmark marriage cases this year "will be deciding whether the United States will fall behind as its neighbors establish a new standard of human rights, or whether it will join a revolution that is well underway," Feder writes. ForeignPolicy.com (1/24)
J. Lester Feder details a "striking" advance in LGBT equality across Latin America, where Argentina allows same-sex couples to marry, and Chile has passed an LGBT non-discrimination law. The U.S. Supreme Court justices who will decide two landmark marriage cases this year "will be deciding whether the United States will fall behind as its neighbors establish a new standard of human rights, or whether it will join a revolution that is well underway," Feder writes. ForeignPolicy.com (1/24)
Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:
| Daily Buddhist Wisdom | |||
| |||
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma January 25, 2013
Seeing Through Self
When
we question ego-mind directly, it is exposed for what it is: the
absence of everything we believe it to be. We can actually see through
this seemingly solid ego-mind, or self. But what are we left with then?
We are left with an open, intelligent awareness, unfettered by a self to
cherish or protect. This is the primordial wisdom mind of all beings.
Relaxing into this discovery is true meditation—and true meditation
brings ultimate realization and freedom from suffering.
|
- Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche, "Searching for Self"
Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through January 26th, 2013
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Via Scott Schuele: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People ?
One of the questions I get asked most is why do bad things happen to some very good people and why do some very bad people seem to have it so good? The answer is two sides of the same coin, karma. However, it is far from being simple in no small part to our attachment to dualistic thinking, meaning everything is black or white. Understanding the following three elements in itself explains much of why and how all situations happen.
Every situation, event and our everyday experiences are all caused and created by our karma, which has a continuum of four parts. Each part can be positive , neutral, negative , and or somewhat in between. These four parts determine the overall karma generated by any specific action: A.) What you were thinking before you committed an action, B.) The action itself, C.) What you were thinking while you committed the action. D.) What you were thinking after you committed the action. For example, you decide that you are going to give money to a charity. Your motivation is that by giving you are going to get special attention and praise. That is not generating very positive karma. You give the money, which does generate positive karma. While giving you are day dreaming about the praise you are going to get, again not very positive karma is a being generated. After you give the money and you don’t get the praise you expected, you become very angry which generates very negative karma. So when you examine all these components you might have been better off not giving anything at all. While this qualifies for a discussion all on it’s own every thought we think regardless of any action taken generates karma to a certain degree as well. The reason I am giving this discourse is to demonstrate just how difficult it is to try and pinpoint some action as being either just good or bad ; dualistic thinking. Great teachers like Shantideva said, “the way karma works is beyond comprehension, only the all knowing, (enlightened) knows.”
Make the jump here to rest of the article
Via Huffington: Common Misconceptions About Religion
Being misunderstood is no fun in any context but when it is about
something so personally meaningful as religion or non-religion, it can
be infuriating.
Check out some of the answers here and add your own below in the comments section.
1. Belief does not equal faith.
2. Atheists are not anti-religion.
3. All Christians are like not like ones you see on T.V.
4. Atheism and Agnosticism are not mutually exclusive.
5. People who believe in God are not less intelligent.
6. Episcopalians are not all white, rich and privileged.
7. Non-theists are not evil.
8. The Buddha is not a diety.
9. Being Christian does not mean anti-science.
10. Lutherans are not all German.
11. Muslims are not terrorists.
12. The Pope is fallible.
13. All priests are not pedophiles.
14. Some Catholics are pro-choice.
15. Predestination is a thing of the past.
16. Buddhism isn’t a pessimistic philosophy.
17. Christianity is not about Christians. Christianity is about Jesus Christ.
18. Humanist is not the same as Atheist.
19. Catholics do not worship Mary and the Pope.
20. Christians are not perfect and they don’t have perfect lives.
21. Muslims are unimaginable diverse.
22. Baptists can be people who drink and dance.
23. You don’t have to be baptized in water to be saved.
24. Wiccans do not worship Satan.
25. People choose to do evil in ALL religious groups. Neopaganism does not have any more or less "evil" participants than any other belief system.
26. Islam does not oppress women.
27. Salvation is not about getting into Heaven.
28. All Jewish people are not rich.
29. All non-believers are not lost and angry.
30. Muslim women are not uneducated.
31. It’s the trinity Jehovah witnesses don’t believe in. Not Jesus.
32. Atheists can experience wonder.
33. Religious people are not better than anyone else.
34. Judaism is a religion of both law and love.
35. All Christians are not anti-gay.
36. Atheists are not "angry at God".
37. Allah is not different from God.
38. Unitarian Universalists do not believe anything they want. They have seven solid principles.
39. Not all Christians read the word of God literally as fact.
40. Not all Mormons are brain washed and believe the same thing.
41. People who don’t believe in any religion don’t lack morals.
42. There isn’t just one “true” Christianity.
43. Mormons are not polygamists.
44. Not all people who say they are following God actually are.
45. Neopagans are not Satanists.
Make the jump here to read the full post
Check out some of the answers here and add your own below in the comments section.
1. Belief does not equal faith.
2. Atheists are not anti-religion.
3. All Christians are like not like ones you see on T.V.
4. Atheism and Agnosticism are not mutually exclusive.
5. People who believe in God are not less intelligent.
6. Episcopalians are not all white, rich and privileged.
7. Non-theists are not evil.
8. The Buddha is not a diety.
9. Being Christian does not mean anti-science.
10. Lutherans are not all German.
11. Muslims are not terrorists.
12. The Pope is fallible.
13. All priests are not pedophiles.
14. Some Catholics are pro-choice.
15. Predestination is a thing of the past.
16. Buddhism isn’t a pessimistic philosophy.
17. Christianity is not about Christians. Christianity is about Jesus Christ.
18. Humanist is not the same as Atheist.
19. Catholics do not worship Mary and the Pope.
20. Christians are not perfect and they don’t have perfect lives.
21. Muslims are unimaginable diverse.
22. Baptists can be people who drink and dance.
23. You don’t have to be baptized in water to be saved.
24. Wiccans do not worship Satan.
25. People choose to do evil in ALL religious groups. Neopaganism does not have any more or less "evil" participants than any other belief system.
26. Islam does not oppress women.
27. Salvation is not about getting into Heaven.
28. All Jewish people are not rich.
29. All non-believers are not lost and angry.
30. Muslim women are not uneducated.
31. It’s the trinity Jehovah witnesses don’t believe in. Not Jesus.
32. Atheists can experience wonder.
33. Religious people are not better than anyone else.
34. Judaism is a religion of both law and love.
35. All Christians are not anti-gay.
36. Atheists are not "angry at God".
37. Allah is not different from God.
38. Unitarian Universalists do not believe anything they want. They have seven solid principles.
39. Not all Christians read the word of God literally as fact.
40. Not all Mormons are brain washed and believe the same thing.
41. People who don’t believe in any religion don’t lack morals.
42. There isn’t just one “true” Christianity.
43. Mormons are not polygamists.
44. Not all people who say they are following God actually are.
45. Neopagans are not Satanists.
Make the jump here to read the full post
Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:
| Daily Buddhist Wisdom | |||
| |||
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma January 24, 2013
The Possibility of Transformation
Only
because of emptiness can things change and flow. Emptiness is not a
vacuum, a black hole, but the possibility of endless transformations.
There is no more grasping, or self-created barriers and limitations. The
Buddha-nature can shine through and express itself fully.
|
- Martine Batchelor, “The Ten Oxherding Pictures”
Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through January 25th, 2013
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
For full access at any time, become a Tricycle Community Supporting or Sustaining Member
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
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