Thursday, November 27, 2014
Flower of the Day: 11/27/14
“Free
will is a great mystery. It’s true that it does exist, for it is a law
of this realm – the question is, ‘Who in you uses this power of choice?’
The human being does have a free will, but until one learns how to use
this power of choice, there are many ups and downs, many mistakes and
successes. All of this is absolutely necessary because only by making
these mistakes does one learn.”
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
We Receive This Food in Gratitude | November 27, 2014
We receive this food in gratitude
From all beings who helped to bring it to our table,
And vow to respond in turn to those in need
With wisdom and compassion.
- Zen Mountains and Rivers Order, "A Vegetarian Thanksgiving"
From all beings who helped to bring it to our table,
And vow to respond in turn to those in need
With wisdom and compassion.
- Zen Mountains and Rivers Order, "A Vegetarian Thanksgiving"
Via Daily Dharma
Strain Out Whatever's Inessential | November 30, 2014
Zazen [meditation] and poetry are both studies of the mind. I find
the internal pressure exerted by emotion and by a koan to be similar in
surprising and unpredictable ways. Zen is a wonderful sieve through
which to pour a poem. It strains out whatever’s inessential.
- Chase Twichell, "The Ghost of Eden"
- Chase Twichell, "The Ghost of Eden"
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Via JMG: FLORIDA: Lawmakers Introduce Sweeping LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill
Earlier today, Representative Holly Raschein (R- Key Largo) and Democratic Whip Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D- Boynton Beach) filed legislation in the Florida House and Senate respectively that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in employment, housing and public accommodations. Known as the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), the legislation would amend Chapter 760 of the Florida State Statutes that currently prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or marital status to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The bill would add protections for more than 536,000 LGBT adults living in Florida. Despite overwhelming public support and the passage of local equal rights ordinances throughout the state, there is no statewide law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida.The map above shows the states that presently provide employment and housing protections. The darker-shaded states include gender identity as well as sexual orientation. For a slightly different map that depicts public accommodation protections, click here.
Labels: employment, Equality Florida, Florida, housing, LGBT rights, public accommodations, transgender issues
Via justabahai: Bahais are not united in being against same sex marriage!
A
friend wrote: "Yesterday during the celebration of the Day of the
Covenant, the issue of homosexuality popped up during a talk citing how
America is legalizing marriage for gays, state by state. The person
giving the talk said this is wrong and that what keeps the Baha'is
united from these negative forces is the […]
|
Flower of the Day: 11/26/14
“Every
change has three phases: a death or deconstruction (an ending), a
neutral zone (a waiting period where nothing happens), and a
rebirth (the emergence of something new). Usually, the greatest
difficulty lies in this first phase because we have been conditioned to
believe that all deconstruction is negative – but this is not true. At
the deepest level, all deconstruction is positive, but it is always
painful. This is because human beings cling to everything, from
relationships, to work, to their house, to their children. The change
may only occur internally, such as a pattern that is being dissolved,
and if one is attached to this pattern, one will suffer.”
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
A Portal to Liberation | November 26, 2014
It is through the everydayness of. . . art that we are blessed to
experience the ordinary mind as a portal to transcendence and
liberation.
- Charles Johnson, "The Dharma and the Artist's Eye"
- Charles Johnson, "The Dharma and the Artist's Eye"
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Via New Civil Rights: New Study Shows Homosexuality 'Is An Essential Part Of Human Evolution'
Researchers at England's University of Portsmouth believe they have
found a scientific explanation for homosexuality and their theories
could even provide support for same-sex marriage as being completely
natural.
The scientists link the hormone progesterone, which is naturally-occurring in both men and women, to socialization and see it as a tool that "promotes bonding."
"The frequency of homoerotic behavior among individuals who do not identify as having an exclusively homosexual sexual orientation suggests that such behavior potentially has adaptive value," the researchers write.
"From an evolutionary perspective we tend to think of sexual behaviour as a means to an end for reproduction," Diana Fleischman, the study's lead author, states. "However, because sexual behaviour is intimate and pleasurable, it is also used in many species, including non-human primates, to help form and maintain social bonds. We can all see this in romantic couples who bond by engaging in sexual behaviour even when reproduction is not possible."
That sex is scientifically found to be not solely designed for reproduction debunks religious extremists' claims that man-woman marriage is the only "natural" marriage.
"To test whether homosexual behaviour really does go hand in hand with a need to form close bonds with others of the same sex, they decided to compare sexual behaviour with the level of a certain hormone in the blood," City AM reports.
Image via Flickr
Make the jump here to read the original and full article:
http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/new_study_proves_evolution_supports_same_sex_marriage
The scientists link the hormone progesterone, which is naturally-occurring in both men and women, to socialization and see it as a tool that "promotes bonding."
"The frequency of homoerotic behavior among individuals who do not identify as having an exclusively homosexual sexual orientation suggests that such behavior potentially has adaptive value," the researchers write.
LOOK: Large Study Finds 'Pretty Good Indication' Of Genetic Link To HomosexualityAnd they seem to have found an evolutionary case that supports same-sex relationships and marriage, even finding them advantageous.
"From an evolutionary perspective we tend to think of sexual behaviour as a means to an end for reproduction," Diana Fleischman, the study's lead author, states. "However, because sexual behaviour is intimate and pleasurable, it is also used in many species, including non-human primates, to help form and maintain social bonds. We can all see this in romantic couples who bond by engaging in sexual behaviour even when reproduction is not possible."
That sex is scientifically found to be not solely designed for reproduction debunks religious extremists' claims that man-woman marriage is the only "natural" marriage.
"To test whether homosexual behaviour really does go hand in hand with a need to form close bonds with others of the same sex, they decided to compare sexual behaviour with the level of a certain hormone in the blood," City AM reports.
Progesterone is also known as a “social” hormone – it is produced mainly in the ovaries in women and in the adrenal glands in men, and encourages a person to engage with others in a positive way.Fleischman adds that "the research suggests that having exclusively heterosexual thoughts is a disadvantage – it’s better to be a little bit attracted to the opposite sex."
They asked a group of participants questions such as "The idea of kissing a person of the same sex is sexually arousing to me," and: "If someone of the same sex made a pass at me I would be disgusted”. They compared the answers to the level of progesterone in the blood.
The results, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, show that the people with higher levels of the hormone are indeed more inclined to have homoerotic thoughts.
Heterosexual men and women, for example, were more open to the idea of engaging in homosexual behaviour when progesterone was high. Men also produced more of the hormone and felt more homosexual if they were reminded of a societal need to be friendly with other males.
Image via Flickr
Make the jump here to read the original and full article:
http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/new_study_proves_evolution_supports_same_sex_marriage
Via Zac / FB:
Pay ye no heed to aversion and rejection, to disdain, hostility,
injustice: act ye in the opposite way. Be ye sincerely kind, not in
appearance only. Let each one of God’s loved ones centre his attention
on this: to be the Lord’s mercy to man; to be the Lord’s grace. Let him
do some good to every person whose path he crosseth, and be of some
benefit to him. Let him improve the character of each and all, and
reorient the minds of men. In this way, the light of divine guidance
will shine forth, and the blessings of God will cradle all mankind: for
love is light, no matter in what abode it dwelleth; and hate is
darkness, no matter where it may make its nest. O friends of God! That
the hidden Mystery may stand revealed, and the secret essence of all
things may be disclosed, strive ye to banish that darkness for ever and
ever.
-'Abdu'l-Baha
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