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.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Flower of the Day: 12/04/14
"Children
must be free, and at the same time, they need firm boundaries and care.
But these boundaries must be born from a loving heart that truly sees
the child. They must be born out of respect, and not from the adult’s
wounded child."
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
Creating Compassion | December 4, 2014
The idea of creating compassion for our environment, for something
that we take for granted daily—something that, as a human race, we are
just absolutely destroying, for the most part without a care—I think
that connecting compassion to that is really, really powerful.
- Emily Burke, "Meditating in Public" |
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Via JMG: Labor Department Issues Final Rule On LGBT Anti-Discrimination Measures
Via press release:
A new rule prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity in the federal contracting workforce is being announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor. The rule implements Executive Order 13672, which was signed by President Obama on July 21.The press release notes that today's action becomes effective 120 days after being formally entered into the Federal Register and will apply to all "new and modified" civilian contracts with the federal government from that date forward.
"Americans believe in fairness and opportunity. No one should live in fear of being fired or passed over or discriminated against at work simply because of who they are or who they love," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Laws prohibiting workplace discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity are long overdue, and we're taking a big step forward today to fix that."
EO 13672 tasked the department with updating the rules implementing EO 11246 to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes it protects. While 18 states, the District of Columbia and many businesses, large and small, already offer workplace protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, July's executive order was the first federal action to ensure LGBT workplace equality in the private sector.
Labels: Barack Obama, business, employment, executive orders, feds, Labor Department, LGBT rights, Obama cabinet, Tom Perez
Via Steven Petrow / FB:
Bye bye Anita Bryant. And for those of you too young to know who she was and what she did, Google her homophobic antics.
LINK: http://eqfl.org/marriagevictory
Equality Florida #marriageequality #AnitaBryant #progress
LINK: http://eqfl.org/marriagevictory
Equality Florida #marriageequality #AnitaBryant #progress
Via JMG: BREAKING: DC Bans "Ex-Gay" Torture
Via press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights:
Today, the District of Columbia Council unanimously approved a bill that will protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy. When signed into law, Washington, D.C. will become the third jurisdiction—behind California and New Jersey—to pass legislation protecting LGBT youth from practices that are known to cause severe depression and even suicide. “Today, the DC Council sent a powerful message to LGBT youth and their families that they are accepted, supported, and loved,” said Samantha Ames, NCLR staff attorney and coordinator of the #BornPerfect campaign at the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). “The Council has used its authority to protect our most vulnerable youth from dangerous and discredited pseudoscience that tells them who they are is wrong, and reaffirmed the consensus of every major medical and mental health organization that all children are born perfect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”The Liberty Counsel fought those bills in both states, taking their fight against California's bill all the way to the Supreme Court, who smacked them down for the final time in June.
Labels: brainwashing, Christianists, ex-gay, LGBT youth, NCLR, religion, sexuality, torture, Washington DC
What Is Your Strongest Chakra?
One of those FB thingys gave me this
The Crown Chakra
You got The Crown Chakra! Crown chakra is all about understanding wisdom and various other things.
Gland: Pineal Gland
Associated Stones: Crystal Quartz, Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Amethyst, Lepidolite, Calcite, White or Clear Stones and Crystals.
Effects: Seeing the overall picture, Connection to the universe, Oneness, Spiritual Awareness, Consciousness and Enlightenment.
Gland: Pineal Gland
Associated Stones: Crystal Quartz, Moonstone, Selenite, Pearl, Amethyst, Lepidolite, Calcite, White or Clear Stones and Crystals.
Effects: Seeing the overall picture, Connection to the universe, Oneness, Spiritual Awareness, Consciousness and Enlightenment.
Flower of the Day: 12/03/14
"Living
in presence means walking through life without a map, following only
the commands of the heart and being guided by the Holy Spirit. Presence
itself guides you. Being present, it’s impossible to run away from
yourself. In fact, you only find yourself and recognize your gifts and
talents in presence, because it is the manifestation of spontaneity.
Through presence, you become a pure channel of the divine will."
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
Dharma and the Law | December 3, 2014
In the simplest—and probably the most common—terms, the present
state of the American judicial process runs counter to the tenets of
Buddhism. It is predicated on an adversarial system that places people
in mutually exclusive positions: victim and perpetrator, prosecution and
defense, forces of good and forces of evil.
- Mary Talbot, "No Justice, No Peace" |
Uma frase do Dalai Lama para nós recitarmos todas as manhãs
“Toda manhã, pense quando você acorda: Eu estou vivo, Eu tenho uma preciosa vida humana, Eu não vou desperdiçá-la. Eu vou usar todas as minhas energias para me desenvolver, Para expandir o meu coração para os outros, Para alcançar a iluminação para o benefício de todos os seres. Eu não vou ficar com raiva, Ou pensar mal de outros. Vou beneficiar os outros, tanto quanto eu posso.”
- Dalai Lama.
http://www.budavirtual.com.br/uma-frase-dalai-lama-para-nos-recitarmos-todas-manhas/
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
JMG TRAILER: Stained Glass Windows
Stained Glass Rainbows explores
the most controversial subject facing America today: the collision
between the LGBT community and the Christian church. Can gays be
Christian? Is homosexuality a sin? Is there a gay gene? Is there such a
thing as an ex-gay? Both families and churches are being torn apart over
these divisive issues. Stained Glass Rainbows brings together the
voices of the left, the right, the middle, and helps bridge the gulf
through its dialogue. From gay pride parades to anti-gay protests, Stained Glass Rainbows confronts the controversy of faith through the hearts and minds of people on both sides of this uncivil war.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Reposted from Joe Jervis
From a privte list: The following was told by Krishnamurti
"You may remember the story of how the devil and his friend were
walking down the street, when they saw ahead of them a man swoop down and pick up something from the ground, look at it, and put it away in his pocket.
The friend said to the devil, "What did that man pick up?"
"He picked up a piece of Truth," said the devil.
"That is very bad business for you, then," said his friend.
"Oh, not at all," the devil replied. "I am going to let him organize it."
The friend said to the devil, "What did that man pick up?"
"He picked up a piece of Truth," said the devil.
"That is very bad business for you, then," said his friend.
"Oh, not at all," the devil replied. "I am going to let him organize it."
Flower of the Day: 12/02/14
"As
you strive to awaken from the dream of suffering, it is very important
to look at the pleasure it brings you. Look at just how much life energy
was invested into maintaining certain negative patterns.
Subconsciously, we believe that giving up this suffering means giving up
pleasure itself."
Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
Feel Confident | December 2, 2014
You should feel confident: Yes, I can attain enlightenment, I can
benefit beings. Here in samsara I can help my family, I can support the
sangha and benefit sentient beings. I can do it. I can achieve things,
and I can live a joyful, meaningful life.
- Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche, "Four Simple Tips for Living a Buddhist Life"
- Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche, "Four Simple Tips for Living a Buddhist Life"
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