Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Via JMG: CHILE: Civil Unions Near Final Hurdle
Last night Chile's Chamber of Deputies overwhelmingly approved a civil unions bill with a vote of 86-23. Two weeks ago the Chilean Senate approved the bill with a 28-6 vote after which anti-gay protesters had to be forcibly ejected from the gallery. The bill must now return to the Senate for another vote as the Deputies last night approved an amendment regarding parental rights. The bill also appears to legalize the recognition of foreign same-sex marriages, unless Google Translate is deceiving me. Readers?
UPDATE: JMG reader Douglas clarifies: "The bill does appear to recognize foreign marriages, but it is not clear at what level
they will be recognized; it sounds like such marriages will only be
given the same status as Civil Unions in Chile (with whatever
restrictions might apply)."
Via JMG: NOM Busted Again For Fake Photo
JMG reader Gary points out the above photoshop fakery seen yesterday on NOM's Facebook page. You may recall that NOM has been busted for faking massive crowds in the past, perhaps most notably when they used an image from an Obama rally
in St. Louis in a post which implied that tens of thousands attended an
anti-gay rally in New Hampshire. As we all know, NOM's hate marches on
the Supreme Court have been hilarious failures.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 21/01/2015
Acesse o Satsang completo: bit.ly/1Cf8hRR
“El camino hacia la morada sagrada puede ser descripto como un tránsito
de lo falso hacia lo real, de la falsa idea de quienes somos hacia
aquello que somos realmente. Sin embargo, este tránsito no es fácil, ya
que es necesario renunciar a esta falsa identidad, lo que, para el ego,
es lo mismo que morir.”
“The journey back to the sacred dwelling place can be described as a transition from the false to the real. We move from the false idea of who we are to that which we truly are. This transition is not easy, but it is necessary to let go of this false identity, which, for the ego, is death itself.”
“The journey back to the sacred dwelling place can be described as a transition from the false to the real. We move from the false idea of who we are to that which we truly are. This transition is not easy, but it is necessary to let go of this false identity, which, for the ego, is death itself.”
The Economy of Salvation | January 21, 2015
Vital to Buddhist doctrine is the conviction that all people, regardless
of social position, are capable of becoming enlightened, of becoming
buddhas. Poverty and the stress it entails, however, can be real
barriers to spiritual development. The Buddha recognized that becoming
free of worries about our material welfare enables us to develop our
potentials.
- Alex Caring-Lobel, "The Economy of Salvation"
- Alex Caring-Lobel, "The Economy of Salvation"
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Via JMG: TONIGHT: Married Florida Couple To Attend State Of The Union Address
Via Equality Florida:
RELATED: The Delmays were represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Equality Florida Foundation in their winning lawsuit against Miami-Dade County. NCLR head Kate Kendell: "The true heroes in the march to win the freedom to marry have been the couples, who sacrificed their privacy and risked ridicule in standing up to demand that we live up to our ideals of equality and justice for all. It is fitting that our clients—and truly all same-sex couples—will be acknowledged and honored with this invitation of a lifetime. We all share in this thrilling moment. Once again, history is made."
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) has invited newlyweds Todd and Jeff Delmay to accompany her to Washington, D.C. for President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 20. Residents of Hollywood, Florida, Todd and Jeff were the second couple in Florida to marry on January 5th when Judge Sarah Zabel lifted her stay on same-sex marriage; the first in Broward County to be married. They were plaintiffs, along with Equality Florida Institute and five other same-sex couples, in Pareto v. Ruvin, which successfully challenged Florida’s ban on marriage equality.It will be a teasplosion. Whee!
RELATED: The Delmays were represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Equality Florida Foundation in their winning lawsuit against Miami-Dade County. NCLR head Kate Kendell: "The true heroes in the march to win the freedom to marry have been the couples, who sacrificed their privacy and risked ridicule in standing up to demand that we live up to our ideals of equality and justice for all. It is fitting that our clients—and truly all same-sex couples—will be acknowledged and honored with this invitation of a lifetime. We all share in this thrilling moment. Once again, history is made."
Via JMG: Bret Baier: Why I Pulled Out Of Legatus
"I pulled out of the speech at Fox’s request - because of the
controversy surrounding some of these articles and editorials that have
been published in the Legatus magazine. I am a lifelong mass attending
Catholic - I’m a lector at my parish. I consider myself to be in line
with my Church on most things. This isn’t about me.. but, describing
homosexuality as a ‘disorder’ and talking about ways to ‘cure’ people
from it – does not seem to line up with the loving, accepting Church
that I know. Nor does it match up with how Pope Francis has talked about
the issue recently. I couldn’t speak because of that - I don’t wish the
group any harm, but after Gary Sinise pulled out.. as a newsman, Fox
agreed that I could not be surrounded by that controversy… as much as I
would have loved to have talked about my book, my faith, and my son’s
battle with congenital heart disease. That is the truth." - Fox News
anchor Bret Baier, from an email published today by Porno Pete, who is ever so pissed at Fox. (Via Good As You)
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/01/2015
“A principal distração dessa jornada é a ideia da vítima, ou seja, a
ilusão de que existe algum culpado pelo seu sofrimento que não seja você
mesmo. Independentemente das falhas reais do outro, o melhor que você
pode fazer é olhar para os seus próprios defeitos; é identificar a sua
responsabilidade no conflito. Caso contrário, você fica preso num
infinito jogo de acusações e desperdiça a vida olhando para o erro do outro.”
“La principal distracción de este camino es la idea de la víctima, es
decir, la ilusión de que existe algún culpable por tu sufrimiento que no
seas tú mismo. Independientemente de las fallas reales del otro, lo
mejor que puedes hacer es mirar hacia tus propios defectos; es
identificar tu responsabilidad en el conflicto. De lo contrario, te
quedas atrapado en un infinito juego de acusaciones y desperdicias la
vida mirando el error del otro.”
“The main distraction on this journey is the idea of the victim. There exists the illusion that there is someone to blame for our own suffering rather than us. Regardless of the other’s real faults, the best we can do is to look at our own defects and identify our own responsibility in the conflict. If we do not look at ourselves, we remain imprisoned in this endless game of accusations, wasting away our lives looking at others’ faults.”
“The main distraction on this journey is the idea of the victim. There exists the illusion that there is someone to blame for our own suffering rather than us. Regardless of the other’s real faults, the best we can do is to look at our own defects and identify our own responsibility in the conflict. If we do not look at ourselves, we remain imprisoned in this endless game of accusations, wasting away our lives looking at others’ faults.”
Via Daily Dharma
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The Joy of No Sex | January 20, 2015
The Buddha taught that sexual activity is part and parcel of craving (kama-tanha,
the craving for sensuality), described in the second noble truth as the
cause of suffering, a source of clinging and attachment (upadana,
or attachment to sensual pleasure), a hindrance to meditation and a
fetter or obstruction to liberation. More obstructive than the object of
desire itself is the mental activity we generate around it—the constant
thinking and planning and anticipation about how we get the goods. When
sex is involved, kama-tanha is a given. When sex is not involved, it can be easier to see how kama-tanha takes over.
- Mary Talbot, "The Joy of No Sex" |
Monday, January 19, 2015
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 19/01/2015
“O desejo é um saco sem fundo - você nunca está satisfeito, e sempre
quer mais. Não importa se o desejo esteja direcionado a práticas
espirituais - isso é gula, é voracidade. E a gula está a serviço de
amortecer o seu sistema para você não sentir. Quando a voracidade é
direcionada para o mundo material, você tenta preencher o vazio
comprando, falando ou comendo demais. E quando é direcionada a
espiritualidade, você não para de buscar
novas práticas que te ajudarão a se livrar do sofrimento. Mas, essa
atitude é justamente o que te impede de encontrar o seu lugar, de
relaxar, e de receber a graça divina.”
“El deseo es un barril sin fondo - nunca estás satisfecho y siempre
quieres más. No importa si el deseo está direccionado hacia prácticas
espirituales - eso es gula, es voracidad. Y la gula está al servicio de
adormecer tu sistema para que no sientas. Cuando la voracidad se
direcciona hacia el mundo material, intentas llenar el vacío comprando,
hablando o comiendo demasiado. Y cuando se direcciona hacia la
espiritualidad, no paras de buscar nuevas prácticas que te ayudarán a
librarte del sufrimiento. Pero esta actitud es precisamente lo que te
impide encontrar tu lugar, relajarte, y recibir la gracia divina.”
“Desire is a bottomless pit: we are never satisfied and are always left wanting more. Regardless of whether these desires are aimed towards spiritual practices, they still involve gluttony and greed. This gluttony is at the service of numbing our systems so that we are unable to feel. When greed is aimed towards the material world, we attempt to fill the inner void by buying things, speaking or eating compulsively. When this voracity is directed towards spirituality, we endlessly seek new practices that will help relieve our suffering. However, it is precisely this approach that prevents us from finding our place in the world, relaxing, and receiving divine grace.”
“Desire is a bottomless pit: we are never satisfied and are always left wanting more. Regardless of whether these desires are aimed towards spiritual practices, they still involve gluttony and greed. This gluttony is at the service of numbing our systems so that we are unable to feel. When greed is aimed towards the material world, we attempt to fill the inner void by buying things, speaking or eating compulsively. When this voracity is directed towards spirituality, we endlessly seek new practices that will help relieve our suffering. However, it is precisely this approach that prevents us from finding our place in the world, relaxing, and receiving divine grace.”
Talk on Peace and Compassion at the Baha'i Lotus Temple // January 17th 2015
New Delhi, India, 16 January 2015 - This morning
His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a talk on Peace and Compassion and
attended a prayer gathering at the Baha'i House of Worship in Baharpur,
commonly known as the Lotus Temple. The Baha'i Faith was founded by
Bahá'u'lláh more than a century ago in Iran teaching the oneness of God,
the oneness of the human family, and the oneness of religion.
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| The Lotus Temple, venue for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's talk in New Delhi, India on January 16, 2015. |
His Holiness was warmly received by Ms. Nazneen
Rowhani, the General Secretary of Baha'i Faith in India and Ambassador
Ashok Sajjanhar, Secretary of the National Foundation for Communal
Harmony (NFCH).
Ms. Rowhani introduced His Holiness to an audience that included
students from 14 different schools in Delhi, diplomats, school
principals, and other guests as the light that beckons unity of all
spiritual traditions.
"I usually don't like formality,” His Holiness began, “because we are
all the same mentally, emotionally and physically. All of us have
problems, physical and mental. No one is without problems. However,
education enables us to view our problems from a wider perspective so we
can deal with them.”
Looking at the many school children in the audience, His Holiness said,
"You are very important to humanity’s future. You are the generation of the twenty-first century. In you lies the hope of creating a better future for the world. It will fall to you to solve the problems created by my generation in the twentieth century."
His Holiness explained that the immense violence of the twentieth century arose largely due to short-sighted, narrow-minded thinking, when people only considered the narrow interests of their own group rather than those of humanity as a whole. He urged the younger generation:
“Concern yourselves more with the needs of others, with the needs of all humanity, and you'll have peace of mind. Selfishness creates a distance between us and other people, leading to suspicion and mistrust, ultimately resulting in loneliness. Think of others' well-being and you’ll be happy.
"Young brothers and sisters, think more broad-mindedly. Warm-heartedness and compassion are conducive to our physical and mental well-being, while anger, hatred, and fear are not. This is why some scientists today talk about warm-heartedness ensuring a 'healthy mind and a healthy body'.
"Because the existing education system is oriented towards materialistic goals we need to pay special attention to inner values such as tolerance, forgiveness, love and compassion. If we are to present these in a way that appeals to everyone we need to cultivate secular ethics. This is an approach followed in India for more than a thousand years, but which remains relevant today. India’s deep-seated tradition of ahimsa or non-violence is reflected in this age-old respect for all religious traditions and even the views of those who have no faith.”
Among questions from the audience His Holiness was asked how to cope with the threat of terrorism. He responded that many of the problems we face today are symptoms of our past mistakes. Resorting to the use of force, however decisive it may seem to be in the short run, is out of date, because violence only leads to more violence. Instead, whenever we face problems amongst ourselves, we should solve them through dialogue not force.
"You are very important to humanity’s future. You are the generation of the twenty-first century. In you lies the hope of creating a better future for the world. It will fall to you to solve the problems created by my generation in the twentieth century."
His Holiness explained that the immense violence of the twentieth century arose largely due to short-sighted, narrow-minded thinking, when people only considered the narrow interests of their own group rather than those of humanity as a whole. He urged the younger generation:
“Concern yourselves more with the needs of others, with the needs of all humanity, and you'll have peace of mind. Selfishness creates a distance between us and other people, leading to suspicion and mistrust, ultimately resulting in loneliness. Think of others' well-being and you’ll be happy.
"Young brothers and sisters, think more broad-mindedly. Warm-heartedness and compassion are conducive to our physical and mental well-being, while anger, hatred, and fear are not. This is why some scientists today talk about warm-heartedness ensuring a 'healthy mind and a healthy body'.
"Because the existing education system is oriented towards materialistic goals we need to pay special attention to inner values such as tolerance, forgiveness, love and compassion. If we are to present these in a way that appeals to everyone we need to cultivate secular ethics. This is an approach followed in India for more than a thousand years, but which remains relevant today. India’s deep-seated tradition of ahimsa or non-violence is reflected in this age-old respect for all religious traditions and even the views of those who have no faith.”
Among questions from the audience His Holiness was asked how to cope with the threat of terrorism. He responded that many of the problems we face today are symptoms of our past mistakes. Resorting to the use of force, however decisive it may seem to be in the short run, is out of date, because violence only leads to more violence. Instead, whenever we face problems amongst ourselves, we should solve them through dialogue not force.
Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist, Christian and Baha'i prayers were recited in a
number of languages including English, Hindi, Arabic and Sanskrit during
a gathering His Holiness attended in the actual Lotus Temple after his
talk.
Via Daily Dharma: MLK's Beloved Community | January 19, 2015
MLK's Beloved Community | January 19, 2015
We are caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality. . . . Strangely
enough I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought
to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought
to be. This is the way the world is made.
- Martin Luther King Jr., "A Sangha by Another Name"
- Martin Luther King Jr., "A Sangha by Another Name"
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 18/01/2015
“Uma parte fundamental do processo de cura e transformação que tenho chamado de “ABC da Espiritualidade” é fazer as pazes com a sua constelação familiar, ou seja, é se harmonizar com o passado para que possa se libertar dele. Durante esse processo, você é levado a tomar consciência de que muitas vezes seus desejos não são atendidos porque você não está pedindo de verdade; porque a parte consciente que está pedindo é pequena comparada à parte inconsciente que não está querendo. Portanto, existe uma relação entre esse aspecto e a sua história familiar. Eu posso te dar instrumentos para que você faça essa relação, mas somente você poderá compreendê-la através do estudo de si mesmo.”
Acesse o Satsang completo: bit.ly/1CviIRC
“Una parte fundamental del proceso de cura y transformación que vengo llamando "ABC de la Espiritualidad" es hacer las paces con tu constelación familiar, es decir, armonizarte con el pasado para que puedas liberarte de él. Durante este proceso, eres llevado a tomar conciencia de que muchas veces tus deseos no son atendidos porque no estás pidiendo de verdad; debido a que la parte consciente que está pidiendo es pequeña en comparación con la parte inconsciente que no está queriendo. Por lo tanto, existe una relación entre este aspecto y tu historia familiar. Te puedo dar instrumentos para que hagas esta relación, pero solo tú puedes comprenderla a través del estudio de ti mismo.”
“A fundamental part of the process of healing and transformation that I call the ‘ABC’s of Spirituality’ is to make peace with our family constellation. This happens by harmonize ourselves with the past so that we may become liberated from it. During this process, we begin to gain the awareness that oftentimes our desires are not fulfilled because we are not truly asking for them to be. The part of us that is asking is small in comparison to the unconscious part that truly doesn’t want it. Thus, there is a connection between this aspect of us and our family history. I can give you the tools to make this connection, but you will only understand this by studying yourself.”
Via Daily Dharma
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A Bigger Worldview | January 18, 2015
The dharma teachings of liberation and freedom enable us to have a much
bigger worldview because we learn what it is not to cling to a position
or opinion or religion. Finding skillful ways and means within different
religious and political structures is something we as Buddhists can
offer.
- Christopher Titmuss, "Rising to the Challenge: A Step Toward Peace" | |||||
Via The New Civil Rights Movement: Pope Francis: Same-Sex Marriage 'Threatens To Disfigure God's Plan'
Pope Francis on Friday in front of a large audience in the Philippines attacked same-sex marriage.
"The family is threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life,” the Pontiff told thousands at a Mass in Manila. "These realities are increasingly under attack from powerful forces, which threaten to disfigure God’s plan for creation."
The 78-year old Argentinean also referred to the movement in many countries to accept same-sex marriage as an "ideological colonization that we have to be careful about that is trying to destroy the family."
"Every threat to the family is a threat to society itself," Francis also told the conservative Catholic nation. "The future of humanity, as Saint John Paul II often said, passes through the family."
Ironically, Pope Francis concluded his speech by saying he was "very moved after the Mass today when I visited that shelter for children with no parents." Those "children with no parents" likely could have parents if same-sex couples were allowed to marry and adopt.
http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/pope_francis_says_gay_marriage_threatens_to_disfigure_god_s_plan
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