Via JMG: INDIANA: Gov. Mike Pence Promises New Bill To "Clarify Intent" Of Anti-LGBT License To Discriminate Law

Via the Indianapolis Star:

Gov. Mike Pence, scorched by a fast-spreading political firestorm, told The Star on Saturday that he will support the introduction of legislation to “clarify” that Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act does not promote discrimination against gays and lesbians. “I support religious liberty, and I support this law,” Pence said in an exclusive interview. “But we are in discussions with legislative leaders this weekend to see if there’s a way to clarify the intent of the law.” The governor, although not ready to provide details on what the new bill will say, said he expects the legislation to be introduced into the General Assembly this coming week. Asked if that legislation might include making gay and lesbian Hoosiers a protected legal class, Pence said, “That’s not on my agenda.” Amid the deepest crisis of his political career, Pence said repeatedly that the intense blowback against the new law is the result of a “misunderstanding driven by misinformation.” He adamantly insisted that RFRA will not open the door to state-sanctioned discrimination against gays and lesbians. But he did acknowledge that Indiana’s image — and potentially its economic health — has been hurt badly by the controversy.

Chad Griffin is calling bullshit.

UPDATE: Freedom Indiana reacts in similar fashion.

Governor Pence didn't listen last week when he signed this discriminatory law into effect, and he's still not listening to the growing chorus of criticism locally and nationally. While we appreciate his recognition that he's placed our state in peril, he's obviously trying to have it both ways. You can't 'clarify' discrimination. Indiana now has billions of dollars and thousands of jobs on the line, all because the Governor wouldn't stop this dangerous bill. He has a second chance to save our reputation for Hoosier hospitality, but he has to stand up and protect LGBT Hoosiers. Discrimination is not a core Hoosier value, and we can't afford to let our state continue to suffer. Please, Governor, listen to the voices of common sense and reason trying to get through to you. Fix the bill to protect all Hoosiers, and make it clear our state is open for business again.

Labels: business, Indiana, LGBT rights, license to discriminate, Mike Pence, public accommodations, religion, retail

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 29/03/2015

“É de grande valia identificar as crenças que dão sustentação para as imagens que nos fazem repetir situações negativas na vida. Uma crença é desenvolvida quando a partir de uma situação você passa a acreditar que as coisas sempre ocorrerão da mesma maneira. Uma das características da crença é justamente a generalização. Por exemplo, em uma situação específica a criança não é atendida pela mãe, e devido ao mecanismo proteção, ela passa a crer que o mesmo ocorrerá em todas as outras situações da sua vida. Então uma imagem fica congelada em sua mente, e no futuro essa imagem se manifestará como rigidez de pensamento. Isso é o que chamamos de imagem, condicionamento ou crença.”

“Es de gran valor identificar las creencias que dan sustento a las imágenes que nos hacen repetir situaciones negativas en la vida. Una creencia es desarrollada cuando a partir de una situación pasas a creer que las cosas siempre ocurrirán de la misma manera. Una de las características de la creencia es justamente la generalización. Por ejemplo, en una situación específica el niño no es atendido por la madre, y debido al mecanismo de protección, él pasa a creer que lo mismo le ocurrirá en todas las otras situaciones de su vida. Entonces una imagen queda congelada en su mente, y en el futuro esa imagen se manifestará como rigidez de pensamiento. Esto es lo que llamamos imagen, condicionamiento o creencia. “ 

"It’s important to identify the beliefs that sustain particular images, which in turn make us repeat negative situations in life. Once a belief is developed out of a particular situation, we believe that things will always occur in the same way. One of the characteristics of belief is precisely to make generalizations. For example, if a child is not answered by their mother, they will start to believe that the same thing will happen in all other situations in life due to their protection mechanism. This causes an image to remain frozen in their mind, and in the future this image will manifest as rigid thinking. This is what we call an image, conditioning or belief."

Via Daily Dharma

No Inside or Out | March 29, 2015 My mind is free from every thought, Nothing in the myriad realms can move it. Since it cannot be wantonly roused, Forever and forever it will stay unchanged. When you have learned to know in this way You will know there is no inside or out! - Han-Shan, "Two Classic Zen Poems" Read More →

Via Daily Dharma

Self-Confidence is Necessary | March 28, 2015 While one sense of self—self-grasping ignorance—is a troublemaker, stable and realistic self-confidence is necessary to accomplish the path. - The Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron, "The Self-Confidence of a Bodhisattva" Read More →

Via Thich Nhat Hanh / FB:

Freedom is possible. One in-breath alone is enough to set you free - from your regrets about the past, your worries about the future, and your projects in the present. In that state of freedom, you will make better decisions. Next time you have to make a decision, be sure to breathe in and out first. 

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Via em.com.br: Estudantes fazem protesto contra a homofobia na Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto

Ato foi realizado por alunos que integram o movimento LGBT da universidade que denunciam o preconceito que sofrem de outros estudantes. Aluno chegou a fazer um texto sobre os casos

Um protesto denominado pelo próprios idealizadores como “bichaço” foi realizado na manhã desta sexta-feira na Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (Ufop). Cerca de 150 pessoas estiveram presentes em apoio aos homosexuais que frequentam as salas de aula do local, em especial a Cláudio Ribeiro, 22 anos, que escreveu nesta semana em seu blog “Procrastinando”, um texto onde relata as dificuldades enfrentadas desde que chegou à cidade para cursar biblioteconomia, inclusive preconceito e descriminação por causa de sua opção sexual.

Conforme o estudante, a mobilização foi organizada em grupos do Facebook onde o assunto é constantemente abordado. “Os movimentos de jovens que participam do movimento LGBT sentiram um impulso para manifestar sobre o racismo, o preconceito e a homofobia após o texto que publiquei. Esses problemas acontecem aqui há muito tempo, principalmente dentro das repúblicas, que simplesmente menosprezam e ignoram os gays”, disse Cláudio.

Veja um trecho do texto publicado pelo estudante em seu blog:
 “Não vou dizer que essa é a primeira vez que enfrento preconceito, até porque isso seria impossível, mas em outros cantos onde estudei, como no Rio de Janeiro, vencer isso foi fácil. Meu curso de Biblioteconomia me introduziu a um campus onde a homofobia é praticamente inexistente, e os poucos que ainda estranham a homossexualidade acabam percebendo que não existe nenhum monstro ali, aprendem a conviver e se integram.

Meu melhor amigo do curso era hetero e eu nunca tive que lidar com um olhar torto. Depois de um ano e meio, quando mudei para Administração, foi um pouquinho diferente. Eu era o único gay da turma, ou o único que tinha um relacionamento declarado no Facebook e não ligava de responder perguntas sobre isso. Os meninos estranharam porque nunca lidaram com isso, mas em duas horas estávamos todos bebendo como se nos conhecêssemos há dois anos.

Vieram as perguntas curiosas e, depois de respondidas, ser gay voltou a fazer parte do segundo plano na minha vida. Me acostumei com isso, com a ideia de que as pessoas da nossa geração eram sensatas e compreendiam que é impossível todo mundo gostar da mesma coisa”

Procurada pelo em.com.br, a Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (Ufop) informou que repudia todo e qualquer ato de violência de discriminação, seja ela de qual natureza for. E que a universidade vai abrir um processo para apurar os casos que forem denunciados. Ainda de acordo com a Ufop, protestos como o registrado nesta sexta são sintomáticos para problemas que possam acontecer de forma velada, pois muitas pessoas podem ter medo de denunciar por possíveis represálias, mas que está atenta ao caso.

Conforme Rafael Magdalene, pró-reitor de Assuntos Comunitários e Estudantis da Ufop, foi aberto um canal dentro do site da universidade para que haja uma melhor comunicação com os alunos. “Estamos abertos para conversar com os estudantes. Em relação às repúblicas federais, vamos analisar caso a caso, e se soubermos da existência de atos homofóbicos ou crimes contra a mulher, comunicaremos imediatamente à Polícia Militar e em seguida vamos instaurar medidas internas para resolver o caso”, disse.

http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/gerais/2015/03/27/interna_gerais,631998/estudantes-fazem-protesto-contra-a-homofobia-na-universidade-federal-d.shtml

 

Via United Church of Christ

Marginal Mennonite Societyia Marginal Mennonite Society

Via JMG: Ellen DeGeneres Slams Indiana

Labels: Ellen Degeneres, Indiana, LGBT rights, religious liberty

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 27/03/2015

“A religião tem nos distanciado muito de Deus. Ela tem nos levado a acreditar em um Deus que está fora de nós. E você acredita porque um Deus que te observa, protege, e guia seus passos, traz uma sensação de segurança. Você se sente confortável e interpreta esse estado de conforto como felicidade. Mas, essa felicidade não resiste a dez minutos de análise, porque é uma felicidade baseada em crenças, não na experiência.”

“La religión nos ha distanciado mucho de Dios. Ella nos ha llevado a creer en un Dios que está fuera de nosotros. Y tú crees porque es un Dios que te observa, protege, y guía tus pasos, trae una sensación de seguridad. Te sientes cómodo e interpretas ese estado de comodidad como felicidad. Pero esta felicidad no resiste diez minutos de análisis, porque es una felicidad basada en creencias, no en la experiencia.”

"Religion has created a great distance between us and God. It has led us to believe in a God who exists outside of us. We believe this because it brings us a sense of security to imagine a God who watches over us, protects us, and guides our steps. We feel comfortable and interpret this state of comfort as happiness. But this happiness does not stand up to ten minutes of interrogative analysis, because it’s a happiness based on beliefs, not a direct experience."

Via Daily Dharma

Precious Human Birth | March 27, 2015 Too much suffering is not good. If you become always manipulated by it, if suffering is always the boss, that is not good. And if you have too little suffering, you will not be inspired to pursue real happiness. That is why we speak of 'precious human birth.' Because being born in the human body provides just the right amount of suffering that we need in order to transform suffering into a source of wisdom and knowledge. - Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, "Trust Through Reason" Read More →

Via Lion's Roar: Thich Nhat Hanh on Walking Meditation

The practice of mindful walking, says Thich Nhat Hanh, is a profound and pleasurable way to deepen our connection with our body and the earth. We breathe, take a mindful step, and come back to our true home. Read on and learn how to.

Many of us walk for the sole purpose of getting from one place to another. Now suppose we are walking to a sacred place. We would walk quietly and take each gentle step with reverence. I propose that we walk this way every time we walk on the earth. The earth is sacred and we touch her with each step. We should be very respectful, because we are walking on our mother. If we walk like that, then every step will be grounding, every step will be nourishing.

We can train ourselves to walk with reverence. Wherever we walk, whether it’s the railway station or the supermarket, we are walking on the earth and so we are in a holy sanctuary. If we remember to walk like that, we can be nourished and find solidity with each step.



To walk in this way, we have to notice each step. Each step made in mindfulness can bring us back to the here and the now. Go slowly. 

Mindfulness lights our way. We don’t rush. With each breath we may take just one step. We may have run all our life, but now we don’t have to run anymore. This is the time to stop running. To be grounded in the earth is to feel its solidity with each step and know that we are right where we are supposed to be.

Each mindful breath, each mindful step, reminds us that we are alive on this beautiful planet. We don’t need anything else. It is wonderful enough just to be alive, to breathe in, and to make one step. We have arrived at where real life is available—the present moment. If we breathe and walk in this way, we become as solid as a mountain.

There are those of us who have a comfortable house, but we don’t feel that we are home. We don’t want for anything, and yet we don’t feel home. All of us are looking for our solid ground, our true home. The earth is our true home and it is always there, beneath us and around us. Breathe, take a mindful step, and arrive. We are already at home.

Make the jump here to read the full article

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 26/03/2015

“Aprenda a confiar no seu coração; aprenda a ouvi-lo e a confiar no que ele diz. A voz do coração é a voz de Deus em você. Não há diferença entre Deus, o seu coração e o próprio fluxo da vida. A Verdade é uma só.”

“Aprende a confiar en tu corazón, aprende a escucharlo y a confiar lo que él dice. La voz del corazón es la voz de Dios en ti. No hay diferencia entre Dios, tu corazón y el propio flujo de la vida. La Verdad es una sola.”

"Learn to trust your heart. Learn to listen to it and trust what it says. The voice of the heart is the voice of God within you. There is no difference between God, your heart and the very flow of life. Truth is one."

Via Daily Dharma

What Your Demons Really Need | March 26, 2015 When we obsess about weight issues or become drained by a relationship or crave a cigarette, we give our demons strength, because we aren’t really paying attention to the demon. When we understand how to feed the demon’s real need with fearless generosity, the energy tied up in our demon will tend to dissolve and become an ally. - Tsultrim Allione, "Feeding Your Demons" Read More →

Via JMG: BREAKING: California AG Asks Court To Quash Gay Death Penalty Referendum

 

"As Attorney General of California, it is my sworn duty to uphold the California and United States Constitutions and to protect the rights of all Californians. This proposal not only threatens public safety, it is patently unconstitutional, utterly reprehensible, and has no place in a civil society. Today, I am filing an action for declaratory relief with the Court seeking judicial authorization for relief from the duty to prepare and issue the title and summary for the 'Sodomite Suppression Act.' If the Court does not grant this relief, my office will be forced to issue a title and summary for a proposal that seeks to legalize discrimination and vigilantism." - California Attorney General Kamala Harris, via press release. 

Labels: California, Christian Love, Christianists, Democrats, gay death penalty, Kamala Harris, Matt McLaughlin, religion

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 25/03/2015

“Algumas pessoas compreendem que precisam resgatar a naturalidade nos cuidados com a saúde, mas acabam desenvolvendo diversas manias. Elas se tornam obsessivas por remédios, coisas “naturais” (remédios naturais, comida orgânica...). Não que o remédio natural não seja ótimo e a comida orgânica não seja maravilhosa, mas ao tornar-se obsessivo por alguma coisa, você deixa de ser natural. Pois o que é natural flui, assim como o rio.”

“Algunas personas comprenden que necesitan rescatar la naturalidad en los cuidados con la salud, pero terminan desarrollando diversas manías. Ellas se vuelven obsesivas por remedios y cosas “naturales” (remedios naturales, comida orgánica...). No es que el remedio natural no sea genial y la comida orgánica no sea maravillosa, pero al volverte obsesivo por alguna cosa, dejas de ser natural. Porque lo que es natural fluye, así como el río.”

"Some people understand the need to care for their health in a more natural way, but oftentimes they develop various obsessions. They become obsessed with natural remedies, organic foods, and so forth. This is not to say that natural medicines aren’t great and that organic food isn’t wonderful, but once we become obsessed with something, it’s no longer natural. That which is natural just flows, like a river."

Via JMG: J.K. Rowling On Dumbledore Being Gay

Labels: books, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling

Reposted from  Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

One Head is Enough | March 25, 2015 In the search for 'understanding,' the mind grapples with ideas. And yet it’s only when ideas are exhausted that any breakthrough can occur. I’m a great fan of metaphors, as any poet or reader of poetry is bound to be. But from a Zen point of view, I think it helps to remember that metaphor can also be like putting a head on top of your head. Isn’t one enough? - Seido Ray Ronci, "No Words" Read More →

Via LGBT Activists / FB:

American support by the Obama administration since 2009 for LGBT rights at the UN has given Ban Ki Moon the political space he needed to push the envelope, even when faced with opposition from culturally conservative countries. In 2012 he created the UN Free and Equal Campaign, which has helped mainstream LGBT rights throughout the entire UN system. It also gave him the space to be able to lead by example and change personnel policy to be more expansively welcoming to same sex partners.

This simply would not have been possible without the support of the USA. And today’s vote is a good example why that is. The USA used its influence and compel countries on the fence to abstain from today’s vote, thereby ensuring its failure.

 

A Victory for LGBT Rights at the UN | UN Dispatch

LGBT rights secured a major bureaucratic victory at the United Nations today when member states overwhelmingly voted down a Russian-backed proposal to curtail benefits afforded to the same-sex spouses of UN staff. The vote failed by a...

undispatch.com