Via Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian:

Via gbtqnation.com: Apple CEO Tim Cook: ‘There’s something very dangerous happening in states across the country’

AP

Tim Cook

Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a new op-ed at The Washington Post on Sunday, called on his colleagues leading other major companies to take a stand against so-called “religious freedom” legislation similar to one enacted in Indiana.

There’s something very dangerous happening in states across the country.

A wave of legislation, introduced in more than two dozen states, would allow people to discriminate against their neighbors. Some, such as the bill enacted in Indiana last week that drew a national outcry and one passed in Arkansas, say individuals can cite their personal religious beliefs to refuse service to a customer or resist a state nondiscrimination law.

Others are more transparent in their effort to discriminate. Legislation being considered in Texas would strip the salaries and pensions of clerks who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples — even if the Supreme Court strikes down Texas’ marriage ban later this year. In total, there are nearly 100 bills designed to enshrine discrimination in state law.

These bills rationalize injustice by pretending to defend something many of us hold dear. They go against the very principles our nation was founded on, and they have the potential to undo decades of progress toward greater equality.

Continue reading at The Washington Post →

On Friday, Cook took to Twitter to condemn Indiana’s S.B. 101 — and similar legislation currently pending before the Governor of Arkansas.

Via Daily Dharma

The Value of Loving Ourselves | March 30, 2015 When we practice, we observe how much peace, happiness, and lightness we already have. We notice whether we are anxious about accidents or misfortunes, and how much anger, irritation, fear, anxiety, or worry are already in us. As we become aware of the feelings in us, our self-understanding will deepen. We will see how our fears and lack of peace contribute to our unhappiness, and we will see the value of loving ourselves and cultivating a heart of compassion. - Thich Nhat Hanh, "Cultivating Compassion" Read More →

Via FB:

Via JMG: ITALY: Activists Counter Neo-Nazis With Public Reading Of LGBT Children's Books

 

Yesterday I reported that Italy's neo-Nazi New Front Party planned to hold a burning of LGBT children's books in a central plaza in Milan. Local activists had demanded that city authorities stop the event and that may have happened. Not stopped, however, was a large counter-protest by LGBT activists and allies, who this afternoon staged a public reading of numerous LGBT children's titles.  Bravo Milano! Meanwhile the neo-Nazis are mocking the counter-protest on their Facebook page.

Labels: Italy, LGBT rights, Milan, neo-Nazis

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: INDIANA: Thousands Protest Against State's License To Discriminate Law

Via the Indianapolis Star:

When Annette Gross made plans for a rally in Indianapolis against the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, she had only hoped for 100 people to show up. "I'm a superstitious person," said the Carmel mom, who started a Facebook page about the rally only a few days earlier. "I don't like to say we're going to do this or that. But we got 'em." Instead, several thousand attended the rally. Gross, an advocate for the LGBT community, couldn't believe her eyes when she looked out onto the crowd in Downtown Indianapolis on Saturday. The number of protesters quickly grew as the crowd marched from Monument Circle to the Indiana Statehouse to express their displeasure with Republican Gov. Mike Pence, who signed the legislation Thursday. "No hate in our state," they shouted. Call and response chants continued on the Statehouse lawn, while speakers used a megaphone to address the crowd.

RELATED: Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle announced today that he has canceled plans for a $40M expansion of his company's Indiana headquarters. A backlash against Angie's List is already underway from Twitter's haters.

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

Reposted from Joe Jervis

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."