The Baha'i Faith is Homophobic: The Baha'i faith and LGB issues

From a colelague on FB:

The group, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, believes that all religions have some good and that nearly all religions change their beliefs over time -- generally becoming more tolerant. Here's an observation the group makes about the Bahai Faith and homosexuality. It seems to be a reasonably accurate and pithy summary of the present situation:

The Baha'i Faith and LGB issues

The Baha'i Faith teaches that homosexual behavior is unacceptable among its members. Voting rights of some of their lesbian, gay and bisexual members quite an(LGB) who are out of the "closet" have been suspended; some memberships have been terminated.

The Baha'i faith is in a unique position with regards to lesbians, gays, and bisexuals (LGB's) because:

The last person capable of changing the authoritative interpretation of its holy texts confirmed that homosexual behavior, same-sex marriage, etc. is unacceptable.

He died without naming a successor.

Human sexuality researchers, professional mental health associations, social worker professional associations, and liberal religious groups have reached a near consensus that homosexual and bisexual orientations and behavior are normal and natural for a minority of adults, and that homosexual orientation is unchosen, and unchangeable.

One of the main principles of the Baha'i faith is their respect and adoption of the findings of science.

Thus Baha'i beliefs concerning sexual orientation are quite similar to those of the conservative wings of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other religions. They reject the findings of science on this topic, and they have no mechanism to change their position.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bah.htm

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 15/04/2015

“Ao avançar e aprofundar nas práticas espirituais, você inevitavelmente começa a enxergar mais claramente as atuações do eu inferior. É a sua dedicação à prática espiritual que te dá essa visão clara. Portanto, esteja atento para não cair na armadilha da mente que te faz acreditar que você está involuindo. Você está apenas podendo perceber coisas que antes não percebia, e a impressão é que a sombra está ficando maior, mas isso não é verdade.”

“Al avanzar y profundizar en las prácticas espirituales, inevitablemente comienzas a ver más claramente las actuaciones del yo inferior. Es tu dedicación a la práctica espiritual lo que te da esta visión clara. Por lo tanto, permanece atento para no caer en la trampa de la mente que te hace creer que estás involucionando. Solo estás pudiendo percibir cosas que antes no percibías, y la impresión es que la sombra se está haciendo más grande, pero eso no es verdad.”

"By advancing and deepening in your spiritual practices, you inevitably begin to see the actions of the lower self more clearly. Your dedication to a spiritual practice gives you this clear vision. So be careful not to fall into the trap of the mind that makes you believe you are going backwards. You're just being able to perceive things now that you couldn’t see before. It may seem as though the shadow is getting bigger, but this is not true."

Via Daily Dharma

The Three Marks of Existence | April 15, 2015 As your mindfulness develops, your resentment for the change, your dislike for the unpleasant experiences, your greed for the pleasant experiences, and the notion of selfhood will be replaced by the deeper awareness of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness. This knowledge of reality in your experience helps you to foster a more calm, peaceful, and mature attitude toward your life. - Henepola Gunaratana, "Sitting Still" Read More →

Via JMG: RUSSIA: Network Issues "18+" Warning On Hillary Clip Due To Gay Couple

Via ABC News:

The launch of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign has proved an unexpected test of Russia’s controversial so-called “gay-propaganda” law. The independent, opposition TV channel, Dozhd TV, decided it was obliged to include an “18+” age-rating on the video announcing the launch of Clinton’s campaign because it features a gay couple holding hands. Clinton’s campaign released the video Sunday to formally announce her run. A spokesperson for Dozhd TV told ABC News that it had decided to include the age warning in order to avoid risking falling foul of the Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” law, which bans the promotion of “non-traditional” relationships to minors.

The network claims it acted preemptively without orders from Russia authorities.

RELATED: The couple has invited Clinton to their wedding.

Labels: Hillary Clinton, LGBT rights, Russia

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Cory Booker on Jim Obergefell

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 14/04/2015

“Nossos dons e talentos são manifestações do nosso propósito na Terra. Eles são expressões do Amor. São nosso tesouro espiritual. Mas, é lamentável que alguns tenham esquecido do seu próprio tesouro. O ser humano foi tão severamente reprimido que deixou de expressar seus dons naturais. Ele deixou de ser natural e passou a ser aquilo que agrada à família e à sociedade. E assim ele passa a vida buscando remédios para curar os sintomas causados pelo esquecimento de si mesmo.”

“Nuestros dones y talentos son manifestaciones de nuestro propósito en la Tierra. Éstos son expresiones del Amor. Son nuestro tesoro espiritual. Pero es lamentable que algunos se hayan olvidado de su propio tesoro. El ser humano fue tan severamente reprimido que dejó de expresar sus dones naturales. Él dejó de ser natural y pasó a ser aquello que agrada a la familia y a la sociedad. Y así pasa la vida buscando remedios para curar los síntomas causados por el olvido de sí mismo.”

"Our gifts and talents are the manifestations of our purpose here on Earth. They are expressions of love: our spiritual treasure. Unfortunately, some people have forgotten about their own treasure. Human beings were so severely repressed that they ceased to express their natural gifts. We went from naturally expressing ourselves to being someone who seeks to please our family and society. In this way, we spend our lives seeking remedies to cure the symptoms caused by the forgetfulness of ourselves."

Via Daily Dharma

Conditioning Ourselves to Be Aware | April 14, 2015 Awareness is a natural capacity of the mind. It happens because of conditions favorable to it. When such conditions arise, awareness happens. When they do not, delusion happens. Learning to recognize the conditions that give rise to each of these mental states helps us understand the conditional nature of all experience. - Steve Armstrong, "Got Attitude?" Read More →

Marriage Equality: On the Verge of Making History

iGay: "Não voaria e não voarei ao lado daquele senhor"

iGay: "Não voaria e não voarei ao lado daquele senhor"
 
Na última semana, algumas pessoas pareciam sofrer de amnésia, inclusive parte da imprensa que comprou uma tese de "heterofobia" (sic) sem tecer qualquer crítica a esse tipo de falácia absurda. Eu tenho memória e, por isso, decidi relembrar alguns fatos neste vídeo, um trecho de uma entrevista exclusiva que vocês vão conferir em breve no iGay: http://bit.ly/1NxnV5e "

Ride on KCRW

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 13/04/2015

“Autorresponsabilidade significa tomar consciência em relação às consequências ou resultados dos seus pensamentos, palavras e ações. Mas é importante estar atento porque nesse processo de se autorresponsabilizar, você pode resvalar na culpa, pois ela tira sua dignidade; sua capacidade de andar com a cabeça erguida. Ela é como um veneno que mata lentamente.”

“Autorresponsabilidad significa tomar conciencia en relación a las consecuencias o resultados de tus pensamientos, palabras y acciones. Pero es importante estar atento porque en este proceso de autorresponsabilizarse, puedes resbalar en la culpa, porque ella te saca tu dignidad, tu capacidad de andar con la cabeza erguida. Es como un veneno que mata lentamente.”

"Self-responsibility means becoming aware of the consequences and results of our thoughts, words and actions. We must remain attentive during the process of taking self-responsibility so as to not fall into the trap of guilt. Once we slip into guilt, it robs us of our dignity and our ability to walk with our head held high. Guilt is like a poison that kills slowly."

Via Daily Dharma

Not an Easy Fit | April 13, 2015 Whether on the cushion or in the laboratory, Buddhism and science resist an easy fit. A good deal of Buddhism—even including, ironically, the very notion of buddhahood—doesn’t lend itself to scientific validation or materialist empiricism. Consequently, to make Buddhism fit with what is perceived to be our best knowledge of the world, much of what constitutes the Buddhist tradition itself needs to be dismissed. In the process, this rich tradition gets reduced to a set of concepts and techniques stripped of the context that gave them meaning. - Linda Heuman, "A New Way Forward" Read More →

Via JMG: Mother Jones: Hillary Clinton Selects Openly Gay Man As Campaign Manager

Mother Jones reports that the Hillary Clinton has selected Robby Mook, a relatively unknown and openly gay man who ran the 2013 campaign of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, to be her campaign manager.

Mook is widely known as Robby, not Robert, and at 35, he's still boyish—handsome and clean-shaven with close-cropped brown hair. His usual uniform consists of chinos and bland dress shirts rolled up to the elbows. He couldn't be more different from, say, James Carville, the loudmouth Ragin' Cajun who advised Bill Clinton's first presidential bid and now makes a living as a consultant and TV commentator. Mook rarely appears in news stories or on TV. He did not respond to repeated interview requests. He has no Facebook page. He has a Twitter account but never tweets and has forgotten the password. Mook, who will be the first openly gay manager of a major presidential campaign, is largely unknown beyond the insular world of Democratic staffers but well liked within it. In addition to the email listserv, his loyal following—the Mook Mafia—plans yearly reunions, during which they return to a state where they once operated for a weekend of bar-hopping mixed with volunteering for a local campaign.

Hit the link for much more about Mook's history. And stand by for some hilarious wailing from the usual suspects. (Tipped by JMG reader Charles)

Labels: 2016 elections, Hillary Clinton, Robby Mook

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via http://oblogdeeoblogda.me: Top 10 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton is Good for Gays

Today Hillary Clinton will announce her candidacy for President of the United States of America. While she has yet to outline her campaign goals, the support amongst Democrats for her run has been enormous, with huge expectations by the Gays ( I use term Gays collectively here to represent LGBTI) community for an ally to continue the pro-equality stance of the Obama administration.

 

1) She is a WOMAN ….

2) We trust that she will support Full Federal Equality Legislation for LGBT people, noting her evolution on the issue of equality for all to include lesbians, gays, bisexual and trans people;

3) She supports decriminalization of global anti-homosexuality laws. While in the State Department Hillary came out voraciously against Uganda’s Kill the Gays Bill . “I’m well aware that you do your work often amidst difficult, even dangerous circumstances. I know that some of your lives have been threatened, your friends and families intimidated. But I want you to know that the United States is and will be your partner.” Hillary Clinton”;

4) Republicans who hate gays are terrified of her… and that is a sign of  her effectiveness;

5) Republicans will continue to use Hillary’s support of LGBT equality as a wedge issue which will continue to contribute – especially amongst the younger generation – to GOP implode;

6) She lived the horror of DOMA and DADT under her husband’s pen – while we wonder what she did not do at the time to thwart his thinking – now she must make it right – redemption time and her heart is there! #FullyEVOLVED;

7) Hillary Clinton’s Human Rights Day speech has was indeed a historic moment not just for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights movement, but for the nation as a whole. She noted “gay rights are human rights”;

8) Hillary respects Marriage equality;

9) Her Campaign Manager is openly Gay; and

10) She undoubtedly has the support of MOST people in the LGBT community.

@melanienathan1

@HillaryClinton #HILLARYforPRESIDENT #LGBTforHILLARY #HILLARY

 Make the Jump here to read the original posting

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 12/04/2015

“Tenho dito que a raiz da crise que tem se manifestado nos vários setores da sociedade no mundo todo é devido ao esquecimento da dimensão espiritual da vida. A crise é um produto da nossa desconexão com o Grande Espírito. Nós perdemos a capacidade de enxergar o Espírito por trás das coisas e dos seres humanos (de nós mesmos). Não reconhecemos o Espírito porque nosso olhar está focado na matéria, principalmente na pobreza e nas mazelas do outro. E esse olhar somente alimenta a crença de que somos um pequeno eu. Esse é um encantamento, uma inconsciência coletiva.”

“Vengo diciendo que la raíz de la crisis que se ha manifestado en varios sectores de la sociedad en todo el mundo es debido al olvido de la dimensión espiritual de la vida. La crisis es un producto de nuestra desconexión con el Gran Espíritu. Perdemos la capacidad de ver el Espíritu por detrás de las cosas y de los seres humanos (de nosotros mismos). No reconocemos el Espíritu porque nuestra mirada está enfocada en la materia, principalmente en la pobreza y en los defectos del otro. Este mirar solamente alimenta la creencia de que somos un pequeño yo. Este es un encantamiento, una inconsciencia colectiva.”

"The root of the crisis that has manifested itself in various sectors of society around the world is due to the forgetfulness of life’s spiritual dimension. The crisis is a by-product of our disconnection with the Great Spirit. We have lost the ability to see spirit behind all things and all human beings, including ourselves. We do not recognize spirit because we are focused on matter, especially on poverty and the shortcomings of others. This focal point only feeds the belief that we are the small self, and it acts like a spell upon the collective unconscious."

Via Daily Dharma

True Giving | April 12, 2015 According to Buddhism, true giving involves the awareness that there is no giver, no gift, and no receiver. Attachments of any kind—whether it be to self as the benefactor, the value of the gift, or the acknowledgment by the receiver—nullify the pure act of giving. - Taitetsu Unno, "Three Grapefruits" Read More →

JMG Quote Of The Day - Vivek Murthy

 

"Being gay is not a disorder. Being transgender is not a malady that requires a cure. Had I been Leelah Alcorn's physician, I would have told her exactly that. And that's the message I want other doctors, nurses, health professionals, and public health leaders to help get out to parents and children who may be confronting these issues." - Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, speaking today on a conference call about White House support for bans on "ex-gay" torture.

Labels: brainwashing, ex-gay, feds, Leelah Alcorn, LGBT youth, Obama administration, Surgeon General, torture

Reposted from  Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 11/04/2015

“É possível que você tenha entendido racionalmente a falta de lógica da sua mágoa, e isso te faz tentar uma aproximação, uma conversa; te faz tentar ser amigo do outro. Porém, esse entendimento racional não é o suficiente. A compreensão é um fenômeno que se dá no plano do coração - todo o seu Ser compreende. Então, você precisa transformar o entendimento em compreensão. Para isso é necessário entrar em contato com os sentimentos guardados.” 

“Es posible que hayas entendido racionalmente la falta de lógica de tu herida, y esto te hace intentar una aproximación, una charla; te hace intentar ser amigo del otro. Sin embargo, este entendimiento racional no es suficiente. La comprensión es un fenómeno que se da en el plano del corazón – todo tu Ser comprende. Entonces necesitas transformar el entendimiento en comprensión. Para eso es necesario entrar en contacto con los sentimientos guardados.”

"It is possible for us to intellectually understand the lack of logic behind a particular hurt or resentment of ours. This enables us to come a little closer to the person involved, and attempt to have a conversation with them. We may even try to befriend the other. However, this rational understanding is not enough. Comprehension is a phenomenon that occurs on the plane of the heart – our entire Being comprehends. So we need to transform our understanding into comprehension. This requires us to come into contact with denied and protected feelings."

Via Daily Dharma

From Suffering to Beauty | April 11, 2015 Suffering leads us to beauty the way thirst leads us to water. - Jane Hirshfield, "Felt in Its Fullness" Read More →