Via Huffington: Brokenhearted Bahá'is: LGBTs Rejected by Their Faith

Never before has an openly gay member of the Bahá'í faith granted such a high profile interview, an interview already getting great traction among worldwide members of the faith itself. Above, Sean Rayshel, who has granted Nicholas Snow this exclusive interview.

Nicholas Snow welcomes Sean Rayshel, an openly-gay, third generation American Bahá'í who for the past fifteen years has been an advocate for LGBT inclusiveness in the Bahá'í Faith. Read also in this post, for the first time published in a major media outlet, an official letter from the Bahá'ís Universal House of Justice, Department of the Secretariat.

Make the Jump here to read the full article

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 23/04/2015

“Se você sente que ainda não está pronto para estar em um relacionamento, não adianta forçar. Amor forçado não é amor. Talvez você ainda precise continuar voando até que o amor te arrebate. Mas, chega um momento em que você amadurece o suficiente para compreender a necessidade de aprofundar numa relação. Porque é através do relacionamento que os portais de acesso aos reinos internos se abrem. Mas, normalmente o que ocorre é que ao acessar esses mundos internos, você se assusta e tem vontade de sair correndo. Então você quer trocar de parceiro. E isso pode se tornar uma compulsão. Fique atento para isso, pois se trata de uma estratégia do eu inferior para te manter refém do medo.”

Para ver o Satsang completo, acesse o link: bit.ly/1d3xmZQ

“Si sientes que todavía no estás listo para estar en una relación de pareja, no sirve forzar. Amor forzado no es amor. Tal vez aún necesites continuar volando hasta que el amor te arrebate. Pero llega un momento en que maduras lo suficiente como para comprender la necesidad de profundizar en una relación. Porque es a través de ella que los portales de acceso a los reinos internos se abren. Pero normalmente lo que ocurre es que al acceder a esos mundos internos te asustas y tienes ganas de salir corriendo. Entonces quieres cambiar de compañero. Y esto se puede volver una compulsión. Estate atento a esto, porque se trata de una estrategia del yo inferior para mantenerte rehén del miedo.”

"If one does not feel ready to be in a relationship, there is no point in forcing it. Forced love is no love. We might need to continue flying around until love catches a hold of us. But there comes a time when we are mature enough to understand the need to deepen within a relationship. Through relationships, we gain access to the portals of the inner realms. Oftentimes when we do access these inner worlds, we get frightened and want to run away. Then we want to change partners, and this can become a compulsive action. We must be aware of this, because this is a strategy of the lower self to keep us hostage to fear."

Via Daily Dharma

What Are You Meditating For? | April 23, 2015 Each time one sits to meditate, one enters the unknown, the uncertain, the purposeless. Continuing, one repeatedly experiences uncertainty on the spot. One enters a great expanse that is unknowable, ordinary, alive, and secret. One enters into the timeless and unbiased continuum of all being. - Douglas Penick, "What Are You Meditating For?" Read More →

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 22/04/2015

“O karma está a serviço de nos auxiliar no alinhamento com o dharma, que é o caminho da verdade, o com o caminho do coração. Quando nos alinhamos com o dharma, nos sentimos pertencendo, nos sentimos plenos. Nós ocupamos nosso lugar no mundo e temos a convicção de estar no lugar certo. Esse sentimento traz satisfação e enche nosso coração de confiança.”
Acesse ao Satsang completo: http://migre.me/pzC1e

”El karma está al servicio de auxiliarnos en la alineación con el dharma, que es el camino de la verdad, o con el camino del corazón. Cuando nos alineamos con el dharma, nos sentimos perteneciendo, nos sentimos plenos. Nosotros ocupamos nuestro lugar en el mundo y tenemos la convicción de estar en el lugar correcto. Este sentimiento trae satisfacción y llena nuestro corazón de confianza.”

"Karma is at the service of aligning us with our dharma, which is the path of truth; the path of the heart. When we align ourselves with dharma, we feel like we belong. We feel fulfilled, and we occupy our place in the world with the conviction that this is indeed where we should be. This feeling brings us satisfaction and fills our heart with trust."

Via Daily Dharma

Cultivating a Planetary Perspective | April 22, 2015 You can instill a view, but then there actually have to be processes like meditation that shift the way the mind relates to others. You can't just say a lot about how we're all connected; you have to actually offer tools for how you would become more aware. . . . It's not just, you know, "love thy neighbor." That's a great sentiment, but how? - Ethan Nichtern, "How Meditation Offers a Planetary Perspective" Read More →

VIa JMG: CHILE: Opus Dei Sues LGBT Group For Ownership Of "Opus Gay" Web Domain

 

The secretive Catholic group Opus Dei has filed a lawsuit against a Chilean LGBT group whose name translates as the Movement For Homosexual Integration & Liberation (MOVILH). The suit seeks control of the OpusGay.cl web domain and claims that the words "Opus Gay" create confusion in the public's mind and suggest that MOVILH's mission is supported by the Catholic Church. The domain was registered in 2002 and the URL redirects to the group's digital magazine. The suit further claims that the word "Opus" is "inextricably linked to the prelature." The lawyer for MOVILH notes that other sites begin with the word "Opus" and accuses Opus Dei of "irrational homophobia." At the time of the domain's registration Opus Dei filed an objection against the use of  "Opus Gay" as the title of a Chilean print magazine. That demand was granted in 2007.

Labels: Catholic Church, Chile, internet, lawsuits

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 21/04/2015

“Existem diferentes interpretações para o conceito de karma. Essa é uma palavra sânscrita que significa “ação”. Porém o conceito é mais profundo: trata-se da lei universal de ação e reação, uma lei mecânica inerente a este plano, ou seja, estando aqui você está submetido a ela. Muitos compreendem Karma como uma dívida de sofrimento, mas essa é uma compreensão equivocada. Karma é uma dívida de aprendizado. Quando você aprende, o karma se dissolve.”

Acesse ao Satsang completo: http://migre.me/pyRpH

“Existen diferentes interpretaciones del concepto de karma. Esta es una palabra sánscrita que significa “acción”. Sin embargo el concepto es más profundo: se trata de una ley universal de acción y reacción, una ley mecánica inherente a este plano, es decir, estando aquí estás sometido a ella. Muchos comprenden Karma como una deuda de sufrimiento, pero es una comprensión equivocada. Karma es una deuda de aprendizaje. Cuando aprendes, el karma se disuelve.”

"There are different interpretations of the concept of karma. This is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘action’. But this concept is even more profound: it is the universal law of action and reaction. Karma is a mechanical law inherent to this realm. Just by being here on Earth, we are under its influence. Many people understand karma as a debt of suffering, but this is a misunderstanding. Karma is a debt of learning. When we truly learn, our karma dissolves."

Via Daily Dharma

Why Attain Freedom? | April 21, 2015 Sometimes people get very rigid and tense trying to be good, disciplined, and ethical. Tension can also arise when we become more aware of the immense amount of destruction—seen and unseen, intentional and unintentional—that our mere physical existence causes. From a Buddhist point of view, however, this is what it means to be born in samsara [suffering], and this is why we need to attain freedom from samsara. - Khandro Rinpoche, "Complete Abandon" Read More →

Via David J. Fischer / FB:

"I am speaking of the lie of silent assertion; we can tell it without saying a word, and we all do it- — we that know ... There Is No Art To The Silent Lie- It Is Timid And Shabby" ~ Mark Twain

"There is a special place reserved in hell for those who do nothing in a time of moral crisis " ~ Dante

 "Those who do not move, do not notice their chains." ~ Rosa Luxemburg

Make the jump here to the original on FB

Via JMG: Woman Donates House Down Payment To NOM Hate March Because Gay Nazis

From NOM's hate march GoFundMe page:

Thanks for this donation may be directed to Frank P. Conway, Todd C. Allis, and William Duke who inspired us to remove savings for the down payment of our home and instead dedicate it to NOM. Gentlemen, if you are reading this, know that your $1 donation and pro same-sex marriage comments were meant “for evil” but God has turned it “into good” by impressing us to donate much more than the $25 we originally planned to give. Just as in the case of Memories Pizza, LGBT Bullies have crossed the line one too many times. All of you have actually proven that there is a GOD by motivating those of us who have been sitting on the sidelines to step forward and stand for what only GOD created – marriage between one man and one woman.  America sees you for the hate-filled Projectors and Manipulators that you really are. But, your side is not just fighting 96% of America. GOD is the One that you are really fighting and just like Hitler’s Nazi regime – they won a number of battles but LOST the WAR. For God says “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:9 – 10. Every time you spend an American penny remember it proclaims what the Founders of this nation and our Constitution established for America “In God We Trust.”

Her donation was $777. (Tipped by JMG reader Joel)

Labels: crackpots, Hate March 3, NOM, religion

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 20/04/2015

“Existem ações que te aproximam da verdade, e ações que te afastam dela. A ação que te aproxima da verdade, ou do coração, é o serviço. É quando você transforma a ação em oração. Muitos acreditam estar servindo, mas estão se distanciando do coração. O serviço para ser uma oração na forma da ação, precisa ser desinteressado, ou seja, há que se renunciar o fruto da ação.”

“Existen acciones que te aproximan a la verdad, y acciones que te alejan de ella. La acción que te aproxima a la verdad o al corazón, es el servicio. Es cuando transformas la acción en oración. Muchos creen estar sirviendo pero se están distanciando del corazón. El servicio para que sea una oración en la forma de acción, necesita ser desinteresado, es decir, hay que renunciar al fruto de la acción.”

"There are actions that bring us closer to the truth, and actions that take us further away from it. Actions that bring us closer to the truth and to our hearts come in the form of service. This is when we turn our actions into prayer. Many people believe they are being in service, but are only moving further away from their hearts. In order for service to be a prayer in the form of action, it needs to be selfless. We must be able to renounce the fruit of our actions."

Via JMG: SCOTUS Denies NOM's Last Attempt To Repeal Same-Sex Marriage In Oregon

 

Via Oregon Live:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear one last legal attempt by the National Organization for Marriage to overturn a federal judge's ruling allowing gays and lesbians to marry in Oregon. The high court's action came nearly a year after U.S. District Judge Michael McShane of Eugene on May 19, 2014, struck down Oregon's voter-approved constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage. "It's a good day," said Portland attorney Lake Perriguey, who brought one of the two lawsuits that led to McShane's ruling. "It's a distraction we don't have to worry about anymore." Tom Johnson, a Portland attorney involved in the other lawsuit, said he was confident that the Supreme Court would deny the National Organization for Marriage's last-ditch legal appeal. But until the court ruled, there was "that tiny, little bit of uncertainty," he said.

What a perfect way to set the stage for next week's hearings!

Labels: HA HA HA, hate groups, LGBT rights, losers, marriage equality, NOM, Oregon, religion, SCOTUS

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

The Self-defeating Nature of Self-seeking | April 20, 2015 If there is an inner logic in Pure Land [Buddhism], it is found in the example of Siddhartha and of others like him who have given their all in a vain search for mastery and in the end have had to give up. That is not really the logic of salvation, however; it is the logic of the self-defeating nature of self-seeking, the logic of dependent origination. The ego cannot achieve freedom from itself. - David Brazier, "The 'Inner Logic' of Other Power" Read More →

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 19/04/2015

“A loucura é um estado mental no qual a entidade está completamente identificada com os pensamentos ilusórios. Mas, afinal o que é real? O que é ilusório? Todos nos deparamos com essas questões em algum momento da jornada. As respostas chegam quando podemos ter um certo domínio sobre a mente. Mas, a mente está fora de controle há muito tempo. Ela está no comando. Ela é como uma televisão ligada dentro de nós o tempo todo. Veja se você consegue desligá-la ou se o máximo que consegue é trocar de canal. A maioria da humanidade está com a televisão quebrada, fixada em um canal, o canal dos dramas. Você fica lá, sofrendo com a história que criou para si mesmo. Nessa história você é traído, rejeitado, desrespeitado, humilhado... Você se esforça para pensar diferente, mas não consegue. A mente tem total domínio sobre a personalidade. Isso é um tipo de loucura.”

Acesse ao Satsang Completo: bit.ly/1IYCmMn

“La locura es un estado mental en el cual la entidad está completamente identificada con los pensamientos ilusorios. ¿Pero al final qué es real? ¿Qué es ilusorio? Todos nos encontramos con esas cuestiones en algún momento del camino. Las respuestas llegan cuando podemos tener un cierto dominio sobre la mente. Pero la mente está fuera de control desde hace mucho tiempo. Ella está al comando. Es como una televisión encendida dentro nuestro todo el tiempo. Fíjate si logras apagarla o si lo máximo que consigues es cambiar de canal. La mayoría de la humanidad está con la televisión rota, fija en un canal, el canal de los dramas. Te quedas ahí sufriendo con la historia que creaste para ti mismo. En esa historia eres retraído, rechazado, no respetado, humillado... Te esfuerzas para pensar diferente, pero no lo consigues. La mente tiene un total dominio sobre la personalidad. Esto es un tipo de locura.”

"Madness is a mental state in which a human being is completely identified with illusory thoughts. Ultimately, what is real? What is an illusion? We all encounter these issues at some point of the journey. The answers come when we have a certain degree of control over the mind. However, the mind has been out of our control for a long time now. The mind is controlling us. It’s like a television that’s turned on 24/7 inside of us. Are we able to turn it off or, at the very least, to change the channel? Most of humanity has a television turned on inside them that is stuck on a particular channel: the drama channel. We remain there suffering with the story we created for ourselves. In this story we tell ourselves, we are betrayed, rejected, disrespected, humiliated, and so forth. We try to think differently, but we cannot – our minds have complete dominion over our personality. This is a kind of madness.”

Via Daily Dharma

The Wisdom of Generosity | April 19, 2015 The practice of generosity is a wisdom practice, because it’s aligning you with the real truth of things: what you think of as yours, as part of your identity, is only temporary. - Subhadramati, "Cutting the Threads" Read More →

JMG HomoQuotable - Paul Kuntzler

 

"It was so revolutionary. It had never been done before anywhere in the world. We all wore coat and ties and we all had pseudonyms. I wasn’t scared. I was intrigued by the idea. But I was intimidated by all the photographers. I was only 23. And as they came across the street they started photographing us. Every time I approached the cameras, I hid behind my sign because I was unnerved by the whole thing. But I don’t think I was scared. I was very open and proud of being gay. People passed by in disbelief. It was written on their faces. It had never had happened before. My sign read, '15 million homosexuals protest federal treatment.' It reflected what I thought. We could not conceive then the astonishing progress we would eventually make as a community. The idea that gay people, gay men and women, could work openly in the government and serve in the military. It was beyond our imagination." - Paul Kuntzler, 73, speaking to ABC News about picketing the White House fifty years ago today on April 17th, 1965. That protest, which included future LGBT rights giants Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny, is believed to have been the first organized gay rights demonstration in American history.

 

Labels: activism, LGBT History, LGBT rights

Reposted from Joe Jervis 

Via JMG: HOUSTON: LGBT Rights Bill Will Stand

Via the Houston Chronicle:

Opponents of Houston's non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials' decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer. After separate rulings from both a jury and state District Judge Robert Schaffer, attorneys for both sides entered dueling counts of the valid signatures, adding and subtracting voters as Schaffer responded to motions. By early this week, the counts were closer together than ever before, fewer than 1,000 signatures apart. Ultimately, Schaffer on Friday ruled the final count of valid signatures was 16,684, leaving opponents short of the threshold required in the city charter of 17,249 signatures, or 10 percent of the ballots cast in the last mayoral election.

"The jury's verdict and the judge's ruling are a powerful smack-down against the forces of discrimination and intolerance," said Geoffrey Harrison, lead attorney for the city, in a statement. "And maybe, just maybe, they'll reconsider their misguided ways." The law, on hold during trial, is now in effect, according to a city spokeswoman. Mayor Annise Parker released a statement celebrating the verdict. "I would hope that the plaintiffs would not appeal, they lost during a jury trial and today they also lost with the judge's ruling," Parker said. "Now all Houstonians have access to the same protections." But opponents, largely conservative activists and pastors whose objections center on the protections the law extends to gay and transgender residents, say they will appeal the decision. Andy Taylor, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he remains confident they will ultimately take the law to voters.

Stand by for some epic sadz! Read the ruling.

Labels: Annise Parker, Christianists, crackpots, HA HA HA, hate groups, Houston, Jonathan Saenz, LGBT rights, Liberty Institute, religion, Texas, Texas Values

Reposted from Joe Jervis

It Takeis Two Episode 2: "Seriously Part 2?!"

Via Sri Prem Baba: aFlor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 18/04/2015

“O eu inferior age na forma de pensamentos destrutivos gerando angústia, depressão e desespero. Mergulhamos nos nossos dramas e fantasias, e a nossa vida acaba se tornando uma maneira de provar que isso é verdade. Ao se ver identificado com esses pensamentos, fique um minuto em silêncio. Um instante em silêncio faz com que você volte para o seu centro, e se torne uma testemunha silenciosa do que acontece. Nesse lugar não existe sofrimento. Este é o nosso trabalho: desapegar da compulsão de pensar.”

“El yo inferior actúa en la forma de pensamientos destructivos generando angustia, depresión y desesperación. Nos sumergimos en nuestros dramas y fantasías, y nuestra vida acaba tornándose una manera de probar que eso es verdad. Al verte identificado con estos pensamientos, permanece un minuto en silencio. Un instante en silencio hace que vuelvas a tu centro, y te vuelvas un testigo silencioso de lo que sucede. En este lugar no existe sufrimiento. Este es nuestro trabajo: desapegarnos de la compulsión de pensar.”

"The lower self acts through the form of destructive thoughts, which in turn generate anxiety, depression and despair. We dive head-on into our dramas and fantasies, and our lives turn out to be a way of proving that they are true. If we find ourselves identified with these thoughts, we can take one minute of silence. A moment of silence allows us to come back to our center and to become a silent witness of what is happening. In this place, there is no suffering. It is our job to detach ourselves from compulsive thinking."