Today's Daily Dharma: Buddhism's Radical Contribution.

 

 Image: Allen Ginsberg in New York City, 1953, taken by William S. Burroughs

Buddhism's Radical Contribution

The central philosophy [of Buddhism] is compassion rather than the Darwinian notion of survival of the fittest. The central notion is giving your space rather than clinging to your space and making it secure. It seems to me Buddhism has a tremendous amount of wisdom to contribute right now to the huge world life political dilemma, i.e., what are the limits of compassion? What are the limits in our relationship to chaos and how do we relate to chaos? Right now, politically speaking, basic Buddhist notions are really radically different from the general popular philosophy of life that is taken for granted among intellectuals, even liberal intellectuals. - Allen Ginsberg, "Spontaneous Intelligence"

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Via 1.000.000 Bears / FB:

Via Occupy Democrats / FB:

Opponents of same-sex marriage like to play the "religious freedom" card, as if anyone is suggesting that churches be FORCED to conduct such marriages. In reality, it is they who are infringing on the religious liberties of others by pushing these outright bans on legal same-sex marriage. If a church wants to bless a legal marriage between two consenting adults -- same-sex or otherwise -- why shouldn't they be allowed? We strongly support the United Church of Christ in their fight for justice for sexual minorities.

Image by Occupy Democrats

JMG Twitter Exchange Of The Day

Labels: Pope Francis, silliness, The Tweet Of God

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Hundreds of Australians call for same-sex marriage in Sydney rally

JMG Headline Of The Day

 

Great piece on Politico. An excerpt:

Negative national headlines on religious freedom continue to fuel a negative image of the entire party. Both in my private conversations with and in public (and private) polling, conservatives are moving ever closer to supporting full equity for LGBT Americans. Gallup’s Values and Beliefs poll released last month showed a more than 20 percentage-point increase since 2001 in Americans (63 percent) who believe “gay and lesbian relations” are “morally acceptable”. You don’t get to a supermajority like that without Republicans. Even Texas conservatives support protecting gay and transgender folks from employment discrimination.

Republicans, like the rest of Americans, support nondiscrimination laws because most of us have gay family members, friends and co-workers and want to treat them as we would want to be treated. And having heard from moms and dads who want this great country to treat their gay child just like their straight child has been a powerful narrative. It really is all about family standing up for one another. Most people believe equality under the law can and does work well alongside protecting religious freedom — which must be and is protected, even cherished, in our Constitution.

Hit the link. It's worth a full read.

Labels: GOP, LGBT rights, marriage equality, Politico

Reposted from Joe Jervis

UN Says Gays Are Victims Of Violent Abuse All Over The World

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The U.N. human rights chief says in a new report that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people are victims of “pervasive, violent abuse, harassment and discrimination” in all regions of the world and cites hundreds of hate-related killings.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said actions by some countries to reduce violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity since the last report in 2011 have been overshadowed by continuing human rights violations against these groups, too often perpetrated with impunity.

The report to the U.N. Human Rights Council that was circulated Monday cites the murder of transsexual women in Uruguay and of black lesbian women in South Africa and the killing of a gay man in Chile by neo-Nazis who carved swastikas into his body.

http://floridaagenda.com/news/international/un-says-gays-are-victims-of-violent-abuse-all-over-the-world

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 02/06/2015

“Dedique cinco minutos do seu dia para o cultivo do silêncio. Essa é uma prática muito simples que está ao alcance de todos. Cinco minutos divididos em cinco períodos de um único minuto. Escolha os períodos e silencie sempre no mesmo momento. Por exemplo: quando acorda, antes do almoço, no final do dia de trabalho, antes ou depois de uma aula e antes de dormir. Nesse instante de recolhimento você se desliga do mundo lá fora e volta-se para dentro. Seja uma testemunha que observa o que se passa sem se prender a nada. Não se prenda nem mesmo à necessidade de cumprir sessenta segundos. Pode mais ou menos tempo, o importante é lembrar do silêncio.”

“Dedica cinco minutos de tu día al cultivo del silencio. Ésta es una práctica muy simple que está al alcance de todos. Cinco minutos divididos en cinco periodos de un único minuto. Elije los períodos y silencia siempre en el mismo momento. Por ejemplo: cuando te despiertas, antes del almuerzo, al final del día de trabajo, antes o después de una clase y antes de acostarte. En este instante de recogimiento te desconectas del mundo allá afuera y te vuelves hacia adentro. Sé un testigo que observa lo que pasa sin prenderse a nada. No te prendas ni siquiera a la necesidad de cumplir sesenta segundos. Puedes más o menos tiempo, lo importante es recordar el silencio.”

“Dedicate five minutes of your day to cultivating silence. This is a very simple practice that anyone can do. Five minutes divided into five periods of a single minute. Choose when you are going to be in silence and always do this at the same time. For example, when you wake up, before lunch, at the end of your workday, before or after a class, and before you go to sleep. At this time of withdrawal, you detach from the world outside and return within. Be a witness who observes what is happening without holding on to anything. Do not even hold on to the need to get through sixty seconds – it can be more or less than a minute. The key is to remember silence.”

Via Spirit Science / FB:

Today's Daily Dharma: Impossible to Compare.

 

Impossible to Compare

To what shall I compare  this life of ours?  Even before I can say  it is like a lightning flash  or a dewdrop  it is no more.    - Sengai, "The Eternal Care Unit"

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Via Intelligence is sexy / FB:

Via JMG: Debbie Wasserman Shultz: Celebrate Pride With An Eye On Work Still To Be Done

 

"These Republican candidates want to take us backwards, undoing the progress we’ve fought so hard to secure. Jeb Bush has said that, 'the institution of marriage is under attack in our society.' Marco Rubio said one would need to have a 'ridiculous and absurd reading of the U.S. Constitution' to think same-sex couples have the right to marry. Rand Paul, the candidate who supposedly wants to broaden the GOP’s appeal and outreach to young voters, said that same-sex marriage 'offends' him. Others, including Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal, all oppose marriage equality.

There are many places around the world where people are still subjected to violence and discrimination based on who they are or who they love, particularly for the transgender community. Even here at home, we’ve failed to enact protections like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. In just a few weeks, the Supreme Court will issue a decision on whether same-sex couples have the right to marry nationwide. This June, as we celebrate LGBT Pride Month, the LGBT community and its allies are proud to look back on the victories we’ve achieved, and rededicate ourselves to the fights still ahead." - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairperson of the Democratic National Committee, writing for the Washington Blade.

Labels: 2016 elections, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Democrats

Reposted from Joe Jervis

The Baha'i Faith is Homophobic

May 18, 2015
To all Local Spiritual Assemblies
and registered Bahá'í groups

Dearest Bahá'í Friends,

A four-page letter from the Universal House of Justice on the subject of homosexuality has recently been receiving wide circulation via the Internet and through personal email lists, and we are increasingly being asked to comment on its authenticity.

The letter—dated May 9, 2014, to an individual believer in response to a personal inquiry—was indeed issued by the Supreme Body through its Department of the Secretariat. We enclose it here for your reference.

We hope that you will find this letter helpful to your work and in strengthening the friends’ understanding.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Enclosure
-------------------------------------------------------
The enclosure referred to in the letter, a letter from the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer dated May 9, 2014, can be accessed using the following hyperlink:
May 9, 2014 from the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer: https://app.box.com/s/g8mghbjmii8vabu1mlt9bmaom45lkzdt

The two enclosures to the May 9 letter, dated April 19 and April 23, have been available on the member services website for some time, but hyperlinks to those letters are also provided here for the friends’ ease of reference:

April 19, 2013 from the Universal House of Justice to individual believers: https://app.box.com/s/7o5p64siz6zw9qw9cckrspp00iumgigj

April 23, 2013 from the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly: https://app.box.com/s/w6hrimjehc5n6u6w12h87wz9rfejshs1

Should you encounter any difficulty accessing the files, please contact Bahai_National_Center@usbnc.org for assistance. These letters are also provided, per usual, in the Guidance Library of our member services website, http://american.bahai.us/, under the 2015 communications of the Universal House of Justice. This email is being sent only to Local Spiritual Assembly secretaries and group correspondents.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,
Office of the Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Via WGB: PROFILES IN PRIDE :: June 1st - Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland

Classical composer/Conductor

(1900 –1990)

 With a distinctive ability to blend classical, folk, and jazz styles into his music, Aaron Copland broke away from “European” sensibilities to become one of the most vibrant composers of the 20^thCentury.   Premiering his first symphony at the age of 24, he went on to earn countless awards and accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Appalachian Spring; an Academy Award for his film score to “The Heiress;” and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Among his other well know works are El Salon Mexico, A Lincoln Portrait, Rodeo, and Fanfare for the Common Man.

. "If it's in the music, it's in the man."

-- Aaron Copland

Via Lizzy the Lezzy ? FB:

Via JMG: Maytag Celebrates Pride Month

 

Memo to Brian Brown: Maytag was acquired by Whirlpool Corporation in 2006. The largest home appliance maker in the world, Whirlpool is currently ranked at #154 on the Fortune 500 and has annual sales of $20 billion. Other Whirlpool brands include Amana, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air.

Labels: business, Fortune 500, gay Pride, Whirlpool

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Meditación CB / FB:

♫ Música para Activar, Limpiar y Alinear los CHAKRAS ♫

Tina Turner - Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu - (Peace Mantra + Transcription)