Via Faith in America

Faith In America Supporters, I want to update you with the work Faith In America accomplished this last week. California’s SB 1146: In the last two years, over 70+ Christian Universities and Colleges have submitted for Title IX exemptions. These Title IX exemption requests are in direct response to the Department of Education’s inclusion of transgender students in 2014. This new bill would require three things: 1. Schools must disclose their request for a Title IX exemption to prospective and current students, faculty members, and employees. 2. All schools requesting the Title IX exemption are required to submit all the documents to the Student Aid Commission which will in turn list the schools on their website. 3.  LGBT students at any of these Christian schools would be eligible to file a civil suit for discrimination. For NBC, I wrote on why these Christian institutions cannot claim their right to discriminate while also attempting to maintain federal funding. “These schools should have to be transparent with their students and constituency,” I wrote. “If these institutions feel comfortable requesting a right to discriminate then they should also feel comfortable defending their decision publicly. Just as the schools have their legal right to discriminate so should the students have the right to private legal action when discriminated against. This may lead to Christian institutions losing federal funding. That’s a good thing. No private institution should be able to receive government assistance while breaking its nondiscrimination laws.” You should also read this stunning essay from a Bisexual student on his experience navigating intimate partner violence and his schools Title IX exemption. GOP’s Platform & Gov. Mike Pence VP Pick: The GOP continues to push a violate anti-LGBT agenda. First, noted anti-LGBT Tony Perkins influenced the GOP to include conversion therapy in their platform. This adoption of this outdated and explicitly condemned practice should be seen as an act of violence towards LGBT people, especially LGBT youth. Faith In America told ABC News the following: "The addition of conversion therapy in the GOP’s platform shows they’re far from finished fighting against the LGBT community," Faith in America executive director Eliel Cruz said in a statement. "Conversion therapy has been denounced by all leading medical organizations. The practice stems from a religious-based archaic understanding of sexuality that believes homosexuality is a choice and is sinful." Next, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump selected Governor Mike Pence as his Vice President running mate. This selection proves what many LGBT advocates have been saying for a while: Donald Trump is just as dangerous for LGBT people as any of the other Republican candidates. In the Advocate, Faith In America was quoted condemning the decision: “Governor Mike Pence has an atrocious anti-LGBT record,” said Eliel Cruz, executive director for Faith in America, which fights religious-based bigotry. “His bigoted anti-LGBT law cost the state millions of dollars while allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBT citizens. In choosing him as a VP, Trump is proving what we’ve known all along: He’s no friend to the LGBT community.” United Methodist Church LGBT Clergy Inclusion: For some good news! The United Methodist Church made history in electing the first openly gay bishop. Reverend Karen Oliveto was elected by the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church last Friday evening. This nomination goes in direct conflict with the decision made at the General Conference of the world Church in which the United Methodists voted against allowing openly LGBT clergy to serve. Faith In America praised the election in LGBTQ Nation: "The United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Last night, they became the largest Protestant denomination with an openly gay Bishop. In electing Rev. Karen Oliveto, the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church performed civil disobedience against the world church. This is historic. It’s also an act of spiritual protest against a homophobic policy that denies openly LGBT clergy from ministry. This election shows the UMC is changing and that the Holy Spirit is moving the church towards justice." That’s some Holy Trouble! Sincerely, Eliel Cruz Executive Director Support our work? Make A Tax-Deductible Contribution Today.   Copyright © 2013, All rights reserved.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 18/07/2016

“Ao identificar um padrão de comportamento negativo que gera conflito através de uma teimosia, de um vício em brigar para defender pontos de vista e da necessidade de sempre ter a última palavra, talvez exista um pacto de vingança inconsciente. Talvez você esteja projetando o seu passado na pessoa com quem está se relacionando; tentando forçar os seus pais a te ouvirem, a te aceitarem – a te amarem. Então, ao observar o sofrimento e a angústia que isso gera na sua vida e na vida dos outros a sua volta, você começa a querer mudar. Aos poucos, antes de brigar, você morde a língua - você escolhe deixar de atuar no padrão.”

“Al identificar un patrón de comportamiento negativo que genera conflicto a través de una terquedad, de un vicio enpelear para defender puntos de vista y de la necesidad de tener siempre la última palabra, tal vez exista unpacto de venganza inconsciente. Tal vez estés proyectandotu pasado en la persona con quien te estás relacionando; intentando forzar a tus padres a que te escuchen, a que te acepten,a que te amen. Entonces,al observar el sufrimiento y la angustia que esto genera en tu vida y en la vida de los demás a tu alrededor, empiezas a querer cambiar. De a poco, antes de pelear, te muerdes la lengua - eliges dejar de actuar en el patrón.”

“When we identify a pattern of negative behavior that creates conflict through stubbornness, an addiction to fighting, defending points of views, and the need to always have the last word, we might see that underlying all of this, exists an unconscious pact of revenge. Perhaps we are projecting our past on the person we are in relationship with, as though trying to force our parents to listen to us, to accept us, to love us. As we observe the suffering and the distress this causes in our life and in the lives of those around us, we begin to want to change. Gradually, before we accept the invitation to war, we hold our tongues and we choose to stop acting out of this pattern.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 18, 2016: Equality of Self and Other

To understand that others are so much like oneself creates a different perspective, a startlingly changed worldview. When this is internalized, you are not confronting another divide, but meeting someone with whom you have so much in common. You feel you know the person.

—Jeffrey Hopkins, "Equality"

Via JMG: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Denies Support For Ex-Gay Torture Appears In GOP Platform (It Does)

 

 

July 17, 2016 2016 Election, Hate Groups, Religion

Yesterday RNC chairman Reince Priebus flatly denied that ex-gay torture is part of the 2016 GOP platform even though it was preliminarily approved last week thanks to Tony Perkins. From the Associated Press:

Priebus denied that language inserted into a draft of the party platform encourages “conversion therapy,” which religious conservatives believe can stop gay people from being gay. The new language, which has yet to be adopted by the full convention, reads, “We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children.”

Asked whether the Republican Party supports “conversion therapy,” Priebus charged, “It’s not in the platform.” GOP officials are eager to shift the focus of next week’s event away from divisive social issues. Such issues, while popular with conservatives who wield outsize influence in Republican primary contests, are less popular among the more moderate voters and independents who typically decide general elections.

Last week TIME Magazine reported:

An amendment offered by the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins in the subcommittee on healthcare, education, and crime offered support for the controversial practice of “conversion therapy” for children who identify as LGBT.

“We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children,” the amendment said. Perkins originally drafted a more explicit embrace of the practice, but amended the text after consultations with top RNC officials.

Last week CNN reported:

Perkins also won a bid to add the word “therapy” to the platform, making it read “we support the right of parents to determine the proper medical treatment or therapy for their minor children.” That was read as a move to allow conversion therapy, a controversial practice that attempts to convert youths away from being gay, that has been banned by some state and local governments.

Make the jump here to read the orginal and more at JMG

“It’s what it says, it’s whatever therapy that a parent wants to get for a minor child,” Perkins said when asked about the change. “There’s states that are trying to restrict what parents can do for loving their children. Parents have a better idea I think than legislators or government bureaucrats.”

From Snopes:

The cited language is ambiguous and does not expressly identify conversion by name, but many onlookers nonetheless believe there is no other reasonable interpretation of Perkins’ proposal. The draft faces at least two more tests before officially becoming part the party’s platform, and thus far its myriad issues remained unapproved.

Via JMG: Dan Savage Vs The “Lying, Delusional, Self-Hating Shitbags” That Are The Log Cabin Republicans

February 11, 2016 2016 Election, Homocons

“Every four years gay Republicans slime out from under their rocks to remind us that the Democratic candidate wasn’t always perfect on LGBT issues. They then implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) pivot to this nonsensical argument: Since your guy/gal wasn’t always perfect on LGBT issues, the LGBT community should vote for the Republican who was terrible on LGBT issues then, is terrible on LGBT issues now, and who has pledged, if elected, to remain terrible on LGBT issues forever.
“Lying, delusional, self-hating shitbags can’t open their mouths without lying and attempting to delude.

“Every four years we’re subjected to the same insipid news stories about the efforts of the Log Cabin Republicans. Credulous reporters, some too young to realize what they’re being asked to re-regurgitate, tell us gay Republicans are hopeful! This could be the year! This could be the the year their nominee doesn’t return their checks! This could be the year their nominee doesn’t refuse to meet with them! This could be the year their nominee doesn’t deny the existence of their families! Gay Republicans are praised for trying to ‘change their party from within’ and then…

“Nothing changes. Their party never changes. All the GOP candidates for president take the same old bigoted positions. It never gets any better. But no one who writes up the efforts of Log Cabin Republicans to change their party ever thinks to examine the results. There’s never an accountability moment for the cocksucking wing of the ‘party of personal responsibility’.” – Dan Savage, writing for The Stranger.

Read the original and more on JMG here

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 17/07/2016

“Por conta dos traumas de humilhação, exclusão e rejeição, a entidade humana desenvolve mecanismos de proteção. Esses mecanismos geram uma corrente negativa de energia que costumo simplesmente chamar de não. No mais profundo, os nãos são pactos de vingançacontra aqueles que nos machucaram. São uma forma de fazer justiça, mas uma forma estúpida, porque acabamos criando uma série de situações que geram sofrimento para nós mesmos. Nós achamos que, dessa forma vamos mudar o passado, porém o passado não muda; ele só pode ser compreendido e ressignificado através do autoconhecimento.”

“Debido a los traumas de humillación, exclusión y rechazo, la entidad humana desarrolla mecanismos de protección. Estos mecanismos generan una corriente negativa de energía que suelo llamarde no. En lo más profundo, los noes son pactos de venganza en contra de aquellos que nos lastimaron. Son una forma de hacer justicia, pero una forma estúpida, porque terminamos creando una serie de situaciones que generan sufrimiento a nosotros mismos. Creemos que de esta formavamos a cambiar el pasado, pero el pasado no cambia; solo puede ser comprendido y resignificado a través del auto-conocimiento.”

“Due to traumas of humiliation, exclusion, and rejection, the human entity develops self-defense mechanisms. These mechanisms create a negative energetic current that we often refer to as the ‘no’ current. At the core, these ‘no’s’ are pacts of revenge against those who have hurt us. They are a foolish way of getting even because these pacts of revenge wind up creating a series of situations that lead us to suffering. We believe that by taking revenge we can change the past. However, the past doesn’t change. It can only be understood and given new meaning through our own self-knowledge.”

Via ॐ Blue Buddha Quote Collective / FB:

Via Ram Dass:

July 17, 2016

I think in relationships, you create an environment with your own work on yourself, which you offer to another human being to use to grow in the way they need to grow. Parents are environments for their children, lovers are an environment for their partners.

You keep working – you become the soil – moist and soft and receptive so the person can grow the way they need to grow, because how do you know how they should grow?

Via Mary Stroube / FB: TRUMP – PENCE Will Eliminate Legal and Social Gains for LGBT Citizens

Today I heard a news commentator say that Trump has a “more moderate” view towards gay rights. Perhaps in relation to Mike Pence, that is true, but Trump is no friend to the LBBT community, nor is the Republican Party. I share this so you have accurate information.

The Republication party has concluded its platform with two extreme anti-gay planks: 

1) Marriage should only be between a man and a woman and encouraging overturning the Supreme Court case legalizing same-sex marriage

2) Based on the lead by the Family Research Council, "conversion" or "reparative therapy," which purports to "cure" homosexual inclinations through analysis and, frequently, prayer has been endorsed. With that, parents are given the right to decide the proper treatment for their children in this regard. These concepts have been consistently discredited, and typically criticized. by established mental health professions

Trump has claimed that he knows many gays and lesbians and “likes the gays and lesbians.” Of course he has said the same about just about every other group, for example, “the poorly educated” and disabled. And there’s his one African American man at a recent rally. While he may like gays and lesbians, he has always opposed same-sex marriage. Briefly in 2013 he said civil unions would be acceptable, but he then retreated to opposition to any same sex unions.

In an interview with Chris Wallace this year, Trump said he would appoint people to the Supreme Court who would overturn the court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Although it would be an unusual circumstance that would even allow the issue to be reconsidered, it is Trumps beliefs that are concern.

Mike Pence’s record is much more extremely anti-gay/lesbian. Pence believes that the prominence of gay couples signals inevitable societal collapse. He actively opposes same-sex marriage. He also opposes legislation that prohibits workplace discrimination against LGBT people saying it wages war against freedom and religion in the workplace.” He also objected to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

I’m not an one-issue voter, and the Republicans have given me a lot to not like, not the least of which is the tenuous mental health of their Presidential candidate, but I’m not going to vote against myself or risk returning to unacceptable, outmoded and even dangerous beliefs. I’m voting for Hillary.

Via Daily Dharma / July 17, 2016: At Peace in Quiet, Empty Space

The quiet, empty space of zazen reveals the mind’s addiction to imagining the future and reminiscing about the past.

—Les Kaye, "The Time is Now"

Via Daily Dharma / July 16, 2016: Harmful Habits

If someone insults us, we usually dwell on it, asking ourselves, “Why did he say that to me?” and on and on. It’s as if someone shoots an arrow at us, but it falls short. Focusing on the problem is like picking up the arrow and repeatedly stabbing ourselves with it, saying, “He hurt me so much. I can’t believe he did that.”

—Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, "Putting Down the Arrow"

Via Sri Prem Baba Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 16/07/2016

“Tenho fé de que a verdade libertará o nosso país, mas talvez isso ocorra somente numa próxima encarnação. Porque, a verdade é que não adianta só prender políticos corruptos; é preciso mudar hábitos e condicionamentos mentais; precisamos de uma reforma profunda em toda a base do nosso sistema, uma reforma cultural. Assim como cada um de nós pode ter o sistema tomado por determinadas matrizes psicológicas, um país também. E, nesse momento, o Brasil está tomado pelo egoísmo e pela vaidade.”

 

“Tengo fe que la verdad liberará nuestro país, pero tal vez eso solamenteocurra en una próxima encarnación. Porque la verdad es que no sirve solo arrestar políticos corruptos; es necesario cambiar hábitos y condicionamientos mentales; necesitamosde una reforma profunda en toda la base de nuestro sistema, una reforma cultural. Del mismo modo que cada uno de nosotros puede tener el sistema atrapado por determinadas matrices psicológicas, un país también. Y en este momento, Brasil está atrapado por el egoísmo y por la vanidad.”

“I have faith that the truth will set Brazil free, but this may only happen in the next incarnation. In truth, it’s not enough to simply blame corrupt politicians. We need to change our own habits and mental conditioning. There is a need for a thorough reform at the foundation of our entire system, including a cultural reform. In the same way each of us can be overtaken by certain psychological matrices, this can also happen to a country. In this moment, Brazil has beenoverwhelmed by selfishness and vanity.”

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 15/07/2016

“Chega um momento em que é preciso simplesmente relaxar e não gerar expectativa em relação a nada. Chega um momento em que até mesmo o desejo pela iluminação precisa cair, porque esse desejo começa a ser o seu obstáculo. Quem deseja a iluminação é um eu psicológico viciado em controlar a vida. Trata-se de um eu idealizado que traçou um plano de como as coisas devem ser. Mas, quando você realmente puder silenciar para viver essa experiência, esse eu não estará lá para isso, porque o silêncio só é possível na ausência dele.”

“Llega un momento, en que simplemente, es necesario relajarse y no generar expectativa en relación a nada. Llega un momento en que hasta el deseo por la iluminación necesita caer, porque ese deseo comienza a ser tu obstáculo. Quien desea la iluminación es un yo psicológico adicto en controlar la vida. Se trata de un yo idealizado que trazó un plan de como tienen que ser las cosas. Pero cuando realmente te puedes silenciar para vivir esa experiencia, ese yo no estará ahí para eso, porque el silencio solo es posible en la ausencia de él.”

“There comes a moment when it is necessary to simply relax and not have any expectations in relationship to anything. There comes a moment when even the desire for enlightenment needs to drop, because even this very desire becomes an obstacle for us. The part in us that desires enlightenment is a psychological self that is addicted to controlling life. It is an idealized self that has outlined a plan of how things should be. However, when we can really be silent enough to live this experience, this psychological self will not be there, because silence is only possible in the absence of this self.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 15, 2016: Echoes of an Endless Past

The wind blows hard among the pines
Toward the beginning
Of an endless past.
Listen: you’ve heard everything.

—Shinkichi Takahashi, "Triumph of the Sparrow"

Via Daily Dharma / July 14, 2016: A Warning for Your Meditation Practice

Without an understanding of nontheism and the motivation to benefit others, meditation practice can degenerate into self-absorption and escapism.

—Judy Lief, "Is Meditation Enough?"

Antropólogo afirma que evangélicos espalham “ódio, fobia e vingança” na sociedade brasileira

O professor de antropologia Ronaldo Almeida, da Unicamp, afirmou que o comportamento social dos evangélicos é permeado por ódio, fobia e vingança, e que isso explica casos como o da agressão à menina candomblecista (atribuída, sem provas, a pentecostais) e o apoio à redução da maioridade penal.

Segundo Almeida, os dois exemplos acima são manifestações de conservadorismo que refletem um cenário geral da sociedade brasileira.

Ele pontuou em entrevista ao IG que o ódio pode ser notado na reprovação dos evangélicos à homossexualidade e outras religiões; a fobia pode ser percebida no apoio que muitos brasileiros dão à legislação mais permissiva em relação ao porte de armas; e por último, a vingança, que seria o motivo pelo desejo da redução da maioridade penal.

“No Brasil, o que se consolida é o pluralismo no interior do cristianismo, cujo movimento principal são católicos se tornando evangélicos. Esse aumento do contingente vai além dos templos, se reflete no âmbito da política, da economia, da mídia”, teoriza o professor, sugerindo que essa mudança de pensamento da sociedade é um reflexo direto do crescimento dos evangélicos.

Segundo Almeida, erros políticos teriam funcionado como combustível para o crescimento da representatividade dos evangélicos na política. O professor também criticou a gestão do pastor Marco Feliciano (PSC-SP) à frente da Comissão de Direitos Humanos e Minorias (CDHM).

“Em 2010, o José Serra [candidato à presidência do PSDB] colocou o pastor Silas Malafaia para atacar a Dilma [à época candidata do PT] sobre o tema do aborto. Foi o início. Depois, com Dilma já no poder, o PT fez aquela besteira de entregar a Comissão de Direitos Humanos para o PSC. O presidente, como todos sabem, foi o deputado Marco Feliciano. Na comissão de Direitos Humanos, esses religiosos acharam um espaço para lidar com temas morais. E essa comissão, que antes cuidava das minorias, como a causa indígena, começou a ter uma pauta moralista, a travar uma disputa pela moralidade pública, a replicar aqui temas do fundamentalismo norte-americano, como o ensino religioso e o criacionismo”, criticou.

Em outro trecho da entrevista, Almeida diz que as lideranças evangélicas fazem apologia à violência de forma indireta, como forma de estabelecer seus próprios paradigmas: “Na questão religiosa, os fundamentalistas acabam por fomentar a ação violenta. 

O que não é novidade: basta lembra que o episódio do pastor da Igreja Universal que chutou uma imagem foi em 1995. É a cultura de demonizar o outro, de vilipendiar as outras religiões. Tem uma coisa cínica no Malafaia: na prática, ele diz: ‘o Estado laico tem de garantir que eu posso demonizar o outro’. É o oposto da noção clássica do protestantismo: de liberdade individual. Mas, no fundo, o que a bancada evangélica mostra são expressões de coisas mais profundas da sociedade: conservadora, violenta, hierárquica e desigual”, resumiu.

Make the jump here to read the original and more

Via CBS News: "Star Trek" creator's son weighs in on gay Sulu

Actor John Cho poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "Star Trek Beyond" in London, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.

LOS ANGELES -- The son of late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry says his father would have been on board with an Enterprise crew member being portrayed as gay, but he's unsure if it should have been helmsman Hikaru Sulu.

Rod Roddenberry said his father would have been supportive of a gay "Trek" character and commended the "Star Trek Beyond" filmmakers for featuring an LGBT character. Roddenberry died in 1991.

Make the jump here to read the full story and much more
 

Via Teanderthal Party: King James

 

King James was affectionately called "Queen James" by his friends. Being gay himself, he would know if the Hebrew and Greek condemned homosexuality.

http://www.libchrist.com/other/homosexual/kingjames.html

Via Faith In America: RNC’s Conversion Therapy Support Is Dangerous

Dear Faith In America Supporters,

The GOP has solidified their stance against LGBT people at their convention supporting the condemned practice of conversion therapy. This pseudo science practice is both spiritual and medical malpractice and actively harms LGBT individuals, especially LGBT youth. Faith In America thoroughly condemns the adoption of this practice into the GOP platform.

Below is the press release we sent to media on this issue.

Sincerely,
Eliel Cruz
Executive Director
Support our work? Make a contribution today.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RNC’s Conversion Therapy Support Is Dangerous

New York, New York, July 14, 2016 – The Republican National Convention is being used as a tool to further a bigoted anti-LGBT agenda. Anti-LGBT pundit Tony Perkins used his influence as an RNC delegate to include dangerous, pseudo-science “conversion therapy” into the GOP platform.

“The addition of conversion therapy in the GOP’s platform shows they’re far from finished fighting against the LGBT community,” said Eliel Cruz, Executive Director of Faith In America. “Conversion therapy has been denounced by all leading medical organizations. The practice stems from a religious-based archaic understanding of sexuality that believes homosexuality is a choice and is sinful. Today, we know that being LGBT is natural and not something to be ‘cured’ of. The Republican Party has proven itself once more that it’s the party of religious based bigotry.”

The language included in the platform does not specifically mention the words “conversion therapy.” It mentions that parents should be allowed to seek whatever treatment or therapy they deem fit for their children. This language extends to “physical and emotional” therapy as well.

“The state intervenes when parents are abusing their children,” Eliel Cruz said. “Conversion therapy is nothing short of child abuse. There is ample evidence that shows attempting to change someone’s innate sexual orientation leads to depression, anxiety, and suicide. Parents who are willing to put their children at risk to undergo conversion therapy are abusing their children.”

Faith In America condemns the RNC’s decision to include conversion therapy in their GOP platform. Faith In America supports a national ban on conversion therapy.

For more information go to faithinamerica.org and follow on Twitter.

About Faith In America: Established in 2006, Faith In America is a non-profit organization whose ultimate goal is to end decades and centuries of using religious teachings to justify marginalizing and discriminating against others.  We are dedicated to influencing media and faith community narratives on religion and sexuality. Our goal is to move the needle forward on LGBTQ equality in the pews and in our legislation. Our Mission is to educate the public about the ongoing harm caused to LGBTQ persons, especially youth, by religious-based prejudice. Our dream is to change the hearts and minds of religious communities on the “sinful” nature of homosexuality. To remove it permanently from “the sin list.”