Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Via JMG: US Rep. Ted Lieu To Introduce Bill To Ban "Ex-Gay" Torture As Fraudulent Practice
On Tuesday morning, Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California will introduce a federal bill to ban commercial efforts to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity — often called conversion therapy. “The public views conversion therapy as quackery, as something that harms people,” Lieu told BuzzFeed News on Monday afternoon, just after landing back in D.C. from California. “Eventually, I believe Congress will catch up to that, but you do need to start somewhere, so that’s why we’re introducing this legislation.” He faces an uphill battle: The legislation, which would label conversion therapy an “unfair or deceptive act or practice” that would be illegal under the Federal Trade Commission Act, is being introduced with less than three dozen co-sponsors — all of whom are Democrats. Lieu does, however, have a powerful ally in his effort. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has signed on as an original co-sponsor of the bill.While a state Senator in California, Lieu was behind his state's successful ban on the "ex-gay" torture of those under age 18. His federal bill, however, would not limit the ban to minors. Lieu tells Buzzfeed, "Fraud is fraud, whether you practice it on a 16-year-old or a 45-year-old." The SPLC is currently suing an "ex-gay" group in New Jersey on the same grounds.
Labels: brainwashing, Democrats, ex-gay, feds, FTC, LGBT youth, religion, Ted Lieu, torture, U.S. House
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 19/05/2015
“Ninguém quer estar no inferno sozinho. A pessoa que está perdida
sempre quer levar com ela alguém que já se encontrou e que está bem. Se
você está em busca de um caminho, tudo bem, esse é o seu momento. O
problema é você convidar o outro pra ir com você. Assim você gera um
karma para si e para o outro. Então, antes de fazer o convite, veja se
você sabe mesmo para onde está indo. E se você é quem recebe o convite e
dá ouvidos a ele, talvez você ainda
esteja precisando sofrer mais um pouco. Sofrimento se alimenta de
sofrimento. Essa é uma estratégia da natureza inferior para continuar
existindo.”
Para ler o satsango completo, acesse: http://bit.ly/1QYPXF2
Para ler o satsango completo, acesse: http://bit.ly/1QYPXF2
“Nadie quiere estar en el infierno solo. La persona que está perdida
siempre quiere llevarse con ella a alguien que ya se encontró y que está
bien. Si estás en búsqueda de un camino, todo bien, este es tu momento.
El problema es que invites al otro a ir contigo. Así generas un karma
para ti y para el otro. Entonces, antes de hacer la invitación, fíjate
si realmente sabes a dónde estás yendo. Y si eres tú quien recibe la
invitación y le das oídos a ella, tal vez todavía estés necesitando
sufrir un poco más. El Sufrimiento se alimenta del sufrimiento. Esta es
una estrategia de la naturaleza inferior para continuar existiendo.”
“No-one wants to be in hell alone. A person who is lost always wants to take someone down with them who has already found him or herself and is doing well. If one is searching for a path, that’s fine. This is one’s time to do so. The problem arises when we invite someone else to come along with us, because then we generate karma for ourselves and for the other. So, before we issue an invitation, we must think about whether we actually know where we are going. If we are the ones receiving an invitation and we give it our attention, perhaps we still need to suffer a little more. Suffering feeds off of suffering. This is one strategy the lower self uses to continue existing.”
“No-one wants to be in hell alone. A person who is lost always wants to take someone down with them who has already found him or herself and is doing well. If one is searching for a path, that’s fine. This is one’s time to do so. The problem arises when we invite someone else to come along with us, because then we generate karma for ourselves and for the other. So, before we issue an invitation, we must think about whether we actually know where we are going. If we are the ones receiving an invitation and we give it our attention, perhaps we still need to suffer a little more. Suffering feeds off of suffering. This is one strategy the lower self uses to continue existing.”
Today's Daily Dharma: "Get-What-You-Want" Buddhism
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Daily inspiration and practical advice
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"Get-What-You-Want" Buddhism
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- Jan Nattier, "Visible & Invisible"
Monday, May 18, 2015
Via JMG: RBG Emphasizes The Word "Constitution" As She Officiates Third Gay Wedding
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg coyly poked the haters this
weekend as she officiated her third same-sex wedding. Via the New York Times:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Wearing her black robe with her signature white lace collar, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg presided over the marriage on Sunday afternoon of Michael Kahn, the longtime artistic director of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington, and Charles Mitchem, who works at an architecture firm in New York.I guess it's too late for the wingnuts to demand that she double-extra recuse. (Tipped by JMG reader Ed)
The gilded setting was elegant: Anderson House in the Embassy Row neighborhood, the headquarters in Washington of the Society of the Cincinnati, a club for the descendants of the French and American soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. During the ceremony, the couple slipped black and gold Harry Winston rings onto each other’s fingers.
But the most glittering moment for the crowd came during the ceremony. With a sly look and special emphasis on the word “Constitution,” Justice Ginsburg said that she was pronouncing the two men married by the powers vested in her by the Constitution of the United States. No one was sure if she was emphasizing her own beliefs or giving a hint to the outcome of the case the Supreme Court is considering whether to decide if same-sex marriage is constitutional. But the guests began applauding loudly, delighted either way.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 18/05/2015
“O vitimismo é extremamente pernicioso. A pessoa que atua nessa máscara
acredita ser muito pura. Ela não entende porque Deus é tão maldoso com
ela. A vítima tenta dominar o outro através da ideia de que ela não dá
conta da vida, de que é impotente e frágil. Mas, o que ela quer é
manipular o outro: “Ou você faz do meu jeito ou eu me mato, tomo veneno,
pulo a janela”. E às vezes ela até faz isso mesmo. Mas, entenda que essa
é uma estratégia, uma forma de manipulação. A vítima se arrasta no
chão, arranca os cabelos, mas esse teatro é com a intenção de dominar o
outro.”
Para ler o Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/1Ec4xQh
Para ler o Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/1Ec4xQh
“El victimismo es extremadamente pernicioso. La persona que actúa en
esta máscara cree que es muy pura. No entiende por qué Dios es tan malo
con ella. La víctima intenta dominar al otro a través de la idea de que
ella no da abasto con la vida, de que es impotente y frágil. Pero lo que
ella quiere es manipular al otro: "O lo haces a mi manera o me mato,
tomo veneno, salto por la ventana." Y a veces incluso hasta lo hace.
Pero entienda que ésta es una estrategia, una forma de manipulación. La
víctima se arrastra en el piso, se arranca los pelos, pero este teatro
es con la intención de dominar al otro”.
“Victimhood is extremely harmful. A person who wears this mask believes that they are pure, and they do not understand why ‘God’ is treating them so badly. The victim attempts to dominate others with the idea that they cannot cope with life, that they are powerless and weak. What they really want is to manipulate the other person. Basically they’re saying, ‘Do things my way, or I’ll kill myself! I’ll drink poison or jump out the window, and then you’ll see.’ Some people actually do it! Others just thrash about on the floor and tear out their hair, putting on the most manipulative dramas so as to finally have power over the other person.”
“Victimhood is extremely harmful. A person who wears this mask believes that they are pure, and they do not understand why ‘God’ is treating them so badly. The victim attempts to dominate others with the idea that they cannot cope with life, that they are powerless and weak. What they really want is to manipulate the other person. Basically they’re saying, ‘Do things my way, or I’ll kill myself! I’ll drink poison or jump out the window, and then you’ll see.’ Some people actually do it! Others just thrash about on the floor and tear out their hair, putting on the most manipulative dramas so as to finally have power over the other person.”
Via Daily Dharma
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Sunday, May 17, 2015
Via JMG: CHILE: 50K March For Marriage Equality
The march, organised by by the Movement of Integration and Sexual Liberation (MOVILH) and the Movement for Sexual Diversity (Mums), ended at the presidential palace of La Moneda, with speeches from various activists and political leaders. The demonstrators urged the government to implement the Gender Identity Bill, currently being debated in the Senate. They also recalled the murders of five people in 2014 because of their sexual orientation with a short ceremony during the march. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a bill into law recognising civil unions between same-sex couples on 13 April, while another piece of legislation on gay marriage. The LGBT movement in Chile has made great advances in recent years, they now are protected by anti-discrimination laws covering employment, gay people also can serve openly in the Army, gay men are allowed to donate blood and lesbian couples can have access to in-vitro fertilisation treatments.RELATED: Last month MOVILH was sued by Opus Dei over their ownership of the URL OpusGay.cl.
Via JMG and WGB: President Obama Issues Message On International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia
"We work toward this goal every day. Here at home, we are working to end bias-motivated violence, combat discrimination in the workplace, and address the specific needs of transgender persons. Overseas, I am proud of the steps that the United States has taken to prioritize the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in our diplomacy and global outreach.
"There is much more to do, and this fight for equality will not be won in a day. But we will keep working, at home and abroad, and we will keep fighting, for however long it takes until we are all able to live free and equal in dignity and rights." - President Barack Obama (via Joe My God)
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 17/05/2015
“Não é tão simples ser honesto. Para isso é preciso superar a vergonha e
o medo. Vergonha de ser você mesmo, de ser espontâneo, de mostrar suas
misérias e também sua luz para o outro. Você tem medo de ser rejeitado,
medo de não ser aceito e amado, e com isso está sempre escondendo alguma
coisa. Você se torna um prisioneiro da mentira e até passa a acreditar
nela. Muitas vezes você sente raiva do outro por estar preso, mas é você que está se colocando nesse lugar, justamente pela carência e pelo medo de ser rejeitado.”
Acesse o Satsang completo: http://bit.ly/1Ec4xQh
“No es tan simple ser honesto. Para eso es necesario superar la vergüenza y el miedo. Vergüenza de ser ti mismo, de ser espontáneo, de mostrar tus miserias y también tu luz al otro. Tienes miedo de ser rechazado, miedo a no ser aceptado y amado, y con eso siempre estás escondiendo algo. Te conviertes en un prisionero de la mentira e incluso llegas a creer en ella. Muchas veces sientes rabia del otro por estar preso, pero eres tú quien se está colocando en ese lugar, justamente por la carencia y por el miedo de ser rechazado.”
“Being honest is not that simple: it means overcoming our shame and fear. We are ashamed to be ourselves, to be spontaneous, and to reveal to others our miseries as well as our light. We are afraid of being rejected and of not being accepted and loved, so we are always hiding something from others. We become a prisoner of this deceit, and we even start to believe in it ourselves. We often feel angry at others because of our imprisonment, but we are the ones who put ourselves in this place, precisely due to our neediness and fear of rejection.”
“No es tan simple ser honesto. Para eso es necesario superar la vergüenza y el miedo. Vergüenza de ser ti mismo, de ser espontáneo, de mostrar tus miserias y también tu luz al otro. Tienes miedo de ser rechazado, miedo a no ser aceptado y amado, y con eso siempre estás escondiendo algo. Te conviertes en un prisionero de la mentira e incluso llegas a creer en ella. Muchas veces sientes rabia del otro por estar preso, pero eres tú quien se está colocando en ese lugar, justamente por la carencia y por el miedo de ser rechazado.”
“Being honest is not that simple: it means overcoming our shame and fear. We are ashamed to be ourselves, to be spontaneous, and to reveal to others our miseries as well as our light. We are afraid of being rejected and of not being accepted and loved, so we are always hiding something from others. We become a prisoner of this deceit, and we even start to believe in it ourselves. We often feel angry at others because of our imprisonment, but we are the ones who put ourselves in this place, precisely due to our neediness and fear of rejection.”
Via Daily Dharma
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Saturday, May 16, 2015
Via JMG: COLOMBIA: Interior Minister Vows To Soon Make Same-Sex Marriage Legal
"The government supports the fight for equality and we will adopt measures providing equal marriage rights for all," Cristo said at the Andes University in Bogota on Thursday, as reported by Efe. He said he would not submit to the mercy of the majority on matters related to human rights, as 'respect for equal rights is not optional'. In July 2011, Colombia's Constitutional Court ruled Congress had two years to legalize same-sex marriage or an equivalent of marriage. As Congress failed to mass a marriage equality bill, the courts began approving marriages themselves. But then, the country's Inspector General requested the Court invalidate all the marriages approved in Colombia. Only 30 same-sex couples were given a license.Cristo claims that Colombia's leading political party, the National Unity Coalition, is behind him. The party presently holds 60 out of 266 seats in the national legislature.
RELATED: In South America same-sex marriage is legal in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Civil unions or partnership laws exist in Chile*, Colombia, and Ecuador. No relationship recognitions presently exist in Bolivia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru**, Suriname, or Venezuela. (*In April the Chilean government formally dropped its opposition to same-sex marriage. **In March the Peruvian Congress rejected a civil unions bill.)
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 16/05/2015
“Nos dias de hoje a espiritualidade precisa ser prática e sustentável.
Prática porque não é preciso estar dentro de um templo, um mosteiro ou
uma igreja, mas dentro da sua própria casa, no seu trabalho, com seus
amigos. E sustentável porque é preciso estar em harmonia com a matéria,
com o dinheiro. Tanto a necessidade de acumular dinheiro, quanto a
negação dele, são extremos da mesma moeda - são reações que nascem do
medo. Fugir da vida material através da espiritualidade é apenas outra forma de materialismo.”
Para ler o Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/1C7lIW2
Para ler o Satsang completo, acesse: bit.ly/1C7lIW2
“Hoy en día la espiritualidad necesita ser práctica y sustentable.
Práctica porque no es necesario estar dentro de un templo, un monasterio
o una iglesia, sino dentro de tu propia casa, en tu trabajo, con tus
amigos. Y sustentable, porque es preciso estar en armonía con la
materia, con el dinero. Tanto en la necesidad de acumular dinero, como
en la negación del mismo, son extremos de la misma moneda - son
reacciones que nacen del miedo. Huir de la vida material a través de la
espiritualidad no es más que otra forma de materialismo.”
“These days spirituality has to be practical and sustainable. It is practical because it’s no longer confined to a temple, a monastery, or a church, but can be in your own home, at work, or with your friends. Spirituality must be sustainable as well by being in harmony with things of the material world, such as money. The need to accumulate money and the denial of money are both sides of the same coin: they are reactions that stem from fear. Running away from the material world through spirituality is just another form of materialism.”
“These days spirituality has to be practical and sustainable. It is practical because it’s no longer confined to a temple, a monastery, or a church, but can be in your own home, at work, or with your friends. Spirituality must be sustainable as well by being in harmony with things of the material world, such as money. The need to accumulate money and the denial of money are both sides of the same coin: they are reactions that stem from fear. Running away from the material world through spirituality is just another form of materialism.”
Via Daily Dharma
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Friday, May 15, 2015
Via JMG: COLOMBIA: Interior Minister Vows To Soon Make Same-Sex Marriage Legal
"The government supports the fight for equality and we will adopt measures providing equal marriage rights for all," Cristo said at the Andes University in Bogota on Thursday, as reported by Efe. He said he would not submit to the mercy of the majority on matters related to human rights, as 'respect for equal rights is not optional'. In July 2011, Colombia's Constitutional Court ruled Congress had two years to legalize same-sex marriage or an equivalent of marriage. As Congress failed to mass a marriage equality bill, the courts began approving marriages themselves. But then, the country's Inspector General requested the Court invalidate all the marriages approved in Colombia. Only 30 same-sex couples were given a license.Cristo claims that Colombia's leading political party, the National Unity Coalition, is behind him. The party presently holds 60 out of 266 seats in the national legislature.
RELATED: In South America same-sex marriage is legal in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Civil unions or partnership laws exist in Chile*, Colombia, and Ecuador. No relationship recognitions presently exist in Bolivia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru**, Suriname, or Venezuela. (*In April the Chilean government formally dropped its opposition to same-sex marriage. **In March the Peruvian Congress rejected a civil unions bill.)
Via Karmapa KTD / FB:
For
this reason, he explained, “the fullest expression of faith is not just
asking for protection from another source, but longing to become
fearless beings ourselves, able to offer protection and refuge to
others.”
http://www.karmapaamerica2015.org/?p=2423
http://www.karmapaamerica2015.org/?p=2423
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 15/05/2015
“Perdão é sinônimo de liberdade, ele é o que possibilita a liberação. É
uma tremenda libertação ter seu coração aberto, e é uma sensação de
grande aprisionamento ter seu coração fechado. Um dos principais
carcereiros dessa prisão é o orgulho. E junto dele está o medo. Porque
muitas vezes é extremamente humilhante ter que reconhecer o quanto você
está magoado; o quanto está ressentido com a atitude do outro. E isso
faz de você um prisioneiro.”
“Perdón es sinónimo de libertad, éste es el que posibilita la
liberación. Es una tremenda liberación tener tu corazón abierto, y es
una sensación de gran aprisionamiento tener tu corazón cerrado. Uno de
los dos principales carceleros de esta prisión es el orgullo. Y junto a
él está el miedo. Porque muchas veces es extremadamente humillante tener
que reconocer cuán herido estás, o cuán resentido estás con la actitud
del otro. Y esto hace de vos un prisionero.”
"Forgiveness means freedom: it brings on liberation. It is tremendously freeing to keep your heart open. Closing the heart is terribly imprisoning. If the chief warden at this prison is pride, his right-hand man is fear. It often feels downright humiliating to own up to just how resentful you feel, to just how hurt you feel for the other's attitude. All this makes of you a prisoner."
"Forgiveness means freedom: it brings on liberation. It is tremendously freeing to keep your heart open. Closing the heart is terribly imprisoning. If the chief warden at this prison is pride, his right-hand man is fear. It often feels downright humiliating to own up to just how resentful you feel, to just how hurt you feel for the other's attitude. All this makes of you a prisoner."
Via Daily Dharma
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Thursday, May 14, 2015
Via JMG: WYOMING: Laramie City Council Approves Sweeping LGBT Rights Ordinance
The Laramie City Council on Wednesday approved a local anti-discrimination ordinance in the college town where Matthew Shepard's death triggered nationwide sympathy and brought a re-examination of attitudes toward gays 17 years ago. The council voted 7-2 in favor of the measure that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment and access to public facilities such as restaurants.
Local organizers focused their efforts on Laramie after the Legislature repeatedly rejected anti-discrimination bills, most recently early this year. The Laramie Nondiscrimination Task Force presented a draft ordinance to the City Council last summer. Jeran Artery, head of the group Wyoming Equality which has lobbied for the anti-discrimination measures at the state Legislature, said he was thrilled with the council vote.
Judy Shepard, Matt Shepard's mother, is active in a Denver-based foundation that bears her son's name and focuses on equality issues. "I'm thrilled that Laramie's doing it, at the same time sort of saddened that the state of Wyoming can't see fit to do that as well," Shepard told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday before the council vote from Washington, D.C. "Maybe the rest of Wyoming will understand this is about fellow human beings and not something that's other than what they are."
Via JMG: Empire State To Go Red For AIDS Walk
Fierstein says: "May these lights, and those burning throughout the city, brighten the night sky with remembrance of the countless precious friends and family we've lost to AIDS. May they carry our pledge to see the end of this disease once and for all."
Numerous other city landmarks are also going red this week. They include One World Trade Center, Bloomingdale's, the Helmsley Building, the JFK control tower, the Bank Of America tower, the New York Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ billboard in Times Square.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 14/05/2015
A ignorância em relação à nossa realidade espiritual faz com que
vejamos somente a superfície das coisas. Perdemos a capacidade de
enxergar o espírito que nos habita. O materialismo é o responsável por
isso. Por causa dele o ser humano está sempre numa correria pelo lucro e
se esquece do respeito, da gentileza, da bondade e do amor. Nos
tornamos especialistas em transformar tudo em dinheiro. Tudo vira
instrumento para adquirir poder. O
dinheiro é uma forma de energia muito poderosa que faz parte do jogo
neste mundo, porém essa energia precisa estar a serviço do espírito.
Quando utilizado pela sabedoria, o dinheiro é um instrumento divino, mas
quando utilizado pela ignorância, ele se torna uma ferramenta de
destruição.”
“La
ignorancia en relación a nuestra realidad espiritual hace que veamos
solamente la superficie de las cosas. Perdemos la capacidad de ver el
espíritu que nos habita. El materialismo es el responsable de eso. Por
causa de éste el ser humano está siempre en una carrera por el lucro y
se olvida del respeto, de la gentileza, de la bondad y del amor. Nos
volvimos especialistas en transformar todo en dinero. Todo se vuelve un
instrumento para adquirir poder. El dinero es una forma de energía muy
poderosa que es parte del juego en este mundo, sin embargo esta energía
necesita estar al servicio del espíritu. Cuando es utilizado por la
sabiduría, el dinero es un instrumento divino, pero cuando es utilizado
por la ignorancia se vuelve una herramienta de destrucción.”
"When we are ignorant about our own spiritual reality, we see things only at the surface level. We lose sight of the spirit that inhabits us. Materialism is the culprit here, causing humans to fall into a rat-race for profit. We forget all about being respectful and kind, about being good and loving. We specialize in monetizing everything around us, so it all becomes a means of giving us power. Money is a powerful energy and an inherent part of the game of life in this world – but this energy needs to be at service of spirit. When used with wisdom, money becomes a divine tool; when it's employed by ignorance, it becomes a destructive weapon."
"When we are ignorant about our own spiritual reality, we see things only at the surface level. We lose sight of the spirit that inhabits us. Materialism is the culprit here, causing humans to fall into a rat-race for profit. We forget all about being respectful and kind, about being good and loving. We specialize in monetizing everything around us, so it all becomes a means of giving us power. Money is a powerful energy and an inherent part of the game of life in this world – but this energy needs to be at service of spirit. When used with wisdom, money becomes a divine tool; when it's employed by ignorance, it becomes a destructive weapon."
Via Daily Dharma
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Thich Nat Hanh: Explicacion del Ego
Explicacion del Ego
Posted by DJ Pollyfonika on Friday, October 10, 2014
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Via LGBT* Bahá'is:
Baha'is believe religious laws, not to be mere laws and regulations to be followed, but rather “that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples ” To me this means that these laws are written into the very nature of existence, and if not adhered to, there are consequences to one’s soul and to one’s life. Sometimes these consequences are spiritual in nature, sometimes mental and sometimes physical. And usually this can lead to the break down of one’s life and society in general.
For instance, all religions generally prohibit murder, arson, theft and mendacity. These are universally seen as sinful and inherently wrong. They are clearly explained in almost every Religion of God. Murder, for example, is wrong because God has willed to raise something up, and you are making yourself an equal to God, and believe that you have more of a say to who has life and who doesn’t than He does. This is only one reason that murder is wrong.
Another good example is the use of drugs and alcohol. Almost every religion prohibits the consumption of substances that impair or impede a person’s natural senses and sensibilities. This impairment is itself a reason for banning the use of alcohol and other drugs. The consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction are easily seen. Science has proven that these substances have a negative effect on the lives and health of human beings.
So we can see that these things (arson, murder, alcoholism et cetera) are harmful to human beings. Science has shown this, and it is in agreement with religions that say these actions have harmful spiritual effects.
In the Baha'i Faith, and most other religions, however, being gender or sexually non-conforming (homosexual, trans* et cet) is lumped into the same category as these sins. It is seen as inherently evil and sinful and is treated as such. In what way is this the case though? I have never seen a single shred of evidence to suggest that this is the case. In the Baha'i Writings other issues such as drug addiction and alcoholism are explained and deconstructed. This is not the case with LGBT* issues. Despite the Baha'i view that homosexuality is a disease, not one shred of evidence as to its pathology, its treatment or its prognosis is given. This is not the case with other “diseases” such as alcoholism. In terms of murder being viewed as a “spiritual disease,” this is not the case. The pathology is explained and has been in the human consciousness for a very long time (I gave an example of its “pathology” above). This alone is all that is necessary to prove its sinfulness. In the Baha'i Faith, a huge onus is put on the individual to independently investigate reality. It is important to “see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others.” So we are not exactly taking it for granted that murder and other sins are against the Laws of Nature, but rather we see with our own eyes that they are wrong. Through the mercy and grace of God, it has been written in the Books of almost every religion, and our own limited scientific accomplishments have proven, that these sins are inherently destructive to human-kind. However, in almost every one of the Central Books of the main world religions, rules and regulations regarding gender-variant and sexual minorities have been vague and non-conclusive. It seems the Prophets have chosen to remain silent about this subject.
Until the time that being homosexual, trans* or otherwise a sexual or gender-variant minority is proven to be inherently wrong and against the Laws of Nature in a conclusive and non-biased setting, it should be viewed as against Baha'i law to in any way discriminate against them (including their right to be joined in a Baha'i marriage). Why?
Bahá'u'lláh has declared that religion must be in accord with science and reason. If it does not correspond with scientific principles and the processes of reason, it is superstition. For God has endowed us with faculties by which we may comprehend the realities of things, contemplate reality itself. If religion is opposed to reason and science, faith is impossible; and when faith and confidence in the divine religion are not manifest in the heart, there can be no spiritual attainment.1At this point, science has proven homosexuality as non-pathological. It is not a disease, it is not inherently wrong, and it has no known consequences. Science has shown that discrimination based on gender and sexual identity is damaging to individuals and society at large. Until this ceases to be the case, it is impossible to hold someone accountable for using their judgement on these things. To discriminate, and removing a person’s voting rights and effectively expelling them from the community for being “flagrantly homosexual” is discrimination, against an LGBT* person for aligning themselves with current scientific thought and medical practice, is immoral. To do the same for a homosexual couple who decides to marry, when it is not done to heterosexual couples who procreate outside of marriage or otherwise break current Baha'i sexual laws, is discrimination, and it is not in keeping with the Baha'i principles of independent investigation, personal conscience, unconditional love or justice.
-‘Abdu'l-Baha
I will post soon about the Baha'i laws and Writings that currently effect LGBT* people, how they have been interpreted and other possible ways of interpreting them.
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Via WGB: REPORT: Half of LGB Americans Identify As Christian
“The 'Christians vs. LGBT people' narrative that we hear so often is part of the story, but as the Pew poll shows, it's not all of it. In fact, it's the 48 percent of LGBT Americans who are Christians who are best positioned to change both religious attitudes about same-sex marriage and secular attitudes about religion. As LGBT Christians continue to find their voice, they'll be changing both their churches and the LGBT community for the better.” Full story here!
Also via Daily Dharma
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Via Daily Dharma
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Tuesday, May 12, 2015
SCORE!!! Olympics Officials Make HUGE Pro-Gay Move
In what's already being hailed as "a great step forward," the International Olympic Committee has taken a significant move against future intolerance toward the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in the Olympic Games.
The Chicago Tribune reports that IOC members unanimously voted to approve a recommendation which adds non-discrimination language regarding sexual orientation to the Olympic Charter.
"The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race, color, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status," the Charter now reads, according to the publication.
The decision to update the wording, which will also be included in all future Olympic Games host city contracts, follows a flurry of controversy surrounding the 2014 Winter Olympics, which were held in Sochi, Russia. A number of high-profile LGBT rights advocates called for the U.S. to boycott the Sochi games in response to Russia's controversial "gay propaganda" legislation.
Cher, Madonna and Lady Gaga were among the high-profile celebrities to decry the law, which imposes fines and sentences on anyone deemed to be distributing "pro-gay" information to minors. Full story here!
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