Mayor Bloomberg: 'NYPD Stops Whites Too Much And Minorities Too Little’
Read the shameful details HERE
Friday, June 28, 2013
How did America in the 21st century become so comfortable with blatent racism?
Mayor Bloomberg: 'NYPD Stops Whites Too Much And Minorities Too Little’
Read the shameful details HERE
Lead plaintiffs in Calif. gay marriage case marry
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.
Amos 5:24
Read the story HERE
Meanwhile, it's 1850 in North Carolina!
North Carolina becomes first state to disqualify itself for federal jobless benefits
Read this disgraceful news HERE
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Thoughts on this extraordinary day...
Pre-Rulings
LGBT Sisters and Brothers and our cherished Allies: Whatever happens with the SCOTUS decisions today, we need to remember we have already won the hearts of the majority of the American people. Those who hate equality can drag their feet and delay the inevitable, but have no doubt the victory is already ours!
Equality's Dawning
And the People said AMEN! Sometimes, justice prevails. We must now redouble our efforts in states that deny us the right to marry, and join with ALL justice loving people and work to ensure the right to vote of every citizen!
Lingering Inequality
In the midst of our celebrations we should remember that DOMA lives on for those of us in states that deny marriage equality to same sex couples.
SCOTUS Motus!
Whatever happens with the SCOTUS decisions, we need to remember we have already won the hearts of the majority of the American people. Those who hate equality can drag their feet and delay the inevitable, but have no doubt the victory is already ours!
Sunday, June 23, 2013
How I Did/Didn't Get AIDS: stories about all of us...
Exocism and drowning pigs
In today's gospel (below), Jesus rids a man of a host of demons and sends them (at their request) into a herd of swine which promptly commit suicide. Now this man was well known in the region, and his condition the talk of the town. Yet when the community gathers and sees him restored to physical and emotional health, their reaction is to ask Jesus to get out of Dodge. Can you understand this? I think I can. How many times do we prefer "the devil we know" to something new, better or more healthy? Do we stay in the same boring soul destroying jobs because we're part of the pension plan? Do we remain in the same lifeless-loveless relationships because we own property together or "for the sake of the children (can't decide who gets the dogs and cats)? Do we prefer to stay in the "sickness" of our everyday lives to being healed and restored to real life? If I'm honest, my answer is sometimes yes. What's yours? Something to think about and to work on before we awaken one morning to find ourselves unable to move. Do we collect the gold watch at the end of thirty or more spirit numbing years, or do we choose to really live?
Luke 8:26-39
Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
3 out of 10 homeless people in San Francisco are LGBT
On every trip I've taken to San Francisco, I've been amazed at just how many homeless people I've seen. That beautiful and exciting city has a less upbeat side for sure. In some parts of town, you can be asked for change at least once on every block you walk. Now knowing that three out of ten homeless are LGBT adds another dimension to my concern for this city too expensive for many to afford housing. At one time, I wanted to move to San Francisco, but I soon discovered I'd never make it on a social worker's salary. I have to wonder what extra burdens our LGBT sisters and brothers (especially LGBT youth) face in living on the streets.
Read the article HERE
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Wisdom with or without the kilt!
“If we are growing holier, we are growing kinder.”
~Andrew Bonar, minister of the Free Church of Scotland
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Myths and Stereotypes That Dehumanize Gay Men
by: Murray Lipp
The march towards equality in society relies heavily on bringing forth facts and challenging untruths about the lives of those who experience discrimination.
This blog post features ten of the most problematic myths and stereotypes which play a role in the mischaracterization and dehumanization of gay men in the U.S.A. While those who support LGBT equality sometimes innocently engage in stereotyping of gay men, it is ultimately those who promote heterosexist and homophobic agendas who are the most likely to draw on myths and stereotypes in their efforts to rationalize discrimination.
Read the list HERE
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Gay priests' dating forum uncovered in the Vatican
Sunday, June 16, 2013
What happens when we're the grownups?
I can remember a time when I was always the youngest person in the room. No matter the setting (aside from family gatherings), I'd look around and everyone there was older than I. Somewhere around my mid-thirties, the tables turned with an unrelenting surety. From that point onward, I was always the oldest in the crowd. I confess I didn't like the change one bit. Now in my fifties another change has taken place. Almost every person I remember from childhood as one of the "grownups" is gone. A few weeks ago my father's youngest brother Anthony died. This leaves only my Uncle Charles of the seven children born to Anna and Joseph Glorioso. When did all of this happen? When did I become one of the "senior" members of the family? How did I become one of the "grownups"?
One of the hardest things about being a grownup is the inability to ask an elder for advice or assistance. I have a new appreciation for the roles they played in our lives because I have discovered there is no grownup handbook or list of instructions. Like them, I have to do the best I can and hope all turns out well. Did they miss their elders as much as I miss them? Both of my parents are gone; my mother having died too young in 1984 and my father in 2006 at the age of ninety. Now, when I go to the "book of wisdom" and open it's pages I see my reflection as if in a mirror.
On this Father's Day I wish all of the "Grownups" parents or not well. You see, I do understand your situation; I too am a grownup!
For Fathers in special circumstances or "Fathers of Choice"
Even if you don't like country music, listen to the story this song tells.....
USA: Tomorrow Another Possible Day for US Supreme Court Rulings on Marriage Equality
So far, we have three more announced dates for rulings from the US Supreme Court this month – tomorrow, Thursday, and the following Monday. And Rachel Maddow’s statement Friday night that some court watchers expected them to come tomorrow, we’ve seen nothing else to support one day over another, other than a general feeling that the biggest rulings usually come at the very end of the term.
Much more HERE
President Obama salutes strong parents, families, and all kinds of fatherhood in his Father's Day message
I never really knew my own father. I was raised by a single mom and two wonderful grandparents who made incredible sacrifices for me. And there are single parents all across the country who do a heroic job raising terrific kids. But I still wish I had a dad who was not only around, but involved; another role model to teach me what my mom did her best to instill – values like hard work and integrity; responsibility and delayed gratification – all the things that give a child the foundation to envision a brighter future for themselves.
That’s why I try every day to be for Michelle and my girls what my father was not for my mother and me. And I’ve met plenty of other people – dads and uncles and men without a family connection – who are trying to break the cycle and give more of our young people a strong male role model.
Being a good parent – whether you’re gay or straight; a foster parent or a grandparent – isn’t easy. It demands your constant attention, frequent sacrifice, and a healthy dose of patience. And nobody’s perfect. To this day, I’m still figuring out how to be a better husband to my wife and father to my kids.
From: Towleroad
Read more:
Saturday, June 15, 2013
OK, I can see this, but.....
...what about those who don't seek forgiveness and continue to harm others? I think we need to stand strongly against this behavior while trying not to demonize the perpetrator. I'm in the midst of s situation like this at work. The injustice and pain caused by one person with authority cries to heaven for a just resolution. I stand against this at every instance, but it costs me greatly in emotional wear and tear, but hey, it's the weekend!
Down the road to obsolescence
US: Gay Catholics to turn their backs on Cardinal who compared Pride to Ku Klux Klan rally
by Aaron Day
An LGBT Catholic group in Belmont is set to hold a church demonstration this Sunday to campaign the ‘faith based bigotry’ of visiting Cardinal, Francis George who previously compared gay rights campaigners to the Ku Klux Klan.
The demonstration, led by the Gay Liberation Network and the Rainbow Sash movement, will be held in front of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the heart of Chicago’s gay district. Campaigners inside the church who are attending the mass, will stand and turn their backs as the Cardinal attempts to gives his sermon.
Read the rest HERE
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Kicked out by his "parents" for being gay....
.....he shows them that not even hate can stop love and beauty!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Gay Dean tipped to be first gay Church of England bishop
Is it me, or does this seem anticlimactic? It sometimes seems the church is going out of it's way to prove itself obsolete in the modern world. Do people really care anymore? With less than 30% of people in England attending a C of E service on any given Sunday, do the people still see the church as relevant? I wish the Very Rev. John well, but I think he'll have his work cut out for him.
Read more HERE
'Cause it's all about me!
Lift up your hearts and sing! Jesus loved sinners. You're already a part of the kingdom of God!
When we've lost all...but hope.
I remember being in the room when the doctor told my mother she had terminal cancer, and again at that same hospital when she breathed her last. I understand those times when we lose all but hope. My mother was given less than six months to live at the time of her diagnosis, but she lived 22. Hope is a powerful tool in the hands and hearts of those who believe. The widow in today's gospel had lost it all, then she was given hope ("Do not weep.") and her world was born anew. No matter how much you lose, never let anyone or anything take away your hope. The world may end tomorrow, but I hope not. With hope all things become possible and we are given wings to fly as high as we dare.
Luke 7:11-17
Soon after healing the centurion's slave, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep." Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, rise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen among us!" and "God has looked favorably on his people!" This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
10 POLITICAL Things You Can't Do While Following Jesus
by Mark Sandlin
In response to my last article, “10 Things You Can't Do While Following Jesus,” I was accused multiple times of being political. All I was trying to do was follow Jesus. So, I thought it'd be interesting (and generate tons more hate mail) to show what a list would actually look like if I were being political intentionally. Like the first list, this is not a complete list but it's a pretty good place to start.
There will be those who comment and send me messages berating me for “making Jesus political.” It's okay. Fire away. Jesus didn't worry much about stepping on political toes and the Bible insists that governments be just toward the least of these (the books of the prophets alone make this point very clear). Frequently, people who are the most vocal about not making Jesus political are the same people who want prayer in school and laws based on their own religious perspectives. By a happy little circumstance that brings us to my list:
10) Force your religious beliefs and practices on others.
One of the strengths of the faith Jesus taught was in its meekness. The faith he taught valued free will over compulsion – because that's how love works. Compelling people to follow any religion, more or less your personal religion, stands over and against the way Jesus practiced his faith. If you are using the government to compel people to practice your spiritual beliefs, you might be the reason baby Jesus is crying. This does get tricky. There is a difference in letting your beliefs inform your political choices and letting your politics enforce your religious beliefs. This article is about the first part.
9) Advocate for war.
There's a reason why he was called the Prince of Peace. Sure, you can quote, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” and even two or three other verses but they don't hold a candle to the more than fifty-some verses where Jesus speaks about peace and peacemaking. Its funny how things keep coming back to love but it needs to be said, it is way far away from loving a person to kill them. I guess there's a reason why we say, “God is love.” In the end, love wins.
8) Favor the rich over the poor.
This is actually related to #4. Favoring the rich over the poor is a slap in the face of Jesus, his life and his teachings. In terms of the teachings of Jesus, it is bad enough when we allow the rich to take advantage of the poor, but when we create laws which not only encourage the behavior but also protect it? Well, let's just say it becomes crystal clear how ironic it is that we print, “In God We Trust,” on our money.
7) Cut funding that hurts the least of these.
To some degree, this is the inverse of #8. Favoring the rich is despicable. We Jesus minions should avoid it. Hurting the poor? Well, that's just.. just... um, something a whole lot worse than despicable. Despicabler? Über-dispicable? When Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do it to me,” he meant it. When you cut funding and it hurts people, according to Jesus, you are hurting him.
6) Let people go hungry.
Well, well, well. What have we here? Is this an item from the original top ten list which I claimed was not politically motivated? Looks like I've stepped into my own clever trap! Muh wah ha ha! Seriously though, of course it's on both lists. It IS a spiritual issue and it IS a political issue. Spiritually, Gandhi said, “There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” Politically, hunger causes problems with education, production and civil behavior which are all necessary for a successful nation. More importantly for Christians, Jesus said when we feed the hungry, we are feeding him. So, yes, this item is on both lists – and I'm going to do it again.
5) Withhold healthcare from people.
This time I'm not only repeating an item, I'm repeating a lot of what I said. Did you ever play the game “Follow the Leader"? If you don't do what the leader does, you are out. Following means you should imitate as closely as possible. When people who were sick needed care, Jesus gave it to them. If we are following Jesus, we will imitate him as closely as possible. No, the government can't repeat the miracles he did but I've seen modern medicine do things that are about as close to a miracle as I expect to get. While the government can't do miracles, it can supply modern medicine. Every year, 45,000 people die in the U.S. because of the lack of healthcare. We Christians like to talk about “saving” people. Well, I know of about 45,000 people who'd love for us to do it and we should – because that's how love works.
4) Limit the rights of a select group of people.
Jesus loves everybody – but he loves me best. Kind of sits the wrong way with you, doesn't it? Well, it should and with good reason. If you spend any time reading the Bible you know that we all were made in God's image. Exactly which part of us is in God's image is less clear but what is clear is that we were equally made in the image of God. Any law that doesn't treat people equally is as good as thumbing your nose at God. Even worse? Doing it in the name of God or based on religious beliefs (see #10).
3) Turn away immigrants.
Christian heritage runs through Judaism. We are an immigrant people. Even our religion began somewhere else. Our spiritual ancestors, Abraham and Sarah were told by God to pick up what they had and start traveling. Moses, Miriam and Aaron led a nation out of Egypt, into the desert and ultimately to new lands. Even Jesus spent part of his childhood as a foreigner in a foreign land. As Exodus says, we know how it feels to be foreigners in a foreign land. If you don't think being foreigners in a foreign land is still our story, ask the Native Americans. At best, turning away immigrants makes us hypocrites; at worst, it makes us betrayers of our ancestors and our God.
2) Devalue education.
We learn in Proverbs that wisdom is something in which God delights daily. As a matter of fact, according to Proverbs, wisdom is better than gold. When you look at the percentage of our budget which goes to education and at what Congress is trying to do to student loans, it's pretty clear that delighting in wisdom is something our government no longer does.
1) Corporal punishment including execution.
Jesus died by execution. He was an innocent man. Every year, innocent people die by execution in our nation. It's time to be a shining city on a hill. It's time to express the fullness of love, to express the values of life. It's time to stop the government-sanctioned killing.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Biblical Marriage Not Defined Simply As One Man, One Woman
The Huffington Post: Meredith Bennett-Smith
Politicians who use the Bible aren't necessarily interested in the truth or the complexity of the Bible," he said. "They are looking for one ancient sound bite to convince people what they already believe."
Anyone who argues that "the Bible speaks plainly on one issue, especially something as complicated as marriage ... haven't take the time to read all of it,"
Read the article HERE
Monday, June 3, 2013
What absolute twaddle!!!
Senior Anglican warns equal marriage could force the Queen to break ‘the laws of God’
“Happily in this country we have a monarchy that has taken an oath of upholding God’s laws, and the present Queen has for years been faithful to that. We are praying that she continues to be faithful.”
“That puts the onus on the prime minister not to put the Queen into a position where she may have to go against the sovereign promises she has made. We hope that she is not put in that position.”
Read more of this nonsense HERE
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The spiritual path.......
...is sometimes dangerous and frightening, but the scenery is often amazing!
Cardinal, start the Jacuzzi!
Roman Catholic Jacuzzi: The Pink Elephant in the Vatican
Michael Bullock
This is the standard phrase that most publishers use to protect themselves against lawsuits. For my book Roman Catholic Jacuzzi, a story recounting my accidental discovery of a retreat for closeted gay Catholic priests, Brendan Dugan, owner of independent book publisher Karma (a name that could not be a better match), decided that it was important to do the exact opposite, proudly proclaiming "a true story" on the cover. Since the book launch last month, that is the question I'm asked the most: "Is it really true?" I explain that the only embellishment is in my in portrayal of the priests as both more attractive and more likeable than they were in reality.
In October 2010 I discovered the secret retreat where these priests meet in private once a year to let their hair down and be openly gay together for the week. I was not on a mission to find and expose such a retreat; I booked a cabin with the aim of being alone to concentrate on writing, and it happened to be at the same place and time as the priests. The disorganized resort allowed my stay without realizing what else they were hosting.
Read the rest HERE
Soldiers, Slaves and Gays.....
The Centurion in today's gospel (at post's end) has several things working against him when he asks (by proxy) Jesus to heal his slave. He's a gentile, soldier (man of at least potential violence), he represents the oppression of the Jews by the Romans and he's gay. Say what? Now you've gone too far John, what's next a tea dance (guess I'm dating myself here!) before the last supper? Let's look at the story a bit closer.
The first thing we notice is that all communication between the Centurion and Jesus is done by proxy. Initially, he sends some Jewish elders to ask for the favor of curing his slave, then "some friends". He sure seems intent on Jesus' not showing up at his door in person. The gospel story phrases this in terms of great humility " Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof...". Humble indeed! The Roman liturgy puts these words on the lips of each communicant prior to receiving the sacrament. Jesus responds to this humility by proclaiming " I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." High praise indeed.
What of the nature of the relationship between the Centurion and the slave? A slave was property and thus an object upon which economic value was placed. Was it just the economic impact the loss of this slave would mean to the Centurion that prompted him to send quite an entourage to make his request of Jesus? Certainly it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some affection and regard could develop between master and slave. Despite the inequity represented in their respective positions, they were feeling human beings capable of a complex relationship. I would also argue (as have many respected theologians and scripture scholars) that it is just as plausible that the two shared a mutually felt romantic, intimate and even sexual relationship.
Because of a few obscure, confusing and much disputed passages in scripture, we LGBT people have been trained not to see ourselves in the stories that outline our faith. There is no reason we cannot see these stories through "queer" eyes and claim them as belonging to us as much as anyone. I may be finished with the institutional church, but I have many miles yet to travel with the Galilean Carpenter.
Luke 7:1-10
After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us." And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and the slave does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
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