"A Christian site grapples with Muslim Mysteries"

[NathanATX]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/te...gy/14link.html

I just watched "V for Vendetta" last night...

Listening to anti-gay rhetoric, anti-muslim hate, anti-everything-not-fundamentalist-christian has been striking a nerve with me lately.

It's so acceptable... to talk about people as if they were animals... to plan how to kick them out of the country, close their churches/mosques, make them wear identifying labels...etc.

People of faith, especially gay & lesbian people of faith need to be aware of the days in which we live. Our fight is not just for equality for our people, it is for justice and equality for everyone.

We are going to have to become the new patriots and protect the freedoms that all Americans have.

[BruceChris]

A bit scary. Still, why stop at deporting Muslim fundamentalists, let's deport all Fundamentalists(!?!?)

Quote from Nathan:
People of faith, especially gay & lesbian people of faith need to be aware of the days in which we live. Our fight is not just for equality for our people, it is for justice and equality for everyone.

"No one is free, when any are oppressed" --- MLK

(Name withheld out of fear)

[NathanATX]

There's no need for fear, anonymous poster.

People do need to be aware of what is happening, what neo-conservative Christians are espousing as perfectly fine solutions to "the Muslim problem."

Martin Luther King Jr. said, "injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere."

We don't need to fear the threat, but we should respond to it.

We can respond to neo-conservative politics by voicing our opinions in the media, on blogs, by writing books, etc.

We can respond to Christians who do operate out of fear by reminding them what Jesus was really about.

We can illuminate the injustice and inhumanity so that more people will speak out and do the work to bring it to an end.

We can respond by being an example of justice, equality, love, friendship, etc., with those who the neocons condemn.

[BruceChris]

Nate, you kill me, (but I love your stuff)

Originally Posted by NathanaATX

We don't need to fear the threat, but we should respond to it.

I should learn to use the word "fear" more carefully. Clearly, there is a difference between simply being fearful, and responding thoughtfully

And you seem to have that MLK quote down better than I

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

Nate, you kill me, (but I love your stuff)

I do not intend to kill you, dear Chris.

[NathanATX]

Nancy Giles on CBS, gives her perspective on fear and terror.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/CBS-Giles-terror.wmv

[Daniel]

Nate- I remember this kind of talk when the army barracks were bombed during the Reagan years. Of course, one doesn't have to look too far back to find other examples of fearful thinking and acting: our government put Asian-Americans in camps during WWII after all.

I have never forgotten the words of a Lesbian nun who I heard speak in the late 80's (I'm sorry I cannot rememer her name!) in relation to gay rights. A leather clad gentlemen got up and challenged her about her positions, why she insisted upon rights for everyone, not just gay people. Her reply was: "Until we everyone has their rights, none of us have them." The silence in the room was deafening.

Religious extremists may think about current events as getting them one step closer to heaven. Gay activists may only think about getting the right to marry and the end of religous condemnation. Certainly, one can get caught up, as it were, in one's particular area. But to work for the peace and happiness for everyone? That person is a Boddhisvata- one who dedicates their life to others and true freedom.

[NathanATX]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Nate- I remember this kind of talk when the army barracks were bombed during the Reagan years. Of course, one doesn't have to look too far back to find other examples of fearful thinking and acting: our government put Asian-Americans in camps during WWII after all.

I have never forgotten the words of a Lesbian nun who I heard speak in the late 80's (I'm sorry I cannot rememer her name!) in relation to gay rights. A leather clad gentlemen got up and challenged her about her positions, why she insisted upon rights for everyone, not just gay people. Her reply was: "Until we everyone has their rights, none of us have them." The silence in the room was deafening.

Religious extremists may think about current events as getting them one step closer to heaven. Gay activists may only think about getting the right to marry and the end of religous condemnation. Certainly, one can get caught up, as it were, in one's particular area. But to work for the peace and happiness for everyone? That person is a Boddhisvata- one who dedicates their life to others and true freedom.

I think most of us have moments where we are little Boddhisvatas... little Buddhas, little Christs.... but to live a life that way, day in and day out... that would be amazing.

[SolApollo]

V for Vendetta is a great film - it illustrates how any group can be oppressed by oppressive and toltarian regimes. It could be also interpreted as an Orwellian warning that no one should live in fear or be marginalized and persecuted by others.

My fav. Boddhasatva is Quan Yin of China, which acc. to myth and legend is a goddess of compassion and love. She represents, to me, what any person can aspire to be - a loving, compassionate soul that cares for everyone.

[marutidas]

We can illuminate the injustice and inhumanity so that more people will speak out and do the work to bring it to an end......We can respond by being an example of justice, equality, love, friendship, etc.[nathanatx/QUOTE]

I could not have said it better, Nathan.
Now, lets contimplate your quote Daniel.
Bodhisattva means enlightenment(Bodhi) and truth(Sattva) in sanskrit.
Lets take a moment to contemplate these words for a moment.
First let's take enlightenment,
It is a state this devoid of ingnorance, hatred, envy and ego (Spiritual Poisons). It is a state devoid of attachment and indifference. And one has love for ALL beings.
The mantra "Om mani peme Om" translates to Om jewel of the lotus Om
This mantra has many layers, The jewel , refers to the mind, and it shines like the sun and is always pure, but it becomes shrouded by the Spiritual Poisons, like the sun on a cloudy day. The clouds themself are not apart of the sky itself, this referes to the nature of the mind. The true nature of the mind is to be clear, but the random thoughts and moments of hatred and ignorance we are prone to, cloud the jewel's brillance.

The Lotus represents the heart, our hearts become hard and cold when we cannot love, and we become angry and distant. Caring more about our needs, than the welfare of those around us. We feel indifferent to the suffering of those we do not know.

But when our minds are open and we shine, our hearts open, and we feel compassion for others and become kind, to quote his Holiness the Dali Lamma, "When we become kind, we become beautiful like the flowers and where ever we go in this world, people will feel at home and at ease".

Now lets take a look at the word Truth, this shall be a little shorter, maybe.
There are facts like" what goes up must must come down" and "The earth is round" but when it comes to scripture it hits the wall of interpritation, beliving our particular view to be the correct one, so it is not so important that the Bible says that or it says that, it is important that we understand the meaning. This falls from the religious that hang on to instituions, i.e., The Bible and the Church, to the spiritual. To understand the essence of what Jesus was trying to teach us, instead just of quoting passages. I think that the bible could be summed up into a famous saying from a Hinu Philosopher named Neem Karoli Baba.
Love Everyone,Serve Everyone, Remember God. Now I am not saying that my word is final, or correct, It is just interpritation, but I do love simplicity and practicallity.
In this society we don't like to be wrong, and we want everyone to share in Gods word but at what cost. You CANNOT make someone love God if you are screaming at them. Love must come from within, Just as the sun does not need the light of a candle does not need the light of a candle, so too, God needs nothing from us, and treating those in need with love and compassion is true prayer.
The truth is that, to quote His Holiness again,
"We are all equal in one thing, wanting happiness and not wanting suffering....Before we are our religion, our race, and our gender, we are human beings".

Ok that was a little long winded I know, but that has been sitting on my chest for a while now.
If you would like to know more about Neem Karoli Baba just go to www.nkbashram.org

Thats all that I have to say about that.
I pray that we can find love for all beings.