The Baha'i Studies Listserv Another message where I referenced Raëlism. Sent from my iPad
On Apr 19, 2013, at 23:35, Stephen Kent Gray <skg_z...@yahoo.com> wrote: > The Baha'i Studies Listserv > There are a variety of religions in the world. While most either are > explicitly anti LGBTQQIA or neutral towards them, there are affirming > religious groups. > > Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism have affirming factions. > This is a specific denominational issue in Judaism and Christianity. I could > add Buddhism as well because of the Hinayana and Mahayana divide on this > issue. Most Hindus are on one side and conservative Hindutva is on the other. > Most Muslims are on one side and the liberal Al Fatiha Foundation and liberal > Imaan groups are on the other. > > Wicca, Unitarian Universalism, Eckankar, LaVeyanism, Raëlism, Neo-Druidism, > and the Native American Religion are affirming religions. Though, not listed > by Wikipedia, I would add Thelema as well to the list due to my own research. > > Religious Humanists and Religious Existentialists tend to be affirming as > well. > > I compiled the lists from Wikipedia articles on affirming religions, > organizations that support same sex marriage, religious views on same sex > marriage, etc. > > It's ironic that the leeway for interpretation in scripture present in the > top five religions allows for flexibility in this matter that the Baha'i > Faith lacks. > > While LGBTQQIA people and allies are part of the top five religions, they do > tend to be drawn to the next seven as well. I wonder what are the religious > demographics of these people. > > Skygram, do you know what religions these ex-Baha'is convert to or to > irreligion? How are they doing today? Do you still keep in contact with them? > Was it all for the better now, if they managed to convert to an affirming > religion or denomination? > > This is especially noted in how lots of Unitarian Universalist churches have > extensive affirming programs in congregations which are known as Welcoming > Churches. > > It is sad for the ones who stay Baha'is, but they apostates probably have > moved on with their lives for the better. > > While I didn't come to my current religious affiliations because they were > affirming, but rather for other reasons. I choose Unitarian Universalism > because of the diversity of religious beliefs that can fit within that big > tent. Religious Humanism because I liked reading the Humanist Manifestoes, > but didn't care for Secular Humanism. Buddhist Humanism, Humanistic Buddhism, > Nichiren Buddhism, Buddhist Modernism, Engaged Buddhism, Buddhist > Protestantism, etc. because of my prior like of Religious Humanism and my > liking of Mahayana Buddhism. > > I was interested in Eckankar because of soul travel and various other things. > I was interested in Contemporary Modern Neo Paganism and hence Neo-Druidism > and Wicca. I was interested in various UFO religions including Raëlism. > > I like the Golden Rule which is in all religions. I like the page on > Wikipedia listing the various formulations across religions. Buddhism and > Humanism have my favorite formulations. I also like the Declaration of a > Global Ethic. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism have formulations I > read regularly as well via the Wikipedia page. Wicca and Thelema also have > formulations that I have memorized as well as read regularly via Wikipedia. > > The Humanist Manifesto II > > In the best sense, religion may inspire dedication to the highest ethical > ideals. The cultivation of moral devotion and creative imagination is an > expression of genuine spiritual experience and aspiration. > > We believe, however, that traditional dogmatic or religions that place > revelation, God, ritual, or creed above human needs and experience do a > disservice to the human species. > > Whether the Baha'i Faith does a disservice to humanity is up to debate, or > not? > > Sent from my iPad > > On Apr 16, 2013, at 20:20, Skygram <skyg...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> The Baha'i Studies Listserv >> Gary, >> >> You have prodded the sleeping elephant in the room! >> >> I recall many years ago there was a Bahai bumper sticker that read, "Human >> Rights are God Given Rights". But now that sexual preference is considered a >> human right by many countries along with the United Nations, you don't see >> this bumper sticker any more. >> >> Over the years having known a number of gay Bahais, both male and female, >> who have struggled with their issues of sexual identity, most have ended up >> leaving the Bahai Faith because in it they found no sense of spiritual >> refuge. Instead most encountered a lot of mean spirited behaviour of self >> righteous Bahais of which unfortunately, there are more than a few. >> >> Then there is another group of Bahais who marry into relationships with >> other gay Bahais of the opposite sex. They do this to "pass" as straight for >> various reasons and they also struggle with the inherent conflicts of being >> homosexual in the Bahai Faith. >> >> It is all very sad for these human beings and I have discovered that there >> is little compassion found in our communities for these people. I cannot >> imagine that this is what Baha'u'llah had in mind nor how Abdul Baha would >> want us to treat these children of God. >> >> I am sure that some of the Bahais will comfort themselves with Bahai >> scripture as a way of justifying their behaviour. But it shouldn't take >> scripture to love all of human kind without exception. >> >> Bill >> >> >> >> __________________________________________________ >> You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:skg_z...@yahoo.com >> Unsubscribe: send a blank email to >> mailto:leave-697342-1719008.2a3842ae5b2f7d34dd5fdfc724616...@list.jccc.edu >> Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu >> Or subscribe: >> http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st >> Baha'i Studies is available through the following: >> Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu >> Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st >> News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st >> Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net >> New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > > __________________________________________________ > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:skg_z...@yahoo.com > Unsubscribe: send a blank email to > mailto:leave-698633-1719008.2a3842ae5b2f7d34dd5fdfc724616...@list.jccc.edu > Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu > Or subscribe: > http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st > News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net > New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:arch...@mail-archive.com Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-699934-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to ly...@list.jccc.edu Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu
