Will Gays and Lesbians Allow Religious Leaders to Take Away Their Spirituality?

[rug]

By Patrick Range McDonald
Fri., Aug. 17 2012 at 7:00 AM

The other day we saw a quote from the Dalai Lama who said that developing a concern for others can help create a calm mind. It made sense to us, so we shared it on Facebook, hoping someone would find it useful.

We got a few "likes," but then a good friend of ours wrote an interesting comment. He said that the Dalai Lama isn't completely accepting of homosexuality, so our friend shuns all "spirituality."

The last part of our friend's comment stopped us in our tracks -- and got us thinking about a few things.

For the record, it's true that the Dalai Lama has described homosexuality as "sexual misconduct." He also said that opinion may change over time. And the Dalai Lama made a point of saying that everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly in this world, including gays and lesbians.

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/08/queer_town_gay_spirituality.php

[msongs]

1. all children are spiritual.... until they are taught religion nt

[cbayer]

6. Then some become even more spiritual.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Religious leaders lead religion, they do so professionally, and that's got nothing to do with

spirituality. Dalai Lama does not impress me, he's a dated brand, a boring as all fuck speaker, very into himself (which sort of surprised me) and about as lacking in spirit as any old man on a book tour ever was. I know, I'm supposed to be all impressed, but compared to say, a half an hour with Gore Vidal, being with Dalai Lama is like being alone.

[Magoo48]

3. Religion and spirituality have very little in common....

[Plantaganet]

4. No, however...

...the Abrahamic religions are hostile to gays. Attempts to somehow transform these into "open and affirming" faiths don't work. They are what they are. Most gay people know that instinctively, and follow their own paths. We already know how straight people and their religions feel about us. These days we're more interested in how we feel about ourselves.

[unc70]

5. It works with new covenant Christians

It is working more and more every day among most non-Calvinist groups.

[pinto]

7. "We're going to be spiritual regardless of what anyone says."

Sort of sums it up for me, gay and spiritual in my own fashion.

[cbayer]

8. Exactly. Anyone who would let one person steal their "spirituality" is

probably looking for a reason to give it up.

[cordelia]

9. Yes indeed. n/t

[mmonk]

10. It's important to note he represents Tibetan Buddhism (not all Buddhism)

but is respected nonetheless.