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Spiritual Unplugging, Or What to Do When There is Wifi at the Ashram

By Matt Hamilton

…self-interrogation boiled, my hand extended to the right. I reached for my phone, but I found nothing. At first I laughed at my instinct, my muscle memory. The phone, with its glowing screen, gave me solace and control. But I was tied to my cushion for another hour, and in this ashram for another day, so email would have to wait. I panicked. My heart raced. Would my editor be asking for me? Would a reply from that politician’s secretary sit unansw…

Malawi Catholic Bishops Call For Enforcement of Sodomy Law; Ukrainian Thugs Disrupt Equality Festival Opposed by Orthodox Church; Indonesian Islamists Continue Rhetorical War on LGBTs; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…eration. Echoing venomous headlines in conservative newspapers, government officials and leaders in areas from psychiatry to religion also have heaped condemnation on homosexuality. The defense minister even said gays and lesbians were a more serious threat to national security than nuclear war. The AP story quotes a lesbian activist who says she has been receiving late-night phone calls for several weeks threatening to kill her if she does not cl…

UN Human Rights Council Creates LGBT Watchdog; Orthodox Council Affirms Traditional Teaching on Family; Pope Francis Says Church Should Apologize to Gays; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…als that 21 percent of Australian voters believe homosexuality is immoral. Japan: Using comics as cultural lifeline for LGBT youth A new manga series is meant to provide LGBT youth in Japan with a cultural lifeline by portraying gay and transgender characters. Philippines: Law enforcement charged with exploitation and abuse of LGBT people Reuters covers a report by OutRight Action International that accuses Philippine law enforcement officers of s…

Catholic Leaders Offer Criticism, Support to Boxer Pacquiao After Anti-Gay Comments…

By Peter Montgomery

…arriage equality across Mexico is being tracked by journalist Rex Wockner. Japan: Gay-Friendly Workplace Policies Reflect Company Mergers, Generation Gap Bloomberg reports that gay-friendly workplace policies are beginning to catch on in Japan, where taboos against discussing homosexuality and strong pressures to conform have traditionally made it hard for people to be open about their sexuality in the workplace. Among the reasons for the change a…

Swiss Priest Sacked for Blessing Lesbian Couple; Mormon Equality Advocate Excommunicated; Pope-Backed Anti-Gay Referendum Fails; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…n a statement. China: Alibaba marketing campaign promotes same-sex couples China’s social media behemoth Alibaba launched a marketing campaign that will send ten same-sex couples to the US and other countries where same-sex couples can be legally married. Japan: Tokyo district will recognize same-sex partnerships In Japan, where the constitution defines marriage as “a union based on the mutual consent of parties from both sexes,” the Shibuya distr…

‘A Slice of Heaven’: Lakota Look to Buy Back Stolen Sacred Lands

By Johnny P. Flynn

…to the Lakota since the Before Time. Pe’sla is part of a complex of sacred sites which include Devil’s Tower in Wyoming and various other sites in the Black Hills, all of which link to Lakota mythology of the union of earth and sky, and many are still used for ceremonies and prayer. As noted in the excerpt above, the Black Hills was set aside for the Lakota people as part of what was then called The Great Sioux Reservation. Less than ten years la…

Beyond Alarmism and Denial in the Dominionism Debate

By Anthea Butler

…es, and teachings if they want a reductionist argument they can spin out in 800 words. As someone who has studied and written about Pentecostalism for over 15 years, their lack of basic knowledge is staggering, and although I don’t expect people to get it like I do, I do expect reporters and journalists to do their homework—like you do, Sarah! This lack of “homework” has also led to a whole cottage industry of those who write about dominionism, th…

Pope Mum on LGBTs in Uganda; Church Defends Anti-Marriage-Equality Efforts in Australia; Cyprus Passes Civil Partnerships; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…entified only by his first name. “There’s never been a law against gays in Japan.” “A lot of gay men in Japan would rather lead a double life,” Yuki added. “Many Japanese gay men went to Taipei to walk in the parade, but would be afraid to do so here.” In a related story, a new poll finds support from a majority of Japanese for changing the law to recognize same-sex unions Kenya: Anglican priests suspended for being gay sue for defamation, reinsta…

Magic in the Air: How Intellectuals Invented the Myth of a Mythless Society

By Jason Josephson Storm

…th me about various protective talismans and ghostly premonitions. After a number of the patrons had shared such anecdotes, one Japanese man asked me, curiously, if these sorts of things didn’t go on in America. Before I could answer (and describe America’s own enchantment), a European patron jumped in, assuring everyone that Japan was much more spiritual and magical than the West. He looked to me to confirm the sentiment, which I did my best to r…

Episcopal Church Assault Data Reveals the Dark Side of Inclusive Christianity

By Charlotte Dalwood

…those victims who did report their victimization to Episcopal leaders, the number one assessment from both trans/non-binary and cisgender respondents was that “little or no change” came about as a result. 20.6% of transgender and non-binary survivors reported that they simply left the church altogether. By comparison, “only” 10.7% of cisgender women felt they had to leave. (Curiously, there’s no data on this front for LGB-identified Episcopalians….