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 Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:03 pm
Out of curiosity (I have LOTS of LGBT friends), would Buddhism be ok with current alternative lifestyles?
I mean, none of the big three are, and I don't think Hinduism is, but wouldn't Buddha say "It's not important enough to argue about"? I mean, there aren't sex limitations for laymen, are there?
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:26 pm
As someone else said in response to a question very similiar to this one, it depends on the school, and how seriously you take it.
There very well are sexual limitations on laymen, but probably not what you're thinking. One of the precepts is abstaining from sexual misconduct. Some people take this to mean rape, and only stuff similiar, and some take it to anything not straight on, to put it bluntly, "missionary" style.
However, I take it to mean that "Love is Love", and sexual misconduct is conducting ones sexual life, in a harmful, or destructive way. I don't see homosexuality as harmful, or destructive, and it doesn't hinder one's spiritual growth.
Also, it's important to remember that the Buddha is only teaching us a handful of leaves, a handful of things, out of the forest. Only the relevant things. All the Buddha taught was suffering, and the end of it.
And if homosexuality isn't standing in the way of liberation (which, I could see no way that it does) then it's fine.
Personal boundaries.
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:20 am
Buddhism has absolutely nothing against LBGT. Which gender you prefer, which gender you identify with - these things do not matter as far as the dharma is concerned. So you prefer men or women, so you have different fiddly bits between your legs - it doesn't matter. It doesn't change your buddha-potential, it doesn't change the quality of your practice, it doesn't change your ability to study.
Everyone has the afflictions as well. Gay, bi, trans, straight, et cetera. We all struggle with the afflictions.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:29 am
Nirvahara Buddhism has absolutely nothing against LBGT. Which gender you prefer, which gender you identify with - these things do not matter as far as the dharma is concerned. So you prefer men or women, so you have different fiddly bits between your legs - it doesn't matter. It doesn't change your buddha-potential, it doesn't change the quality of your practice, it doesn't change your ability to study. Everyone has the afflictions as well. Gay, bi, trans, straight, et cetera. We all struggle with the afflictions. I agree. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there are individual Buddhists (and perhaps some particular congregations) that interpret the precepts against sexual misconduct as covering homosexuality per se, though I haven't yet heard of any. Individual identity, the Self, is as empty and impermanent as any other phenomenon within Cyclic Existence and the fetishization of it typical of most other religions is misplaced within Buddhism.
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Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:43 pm
I actually met some buddhist, who see homosexuality as sexual misconduct, but those where all students of one paticuliar teacher (very famous in Germany and Europe), who also hold some other I'd say rare views. Like Islam is a bad belief and against everything, Christians are kinda stupid etc... some of them even look down on other buddhist forms that are not tibetan.
I find that those views don't go with buddism at all, even when they call themselves buddhists. So the homosexual part is also not aplicable.
I'd say it's impotant not to cause harm to the other person through sexuality, but what your orientations are doesn't matter.
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:24 am
The goal is no sex generally so buddhist though might be anti gay but only so much as its anti straight. However some more conservative schools will teach that anything other then married vaginal sex is sexual misconduct. Your not bad for being gay, its just bad to have gay sex. Though in modern buddhist schools this view is out of favor.
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:31 pm
oboleia I actually met some buddhist, who see homosexuality as sexual misconduct, but those where all students of one paticuliar teacher (very famous in Germany and Europe), who also hold some other I'd say rare views. Like Islam is a bad belief and against everything, Christians are kinda stupid etc... some of them even look down on other buddhist forms that are not tibetan. I find that those views don't go with buddism at all, even when they call themselves buddhists. So the homosexual part is also not aplicable. I'd say it's impotant not to cause harm to the other person through sexuality, but what your orientations are doesn't matter. It is very possible that some sects would have some interpretations of homosexuality as being sexual misconduct based on socially conservative societal norms from the home countries (and the fact that "sexual misconduct" is poorly defined in the Buddhist scriptures). So long as one isn't hurting, raping, or transmitting diseases to sexual partners I wouldn't see it as being sexual misconduct, at least for laypeople. As a monk or nun one is generally expected to refrain from sexual activity (regardless of orientation) as a means of working against one's attachments to sex (scripturally supported as being one of the strongest attachments for people to overcome)...The exception is ritualized sex in some Tantric sects (though the literature I've come across only advises actual ritual sex for students of "low ability," otherwise one imagines a spiritual being as one's "Wisdom Partner" to attain the same spiritual goals).
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 10:07 am
I don't think Buddha cared who you preferred to...DO.
I heard someone else say this earlier, love is love. Buddhism is one of the most accepting religions that I know of, which is part of the reason I follow it. I'm straight, but I'm definitely a supporter of gays and lesbians and the like.
I always hated what my grandpa would say about gay marriage..."well, then, I should be able to marry my dog or a plant!" wtf? that doesn't even make any sense! an animal or plant can't consent, stupid...He's such a dimwit. XD
Oboleia, that sounds almost like a Buddhism based cult. GREEAAT.
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