Calling all Queer Jewish Buddhist Pagans

Definitions:

Queer - Of or relating to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, or transgendered people.

Jewish - of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Jews or Judaism: Jewish customs. The monotheistic religion of the Jews, having its ethical, ceremonial, and legal foundation in the precepts of the Old Testament and in the teachings and commentaries of the rabbis as found chiefly in the Talmud. Compare Conservative Jew, Orthodox Jew, Reform Jew.


Buddhist - a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia, holding that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject.

Pagan - one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks. A person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim. An irreligious or hedonistic person.

I am queer - gay - lesbian - a dyke - homosexual - and any other label you would wish to associate with it. I grew up learning the Pagan religious paths. Later in my teens, I advanced my studies. As a young adult I progressed to the role of 3rd degree High Priestess, a title in the Pagan community that puts you in the similar position of a priest, preacher, rabbi, etc. Many times the Pagan path wasn't quite enough for me so I also began to study Buddhism. I found a sense of calm with the teachings of Buddha. Later, I married an amazing Reformed Jewish woman. Through our conversations and my learning more about the religion, I chose to convert to Judaism. So, that makes me a Queer Ju-bu Pagan HPS.

I like to see who has been visiting my blog and where they are from. The neat thing about the software I use is that I can do this and it will give me locations, IP address (for the stalkers that refuse to leave me be), and if they found the site through other sources, where they found it and how. So, last night I was looking around and found that someone did a Google search for Buddhism and GLBT and came across a wonderful blog called: Another Queer Jewish Buddhist. I thought to myself - wow the epitome of me! I checked out the page and I adore it. Mark Horn is the owner and author of the site. He resides in New York. As quoted in an email to me, "I teach Jewish Storytelling at a Hebrew school, which continues to amaze me since I consider myself pretty subversive. But the kids like the class, and the parents and principal like me, so I continue to teach Jewish stories in concert with stories from other cultures, noting the spiritual links between them. And the esoteric teachings. Wish I had had a teacher like me. Or probably like you."

I added Mark to my religion blog links on the side. Check him out. I read a few of his blogs last night. The one I enjoyed the most was the one on, My first Jewish-Japanese-Christmas-Hanukkah-OshogatsuTree. Now say that three times fast. He is a fascinating read and I look forward to reading more! Thanks Mark!

It is good to find other people who have found multiple religious paths and combined them into one.