Do not put your faith in traditions,
even though they have been accepted for long generations and in many countries. Do not believe a thing because many repeat it.Do not accept a thing on the authority of one or another of the sages of old,
nor on the grounds of statements as found in the books.Never believe anything because probability is in its favor.
Do not believe in that which you yourself have imagined,
thinking that a god has inspired it.Believe nothing merely on the authority of teachers or priests.
After examination,
believe that which you have tested for yourself and found reasonable,
which is in conformity with your well being and that of others.Kalama Sutta – Buddha
With the Kalama sutta as the opening, we would like to welcome you all to Heartland, the gay Buddhist fellowship based in Singapore.
The Kalama sutta forms the basis by which this group is formed.
For a long time, gay people have been told that they are condemned by traditions, scriptures, teachers and society. However, the Kalama sutta tells us that we should examine all these claims and test the validity of these claims for ourselves. Many times, when we really put some of these claims and their reasons why they are valid to the test, we find that they cannot be substantiated. As such, we should apply such principles in all aspects of our lives, whether we are Buddhists or not.
The main aim of the fellowship is as follows:
* To help each other relate and apply Buddhist teachings to our lives and to being gay
* To encourage each other to practice the Dharma actively
* To help each other improve the understanding of the Dharma, especially through practicing together
Heartland operates mainly as an email list. Who can join us?
* Current gay Buddhists
* Gay people who just started out as Buddhist
* Gay people who have not started, but wish to know more about Buddhism
* Gay people who do not wish to start, but like to know more about Buddhism
* Gay people who are of other religions, but like to know more about Buddhism
* Non-gay people who don’t mind practicing with gay people
Well almost anyone! 
To join, go back to the main page and click the “Join the forum” l
