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"When I came out, it wasn't all that dramatic a moment. That moment
arrived when I was chatting to my friend Zenobia, and I told her, with
much hemming and hawing, about my sexual orientation. To my surprise she
replied 'Oh, I knew THAT!'"
~ Submissive Sadie, Founder & Leader (1999-2001) Rose & Thorn of Vermont
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SCENEsubmissions
Sunday, June 30th 2002
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IN THIS STEAMING ISSUE
Body and Soul: Confessions of a Kinky Churchgoer - By Rebecca Brook
My Mantra - Poem by Kirelle
Real Time Gor - An Introduction To Gor Part 4 - By Luther
BDSM & Spirituality Listservs on Yahoo.com
BDSM Website Of The Week - Recommended By Our Readers
ADMINISTRIVIA
About Sadie And The Mission Of This Newsletter
What's Going On Around New England? Our Regional Events List.
Visit the Erotic Power Exchange Dominion for torrid stories, sexy
poetry, & spicy humor.
How To Get Off Or On The Mailing List, Newsletter Policy etc.
================(())==================
BODY AND SOUL: CONFESSIONS OF A KINKY CHURCHGOER
By Rebecca Brook
RebBrook@aol.com
Moderater of LeatherChurch: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/leatherchurch/
A few years ago, my husband and I moved from New York, one of the
centers of scene activity in the United States, to a far more modest (in
every sense of the word) city out west. The landscape's a lot prettier
where we are now, but only lately -- literally, as I write this, in the
last few weeks -- have we discovered any signs of a leather community.
For the past three years, we've been back in the closet, at least
socially. My husband has kept himself busy working on Prometheus over
the net, but I found myself hungering for physical and social community.
So I started doing something really kinky: going to church.
Actually, my spiritual journey began long before our move, and I might
well have become a churchgoer even had we stayed in New York. Public
worship wasn't a conscious substitute for scene activity. It wasn't a
repudiation of it, either. All too many people in both cultures, I
suspect, would consider them profoundly incompatible. But the more I
think about the two worlds, the more traits -- both positive and
negative -- they have in common.
Radical Speech
To begin with, faith and sex are both extremely fraught subjects. Each
is absolutely central to the human experience, but also very difficult
to discuss openly. If you try to talk about what you do in bed, or how
you worship, with anyone who doesn't share the same practices, the
conversation's all too likely to end in embarrassment, anger, or hurt
feelings. I've always talked about sex more openly than many of my
peers, and until I joined TES, I often found myself shunned for it. I've
been much shyer about discussing my faith, but when I did begin telling
friends about my long, meandering conversion, a number of them -- from a
number of different spiritual traditions -- said, "Oh, it's such a
relief to be able to talk about this! There are so few people with whom
we can discuss religion!" Their voices sounded the way mine must have,
when I finally joined TES and could say the word "orgasm" in public
without being treated like a pariah.
The reason both faith and sex are so hard to talk about, of course, is
that they both carry huge amounts of cultural and personal baggage. Each
is surrounded by thickets of stereotypes; each summons forth so many
wounds, fears and insecurities that it's a wonder anyone ever manages
rational discussion on either topic. If you tell people you're kinky,
they may assume you barbecue babies for breakfast; if you tell people
you go to church, they may expect you to begin spewing
fire-and-brimstone Bible verses. Whatever the judgment, too many people
will pass it first, and ask questions about your personal experience
later. It doesn't help that both kink and faith offer such a wide range
of actual practice, even once the cobwebs of prejudice have been cleared
away. Sexually, I'm a married het switch; churchwise, I'm a liberal
Episcopalian. Being a het switch doesn't mean that I'm not "a real
player," or that I scorn, say, gay male bottoms. Being Episcopalian
doesn't mean that I'm socially chilly ("God's frozen people," as a
friend put it), or that I'm intolerant of my Jewish, Buddhist,
Presbyterian, or atheist friends.
In the face of so many stereotypes, so much judgment, why do any of us
do any of this at all? Why not just stay safely home on the couch? Well,
because we gain so much when we get out, whether to play parties on
Saturday night or to church on Sunday morning.
Radical Acceptance
For me, both the scene and the church offer the comfort of communal
ritual while affirming the sacredness of the body. Many people in both
cultures would find that statement startling. Too many people outside
the scene believe that it's about abuse, about the degradation of women,
about self-destruction. Too many people outside the church (and, indeed,
a tragic number within it) equate organized religion with hatred of the
body and hatred of sexuality.
As a newcomer to the scene, I was particularly nervous about going to
public play parties at SM clubs like Hellfire and the Vault. I expected
to see lots of men leering at scantily clad women, and I was afraid that
I'd see women being scorned and objectified, treated only as fantasies
and not as real people. Part of my fear stemmed from the fact that I
wasn't comfortable with my own body -- in the United States of
Advertising, few of the women I know are -- and I was afraid to expose
it in public. But once I'd gone (fully clothed and cautious) to a few
clubs, I found myself in a world nearly 180 degrees away from my
preconceptions. At Hellfire and the Vault, I saw all kinds of bodies, in
all states of dress: old and young, thin and wide, buff and drooping.
And I saw that I was in a world where it didn't matter what you looked
like: what mattered about your body was what you did with it and how
that felt. As a result, I was finally able to begin accepting my own
body, even though it was a bit too flabby here and a bit too skinny
there.
At its best, the scene moves beyond mere acceptance of the body (as
important and radical as that is) into love and reverence, into sacred
space. One of the first times I got the courage to bottom in public, I
was lying on a bondage table, blindfolded and still mostly clothed,
while my husband gently spanked and flogged me. I was vaguely aware that
there were people nearby, and that we seemed enveloped -- in the midst
of a crowded, noisy play party -- in a hush that deepened as the scene
went on. When it was over, when the blindfold came off and I opened my
eyes, I found myself surrounded by a ring of people, women and men, all
beaming at me as tenderly as if I were the most beautiful thing in the
world, as if I were infinitely precious. I've rarely felt more loved, or
less leered at.
A few years later, after a string of similar experiences, a scene friend
and I talked about how healing it is to be cherished this way. "Most
people never get that kind of attention once they're out of infancy," my
friend said. "It's like being a baby again: everybody loves you and just
wants to look at you all day long. I think most of us become starved for
that as we grow up."
I think the watchers are healed by this kind of love, too. Once at the
Vault, I saw two women do a long, involved, intense scene which
culminated in one of them using a strap-on dildo on the other. Now, this
is the stuff of porn movies, perfect leering-guy material, and indeed,
the roped-off play space was surrounded by watching men. But nobody was
leering, and nobody was trying to get too close. The men were perfectly
silent -- with that same hushed reverence I'd felt during some of my own
scenes -- and when I looked at their faces, I saw vulnerability: wonder
and yearning, rather than lechery.
At the end of the dildo scene, the bottom came. A few seconds later, the
top came, too. The audience's hush held through both orgasms: only when
both women were spent did the crowd begin, very gently, to applaud, a
sound like soft spring rain.
The top looked up, around at the audience. She was crying. "I don't
usually let myself come in public," she told us quietly. "I couldn't
hold back this time." I looked around at the watching men. Several of
them were crying, too.
Have I ever seen anything like that in church? Well, no, not exactly.
But because my denomination stresses the importance of the incarnation
-- the belief that God became flesh, assumed a suffering, mortal, human
body -- our services tend to demonstrate a very similar love and
tenderness, one I've found hardly anywhere else except the scene. I've
seen newly baptized babies being carried up and down the aisle as
congregants reached out gently in welcome, touching the child's hand or
smoothing back a curl of hair. I've seen everything stop while we waited
for an elderly woman, using a cane and leaning on two priests, to make
her way slowly back to her seat. One Sunday, I shared a pew with a very
old man who seemed insensible to everything around him. His wife
unbuttoned his jacket and patted his hand, but he just stared ahead,
mouth open slightly. I wondered if he was blind. He didn't sing with us,
didn't stand or kneel for prayers; when everyone else made their way to
the altar rail for communion, he stayed in his seat, his gaze vague and
unfocused.
At the end of the service, as everyone else was leaving the church, the
old man was still in his seat. I started to ask his wife if there was
anything I could do to help them, and then I saw the priest and the
deacon coming down the aisle towards us, carrying the host and the
chalice. They knelt down next to the old man and fed him communion, as
one would feed a child: folding the bread into his hand and guiding it
to his mouth, holding the chalice to his lips and tipping it, ever so
slightly, for him to drink. There was no impatience in any of this: it
was an act of love, a gift.
Watching it, I cried, and I realized that my definition of God is of a
being who looks at us as tenderly as the people in Hellfire had looked
at me, as tenderly as the priest and deacon were looking at that old
man, who was holy and beautiful to them even though his imperfect body
was failing.
Radical Trust
Growing up, I learned from the culture around me not to trust, and
especially not to trust men, who would take advantage of me if I gave
them the slightest opening. I learned to watch where I walked, what I
wore, what I said, because if I sent off the wrong signals, I would be
raped -- or at least humiliated -- and it would be my fault. The message
made me angry, even back then, but even back then I was often too afraid
to try to challenge it. The summer I was eighteen, a family friend, an
older man I liked and respected, took me aside and warned me sternly not
to wear such skimpy shorts, because boys my age couldn't control their
sexual impulses, and I might get hurt. I remember looking at him and
thinking, "Does that mean you were a rapist when you were eighteen?" But
I was afraid to ask the question aloud, because I was afraid of what the
answer might be.
I really wanted to believe that the messages I was getting were
nonsense. I wanted to believe that men, as much as women, were capable
of taking responsibility for their own behavior. I wanted to believe
that people who cared about me wouldn't hurt me, no matter what I wore.
But these were difficult propositions to test, because I couldn't do so
without putting myself into situations that I'd been told, over and
over, were dangerous.
I think this dilemma was largely responsible for the fact that I didn't
act on, or even consciously recognize, my true sexual nature until I was
in my late twenties. If having power over another inevitably involved
inflicting harm, only harmful people would willingly play with power
dynamics -- and I wanted neither to harm nor be harmed.
This conundrum made coming out, to myself or anyone else, very difficult
and frightening indeed. But when I did, I learned at last that I could
be vulnerable without being hurt. I learned -- from direct physical
experience, and not merely intellectual conviction -- that someone who
loved me wouldn't take advantage of me: not even if I were tied up and
helpless, not even if he were standing over me with a whip, not even if
I were so deep in bottom space, so blissed out on hormones and
endorphins, that I could barely remember my own name. Someone who loved
me wouldn't do anything to me without my consent. And if my husband
didn't suddenly become a leering rapist, unable to control his own
behavior, when I was tied up, neither did the men at Hellfire. I learned
that I could walk around naked, or be bound to a table, and be perfectly
safe, even in a room of people I didn't know. I learned that the scene
is a far more trustworthy place than the surrounding culture that so
often reviles it.
This discovery had a profound effect on my view of vanilla power
exchanges, politics, and sexuality. I no longer buy the "my hormones
made me do it" argument, nor the "my political power made me corrupt"
argument. I know now that power needn't inevitably take the form of
irresponsibility. On several occasions, this knowledge has allowed me to
challenge vanilla misuses of power I would simply have accepted before.
I've learned that sometimes, even people outside the scene can hear
safewords, and heed them. And I've learned that when people refuse to
respect safewords, it's an indictment of them, not of me: a statement
about their arrogance, not my weakness.
These insights helped lay the groundwork for my faith in God, a state
which can be an even scarier prospect than faith in other people. Many
of us have been raised to believe in a punitive God, the deity of
plagues and thunderbolts, the one who ignored every safeword Job could
summon. This is God as dangerous top; who could trust such a being? I
count myself fortunate not to have been raised with that image of the
divine, but in its place was absence, for I grew up in a family that
practiced no faith at all. My journey into belief has been a series of
gradual discoveries that, in fact, I've been the recipient, all along,
of attention lavished by a benevolent power. Looking at the trials of my
life, examining the times when I've been hurt and confused and in
danger, even mortal danger, I've come to believe that neither an
indifferent universe nor a cruel one can explain my continued survival
and well-being. Nor do my own merits explain the richness of my
existence; too many of the things that have sustained me have been
completely outside my personal control. I'm still here, simply put,
because I'm loved. God is a caring top, not a rapist.
Every Sunday in church, we confess our dependence on God, the power in
whom we live and move and have our being, whom we praise and thank for
all good gifts. We kneel in joy, not terror. To the people who sneer at
such submission, who claim that church is a crutch, my answer now would
be a simple shrug and the response, "Yes, sure it is. So's breathing."
The scene taught me that it was safe not to be totally guarded and
completely self-sufficient; church teaches me that in fact, I never have
been, and that the collar of my submission, far from being a mark of
shame, is cause for gratitude and rejoicing.
Radical Stewardship
The tops I respect in the scene don't abuse their bottoms. The clergy I
respect in church don't push over old women with canes, or scoff at old
men who need help taking communion. In both places, power expresses
itself most properly as service and compassion, not cruelty. Both
cultures call on me, likewise, to be fully responsible, fully
trustworthy, fully present to those I serve: either when I top or when,
at the end of the church service every Sunday, I heed the deacon's
admonition to take God's word into the world, "to walk in love as Christ
loved us."
If bottoming taught me that someone who loves me won't hurt me, topping
taught me that I can be similarly responsible to and caring of a beloved
partner, that I won't turn into a monster if I pick up a riding crop or
a pair of handcuffs. The scene challenges me to put the needs of my
bottom before my own ego; church challenges me to love my neighbor as
myself -- even when my neighbor happens to be someone I don't like very
much -- and to forgive my enemies. Both cultures demand that I care for
other people, rather than harming them. In a society that has fetishized
nonconsensual violence and looking-out-for-number-one individualism,
this isn't a trivial task.
Both the scene and the church should be, and very often are, havens for
outcasts, places where people come for healing. Jesus ate with lepers;
the scene welcomes those whose sexuality would ostracize them elsewhere.
But all too often, both places replace such ideal tolerance with
entrance and qualification requirements every bit as exclusive and petty
as anything dreamed up by a secular, vanilla country club. This is
understandable; it's human nature. It's also very painful. I'm sick of
hearing certain players suggest that I'm not "real" because I switch or
use humor in scenes or don't follow a 24/7 lifestyle; I'm sick of
listening to religious institutions, including the Episcopal Church,
squabble over whether to ordain gay and lesbian clergy and bless gay and
lesbian unions. The bad stereotypes about both cultures are there for a
reason: all too often, they're true. I have to keep reminding myself
that leatherfolk I dislike don't invalidate my sexuality, and
churchgoers I dislike don't invalidate my faith.
Episcopal preacher Barbara Brown Taylor has issued a passionate call for
compassion within the church:
"If there is anyone in the world equipped to care for people body and
soul, we are. We are God's baptized, who have been given the gift of
second sight. We can see spirit as well as flesh. We know there is more
going on than meets the eye. When we look at people, we see them whole,
the way God meant them to be. When they are not whole, it hurts us, as
if we are missing something we need for ourselves. Because of this,
disciples cannot take part in anything that diminishes the soul of
another human being. Disciples cannot stand by while anyone is called
names, or talked down to, or cast out, because all those things wound
the soul, perhaps even murder it, and it would be better for us to chop
off pieces of our own bodies than to let that happen to us or to anyone
else. (1)"
I wish more churchgoers tried to live up to this responsibility, but I
wish more leatherfolk did, too. We can also see spirit as well as flesh,
if only we look, and most of us have experienced firsthand what it feels
like to be called names and cast out. Let us remember to be good
stewards; let us treat each other as we would wish to be treated,
whatever we call the spirit we honor. If we can learn to accept one
another, then maybe one day the wider world, including its churches,
will learn to accept us.
(1) Barbara Brown Taylor, Bread of Angels (Boston: Cowley Publications,
1997), pp. 117-118.
Rebecca Brook moderates leatherchurch, a discussion list for religious
leatherfolk of all faiths and orientations. It was started by an
Episcopal laywoman who's particularly interested in the connections
between radical sexuality and incarnational Christian theology and
practice -- but who hopes that this can become a home for anyone who's
felt excluded, on the basis of body, from communities of spirit.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/leatherchurch/
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MY MANTRA
By Karelle
Dark Angel 620@aol.com
Master, i was born to be Yours, at Your feet, at Your mercy. To please
You, to make You proud is what i live for. Your love... is the greatest
gift of all, the gift of Your acceptance. No shame, no fear. Your love
has made me whole.
The sound of your voice sends me to places where i have never been,
sometimes, never wanting to return.. i feel You, taste You, ache for
You...i give my soul, my body and spirit, my life, only to You. Your
servant, to care for You, Your possession, Your slave.
Your slut, is who i am, and all i want to be.
You have chased away my fears and replaced them with Your love, it has
bound me to You as nothing has ever held me before.
I give to You all that i am, in the darkest of night when You come for
me, i give myself over to You, to teach me, to guide me, to face my
fears and softly come back to the safety of Your arms.
Master, Lover, Companion, Protector, You are all these things and
more...You complete me, and forever this girl will be by Your side
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REAL TIME GOR - AN INTRODUCTION TO GOR
By Luther
SPECIAL NOTE: This is part THREE of a series of four articles
introducing the Gorean Lifestyle. Luther is a prolific writer and the
subject and you can find a wide array of columns on the subject on his
website:
http://www.geocities.com/delphius2002/
The first part of this Gorean Lifestyle series included an interview
with Sa Kinah of ALU in Maine who is a practitioner. You can read that
interview and other SCENEprofiles on Sadie's website at
www.sensuoussadie.com
Gorean traits are also an easily understood area. In the novels, a
Gorean trait might consist of a one-liner or a set of similarly worded
lines. They attempt to generalize Gorean attitudes and characteristics.
Though these traits might be common on Gor, a lack of any trait does not
make someone any less Gorean. It simply shows the diversity of Gorean
society, the same diversity present in all civilizations. For example,
it is said that Goreans are not sadistic, they rise early in the
mornings, they do not pity and they are touchy when it comes to their
honor. Overall, these traits are true but there will obviously be
individuals who do not possess these traits. RTers may embrace these
traits but should not fault someone for not possessing them. The RT
community is permitted to have diversity in their views.
The key to properly understanding Gor is the philosophies that form the
foundation for their society and culture. It is the philosophies that
are common to all Gorean cultures, be it the cities like Ar and Ko-ro-ba
or the barbaric lands of Torvaldsland or the Wagon Peoples. It is the
philosophies that form the basis for the societal institutions and
traits. It is the philosophies where there are the fewest
nonconformists. Changing a trait or societal institution might alter
matters slightly. Changing a philosophy though would drastically alter
the world. It is the philosophies that can be embraced on Earth without
adapting them. It is my opinion that you only need embrace the
philosophies to be Gorean. You need not embrace any of their societal
institutions or traits.
Consider the term "Gorean." Gor is the name for an entire world.
"Gorean" reflects a universal commonality of both people from the cities
and also from the more barbaric lands. Certain societal institutions
such as Caste and Home Stone are restricted to the cities. Thus it would
be a misnomer to make such matters essential to being "Gorean" if such
institutions do not apply to a significant portion of the population. If
you wish to include such matters, then maybe you should differentiate it
as "City Gorean." Port Kar did not have a Home Stone for quite some time
yet would still have been considered Gorean. You must dig deeper than
the surface of a society to get to its essence.
Discerning the Gorean philosophies within the novels is more difficult
than locating Gorean traits or societal institutions. It is harder to
understand these concepts and how they apply to everyday life. They are
matters that require careful analysis and contemplation. A single
reading of the novels will not enable you to adequately understand all
of the philosophies. You should read each book several times over,
taking notes. Discuss the ideas with others to see how they interpret
these matters. You may wish to research outside matters to get a better
comprehension of certain philosophical concepts.
A philosophy is essentially a theory concerning a basic principle. As it
is only a theory, that entails there is not enough formal evidence to
prove the issue one way or another. There are people who will offer
evidence to support or refute the Gorean philosophies. Each side has
scientists who can give their opinions on the issues. Though
interesting, this debate will not solve the matter. There is evidence on
both sides of the debate but neither side has conclusive evidence to
prove their point. That does nothing though to degrade the value of the
philosophies. How many philosophies do you know that are supported by
conclusive evidence? I doubt you will find any. Philosophies exist
because they speak to certain people. To them, the philosophy has
validity. A more fruitful debate may be over the effects of living the
philosophy rather than its basic validity.
We also must differentiate between core and derivative philosophies. A
core philosophy is the most basic of concepts, ideas that operate
without exception. They are starting points from which you cannot
backtrack. Derivative philosophies are based on the core philosophies.
Derivatives may have exceptions. They are not starting points but
actually way stations on a road that begins with the core philosophies.
Derivatives are important but you must realize that the core
philosophies take precedence and that is why there may be exceptions to
the derivatives. Differentiating between what is a core and what is
derivative can be a gray area. There are few easy answers.
The most basic of the core philosophies is: Live in accordance with
nature. This concept has several elements that I consider core
philosophies rather than derivative ones. This is because these elements
are essential to the basic concept and are very basic ideas that are
part and parcel of the original statement. They are more explanatory
than derivative. These elements include: Respect nature; Follow the
natural order; and People are not Equal. Each one of these elements is
deserving of its own lengthy and detailed essay. I will only be touching
on a few highlights in my discussion of these issues.
Respecting nature is essentially being ecologically conscious and
concerned. Goreans take from nature only what they need. A Gorean hunter
does not leave a trap in place once he is done hunting. Forest fires are
considered a great tragedy. Woodsmen talk to the trees before they cut
them. Many Goreans admire the simple beauty of the sky, flowers and
other natural items. They generally do not pollute their environment.
This is a philosophy espoused by some on Earth and one that could only
benefit our world. It is also a philosophy though you hear little in
discussions of RT Gor. But, it is a philosophy that would enhance the
image of RTers in the eyes of the general public.
Following the natural order seems simple enough but it actually much
more complex. The problem is over the definition of what constitutes the
"natural order." The natural order is essentially what nature has
decreed is our destiny. For example, nature has given us sentience and
that is part of the destiny of mankind. The philosophy of natural order
extends back into antiquity. Aristotle himself proposed a theory of
natural order to support slavery. Natural order deals with certain
ingrained behaviors that are specific to our race, sex or ethnic origin.
These behaviors are part of our genetic heritage. This can be a
controversial philosophy. It can also be very dangerous. It can be
twisted and abused by those you wish to promote personal agendas.
The Nazis during WWII followed a philosophy of a natural order, stating
that the Aryan race was superior to all others. They felt that certain
peoples, especially the Jewish race, were inferiors and should be
exterminated. The natural order was one rationale for the enslavement of
Africans during the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. Blacks were seen
as inferiors to whites and thus there was nothing wrong with enslaving
them. White supremacists in the present day follow a natural order where
the white man is superior to other races. Many cultures and persons, at
various times in history, have used a natural order philosophy to
justify genocide, murder, oppression and enslavement.
Does this mean RT Goreans are like Nazis? No. Though they both may
believe in a philosophy of a natural order, their definition of what
that constitutes varies greatly. That is the crux of the matter, the
definition of natural order. Those who have abused this philosophy have
chosen to define it to suit their own needs and against most evidence to
the contrary. Obviously, these people can find or create some evidence
to justify their positions. But this evidence is often scant and they
must twist the interpretation of certain sources to fit their own
theories. For example, the Bible if often used to support many white
supremacist views. But, the idea that a single race is overall inferior
to another race is not supported by the weight of evidence. Goreans do
not discriminate on the base of race. Their definition of a natural
order does not decree that certain racial groups are inferior to others.
The concept that "people are not equal" is closely tied to the natural
order. It is essentially an elitist philosophy, based on a hierarchy of
importance, intelligence, talent, skill and much more. It does not
differentiate between races or genders. It is very basic in that no two
people are considered to be the same or equal. This is a difficult
philosophy for many to embrace. That is in part due to our upbringing in
democratic societies that stress the equality of all. It is one of the
founding concepts of the United States. We have a myriad of laws to
enforce such equality in all avenues of our lives. Goreans though would
see such laws as being protection for inferiors. They hold that it is
the desire of the inferiors to be placed on the same level as their
superiors. This is said to be a morality of slaves.
This philosophy forms the basis for the Gorean Caste system, a
hierarchical structure that creates a ranking system of station and
status. There are High Castes and Low Castes and rankings within each
division. Each Caste also has their own individual member rankings. For
example, in the Warrior Caste, First Sword is the most skilled rarius.
The Caste Leader though is the highest ranked member of the Caste. This
philosophy also forms the basis for their systems of government. For
example, the Low Castes do not possess the power to vote. That is held
only by the High Castes. This philosophy has many small effects as well
such as the types of weapons that will be used by someone. The longbow
is considered a weapon of the Peasant Caste, the lowest Caste on Gor,
and thus other castes will not use it because they feel superior to the
Peasant Caste.
Like the natural order, those on Earth that follow a philosophy of
"people are not equal" have often used it to justify horrendous crimes.
It is for those reasons that our society has continued to make laws to
promote equality. Some might say though that we have gone too far,
trying to atone for past discriminatory behavior. They might say we go
overboard in the protection of people's rights against discrimination.
Earth would prefer to err on the side of caution. This philosophy does
not sit well on Earth.
SOME GOREAN LIFESTYLE REFERENCES
http://www.silkandsteel.com/
http://www.geocities.com/sammrnc/Sanctuary_of_Voltai.html
http://gornews.thenewmatrix.net/
http://anzwers.net/hot/gorean/home.html
http://www.goreanwhispers.com/
http://slaveheart.0catch.com/welcome.html
http://www.bdsmrealm.net/article.php?sid=33
http://www.goreansonline.com/cos/slave.html
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/8365/tuchindex.html
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BDSM & SPIRITUALITY LISTSERVS ON YAHOO
These are groups that have an ongoing discussion about BDSM &
spirituality topics. LeatherChurch is moderated by Rebecca Brook who
contributed this issue's Body & Soul column.
LEATHERCHURCH
Leatherchurch is a place for religious leatherfolk of all orientations
to discuss sexuality and spirituality. It was started by an
Episcopal laywoman who's particularly interested in the connections
between radical sexuality and incarnational Christian theology and
practice -- but who hopes that this can become a home for anyone who's
felt excluded, on the basis of body, from communities of spirit.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/leatherchurch/
REALMSTONE
This list is for practitioners of Power Exchange with focus on the
spirituality of Female Dominance.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/realmstone/
SACRED FLAME
Discovers the relationship between spirituality and power exchange from
a Pagan perspective. Tantric practices are also a frequent topic. (Thank
you Yahoo for forcing me to be telegraphic--censorship is not cool.)
High quality discussion with a good signal-to-noise ratio. Introduction
is required.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sacred-flame/
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BDSM WEBSITE OF THE WEEK - RECOMMENDED BY OUR READERS
WHY STICK PEOPLE ARE EXTINCT
(Good for a chuckle)
http://www.teamhouse.tni.net/stickpeople1.html
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ADMINISTRIVIA
ABOUT SADIE AND THE MISSION OF THIS NEWSLETTER
I'm Sensuous Sadie, editor and all around diva of this publication. I am
a BDSM columnist, as well as founder and leader (1999-2001) of Rose &
Thorn, Vermont's first BDSM group. I have begun to include more articles
and interviews that touch on the subject of spirituality and BDSM. I
hope to explore BDSM not as a conduit for toys and protocol, but as an
expression of our innermost selves, something which I call "erotica
mystica." If you have an interest in this, or are aware of resources
about this, I'd appreciate if you'll let me know.
My other goal is to be an information source, particularly for those who
are not actively involved in groups. My focus is not on announcing
parties or events, but to reflect the flavors of our lifestyle in
columns, poetry, and humor. I believe in education, but I believe in the
soul connection more. My vision for this newsletter is that it will
express the magic and mystery of BDSM.
You can reach me at BurlVTSub@aol.com or visit my website (and see a hot
photo of me) at www.sensuoussadie.com
NEW ENGLAND BDSM EVENT & ANNOUNCEMENT LIST
Check out the list anytime at my website: www.sensuoussadie.com
It includes:
BDSM Groups in Vermont, New Hampshire, Upstate New York, Massachusetts,
Maine, Connecticut, Montreal/Canada, and New England general
One Time BDSM Events
General BDSM Announcements and Invitations
VISIT THE EROTIC POWER EXCHANGE DOMINION READING ROOM FOR TORRID
STORIES, SEXY POETRY, SPICY HUMOR & SCANDALOUS QUOTES
PLUS free BDSM newsletters and columns from BDSM community leaders. EPE
Dominion is the generous host of my website as well as many other BDSM
groups.
www.epedominion.com/library
QUIT YER BITCHIN' - SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR!
Send them to me! I LOVE letters reaming me out for my views. I'll print
your comments in all their unedited glory and let the community
castigate you for your inability to write a complete sentence. I also
welcome thoughtful ramblings about whatever BDSM topic you fancy. Send
them to burlvtsub@aol.com
WANT TO BE OFF THE MAILING LIST?
No hard feelings! Just e-mail burlvtsub@aol.com
WANT TO BE **ON** THE MAILING LIST?
Are you getting this newsletter forwarded from someone else? E-mail
burlvtsub@aol.com and we'll put you on the mailing list. It's FREE!
PUBLISHING POLICY
Articles must be BDSM related
We run quarterly fiction issues. If you have fiction you want to submit
please send it to burlvtsub@aol.com
We must have copyright permission to reprint articles.
We will treat you with courtesy and respect and we expect the same. Do
not expect us to run your information if you are acting like a jerk.
We only run information on established BDSM groups that are in alignment
with our values. We do not list private play parties.
If you have a concern about the newsletter, please write us about it and
include suggestions for fixing the problem. Insults with no
corresponding suggestions will not be responded to. For example - one
reader accused the newsletter of being "CyberDomme." That may or may not
be true, as many of the writers are indeed women, but it did not suggest
any solutions (such as this male writer offering to write some
articles.)
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