Can we move on now?

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Originally posted by rrmoderator
Can we move on now?

To what? Honestly what is the topic, Its went from cult behavior, to "kinks", To the morality of the "kinks" , to a basic contest of flames,and back to What? It seems to Me that there is no topic anymore, no educational debate. I have heard at least 3 post that say this thread has 3 different topics. I would love to get in on a spririted debate. I like anything that is mentally stimulating. I cannot do that with a thread that is basically topicless.

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Each participant within this message board has agreed to the posted rules, which is required through the registration process. Those rules strictly prohibit any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violate any laws.

That is the rule from the disclamer, Now it seems to Me that there have been hateful things said, there has been sexually oriented things said. The list goes on. I dont like it one bit. This is an educational forum full of learned and intellegent souls. Why has this degenerated as such? I do not understand it

Let us take this as it is, at face value and determine what has happened here and get back to something stimulating for the mind and imagination.

1) characteristics of online communities - healthy vs unhealthy

Online communities, much like real life ones, can be healthy or unhealthy. I suspect it is the nature of relationships in general. Online communities provide access to a larger variety of people, and differing viewpoints, which i find can be very healthy. I have met wonderful people of diverse cultures and backgrounds online, and i am the richer for that. I have even made a few friends who i cherish, especially my german one (you know who you are). On the other hand, the temptation to completely escape into an online world is hard to resist for some. Some people find it easier to "live" online, where they can be anyone, than it is to live in the real world and be themselves. I find that unhealthy. Addiction, whether it be to online gaming, alcohol, drugs, food, relationships, etc., is never healthy in my opinion.

2) ways online communities COULD become vulnerable to cultic distortion & differences between addiction to an online game or community and an online community that is cultic--how that would happen, what it would look like to an observer

Addiction to online gaming i think has more to do with escaping ones real life. So, its not so much about an addiction to the online community. In these games, the online addict, may hop from community to community, from forum to forum, from game to game. They play one out, or immerse themselves in it until they have gotten tired of it, or no longer find it an escape. They tend to start over a lot, building new characters, i suppose looking for something. It seems to me, they escape their real lives, then have to escape the online one they have lived, and start over somewhere else.

3)whether the specific groups being discussed fit the catagories of cultic behavior

I am not really familiar with cults, never having been a member or even exposed to one in real life. I suppose online communities very well could have cultic qualities, much as real life communities can. We are, after all, the same people ... the online community is made up of real life people. BDSM, being the actions some people engage in sexually, is not cultic in my opinion. D/s or M/s, on the other hand, could be construed as cultic in several ways i guess, moreso in M/s than D/s. The slave in M/s does give herself to her Master completely, so He does control her and make her decisions. I can certainly see how that is a cultic aspect. In Gorean M/s, there is a language many learn, and certain rituals and dances, even religious leanings. I can see how that is a cultic aspect also. D/s is less so, since the submissive (rather than the slave) retains all of her rights and limits have been set by her. So, nothing is done to her without her consent. I know of several real life submissives, but no real life slaves. I'm sure some exist, but i believe they are rare.

The thing with online gaming, though, is that even the slave in M/s online, will disobey, leave a Master, delete a character, or whatever she chooses to do to get out of a M/s relationship. Long-term M/s (or D/s) relationships arent common. The longest one i am aware of is 8 months ... more commonly, they are less than 3 months. People get bored with an online character, either themselves or the one they are playing with. They move on. In that way, online D/s or M/s is not very cultlike, since they are so easily left behind. BDSM is not as common in online D/s or M/s as it seems people think. I believe the majority of Masters do not cyber, or do so rarely, or have already gotten bored with it and quit. When things are new, it's fun. But it's certainly not what D/s or M/s is about.

BDSM is /not/ a cult. This thread is a misrepresentation..simple.

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"No one, and I mean no one, knows more about cults than Rick Ross."

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"America's number one cult buster" ~Cult Watcher

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For students, educators, parents, clergy and anyone else who needs to know the ins and outs of the new phenomenon of cult control. Rick Ross has done a fine job of presenting the basics in one objective, informative presentation."

Tell us all ....Mr..Moderator, Cult-"Controller", Cult Buster, Mr. "know it all/expert".......

Is BDSM a cult or /not/ a cult <in your eyes>?

Warmest Regards,

shi

Shi:

Again, as said repeatedly before and posted through links.

A "cult" is not always destructive, it could be benign, and this distinction is based upon behavior not belief.

A destructive cult might be formed supposedly based upon BDSM, just as many have been formed that are supposedly based upon Christianity. I am not aware of such a BDSM cult.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Tyger:

This thread has become so confused perhaps it should be broken out into two more focused and specifically related threads, if anyone is interested in further discussion.

Concerns about online games.

Concerns about Internet communities.

These two topics now have threads.

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I am not aware of such an BDSM cult.

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These two topics now have threads.

~smiles~

Thankyou..Mr. Moderator.

~curtsies to All, waves to Ms. Templar~


Warmest Regards,

shi

There's just something creepy about a guy who curtsies...

Templar,

Eeeeeeyew!:(

ROFLMAO...
:D

This has to be the funniest thread ever.

Good Morning.
As you have seen fit to link to my interview, i thought it appropriate that i look over how we were being received.

Honestly, i have never heard such Wierd and wonderful things about myself as i do on these boards. Lol.

Unfortunatly, Many of these opinions come from people who are woefully uninformed. We in the BD/SM lifestyle are somthing of a paradox to the western mind. North America's "Cult of the Individual" seems completely at a loss to explain why anyone would Volentarily hand over control of their lives to another, EVEN THOUGH they do it themselves every day. We tend to Defy Labels, No little pidgeon hole seems to fit us. and frankly, Most of the concern registered regarding us is simply fear caused by Unfamiliarity.

First,
READ our interview,, you have a link to it, so, use the resource.
The posts following are interesting as well. (For a real cult like attitude, read the ones by Dyerbrook, He frequently tries to justify his "Philisophical Opinion" about us with Outright Lies, and rather transparent ones at that. How can one espouse a Higher truth, and try to support it with Willful Untruth?)

Second,
I am here now, and i am open to any Reasonable and Rational question. If you want to understand Goreans, why don't you ask one.

One Final note,
I was shocked and Dismayed by the Cavalier attitude of one parent expressed here who allows their ten year old child to enter TSO (Or any online chat scenario.) Unmonitored. This Disgraceful lack of concern for the safety and wellbeing of their child borders on the Abusive. Even if TSO had NO BD/SM community,(Or Brothels, Or strip clubs. Or Mafia's, Or Gambling houses, etc.) it would still be FAR from safe to leave a child unattended On Line there, or ANYWHERE else. Sexual Preditors Rarely if ever label themselves as such, they prefer titles like "Teacher", "Priest", Or "Councellor". Setting aside completely the Imposition, and presumption of this "Mother" (and i am reluctant to grace her with the title) in assuming that we all should be her childs babysitter, she believes it her RIGHT, to call into question OUR practices,when her own behaviour is more potentially injurious to her child than ours. (At Least We Try to keep Minors away from us which is more than she is doing.)
I Apologize for Ranting this way, but i Love children, and seeing a willfully neglectful parent makes me Furious.
That is the last i will say Off Topic.

The Topic of my Interview Was:
Gorean Lifestyle.
I await , and welcome your questions. But please,, Ask them without any Preconcieved Notions, you will find the answers to be interesting i think.
(On a little aside, My toy may, or may not post here as she wishes, I don't forbid her unless she behaves badly, and i think the comentator would step in before i would anyway.)

Mistress Maria LaVeaux.

Please note that two topical threads have been started.

One about online games of concern.

Another about online communities.

I don't think anyone indicated an interest in your lifestyle. And such a discussion is really not the point of this disussion board.

No interview is necessary.