Originally posted by Mustard Seed
Being realistic and having a full respect for what one weilds can be quite different things.
So you would conceed that your experience is likely very atypical?
The designation "goddess" can either be one that denotes litteral worship and the accompanying reverence or it can be on par with more materialistic conotations as to giving supercilious designation to a woman or feminine figure. One may well have reverence while the other have quite the antithesis of reverence.
My stance is not simply that it has it's bad parts but that it is inherently something unhealthy. Even in your upper echelons you are first a commodity and afterwords a human. In the family unit, as it is suppose to be, the husband and wifes are equals. They have different roles but one is not in the employ of the other at any time. I cannot see how a setup in which those feelings that are the most intimate and sacred (I believe they are very sacred) are part of some business arangement regardless of how profesional it seems. I do not see the acceptance of such interaction as a form of profit making is remotely healthy even if the person is able to maintain the appearance of thriving. Many in the past, many connected to many supposed religious traditions, have been able to have economies and cultures that give the appearance of thriving for some time. I do not think that means that they were healthy cultures or that those in their societies were healthy. Spartan society was a society that lasted for quite sometime. It is considered by some to be the most musical oriented. In sexual matters it was both 'contained' in respects but also quite liberal in many others. Just because they had a society that was sustainable and was 'healthy' in the sight of many does not mean that it was inherently healthy.
I hope I can always judge with as much justice as is possible for a mere mortal. I hope to judge as I believe God would.
I've been in both ends of the spectrum. I've lived in California (the Bay area) for two years (recently) and I've been in Utah for a good portion of my life. I've been witness to probably the greatest extreems I could be without leaving the states. The diversity available in both locals with regard to culture, socioeconomic, ideological and other diversity is quite high. In Utah it's far higher than stereotypical treatments I've seen give it credit for. Between the University of Utah (likely one of the most 'liberal' intellectual communities in the Nation if not the World) next to one of the seemingly most conservative institutions in the world. My international forays, at present are limited to Canada and Mexico but in both of my primary residences I've had a great deal of access to cultures and ideologies originating from all over the world. I may be deluding myself but I think I'm far more literate in various views on the world than I think many think any died in the wool born in the faith 'Mormon boy' can be.
'It's a show' is likely the biggest lie our society has been telling itself. We go to movies that would have left traditional Roman gladiator fans aghast yet since we see it as 'just a show' or 'make believe' that all it is is 'entertainment'. I've not read clockwork orange (I think that's the title of the story) nor seen the movie but the concept I believe I've heard originating from it of an entire society having minds that are constantly dwelling on that which is something society could never permit to go into the open in any large scale is something both frightening and inherently destructive. We can chalk it up to 'just' a show with just a 'bent' of something but the reality is that we are deluding ourselves. We are developing apeteits and drives that if ever they lost the current outlets they would drive the people en mass into actions that would destroy the society as we now know it. Regardless of how 'refined' we make it looks or how much we try and link it to the 'arts' or 'culture' the biological time bomb is being armed regardless. At some point the chips will fall and any people in that society tied to those drives that have been illegitimately fostered will seek some outlet that will not be restrained by any semblance of logic, reason, or civility. Society as a whole can and does self destruct on such seemingly little things as 'shows' and 'entertainment'.
All I can do is offer my knowledge and experience with respect to the matter.
I realise I am not in your close knit circle of friends, as we've never met to my knowledge, but I hope you will listen to me when I tell you that regardless of your current view there will come a time when you will regret your associations. I can't say when it will come but, forgive the seemingly dogmatic certainty of my assertion, it will come and it will not be a passing remorse if you do not heed that part of you that is telling you there is a problem.
I couldn't say I completely understand where you're coming from but I equally appreciate the civility you approach this subject with.
I'm not perfect, but one must try. Thank you for your patience. As I will likely not be able to post here for quite some time I wish to leave you something that is important to me and linked to the topic at hand.
THE FAMILY
