CallaFirestormBW
Posts: 3651
Joined: 6/29/2008 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: moutas I think that a slave must not be entitled to follow a personal religion in an usual form because her god must be her master so either the slave is atheist so god and master are the same recipient, or the slave is believing in a religion and she has to consider that her master is the only intermediary between her god and herself. So she has to address her prayers and devotions only to her master. It is not of her business anymore if her devotions and prayers are transmitted to an eventual creator. Her actions in religion are to stop at the first level: her master! The leash of the slave is not long enough to go beyond this door! Of course I think that it is the same for male slave and mistress. (Neither of us is obligated to agree with the other's point of view) Honestly, I don't think this is nearly as meriting of ridicule as some here seem to think. It is not the first time that I have heard people -- real people in real life -- insist that anyone who served hir/yielded to hir would have to think of hir as the "god" in hir world. I think about how many women call themselves "Goddess", and how many men go by "Lord". I think that if one feels this way, it is important to make sure that such beliefs are clearly presented at the outset of negotiations -- so that someone who could not abide with such an idea would have the chance to walk away before finding out that xhe would be expected to give up hir spirituality -- which, for most people, would be unthinkable. In a situation such as the OP describes, it is certainly true that if a servant's religious proclivities prohibit proper attention to hir service, then clearly, xhe is not in a position to embrace a position of service. If a Keeper requires absolute devotion and adoration, and will not even allow attentiveness to anything outside of hirself, then xhe must be prepared to have a servant who cannot hold a job (as xhe would have to provide attention there) or religious or political attentions that would thereby detract. For most of us, though, we do not demand such a consuming measure of devotion and attention. While it may be preferable for us to have companion servants who share at least an open-ness to our spiritual leanings, even that is something that can be negotiated. For myself, I am a leader and teacher on the spiritual path to which I ascribe. That has some pretty specific aspects that affect anyone who is in service to me -- xhe'd have to be comfortable with having certain things around the house -- books, spiritual objects, etc., and xhe'd have to be comfortable with the idea that I teach in a seminary that is for teaching clergy in a non-Judeo-Christian path. Someone who believes that what I do and believe are wrong would certainly not be fulfilled being in service to me -- in fact, it might be traumatic and cause such a person to fear for hir immortal self, if hir background was sufficiently fundamentalist. I always disclose my spiritual requirements -- not because I expect a servant to follow said beliefs, but because for some, not disclosing such could be damaging to that potential servant on an emotional level. I do not expect my servants to abide by my own beliefs, but I -do- expect that if they practice another track, that their practices and beliefs will not intrude on their service and commitment to me. Calla
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*** Said to me recently: "Look, I know you're the "voice of reason"... but dammit, I LIKE being unreasonable!!!!" "Your mind is more interested in the challenge of becoming than the challenge of doing." Jon Benson, Bodybuilder/Trainer
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