@Saysoh I've been to the heart of the Amazon Rainforest and spent time in ceremony with the tribes. The shipibo people in particular.
Although they still have culture, this is as close as you can get if you want to experience life as our ancestors did.
They are intertwined with nature and the forest, and as we know there is no better arbiter of truth than mother nature. It keeps you honest.
@Babichev Preach!
@MCcuddles2
I'm a fan of phychadelics. I do two, "heroic," doses of psilocybin twice a year, just so I'm forced with dealing with things most people compartmentalize, because fuck it, let's explore. Experienced in DMT, Jesters, Fractals, all of it.
Religion seems to be a trend in my journeys, because I fail to understand. Why is so much comfort invested into this idea that we think protects of of death with little effort put into that maybe, there is a stream of consciouness that we just write off, but we're going to buy into this idea, that we possibly made up, that a god created everything and this template of how life should be live protecting a lot of people the danger of actually peeling layers and actually looking within ourselveves of who we actually are. I just don't get why a lot of people just want to love in comfort zones.
@Saysoh hear, hear!
You are speaking my language.
I want the truth, unfiltered and raw.
Sorry for my typos. Whiskey is a thing tonight and I'm listenning to, "The Immortal Key," which is a book about physchadelics and influenece on religion (offers proof). If that's your language, I really suggest the book and expanding. Brian C. Muraresku is that author, and he is on a Joe Rogan Podcast (hate all you want, but tell me another podcast that has a three hour longform conversation) and it led me to a rabbit hole.
I think the rhetoric needs to be dialed back a bit on @SincereGenuine. I am also not in the religion camp but I am in the toleration camp as long as I am not being force fed his beliefs. However, I think religion is his conversation starter and the lens that he views the world through. There is nothing wrong with him doing so for that is the way he lives his life whether you agree with his beliefs or not. What is pertinent in the CC world is he is discussing it in a mature manner and without offense. I think he has an open heart and we should as well, because at the core of his original post is an uncomfortable ideal that exists in America but rarely acknowledged—male to male bonding. He may be coming from a different angle and he may be awkward in his verbiage, but he has no ill intent. If we are truly open to male-to-male platonic affection, then it takes everyone to remove the stigma—atheists and Christians, liberals and conservatives, men and women, straight and gay, and most importantly—dogs and cats. Otherwise the idea of male platonic affection will remain a niche ideal. Our words need to bleed kindness.
I am a Christian, and came from a family, where men showed loving affection, but from a culture that generally ridiculed male-male affection as being weird (usually accompanied by more vulgar terms), I made a conscious decision to seek positive male bonding, as an adult, after surviving childhood sexual abuse; from someone in the community. I also decided to always strive to be respectful of others, even if we have different beliefs. We are all individuals, and even people of the same race, religion, etc., have differing points of view. I appreciate everyone's input, have a nice day.
@FunCartel
I agree with you. I think sharing perspectives between each other is very important and better than reading books.
Agreed with @FunCartel . There are tons of threads where people debate the perceived harm of religion.
Why can't people like @SincereGenuine and @sellers have just one where they get to discuss their angle on cuddling without having to defend their identity and beliefs?
@FunCartel That's so nicely put! Agreed!
@MCcuddles2 Why do you think someone offereing their perspective outs them into a position of them having to defend? I mean, if you're going to make a stance, you have to allow challenge. That's how academia works which is the standard of complex though. If you are steadfast and can't accept challenge, then you weren't really steadfast.
@Saysoh but this isn't academia, my friend. It's a place filled with struggling, imperfect humans who arelooking for comfort and connection.
And that's fair. But I feel, when religion is brought into comfort and connection, there's a lot of room of bouncing perspectives especially when so many people hold religion so personal, comfort so personal, connection so personal.
I appreciate his approach, but it seems singular. I just don't understand the context the OP was soming from and when asked, he decided to stage left the conversation.
Multiple flags on this thread. In the past, we shut down religious posts quickly, as they inspire flame wars, personal attacks, etc. I'll leave this up but have no qualms about shutting it down as needed.
As others have asked, dial it back, please. If you can't be respectful, then practice silence and move on to another thread.
Again. Once more for you in the back. Be respectful or move on.
See ya'll tomorrow.
This isn't pointed at any one person, but the same thing happened with the transphobic microagressions and so I think it needs to be said: there are a lot of straight people here saying this isn't homophobic when the history of the term clearly is homophobic. It's not okay to speak over LGBTQIA people and actively dismiss their concerns for the sake of making a Christian (not a historically marginalized group in the US) person feel the utmost comfort. It's especially not okay to then turn around and say I'm an ally, I support inclusivity and diversity . If you're speaking over the very people you claim to be supporting, you should take some time to figure out how that's actually supporting them.
@desi_babe ~ 🥰
@desi_babe Who said a term isn’t homophobic? I agree that the quotes @SincereGenuine offered up from Richard Cohen are very problematic as Cohen has been accused of conversion therapy. But attacking someone just on the basis of their religion is also bigoted when he was asked about certain terms and he calmly explained his reasonings and beliefs. @HogboblinZwei explained why he believed the contrary and thought the terms were bigoted. No one lost their cookies here.
You can destroy and attack someone because you feel they oppress because of their religious beliefs and you will make a better enemy. Or you can do what many here were doing by communicating and listening which might make for a better person.
I don’t believe or accept his beliefs in any way, BUT he has come into the community in good faith and has not condemned homosexuality or trans people personally, but has offered quotes from people with thinly veiled bigotry as @HogboblinZwei pointed out. I think he is brainwashed. You don’t condemn somebody that is brainwashed—you try and deprogram that part which is hateful and help the person think for themself and not through somebody else.
Toleration means you tolerate those who may not tolerate you. You don’t have to be friends, but if you hate them and they hate you where does that leave our planet? The cesspool of hate that it currently is. I choose to reach out person-by-person and if they reciprocate, we will understand each other better. If they understand me and I understand them they will know why I condemn any hateful views of people of any sort. You really only move the needle for people you like or care about. Someone that condemns you out of the gate based on religion is not looking to understand the person they are making the person’s beliefs the person. That is a mistake as beliefs can change but the person remains. We should all try and do our best to understand and influence change in a positive way.
When I first saw this thread, I was unbothered. Oh, I thought, so a follower of Joshua the Perfect Man is speaking to other fans, making an in-universe argument that if the Perfect Man did same-sex cuddles so should they. Whatever.
Then I saw "homo-emotional," and sighed. I wasn't surprised. Homophobia is kinda baked in to the Christian mythos.
At this point, even with all the support in the world, I'd rather play Minecraft.
@DaringSprinter So you give up? I understand it is baked into the rhetoric, BUT…. You do know that membership in organized religion is currently in a free fall?
You are missing out on educating others about an alternative love of the world unfettered by constructs created to control different groups and ideas. Emphasis on educating not attacking. Education and discussion produce slow results, but attacks rarely produce any. So you saw a term and gave up? He quoted a term from someone else, which means he may not understand why that is hateful and hurts people. You can make a difference with your patience and words. Ask questions. He seems to be open to being asked.
@FunCartel: Oof. Don't tempt me.
Well....
Maybe after breakfast. (My sleep schedule's gone wonky again. I blame Minecraft.)
@DaringSprinter Just try to be the best you. That is all you can do. I just know the best you is better than throwing up your hands in submission. I have seen it before.
I am very surprised. A man says that he cuddles other men on the basis of his faith, but he's not homosexual. He doesn't participate in sex. This is a platonic cuddling site, not a sexual one. And he's getting flack? Why does he need to be educated? He demonstrates inclusivity within the parameters of the terms of service for this site. What is wrong? Why does he need to be reprogrammed beyond the parameters of this site? Because of personal bias? I agree with someone sharing their worldview because it broadens my perspective. You could say you cuddle people because you believe in Budda. Wonderful. Please tell me more. I may not agree with you. But the perspective is interesting. I am interested in the beliefs of others, not because I want to reprogram them, but because their perspectives aren't mine. It is also a way to try to find common ground. Eunuch is an especially unique perspective. He never condemned anyone for not being a eunuch. He just said he was. But the common ground is still cuddling. If you are unkind to everyone who believes differently than you, then people will not share, and we will learn less about each other.
@SincereGenuine: Did you think about the homosexual people on this website before you used a term that reduces every same-sex attraction they experience to "not enough love from same-sex parent"?
I'm asking genuinely, because I was raised in a devout Christian environment and I know how easy it is to not think about things like that, when you're used to just saying them.
@sellers Thank you for sharing your experiences and also acceptance of many different types of people. @Sideon I totally agree!
@sellers I appreciate you sharing part of your story 💜💜💜
@SincereGenuine I am curious if you are telling us that you yourself have experienced longings to be with men? I am asking you directly if you've experienced pressure from people you seek love and support from, liked family, about feeling sexual towards men? What I am picking up it's that you want to cuddle men platonically, but that wanting more than platonic cuddling with men is just a product of the harshness which you yourself have been a victim of. Maybe you could be more forthcoming about yourself here. Or not. I'm not a big cuddler of men myself, mainly because I don't trust a man who says it would just be platonic. Otherwise, it would be great if men could be affectionate like women are with each other.
@cookiecrumb In answer to your question, I have a gut feeling that liberal arts education some time ago began to weaponize our language with words like "microaggressions". I'm not smart enough to sustain the argument against a trained acolyte in the use of such weaponized language, but what I'm seeing here is aggression against somebody who might very possibly be telling us of his personal struggles with homosexuality. Yes, he's being taken to task with the word "homoemotional". So why is he here? Maybe he wants acceptance and doesn't get it in religion?
Wow, this is how we learn from each other. There was a time when I thought platonic affection would no longer exist for me, or somehow dissolved, between men, after what I experienced; I plunged into a deep depression, and despair. My truth is that I met people, from various walks of life, who helped me get to this point. Years later, I met some other men, whom I shared a truly meaningful platonic connection, we were able to be affectionate, and it didn't feel sordid; which is a feeling that a lot of sexual abuse survivors never recover from, regarding intimate touch, in any form. I desire more of those opportunities, in the future, which is why I became a part of this community. I appreciate all people who have assisted me on my journey; regardless of whether they share my belief system, race, gender, etc. We may not always agree, but we really need each other, these last couple of years have shown that even more; in my opinion.
@DaringSprinter That is a great question and asked with genuine kindness and understanding.