1. Hide and Seek
2. United Church of Christ book house's gay theology tests mainline Protestant limits
3. Court upholds conviction of flower shop owner in sex-torture case
1. Hide and Seek
2. United Church of Christ book house's gay theology tests mainline Protestant limits
3. Court upholds conviction of flower shop owner in sex-torture case
Hide and Seek
by "Unreal"
RiverFront Times (Missouri)
November 17, 2004
Showing up at a leather conference in a pleather jacket is awkward; not knowing the lingo is worse. How is Unreal supposed to know what a dungeon or a ball-stretcher is, or that "penmanship" translates to "penqueership" in BDSM-speak? (BDSM, FYI, is an umbrella of an acronym that comprises Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, and Sadism & Masochism.) Luckily, we aren't alone. "I'm kinda freaking out a little bit," squeals a Washington University med student also attending the "Leather: Work & Play" caucus at last week's 17th annual National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change Conference, held at the Millennium Hotel.
Everyone must divulge a secret as a form of introduction ("Shoot!" Unreal squirms). This reveals a former ballet teacher; a guy with a fetish for Airstream trailers; a guy who produces Bear-fetish pornos (read: big hairy blokes); and our personal favorite, "Slave Bob," an AARP rep who also happens to be an ordained minister. (He seems surprised by the secret himself.)
"Leather means different things to different people," pronounces our moderator, Levi, a sweet, androgynous chap sporting (natch) a black leather vest.
[cont.]
To read this entire article, go to:
http://www.rftstl.com/issues/2004-11-17/news/unreal.html
To respond, go to:
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/feedback/index.html
United Church of Christ book house's gay theology tests mainline Protestant limits
By Richard N Ostling
The Associated Press
via The Concord Monitor (New Hampshire)
November 12, 2004
Pilgrim Press, the publishing arm of the Cleveland-based United Church of Christ, is once again testing the leftward limits of what's acceptable in "mainline" Protestantism, in particular how Jesus is treated.
In that spirit, Pilgrim Press is the most ardent denominational publisher in promoting gay theology, which is moving beyond the initial phase of merely promoting moral acceptance of same-sex couples.
The latest such offering is "Sanctity and Male Desire: A Gay Reading of Saints" by Donald L. Boisvert, a Roman Catholic layman who teaches religion at Montreal's Concordia University.
Boisvert fantasizes about gay desire, not only toward various classic saints of Christendom but remarkable "homoerotic longing" directed at the body of Jesus Christ "in all its precious parts," using imagery that no secular newspaper or broadcaster would permit.
On Nov. 20, Boisvert continues bending boundaries as he presides at a panel during the academy's convention in San Antonio. The chosen topic: "Power and Submission, Pain and Pleasure: The Religious Dynamics of Sadomasochism."
The panel, which is setting the Internet abuzz, includes Ken Stone, who teaches Bible at the United Church's Chicago Theological Seminary, exploring "homoerotic sadomasochism" in the Book of Jeremiah.
Julianne Buenting, from the same seminary, will speak on "Oh, Daddy! God, Dominance-Submission, and Christian Sacramentality and Spirituality."
[cont.]
To read this entire article, go to:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041112/REPOSITORY/411120377/1013/NEWS03
To respond, write to: letters@cmonitor.com
Court upholds conviction of flower shop owner in sex-torture case
by Kevin O'Hanlon
The Associated Press
via The Star-Telegram (Dallas-Ft. Worth TX)
November 12, 2004
LINCOLN, Neb. – A former flower shop owner who sexually assaulted, tortured and held a Texas man captive in the basement of his store lost his appeal Friday.
Roger Van had asked the Nebraska Supreme Court to vacate his conviction because his victim agreed to such treatment.
Van was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison on several counts, including sexual assault and false imprisonment, related to the 2001 incident at his flower shop in Wayne.
Defense lawyer Melissa Wentling alleged that Van's conviction was unconstitutional because the "Nebraska Legislature did not intend these statutes to apply to conduct that occurs during a private, consensual relationship" involving bondage and torture.
Van's lawyers had argued that the 36-year-old Houston man, identified in court papers as J.G.C., consented to being beaten, bound and branded.
Before meeting in Wayne, Van and the man exchanged scores of messages and negotiated a no-limits relationship involving torture and bondage, defense lawyers said.
In one e-mail message, J.G.C indicated he might try to escape and that Van should prevent that from happening.
[cont.]
To read this entire article, go to:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/10164875.htm?1c
To respond, write to: letters@star-telegram.com
HOW TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Feedback letters are an effective way to convey a positive image of alternate sexual practices such as SM, swinging, or polyamory. You can help to correct negative social myths and misconceptions about these types of practices. These letters help achieve the advocacy goals of the NCSF.
Generally, for a letter to be published, it's important to include your name (or first initial, last name), city and daytime phone (for verification only). For more information, see:
https://ncsfreedom.org/media/writelettertoeditor.htm
Please alert us to positive, negative or neutral stories about SM, swinging and polyamory at media@ncsfreedom.org