“Deconverting and My Attitude About Women”- The Pagan Pulpit

February 2, 2020February 1, 2020 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day!

Announcements:

We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods, goddesses, or whatever powers that be (if any) either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.

We also don’t take an offering here. We figure the powers that be probably don’t need it. Let’s be honest, offerings are not given to the divine powers, they are given to an organization to support it. Just being honest. God, the gods or whatever never sees a dime, farthing or peso of that money; it all goes to the church, mosque or shrine.

Theme Song: Nordic/Viking Music – ‘Víðbláinn’

Meditation:

Text:

Sermon:

When I was a Christian minister I always had the dreaded sermons when going through certain books of the Bible where I had to talk about male and female roles, husband and wife roles and the status of women. It was so patently obvious that the Bible is patriarchal to the extreme it is ridiculous. Women have a status of somewhere above cattle but below men, Women are clearly seen as male property either of their father or their husband. The laws regarding rape and adultery in the Bible are much more about protecting a man’s investment and property than the woman’s right to her body and mind.

When I deconverted, one of the things I had to struggle with at first and deal with often was my own attitude about women. Not that my views as a Christian weren’t fairly liberal, it is that the environment of the church still tends to put women in their place. Even my last church which was very open, there was an almost unwritten rule that women could not be ushers for the offering. It actually caused some buzzing when one Sunday we had no choice but to use one of the female members of the church council to do this task because most of the men were gone that Sunday.

When I look at this issue now as a pagan atheist. the respect of the individual regardless of sex, sexual orientation or identity becomes paramount. I have no authority that tells me that women are subservient to men nor tells me that men and women have different roles in society. We tend certain natural directions if left to our own devices, but it is quite possible for women to be mechanics and men to be hairdressers and there is nothing wrong with that. It also possible for a woman to be the head of her house because she is the best suited to lead it.

I am very much attracted to the female form and feminity in general as a heterosexual masculine male. Our survival as a species has depended on this attraction for millions of years. I have no problem with the LGBTQ+ community but recognize my own attractions and desires that seem natural to myself are what most of society would classify as ‘normal’. I love women and I love femininity as a masculine male. I like pin-up girls (of all types and levels of nudity), the female form still lights my sexual fire and I find the wild pagan tattooed rebel girl attractive as fuck.

At the same time, my deconversion thoughts have taught me to respect women as their own individuals that have the right to be in charge of their own destiny. Their sexuality is their own and they make the decisions about it. If a woman makes love to you by her own choice, it means she chose it as much as you and that is the best type of making love. But that is also true of any time men and women work together to accomplish a goal or engage an issue. I want a partnership with women, not ones that are subservient simply because I have a dick.

I find though that my upbringing and former way of life have a way of intruding from time to time with old attitudes. Old ideas of how men and women are different’ spiritually’ come up from time to time. One by one I have to deal with them. I guess if something comes up where I notice it, I try to meditate on it and change my brain about it. My goal is to let women be what they want to be and enjoy the ride.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Playboy’s Christmas Cartoons” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

Disclaimer: The topics covered in Freya’s Chambers include serious discussions of sex, sexuality and related issues. If it isn’t your thing; you can move along, otherwise enjoy and feel free to discuss. Given the nature of some subjects be prepared for nude images as there may be some. I avoid genitalia as a general rule but is not always possible.

As I head into the holiday season, I am a little more pressed for time these days so my more serious discussions here in Freya’s Chambers are going to give way to a more lighthearted look at sex and sexuality with the festive nature of the holiday.

I will probably do a more serious discussion of Playboy as both a shaper of sexual discussion and Hugh Hefner’s legacy someday. I mean it had a lot of influence on my thoughts as a teen and young adult male. In truth though probably the magazine gets its props for 1) Gorgeous women in the buff, 2) Some interviews that were groundbreaking and 3) Its art including the cartoons which made a lighthearted jab at sexual mores, sexual culture, and hypocrisy. For me the cartoons were not just entertainment, they had a message of pointing out how traditional views on sexuality were not normal but forced. Humor has a way of doing that.

Of course, culture changes so at first playboy cartoons poked at the notion that everyone was celibate and waiting for marriage for sex. The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s was largely spawned by effective birth control and if I may be very bold magazines like Playboy who made fun of the notion that women, in particular, were sweet innocent things that just wanted a good husband when it came to sex. As research came in, it became clear that women liked to fuck just as much as men. The only difference was they had to worry about pregnancy and stigma more.

Cartoons back then were an avenue of using humor to point this out and Playboy’s cartoons were legendary for doing just that. One of the ideas was that women didn’t need as much coxing to engage in casual sex as people thought and that their appetite was not as high as men. Playboy tried to shatter that with a lot of forms but their cartoons often had women having sexual desire and the guy was about to get a gift from them – a sexual encounter with them.

During Christmas, of course, this idea of gifts and traditions was employed as a central theme and the idea of women presenting themselves as gifts to men is present, I am fairly sure I remember Hugh himself saying in response to the early politically correct crowd that was critical of his objectification of women something to the effect of “women will always be objects of desire to men, that’s how babies are made” or something similar. I am not sure what his psychological knowledge was but he read every interview with every playmate and all of them pointed out what they wanted in a man and many of them engaged the sex questions with responses that would have caused a ‘good girl’ to blush.

The traditions becoming sexualized were often done with the idea that traditions were different in other countries and that often had sexual connotations. Santa Claus, the Christmas party and mistletoe being obvious choices as well. Playboy’s cartoons at Christmas were shall we say sexually festive. Santa being a horny man who gives another gift to the lonely woman is also one that has humor that was present.

Looking back at the playboys under my bed as a teen, I would say the Christmas ones were my favorite. Now I would say they were fond memories of the festive and fun part of the holidays that was sensual. There is playfully sexual side to this holiday and playboy through their cartoons saught to point that out.

My two cents.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Topic: Sensual Art” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / 3 Comments

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

I debated with myself a long time on what to call this topic and in the end, I decided to go with Sensual Art. Although much in this topic could be considered in sex or nudism’s vein, I will point out that such art does not always have to be about sex, it can also be about freedom and beauty combined. The issue for me is how art expresses sex, sexuality, and nudity I don’t see as something dirty per se, but as something very human. As an integral part of being a human being.

My personal tastes in the art of this type are guided by the expression of beauty, intimacy and subtle sensuality. I like the over the top expression from time to time but it is the sensuality of the regular and serene moments of life that interest me the most. There is also in me an interest in the true erotic of the kind of art that portrays intimate lovers. This makes this topic very interesting to me from a personal point of view, but I think a discussion on these topics is always at least interesting and sometimes enlightening.

The Nude:

Probably the most basic subject of any consideration of sensual art is the nude painting which has been around for centuries if not longer when we consider all the art of the world through time. Naked figures have been the subject of artists for a long time and the way human beings are portrayed in the nude is equally as versatile. From my perspective, the issue of art and its dividing line with pornography is; that no honest portrayal of the human nude as it is is pornography with me. When there is a beauty to be admired in the human naked form – that is art.

Erotica:

This, of course, switches gears to the sexual side of art. Sensual art in written form is what good erotica is. I have tried my hand at erotica several times over the years and the problem for me is that I want a story around it. A sex scene for me is a plot device, not the main plot itself. Better erotica to me recognizes this idea and the story means as much as the sex. Why two people (or more) are making love and how they came in that situation is just as important as what they specifically do and feel while having sex.

Pin-Ups:

Pin-Up area combination of the ‘nude’ and erotica in the sense of being teasing. They can often tell a story. The pin-up above’s is a more simple story: a woman who has just taken a bath and is drying herself off only to be surprised by someone who sees her. Her smile indicates the fact she has been seen either is a nice surprise because she likes the person who sees her or she doesn’t mind being seen. Perhaps a little bit of an exhibitionist or is she just comfortable in her skin? It is this combination between telling a story and art in painting or drawing form that makes pin-up more than just pin-ups to me. Vintage pin-ups often have a story of how they were created and why as well.

Lovers:

The portrayal of lovers is either as old or as nearly as old as the nude. A good painting of this or other art form captures the passion, lust or love the couple has for one another. The sexual energy has to be captured in the art and not just the embrace. What each person is feeling and experiencing should be evident in the art form.

A Word About Forms of Art:

I really and not going to discriminate between art forms if I can help it. Also one could list, erotic dancing, dramas, photography, painting drawing, sculpting, etc. I am not going to limit myself in that way. If there is any limitation on this it is what I think is good sensual art.

Conclusion:

I think my list of topics for Freya’s Chambers is complete. I know it seems like a lot, but I don’t think The Grey Wayfarer as a blog is going anywhere for a while and after a year with eight topics, you are talking about hitting every topic at least 6-7 times. That should cover a lot of ground long term.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Legalizing Prostitution” – Freya’s Chambers – Sex

November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

Disclaimer: The topics covered in Freya’s Chambers include serious discussions of sex, sexuality and related issues. If it isn’t your thing; you can move along, otherwise enjoy and feel free to discuss. Given the nature of some subjects be prepared for nude images as there may be some. I avoid genitalia as a general rule but is not always possible.

While the subject is prostitution, I want to discuss economics for a minute because what prostitution is in most of my country is illegal (except Rhode Island and Nevada). The reasons given for this are basically moral and trying to keep morality but like most things with good intentions cause a great deal of harm. Economically speaking this harm is felt in the fact that black markets have an unknown and unstable economic effect. Mostly it causes us to misinterpret data and the effects can create shortages and other negative economic impacts.

More gravely for prostitution in particular, much like the drug war, the negative effects of making prostitution criminals are far more detrimental that the supposed crime, if you can call it that. As a libertarian, my definition of a crime includes actual harm was done and a victim to be considered a crime at all. Prostitution has neither as it is a) voluntary and b) technically causes no harm. Most of the negative effects of prostitution are caused because it is illegal not because it exists. Voluntary consensual transactions should never be criminalized.

The standard five reasons for legalizing prostitution are 1) reducing the influence of organized crime, 2) Health Concerns, 3) Protection for the vulnerable and underage, 4) Taxation revenue and 5) Morally there is truly nothing wrong with consensual sex.

Reducing the Influence of Organized Crime

If prostitution is legal then if a woman is attacked by a client she calls the cops and the man is arrested. She has rights and she can utilize the authorities to protect her and if she protects herself in self-defense then she would not be held responsible. Without this currently pimps pretty much can do to the women what they wish and often it is a form of sexual slavery. A woman who engages in sex work on her own runs a great risk of attracting the wrong attention and rival pimps are often violent with each other for territory. There is a sense of ownership organized crime has of prostitution as shown by the fact that pimps put their tattoos on their girls. This would effectively end if decriminalized.

Health Concerns:

Health reasons have been listed for legalization probably the longest. You can require licensing, so you would have better numbers of actual sex workers. This licensing could carry the requirements of regular monthly health screening to maintain and this would help prevent the spread of STDs along with perhaps mandating condom use and birth control to prevent pregnancy. The point is these workers would be allowed to practice freely and yet be required to get health screenings.

Protection for the Vulnerable and Underage

Thirdly the subject of protecting the vulnerable and underaged is key. The reason sex slavery exists, for the most part, is that prostitution is illegal. There is no control directly on this black market at all and so anything goes. If prostitution is legalized, then they legal brothels, etc. would most definitely blow the whistle on anything illegal in order to remove competition and because of basic human decency. But also children of the prostitute cannot be used as pawns as the prostitute could call on help for them if needed and they were threatened.

More importantly, the sex workers as rule would have legal protection against rape and violence otherwise the recourse is to just take it and then recover as best as possible with the perpetrator getting away with it.

Tax Revenue

Tax revenue is always an issue for those of a more non-libertarian persuasion that is why I promote decriminalization for the most part as I would rather have it be that taxation was not part of it. But if you regulate it and charged a fee for the license to administrate making sure sex workers are screened then some revenue would be required. But there is much like legalizing drugs and taxing them an opportunity for state revenue and that cannot be denied. Nevada reports that brothels generate on average 50 million dollars a year in tax revenue. Multiply that by fifty states and that is a lot of revenue.

Morally the question comes. You can have sex – no crime and you can make money – no crime. But somehow doing both together is a crime? It also has some hypocrisy to it. For instance, in the pornography industry, a person is technically making money having sex. The only difference is that it is on camera. The point is there is no victim and no harm is done in the sense someone is forced, threatened or defrauded and if those things are absent I simply don’t see the point of making sex work illegal as it seems to only benefit a small group of people – notably organized crime and law enforcement. Legalizing it would change that.

Conclusion:

It is my opinion that the making of sex work illegal has a lot of unintended consequences that are more dangerous and more damaging both socially and economically than if it was simply legal and regulated for those same concerns. There are many arguments for this and I have listed some of the main ones. I have never been to a prostitute myself, but I understand why some people would engage in it if they have no other recourse or as clients – options. I simply know that black markets are caused by government laws and often the results are more dangerous and damaging than if the activity was simply licensed and regulated.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“A ‘Dirty’ Mind”- Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Imagination

October 25, 2019October 25, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day:

Discussion:

I am introducing a new topic subheading called Sexual Imagination. Basically, how the mind and sex are connected. I am going to start with a simple concept – having a ‘dirty mind’. Does this really exist? Is it normal or bad?

Back when I was a Christian, the ‘sin’ I struggled with the most was lust. No getting around it. I eventually dealt with it by simply being real about it and changing my viewpoints on a lot of things. It probably had something to do with my deconversion as I began to realize what made sin such a made-up concept was that it involved such impossible tasks as not ‘lusting’

I would now say that humans have developed a high desire to procreate so that the biological needs to be sensually drawn to another person is normal. That does change your definition of what it means to be ‘dirty-minded’. I mean there is little actual dirt to having sexual thoughts and only religion with its cultic desire to control others through sexuality would try to defy that.

Without Sin:

Boiling things down to biology helps in taking the dirty out of dirty-minded for yourself. Without sin what you have is thoughts that cross your brain when you see, hear or feel something that causes you suddenly think and feel sensual. Not sin, just normal sexual desire.

Well, I should define normal as best I can. I am not sure having a desire for sex with children is normal or a desire for rape. It might be normal in the sense scientifically it can be proved statistically normal, but whether or not culture or society or basic decent humanity at times defines a sexual thought as ‘normal’ might be another issue.

Psychology aside most of us have sensual thoughts that range on the normal side of seeing or hearing something and translating it into a sensual or sex-related situation. Whether it is seeing a picture that you first think is someone doing something naughty or you hear someone say something and immediately think to yourself some sort of sexually related joke, it is all signs of a healthy but perhaps overactive sensual imagination.

Sensual Imagination:

I have had all my life and overactive sensual imagination. This is particularly when someone says something that could be taken into the sexual realm with a minor change in the way of looking at it. A woman says: “I will leave you to put that thing in there.” and my mind goes: “That’s what she said.” Easy as that and sometimes far worse. Ok. many times far worse. I keep a lot of it to myself but it keeps me entertained where my mind goes these days. If there is any change, I am no longer mortified by some of the things I think unless they truly cross a line and I think to myself. “No way you’re telling anyone that one.”

Visually I am probably pretty typically male. I see a nice feature on a female and you bet that leads to some ‘sensually imaginative’ thoughts. I think I can say, with a lot of high probability, the following 1) If I don’t notice and nice ass, 2) If I don’t notice a nice pair of boobs and/or 3) If I don’t notice a woman’s curvy figure and such a thing is absent dirty-minded thoughts; then it is time to call the morgue and tell them to send a truck for my body. I have obviously died and haven’t fallen over yet.

Filters:

I do have my filters:

I never say anything dirty in mixed company unless know the people first
Most of the time I never lead with sensually imaginative comments, I wait for others to do so or for it to come out in regular conversation from someone else.
Never around kids, although kids do say some funny things that if you are not careful you could go there.
I double think everything when alone and out of sight with the opposite sex who is not my wife. My wife, however, has to endure. 🙂
People easily offended? – Nope, not going to go there with people with a stick up their ass.

Of course, filters don’t always work when the situation is such that the environment just invites sensual thoughts. Some thoughts, however, are Not Safe For Work and so I keep them to myself.

Conclusion:

Basically, I am saying I don’t fight this anymore, I just try to make sure that it is in good fun and not being hurtful. Knowing your surroundings and who is around you is a good way to avoid the consequences in our society, which is hypersensitive these days. Mostly though you are pretty much a normal person in my opinion even if your imagination is overly sensual. Just be careful out there.

Honestly and seriously though, we are sexual beings as human beings, which means our mind is going to head down that path from time to time. Some of us just like going down it a lot. Nothing wrong with it just make sure you have some filters and sometimes remember this is about your own entertainment far more than not. It makes you walk the path with a few more smiles on your face.

So, how ‘dirty’ is your mind?

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Freyr – God of Fertility and Prosperity” (Asatru – Part 15) – The Pagan Pulpit

October 20, 2019October 20, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day

Announcements:

We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods, goddesses, or whatever powers that be either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.

Theme Song: Norse Viking Music – ‘Álfadróttinn’

Meditation:

Text:

If you want more details about Asatru, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Sermon:

I suppose I should honestly say that Freyr is not a god that I am drawn to in high respect. Odin and Thor definitely still appeal to me more. That said, Freya’s brother and fellow Vanir appears quite prominently in the stories and was probably second in popularity to only Thor. You kind of see the dynamic of masculinity in Thor and Freyr as Thor is a warrior and Freyr probably exemplifies everything else masculine from industriousness to sexual prowess and potency. He is a fertility deity much like his sister Freya.

Historically speaking though the ancestrial line of many of the Swedish kings has its roots in Freyr. It should be noted that fertility and sovereignty are very much linked in Norse mythology. so the fact he was the god of sovereignty, as well as Odin, is indicative of that. This points out that Odin is the ruler of the gods but his role is more chairman of the group. He doesn’t lord it over with decree so much as he leads the discussion and gets concession and compromise. Freyr’s presence points this out as he is more of a Vanir ‘hostage’ than Odin’s subject, but there he is being worshiped with the rest of them.

He rides a boar or stallion both indicative of male potency and fertility. His statues often have him represented with a rather large phallus. He will wield a stag’s antler in the final battle at Ragnarok indicating his close association to nature both cultivated and wild. There is somewhat of a similar attitude. to him as Freya when it comes to being the wild untamable side of masculinity that she is with femininity. He would be the kind of man that most feminists would recoil from what he represents but at the same time in his presence their panties would be getting damp because their sexual fantasies would be running wild.

However, he is only known to have had one romance. Gerd takes a lot of convincing but she marries Freyr and he was forever faithful as far as anyone knows despite his association with fertility.

The modern followers of Asatru envoke Freyr for fertility, potency, and prosperity which is his sphere. He is very popular among them. His feasts are the most celebrated and of course feature a boar as the main course. Those close to the earth – farmers – rever him.

For me as a character, Freyr seems to have the kind of feeling that every male protagonist has in every romance story. Strong, hard-working, handsome. Having the effect on women of even the most ardent virgin wanting to give it up for him. That said his faithfulness to his wife gives this it counter this, where he might be the kind of man every woman wants, but he is devoted to only one, so all they can do is fantasize.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Freya – If You Can’t Lay ‘Em, Slay ‘Em” (Asatru – Part 14) – The Pagan Pulpit

October 13, 2019October 13, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day

Announcements:

Theme Song: “Freya Song” – Sascha Ravendark

Meditation:

Text:

If you want more details about Asatru, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Sermon:

Now there is a historical debate as far as the development of Norse religion regarding Frigg and Freya being the same goddess that at some point split in two with one aspect of this goddess being Odin’s wife (Frigg) and the other becoming the hostage of the Vanir along with her brother Freyr being the other, but even if they were once the same they become very different in the mythological stories later.

Freya and Frigg have many of the same spheres: Love, Fertility and prophetic magic. But they diverge as Frigg seems more of a homebody of hearth and home. Frigg seems to be the aspect of the woman and man would want to settle down with as a wife. Freya, on the other hand, is the girl you want to party with, fight alongside, and fuck. Or rather given her far more aggressive nature – let her fuck you. She is very independent and self-reliant much like the cats who are her symbol.

Freya is actually associated with the spheres of beauty, sex and war, things Frigg is far less associated with. She is a far more aggressive female than Frigg and far more passionate and warlike being also a goddess associated with death. It is, after all, the goddess who gets to take half the slain in battle to her hall. Captian of the Valkyrie, she is one of the choosers of the slain giving half to Odin for Valhalla and keeping the other half for herself. I don’t remember where I read this, but one commenter said she really had the motto of = “if you can’t lay ’em, slay ’em”. She was either going to fuck you or fight you and kill you.

For the followers of Asatru, she represents fertility much like her brother Freyr and is involved in all things productive. But she is also invoked in matters of the heart whether love or conflict. It is said that her worshipers have evidence of their existence long before any others except Odin and her worship was the last to die out when the Christians came. A large testimony to her veneration. She would make a very good goddess for any shieldmaiden.

For me, this splitting of feminine nature seems very necessary. Frigg being the quiet passionate strength behind the throne of Odin. But Freya, well she is the openly passionate side of women. That raw animalistic love and anger that they can be quite famous for. I love both sides and it leads me to believe that this split (if a split actually occurred) might very well simply be a reflection of this understanding. That man at some point in his life needs a Freya to inspire him with passionate side of women and then needs a Frigg to give him strength as a father and husband. Perhaps it is reflective that no woman can be both of those, or such a woman is incredibly rare even among the goddesses.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“My Sexual Identity” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Identity

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!!!

Introduction:

I have been writing for about a month on the topic of sex and sexuality and their various issues and the one thing it is high time I do is to write about my own sexual identity. How do I view myself in regards to my sex and my sexual desires I think will help people understand where I am coming from as far as my own sexual perspective. A few things up front.

I tend to be very science-oriented about these things. At least that is where I start. Much of academia these days listen to the social sciences on these issues but I know as someone who has a social sciences degree in political science that much of what is believed there is indeed political posturing and belief, not actual science. For me, genetics and clinical psychology count a lot; and so, if an opinion does not line up with those, it is probably destined for the scrap heap. I live in the real world using real-world observations, not fanciful fantasy.
That said, part of this is my opinion about said evidence. Sex and sexuality have fuzzy edges because human beings are not black and white when it comes to these issues.
I am a strong proponent of freedom of choice and liberty regarding these issues.

So I would boil my own sexual identity and orientation down to the following words which I will explain in more depth below: masculine, heterosexual. gynephilic, and egalitarian.

Masculine:

I have a penis, so I am male. I also like being a man and masculine. I have no shame of any of this and anyone who says I am toxic, even in part, because of my masculinity can bite me, fuck off, etc. I find such statements ironic because they are sexist but trying to address sexism. So no apologies for being a man and acting in masculine manners.

I suppose being INFJ, my intuitive empathic side is a little feminine but it most definitely expresses itself in the form of masculine reason and logic. I fight to survive and thrive in life. I am protective of my own. I seek to be strong for those I love. I am loyal to family and principles I hold dear. I seek rational action. I can be patient with some things, but in the end, something has to be done and the man in me rises up to do it. I strive for peace but prepare for war. I am aggressive but strive to tailor that to the situation.

Heterosexual:

I have actually taken tests in this regard and have a few personal experiences in life and have found I don’t really have any attraction to men sexually speaking at all. I don’t trust the motives of most men for one and I don’t like how they always see the big guy and need to posture and thump their chests trying for dominance over me. Sorry there dude, – alpha male here. Save your insecurities for someone who wants to respond to them.

Sexual orientation wise I like girls and don’t like guys. I was kissed once by a homosexual man, and while I won’t say this is wrong morally, I found it personally distasteful. Not my thing. The tests I have taken on this issue say I am 90% to 95% heterosexual. Sorry gentlemen I like ladies. In fact, I love women.

Gynephilic:

While I have loved a few women very strongly in my life, I would have to say that I have been gynephilic since I hit puberty which for me happened early at about ten. I love women in general and have ever since. I am attracted to and admire femininity greatly. It has gotten me in trouble so many times, but you know I don’t care. It’s an addiction I will gladly keep because there is a lot of joy in it for me personally.

I love how women think, look, smell and act. I like the way they walk and talk. There is still something magical for me about the feminine and if that magic ever goes away, it is probably time for the dirt nap. I have no particular preferences either. I can usually find the beautiful side of any woman who accepts their femininity in some way.

That’s probably the only turn off for me personally – when a woman denies their femininity. Note I didn’t say tries to act like a man but denies who they really are. You can act like a man and I still can know you are a woman because you do it without denying you are a woman.

I love women and it will probably be the death of me, but I will go with a smile on my face.

Egalitarian:

I love women to the point I have no desire to dominate them or be dominated by them. I want to stands as equals with them and I have always loved those moments where I and any woman have worked together; and because it was a woman/man partnership, it seemed actually to work much better than otherwise.

I have come to see through these moments how much better life is when we work together with our male and female strengths coming together to cover our weaknesses as human beings. We need each other and I find the constant bickering and rivalry troubling. While we should be fighting side by side against the chaotic forces of this world, this sexual rivalry, however, seems to rob us of what we could achieve. Our survival and prosperity depend on us working with each other.

Conclusion:

I suppose as with all things INFJ, I am being idealistic here. But someone has to do it. It is probably this sexual identity that keeps me looking for the perfect relationship which does not and probably cannot exist for me. It is this idealism that explains why I go over the edge when I am in love. But when I look at issues like sex, sexuality and the issues that are related, I must admit I see them through the filter of my own sexual identity. So what you see written in Freya’s Chambers should be read in that light.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Pack Mentality” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 16

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – September 10th, 2019

Well, it’s been a helluva three days. Time to write a report of sorts so I can collect my thoughts about it all.

Amber got better and after a day, she had no symptoms of lycanthropy at all. Apparently, our ‘sexual healing’ sessions have worked and I have transferred my antibodies to her. Not that we have stopped the sessions. What is it about sex that we human beings find so addicting given its two potential consequences are so long term. Of course, now that this Trois love triangle is complete, it actually has had a few Trois sessions of lovemaking. I don’t know about this sometimes, but we all seem happy about it and Amber is back up being who she was before.

This whole thing has made me realize that the cure for lycanthropy is right in the whole sexual magic thing. In mage circles, it could literally spread by sexual activity. I doubt however it would happen because it is outside the box thinking and The council has never been good at that but also it involves a much more open definition of relationships that are emotional and loving. It would require a lot of polyamory and even jumps across those boundaries of sexual mores.

The other issue is where the werewolf came from and we didn’t have to look very far for that one. Lunette shrunk down and put on her leaf clothes and took her tiny dagger and using her illusion magic, did a scout run. For my part, while she was away I set up my wards both on the cabin and sauna bathhouse as well as the path between the two. Anything gets too close and not only would it go off like an alarm in my head but some of my wards turned the crosser into fireballs if they were magical in nature.

This has been good because it has set all of our minds at ease about being surprised again. So the sauna bath, skinny dipping has resumed. The sauna bath is now getting used for more than bathing activity now but still we get clean in the end and cooled off in the lake before coming back to the cabin.

We are still all on edge a little. The werewolf has done one thing for sure and that is it makes us a little more aware of what is going on around us. Today though Lunette returned from her scouting run, and after taking off her leaves, grows back to normal size. She was back a little early and that’s when she reported that she found the lair of the werewolves. A little cabin of their own about five miles away. She figured there were still five of them. Most of them were sleeping when she had been there, but there had been one on guard duty and being a werewolf was quite alert.

We now know where they are, and our own little pack is ready for some wolf hunting. I like wolves normally and werewolves, when they are first werewolves, are still pretty much themselves. It the slow rot of the human side of them that makes them dangerous. Some can hold this off for decades but it is inevitable in the end that they become feral.

Our plan is to attack them tomorrow during the day. This doesn’t necessarily make them weaker just werewolves are usually up all night because they are the moon’s children. They stay up in the early and later parts of the day much like most people do with the night. If we hit them in the middle of the day, the element of surprise might help us even the odds at first. We are all in agreement about what needs to be done which is eliminate them. We have our own pack mentality.

I have my concerns though. This is going to draw attention. Attention that we don’t need. However, if they discover where we are and that we killed one of their own, they will be out for blood. Their pack mentality demands vendetta and revenge. Better to attack them first than wait for them to attack us.

Hopefully, there will be another journal entry tomorrow.

Writer’s Notes:

While I haven’t written on this, people might be asking me a personal question right about now. Would you actually ever be a part of a polyamorous relationship? The answer is ‘yes’. But not presently. My wife and I are under vows which involve exclusivity which I honor because of my belief in Fidelity and Honor so I keep my vows based on this. Now understand as an atheist/agnostic type, the fact those vows were made before ‘God’ does not matter anymore to me, What matters is my own word and keeping it as much as possible regardless when that word was given.

That said, as a libertarian and now free thinker, I think marriage and the whole licensing and vows things is both unnecessary and a con job. It is mostly done for religious control reasons, legal reasons (which could be handled by a lawyer and a contract instead) and the states attempt to take rights from you and then make money licensing them back to you. That’s right folks, there is nothing that says I love and trust you like getting the state and religion to give their nod that it is Ok for you to be in a relationship with each other (sarcasm flag). Sorry, you can live with each other, have sex and have children and none of that requires a license or shouldn’t. The commitment to each other thing is going to be what it is regardless of license, vows or rings.

But getting back to the personal question, I think it is good for a person to get rid of things like jealousy and possessiveness when it comes to another person. It seems to me that you are getting closer to unconditional love when you do that. If such love is even possible. So yes I would, but right now I am under my own virtues of honor and fidelity to love only one woman – my wife.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Polyamory” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Orientation

October 4, 2019October 11, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / 1 Comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day

Discussion:

Polyamory is an interesting topic because it calls into question the need for societal mores in relationship to romance and sex. I have looked at the subjects of polygamy in the Bible and other related issues and came to the conclusion that from a Biblical point of view as long as everyone was in a marriage relationship and there was no homosexual activity, the Bible allowed for it. But now that I would say the Bible is out and I am looking for a more rational viewpoint of romance and relationships in sexual content. Along these lines there are only three considerations: 1) Is is consensual, 2) have reasonable precautions been implemented, 3) Are the people involved emotionally and mentally mature enough to handle the relationship.

Polyamory is pretty much about the consensual sex and romance with multiple partners. Unlike many relationships that are multi individual in nature, this is out in the open and everyone agrees to it. There is no ignorance and no one is being forced to be a part of it and no one is being placed in a position where they have to hide anything. It is really the way freedom should be in that there are no restrictions and no secrets. Polyamory passes the first test as that is the point of it – multiple consensual relationships without secrets.

The second issue is that of reasonable precautions being taken. The two main issues are STDs and pregnancy. In reading a majority of practitioners of polyamorous relationships the STD question is part of the reason they desire openness as far as no secrets and this means everyone gets to talk about it and when someone new is brought in they have a lot of questions and those in such relationship tend to stay in a prescribed circle because it is more than just them they are protecting. In any case, the whole point is to establish a boundary and stay within it even though the relationship is polyamorous. Letting someone in that boundary is a group decision and that’s a pretty effective protection against STDs.

In the case of pregnancy what you read is pretty much either the whole group takes responsibility for the children if they happen or everyone agrees it is group decision as well to open up the possibility if one of the girls wants to get pregnant. Until then the girl needs to be responsible for her own reproductive system and quite frankly in the modern western world, there is really no excuse for an unwanted pregnancy anymore. There really isn’t and that means the statement “My body; my choice” comes with the counter – “Your choice, your responsibility.” In any case, from the standpoint of polyamory, this is another group discussion.

If you are starting to get the idea that communication has to be very high in these kinds o relaitonships I would say ‘correct’. It shows people in such relationships have to meet the final criteria of being emotionally mature enough to handle the fact that you are loved by many and love many. Jealousy, control, and envy can’t really be present. You have to be happy when you are being loved by someone and when they love someone else. You have to love the love you receive and get and are also loving enough to let others love each other.

More directly, you have to be Ok with the fact that the guy or gall you had sex with that night could be having sex with someone else in the relationship that morning. While you could make love to another person that same morning. The sexual options are one of the main reasons that people get in these relationships and most of the polyamorous writers I have read don’t believe that humans are naturally monogamous. That reality accepted they simply are being honest in the relationship they have entered.

I put this under sexual orientation for the simple reason that is it possible that some people are sexually oriented to be open lovers? To be people who can love many people and make love to many people without being possessive or close-minded or even manipulative? Is it possible that one sexual orientation is a ‘natural lover’? I have to think it is possible and I can’t see any reason to think evil of such people because of it.

I guess the honesty of this type of relationship is a step up by quite a bit from the sneaking around and cheating that is also polyamorous but no one but the cheater is aware of it. That is far more dangerous and disastrous than a group of people who say ‘let’s just set all the secrecy aside and be open about the fact all of us love more than one person here’. It is the consent and agreement to the simple idea that some people are romantically and sexually capable of loving more than one person at once, and that is entirely OK and you don’t have to stop doing it.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

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