30 Days of Submission – Day 14: Religion and Submission

Does religion have any bearing on your decision to submit? If not, are you familiar with religious based submission and do you view it as similar to other types of submission or dissimilar?

Religion plays absolutely no role in my decision to submit. Master and I come from different religious backgrounds, but neither of us had a specifically religious upbringing. My mother is German Protestant, my father is Muslim. My partner’s family are cultural Jews. Well, and we both are atheists. So it would make no sense at all to include religion in our D/s. Religion and submission are not connected for me.

I am familiar with religion based submission. But I am generally very wary of anything religious. I am going with the approach of that I respect that someone believes but I don’t accept what they believe in. I see religion as a manipulation tool and a way to control masses, but I can see how it can be beneficial for some people. It can provide them with a sense of meaning and security in their lives.

As long as religion is kept private and out the public sphere, and no one tries to push their faith on me, or tries to convince me that their beliefs are general truths, I am chill with it. I get argumentative when religion is used as a tool to control masses or genders. I find institutionalized religion dangerous. But again, if you are into that, it is cool. I just am not and never will be, so don’t try to convince me, don’t limit my rights, and don’t push your religion on me. That is where my line is drawn.

I know that religion and submission exist together and the kind of dynamics I have read most about is CDD (Christian Domestic Discipline). The man is basically the head of the household and the woman is supposed to always be submissive. The disciplining punishment most commonly used in that kind of dynamics is spanking. If two adults consent to have that kind of D/s connection and it is safe and they both get from it what they need, who am I to judge? I want everyone to be happy and safe in their relationships, and if that is the case in a CDD connection, good for them!

The CDD is an all embracing 24/7 lifestyle, is rarely linked to any kind BDSM play, but is more focused on traditional gender roles. I personally find that a little bit iffy because I find submission to be an act of strength and I can even see how it very much works in a feminist discourse as there is clear and enthusiastic consent, there are safewords and the BDSM and D/s lifestyle is quite sex-positive.

CDD dynamics are a bit different from that, at least from what I have read about it, seems sometimes not very much safe in the same way. There is the consent beforehand, which often also involves consensual non-consent, and there is no way to revoke it. While I am sure that some CDD couple have embraced a more modern version of it, it still seems quite widespread that safewords are non-existent in those kinds of connections, which can easily lead to abusive scenarios.

The motivation to enter a CDD connection seems also a little bit different than in other D/s dynamics. The woman submits not because she is naturally a submissive or has the need to be dominated. Instead the motivation is religious. You believe in the scripture that much, and you refer to certain parts of it that you are supposed to follow blindly. So your motivation is to please God, to follow your belief, not an urge to actually submit to a dominant. Again, I find that a little bit iffy.

The traditional gender roles, the submission that is rooted in scripture instead of a natural need to submit, and the risk of a lack of a safeword, makes Christian Domestic Discipline seem quite different from other kinds of D/s relationships. It would not work for me, at all. I would be too scared of a risk for abuse, and I would also very much oppose to the idea of traditional gender roles. Having said that, I respect that it works for others. And I am also aware of that a lot of those connections are loving and rewarding for both partners, and that safety is something that is taken seriously. Whatever floats your boat: just make sure that you know what you are getting into when consenting to anything.

I am doing the 30 Days of Submission meme/challenge. If you are interested in doing it too, check out this link which has all the questions ready to be used!