Sadomasochism in Christianity

“I see sadomasochism in the founding myth of Christianity. The Redeemer offers up the sacrifice of his body for the salvation of the human race. Out of love for us he willingly endures our worst abuse, whipped naked in the streets, spat upon, called names, laughed and screamed at, made to wear a crown of thorns. It’s the ultimate sub-masochist fantasy, complete with the idea that he is also the ultimate power. He endures this abuse willingly, and really, the only way I could endure such pain is to turn it to my advantage – to transform it into pleasure with sexual energy. Finally he is murdered in a gruesome fashion, and in the extinguishing of his mortal self the god is brought to spiritual perfection. The price of sin is paid and our collective wickedness is absorbed in ultimate softness, i.e. forgiveness, which has classically been associated with femininity. Yet here the orthodox tradition gives us the typically overdone counter-reaction of those who cannot reconcile themselves to their sexual nature. The Redeemer returns from his cosmic / metaphysical orgasm as a vengeful, rigid, hyper-masculine, punishing god, bent upon casting into the lake of fire all those who dare not accept his love. It reads like the revenge fantasy of a spurned, unbalanced lover who now feels post-orgasmic shame at his soft, submissive, all forgiving side. Its exactly how I used to be in my younger years, trying to hide this side of myself with exaggerated behavior, and the whole thing stinks of immaturity, fear, and sexual repression.”

“That’s because the Christian religion is the creation of immature, repressed, misogynistic men.” She said. “Except for Jesus himself who, if he actually existed, was supposedly tender towards women. The disciples were intensely male chauvinist. It’s a given that they would hate and deny the feminine side of themselves. They saw their messiah-king killed like a common criminal, a weakling, so they had to invent his masculine, war-like revenge for a future time.”