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This forum has clear rules on No Personal Attack. Yet Racism, Sexism and Homophobia continually slide past the Mods and go unpunished, due to what I believe are unclear laws on this Issue. My Argument is that racist, sexist and homophobic posts, actually do constitute a personal attack, and thus should be clearly added within the forum rules on civil discussion. Ones race, gender, and {usually} ones sexual orientation are something you have absolutely no control over. Also race, gender and sexual orientation are part of who you are, personally. They are not just like some set of inner furnishings either, like ones personal belief systems, cultural programming or Religion, as all of those are merely sets of Ideas and assumptions, and are totally subject to change. They are part of the foundation of who you are. So any article that says: "Women all do... Gays are all like... or Blacks are all... " ...and then proceeds to paint a whole population of people in some negative light, is actually personally attacking everyone of that persuasion. It is attacking and denigrating something that is natural to that person and that they have Zero control over. This can Never do anything constructive. Where can a conversation like that go? It leaves people feeling powerless and victimised. It destroys self esteem, and breeds bigotry and hatred. It is, emphatically, a Personal Attack. I say it has no place on this forum. Now, a person might have Issue with a subgroup, within a race, gender or sexual orientation. I have no problem with this. Examples might be: Extreme man hating feminists within the Female population... {gender} Gangsta culture within poor African American communities... {race} Straight Hate within Gay communities... {sexual orientation} {and there would be lots more, examples} Of course these things should be up for conversation. They are the {temporary} result of thinking (or lack of), or cultural/sub cultural conditioning. In other words they are 'add ons' to the person. They are not sacred cows. They are just beliefs, and intelligent dialogue can change them. and may be sorely needed. Unlike issues of race, gender or sexual orientation. No 'dialogue' can change these, as they are part of the person. Nothing positive can come from attacking these. When you attack a black man's race, it is a personal attack against him, and should see a swift response from our Lovely moderators. When you attack woman or mankind, it is a personal attack on every woman or man everywhere. And when you attack the gay community, it is a personal attack on every gay person in the world. I believe it fits within forum rules, or at least can very easily. I personally believe that it is an ethical Issue as well, that can not be ignored in social platforms. We are a microcosm of the world. Lets stop grinding the self esteem of 'others' into dust. Lets contribute to making a world where people feel great about being who they are, naturally.

So I found a good read when I was younger, maybe 10 years ago or so, a book by Mary Summerrain called The Phoenix Rising. Another book she wrote, Dreamwalker, spoke of a concept that has been on my mind for a while and I figured it's time to just hash it out and put it into words. Maybe get some answers just doing so, but it's here as well, for discussion. (note, for some reason I cannot use the enter key to add vertical spaces between paragraphs, this wont be easy to read.) So! SummerRain makes note of something genuine: That a holy person, sage, monk, or other spiritually aware and/or advanced person's lifestyle is irrelevant. You can be a dreamwalker, as noted in this book, even though you drink sodas, smoke cigarettes, and eat red meat. MAYBE spiritual titles are irrelevant, that this applies across the board, or perhaps it's only relevant to dreamwalkers? It rings true, in my ears, that a physical lifestyle influences only the physical life-world, and is irrelevant regarding spiritual and/or psychic experiences and ability. So I am wondering to myself if it matters a person's sexuality, gender, diet, habits, addictions, or lifestyles have any genuine meaning in regards to practicing anything of the spiritual/energic sort? I personally do not believe smoking dope and promiscuity are going to directly inhibit immortality, but as with all things, everything in moderation...