Salvation begins with a sensual backside language, the general meaning of liberation from evils.

The whip commands. To release pain, inflict pain. Cat o' Nine Tails is Divine Law. Illumination and Judgment, religion's way holding various positions.

Soteriology, salvation is effected and achieved through deliverance, redemption from sin and its effects.

S & M is a religion. Salvation is attained by using  inner human resources such as meditation, accumulation of wisdom, asceticism, rituals, and good deeds. Let us be saved by the grace granted by an external personal agent, a bodhisattva, an avatar, a Witch.

Let's get cracking. Pantheism's salvation is impersonal merging with the Absolute. When the whip makes contact, it feels of what God said to Abraham in the Book of Genesis, he called Abraham Abram at the time when he said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars, if you indeed can count them." The whip on a bare ass, you surely can see each and every star. And you know why the stars are by god, S & M friendly. The grace of god exists in hedonism, divine pleasure in a personal relationship with one's initative, atoning for sacrifice, of good feeling and intentions. S & M repentance has a wider meaning than regretting mistakes of the past. Repentance never felt so good. Spread the gospel. Resurrection is a vindicator. You will be saved. Whoever believes in S & M and is baptized into S & M will be saved. And so Jesus replies, ""Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."  So much for Salvation, now on to Mercy, S & M initials.

Mercy, when you're down on your knees and the whip's enforcer lashes your backside you know you're crying for mercy. Compassionate behavior on the part of those in control, a mission of divine mercy to treat victims of circumstance. An earthly power, the whip doth then show like God's. Oh Mercy, the season's justice!

Copyright Ms. Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist