@Dominions Son
Sadism is inflicting pain on another for one's own sexual pleasure.
Even if there is no penetration or even skin to skin contact, BDSM is sex.
Sorry, but I disagree. You've never heard of the ancient monks, who in order to become closer to God, would literally whip themselves as they walked down the street.
My brother, who was the grand marshal of the NYC Gay Pride Parade one year and a regular participant, went to an S&M Summer Camp, where he'd shock everyone there, because as a skinny little thing, whenever he was lashed, he'd break character and giggle hysterically. The regular 'butch' guys were afraid to terrified of him.
He regularly expressed the same sentiment. He first got into BDSM, not for the sex, but because it allowed him to feel 'connected to the universe', without having to pop pills. But, like most of the BDSM crowd, if you've never experienced that level of BDSM, you'll never comprehend what BDSM is really about, as you're just role playing (i.e. playing the expected role, rather than actually believing in the lifestyle).