We are one horny bunch of people. We always have been. We have the profound ability to take something beautiful and sacred and water it down into something "casual". I have a lot of hope for the human race in areas such as improving energy systems, promoting fair trade, and creating a society devoid of racism. But when it comes to keeping Mr. Man out of Ms. Daisy's garden until the time is right (aka marriage), we seem hopeless. All joking aside, it's scary how sex is viewed as something as basic and necessary to daily life as eating, drinking or sleeping.
I know as a teenager in high school that sex is viewed as a right of passage. You are almost viewed as a foreigner (especially as a guy) if you make it into your twenties without having crossed the threshold. Even awkward, nerdy geeks can find other awkward, nerdy female geeks to hook up with freshman year in college, so what's the hold up? Those of us who try to wait are viewed as people who must have something truly insidiously disgusting about us deep down that has deterred the likes of every other female that has crossed our path.
Yesterday I was an audience member at the new Dr. Drew show called "Life Changers" and I was reminded of how warped society's view of sexual relations is. Dr. Drew was accompanied by a guy named Steve who hosts VH1's show called 'Tough Love". He's basically a loud, abrupt outcast of the Jersey Shore who bashes on some of the most sexually confused individuals alive in America today. Their advice to audience members and guests on the show was mind-blowing. I wanted so badly to know what percentage of importance they believe sex is to a relationship. I would guess, based on their comments, that 85% of what makes a relationship work is pure sexual activity. If the sex isn't good right away, or you don't have tons of it, or he/she wants to wait, than run because the relationship is bound to fail. Their statements confirmed my thoughts that our pop-culture world has watered-down the depths of the human existence to whether or not we can reach a point of physical ecstasy with one another. It has somehow become common belief that during this act of extremely personal interaction that there will be a complete absence of mental or spiritual connection.
I love the analogy that our sex lives are like a piece of tape. The first time you ever use that piece of tape it sticks great. However, each time you remove that piece of tape there is a residue left behind which makes it less and less sticky. Eventually, like the tape, we become more and more disconnected from the people to whom we choose to give ourselves to the point that sex does become casual. By doing this we loose touch with one of the most beautiful gifts in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is the ONLY sin we commit against our own body. There is a unique harm we do to ourselves when we sin sexually that has untold consequences to our bodies, minds, and hearts. Now, secular society doesn't know this and doesn't care, but Christian's do and have done several things wrong in response to the extreme sexual pressure we all deal with.
First, liberal Christians go to the heart. I believe all truly devoted Christians (I know that's a tough judgment to make but o well) know deep down that waiting to have sex until marriage is our utmost goal for physical interaction. However, we fail to wait and often times we fail young. So what do we do? We spend the years and years trying to find theologians to rationalize our actions by saying that we put sex on a pedestal, or that marriage occurs in the heart upon consumation, yada yada yada. We know we screwed up (no pun intended) and instead of seeking repentance we seek justification through circular argumentation and theological jargon that just confuses the generations to come.
The other thing Christians do is even more dangerous than this and that's rush. We rush to get married because we just can't wait another minute and "this person I'm with is good enough for now!" We get tired of seeing romance after romance in TV and movies, or listening to love songs alone in our rooms so that once we find a "good christian boy or girl" that waited just like we did it's enough to convince us that they are the one we have been searching for. It's painful to constantly hear our other married friends, or secular couples talk about how great sex is or how often they have it whenever they want that we just can't stand one more cold shower! Such a rough life it is. However, it doesn't take long before the sex can't hide the poor decision to spend your life with someone you don't really love and are now tired of seeing naked. Turns out society made sex up to be a whole lot more than it is, just as much as they downplayed the need to take it seriously.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
That's the verse I mentioned earlier from 1 Corinthians. Notice that it tells us to flee, as in urgently run away from, sexual immorality. Define sexual immorality for yourself but know that the answer is not what Hollywood or even our friends may tell us. We are equipped with an amazing conscience deep within us that we can choose to listen to at any time. If that seems to murky than Scripture is crystal clear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." I want to combat those myths, no matter how futile that fight may be. I know that a great deal of sex does not equal great success. I know that there is such a thing as an excess amount of sex. There is a time and place for everything and I wholeheartedly believe that great sex only happens in a committed, loving relationship where both parties have chosen to wait for each other for at least some time. I know it's cliche but I do believe that anything worth having is worth waiting for and God certainly makes us wait for the best things in life, sex being one of the greatest!
Deep breath, exhale. sigh. That's all I've got for now on this heavy topic. It's all just my passionate heart's shot in the dark anyhow.
No comments:
Post a Comment