Are You Ashamed of Biblical [Sexual] Purity? by J. Slattery
I agree with the author of this that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction – people now a days seem to take some kind of pride or laissez faire attitude about being sexually promiscuous, while people who abstain are treated like freaks or losers.
On top of that, you have ex Christians or Christian feminists who depict any and all choices to remain sexually abstinent as evidence of the patriarchy, or as being somehow oppressive of women, so that virginity in women past their teens or twenties is cruelly and coldly ridiculed or dismissed.
I do recognize, as I have in much older posts, that yes, some Christians – the wacko, fringe cultic type groups – do make much too much out of female virginity (while simultaneously not emphasizing male virginity, which is hypocritical and sexist), and some of these fringe groups do turn virginity into an idol.
However, many to most Christians today represent all of sexual purity, celibacy, and virginity as having been made idols, and I totally disagree with this perspective. The majority of editorials I see, even on conservative Christian blogs, continually insist that sexual purity (which includes virginity) is of no import.
These blogs and articles that act as apologetics of fornication (and again, I am including conservative Christian sites and groups among these), regularly besmirch virginity and celibacy as being sexist in and of themselves, or as unfair to women, or as being nothing but products of the patriarchy. It never seems to occur to the people pushing these views that women such as myself find this anti-virginity, or anti-celibacy, rhetoric deeply insulting, as we mostly or fully voluntarily chose to abstain of our own free will.
I would say that, yes, the majority of Christians today are deeply ashamed of sexual purity, especially as presented in the Bible, and some of the rest are infuriated that it exists and find it insulting.
At any rate, here is a link to the page:
(Link): Are You Ashamed of Biblical Purity? by J. Slattery
Excerpts:
- Sexual purity has been in the news a lot lately. A topic typically reserved for church groups has become of interest to the mainstream media. In a recent example, the television show The View picked up on the viral popularity of Brelyn Bowman, a 22-year-old who celebrated her purity on her wedding day by presenting a doctor’s certificate to her father. Actress Candace Cameron Bure drew scorn from the other women on the panel when she defended Bowman’s decision.
- Whether or not you agree that social media is a place to document your virginity, it takes courage nowadays to voice a biblical view of sexuality. Remember the teasing that came Tim Tebow’s way when he voiced a commitment to sexual purity? Taking a public stand on sexual purity is about as popular killing kittens.
- In a world in which sexual license is creating so much havoc, why is it taboo to be a proponent of God’s design for sexuality? In fact, educators who know the research about the effects of sex outside of marriage should be applauding the choice instead of mocking it. But even Christians have called into questions the importance of embracing a biblical sexual ethic.
- I was recently on a radio call-in show when a Christian man called in and said, “We know that abstinence doesn’t work . . . ” He went on to ask his question, leaving behind an unchallenged assumption. Who said, “abstinence doesn’t work”? Does staying pure guarantee that you will find “Prince Charming” or have an amazing sex life? God never promised these rewards. However, there are many emotional, relational, and spiritual benefits of following God’s wisdom.
- …I Am Not Ashamed
- While there are a lot of reasons why sexual purity is a worthy goal, this is not the main reason celebrities like Tebow and Bure have taken a stand on the issue. They have committed themselves to representing Christ both in their public and private lives.
- There are some settings and topics in which it’s relatively easy to be a Christian. The average American doesn’t mind if you go to church or even read the Bible. As long as you talk about God’s love and forgiveness, you probably won’t offend too many people. Then there are other topics that immediately put you at odds with the rest of the world. Sexuality is one of them. Even through sharing your own personal convictions, you will be labeled everything from judgmental, hateful, and backward. Why? The apostle John explained it this way:
And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. (John 3:19–20)
- Isn’t it interesting that the world can accept John 3:16 but rejects the truth in these verses that follow?
- …The public stand and resulting criticism of Christians in the news should prompt us to ask if we are ashamed of God’s truth. Do we skirt around biblical teaching on sexuality because we don’t want to be rejected? If we are walking through life as a Christian without finding ourselves at odds with the world’s thinking, something is wrong.
((click here to read the rest))
Related Posts:
(Link): Bride Presents Father With ‘Certificate of Purity’ on Wedding Day – My Thoughts On the Matter
(Link): No, Christians and Churches Do Not Idolize Virginity and Sexual Purity
(Link): Some Researchers Argue that Shame Should Be Used to Treat Sexual Compulsions
(Link): Thoughts on John Piper’s “Walking the Wedding Aisle Without Your Virginity” and T. Fall’s Rebuttal
(Link): CDC Report: Virgin Teens Much Healthier Than Their Sexually Active Peers (2016 Report)
(Link): Slut-Shaming Is Bad—But The Overreaction Against It Also Hurts Women by J. Doverspike
(Link): An Example of Mocking Adult Virginity Via Twitter (Virginity Used As Insult)
(Link): Living Myths About Virginity – from The Atlantic
(Link): Why Some People Become 30 Year Old Virgins (Article / Study)
(Link): On ‘Late’-In-Life Virginity Loss (from The Atlantic)
(Link): Virginity Lost, Experience Gained (article with information from study about virginity)
(Link): Christians Want to Hold Adulterers Accountable but Give Adult Single Fornicators a Pass
(Link): When Adult Virginity and Adult Celibacy Are Viewed As Inconvenient or As Impediments
(Link): A Female’s Virginity Belongs To Her – Not Her Father or Husband – Re: Purity Balls
(Link): The Christian and Non Christian Phenomenon of Virgin Shaming and Celibate Shaming
(Link): Sexual Immorality and Five Other Reasons People Reject Christianity by D. Johnson
(Link): Is Premarital Sex [a.k.a. Fornication] a Sin? Bible Scholars Respond
(Link): Emergent Christian Guy Says Christians Need to “Celebrate Pre Marital Sex” (Fornication)
(Link): Stop Pretending Sex Never Hurts, By D.C. McAllister
(Link): How Pre-Martial Sex Negatively Impacts People: The Incest Letter
(Link): Virgin Shaming: Hollywood’s Attack on Purity (by B. Bowen)
(Link): Christians Assume All Adult Singles Are Porn Addicted Fornicating Horn Dogs
(Link): Christian Preacher Admits He Won’t Preach About Sexuality For Fear It May Offend Sexual Sinners
(Link): Article: Our Born-Again Virgin Bachelor – Secondary or Spiritual Virginity
(Link): Magical Christian Thinking: If you have pre-marital sex you won’t get a decent spouse
(Link): The Christian and Non Christian Phenomenon of Virgin Shaming and Celibate Shaming
(Link): Depressing Testimony: “I Was A Stripper but Jesus Sent Me A Great Christian Husband”
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