Wired News: Internet Porn: Worse than Crack?
This is a very interesting article, for those of you so inclined to dig into one of the social no-no’s we’re so accustomed to not talking about… sex. Sure this is a sex-pervaded culture, and some would say we are sex-pervaded people by nature… but serious dialogue between two opposing camps rarely takes place. Perhaps pornography is an issue where healthy dialogue can happen.
It appears from those who testified before the committe, though, that it wasn’t dialogue, it was only the right-wing camp represented.
I am very interested in the new film starring Liam Neeson, Kinsey. Kinsey was a man hated by conservatives, loved by liberals, but controversial for everyone in his time. I personally think that much of Kinsey’s research has helped free us from some very bad attitudes about sex, while at the same time it has allowed for applications of his research which can be just as damning as the former harmful attitudes toward sex.
As a follower of Christ, I strive to find a way to think and talk about sex which does not stifle God’s gift to us, but at the same time does not pervert it. I think this dialogue must take place over the spiritual nature of sex. There is a very real bond which takes place when two people have sex with each other. From the most trivial one-night stand to lasting sex in the marriage bed, sex unites two (or more) persons. The lasting effects of that union permanently change each person involved, and when one is united with many partners, there are certainly psychological effects of the unions.
From the spiritual side of sex, we can move onto the practical applications, and I’m not just talking about child-bearing. We need to openly discuss living in a world where most of us do not marry anywhere near as young an age as we would need to for reasonable ability to refrain from sex. When you add a negative view of masturbation within the church, what is a single guy or girl to do with these entirely natural urges? I’m not justifying anything for me or anyone else, I’m just asking the question. Seriously asking it. Some will take a hardline and say it doesn’t matter, it’s just unfortunate we live in a culture where these urges must be controlled. Of course, these are mostly married older people saying this.
Some day I’ll do a more detailed study and develop a theology of sex. For now, I’m just asking a lot of questions.
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