Recently, there has been a lot of talk in my town about a proposal to open up a strip club. Hopefully, this request will be turned down. Time will tell. In the meantime, I just today wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Instead of going on a tirade against the club (perhaps that will come later :-) ), I decided to address the subject of human sexually generally. Whether or not it is published, here it is.
Let’s be clear: Sex is a good thing, the body can be beautiful, and human sexuality should be embraced as a part of what it means to be a member of the human family. Unfortunately, however, it sometimes appears like we are offered only extreme versions of the way to approach such topics.
Some are afraid to broach the subject and leave the impression, intentionally or not, that sex really is a dirty thing. While many of these people are well-meaning, upstanding individuals, their rants are often interpreted, accurately or not, as the outdated opinions of a bygone era.
Then again, others move in the opposite direction, treating sexuality as a game and offering up young women as objects of meaningless attention. These promoters of sexual liberation consider sex something to be exploited, and ironically produce a kind of enslavement to otherwise natural desires.
Recently, there has been much talk of opening a strip club in town. While I do not know the man who hopes to operate this establishment, I suspect that he is merely one of many who capitalize on the human tendency to pervert that which is good. Though there is certainly a place for legal actions (and something should be done to forestall this recent "business" proposal), the greatest way to put a halt to such activities, the best way to insulate ourselves from the misuse of good things, is to operate–individually, as families, among friends, and as a community–in ways that both promote the goodness of human sexuality and recognize the parameters for its healthy use. Much of our moral confusion would disappear if we were to consistently practice and give approval to such long held ideals as marriage, unconditional love, and fidelity.
Human sexuality is obviously a matter of impulse; this impulse is normal and certainly ought not be treated as an embarrassment to civility. Human sexuality also requires knowledge, which allows us to understand the mechanics of the sexual act, the consequences of our decisions, and the best and most healthy ways to give expression to our God-given inclinations. But, human sexuality really ought to involve more than urges and facts. If we truly want to facilitate healthy relationships, prepare our children for the real world, and guard ourselves from inappropriate choices, we also need to be wise.
Sexual desire is normal, so let’s not stigmatize its proper use. Knowledge is valuable, so let’s not underestimate the need for accurate information and education. But it is our wisdom, or lack thereof, that will ultimately determine the appropriateness of the choices we make. An old sage once wrote, "God gives out wisdom for free." We could all use a healthy dose of that wisdom.
Let’s be clear: Sex is a good thing, the body can be beautiful, and human sexuality should be embraced as a part of what it means to be a member of the human family. Unfortunately, however, it sometimes appears like we are offered only extreme versions of the way to approach such topics.
Some are afraid to broach the subject and leave the impression, intentionally or not, that sex really is a dirty thing. While many of these people are well-meaning, upstanding individuals, their rants are often interpreted, accurately or not, as the outdated opinions of a bygone era.
Then again, others move in the opposite direction, treating sexuality as a game and offering up young women as objects of meaningless attention. These promoters of sexual liberation consider sex something to be exploited, and ironically produce a kind of enslavement to otherwise natural desires.
Recently, there has been much talk of opening a strip club in town. While I do not know the man who hopes to operate this establishment, I suspect that he is merely one of many who capitalize on the human tendency to pervert that which is good. Though there is certainly a place for legal actions (and something should be done to forestall this recent "business" proposal), the greatest way to put a halt to such activities, the best way to insulate ourselves from the misuse of good things, is to operate–individually, as families, among friends, and as a community–in ways that both promote the goodness of human sexuality and recognize the parameters for its healthy use. Much of our moral confusion would disappear if we were to consistently practice and give approval to such long held ideals as marriage, unconditional love, and fidelity.
Human sexuality is obviously a matter of impulse; this impulse is normal and certainly ought not be treated as an embarrassment to civility. Human sexuality also requires knowledge, which allows us to understand the mechanics of the sexual act, the consequences of our decisions, and the best and most healthy ways to give expression to our God-given inclinations. But, human sexuality really ought to involve more than urges and facts. If we truly want to facilitate healthy relationships, prepare our children for the real world, and guard ourselves from inappropriate choices, we also need to be wise.
Sexual desire is normal, so let’s not stigmatize its proper use. Knowledge is valuable, so let’s not underestimate the need for accurate information and education. But it is our wisdom, or lack thereof, that will ultimately determine the appropriateness of the choices we make. An old sage once wrote, "God gives out wisdom for free." We could all use a healthy dose of that wisdom.
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