Sex

It's a thought I can't seem to shake. Our culture has been saturated with sexual images, jokes, and desires. Our culture has been defined by sex.

I was reading someone's facebook note, and they were talking about the amount of sexual exposure Americans live with. They naively stated that we are exposed to sex twice in a day. I wish that was the case.

Sex is used to sell everything. Magazines (and I am not talking about Playboy) - Rolling Stones often features a nude celebrity on its cover, fitness magazines try to appease to the "thin is perfect" mentality, and the list drags on forever. Music has become the cesspool for sex. Lyrics endlessly refer to sexual acts or the desire for sex. And that's just the music. Musical advertisement involves music videos with scantly clad women, CD artwork contains risqué material, and some concerts are sponsored by condom companies. Cars are sold because a beautiful babe is riding in the passenger seat. Whenever I see a car commercial from a local car distributor, I am not enticed into buying one of their cars - there is no appeal. However, there are national car commercials were their is the promise of sexual gratification and I am hooked. Clothing companies are showing less to sell more. Abercombie and Fitch's website includes a model photo gallery. If one was to navigate the gallery, it would be almost impossible to tell if the site sold clothes. Television has resorted to reality shows focused on the sexual nature of individuals. Americans watch "Big Brother" in hopes of couples hooking up. We crave relationships that lack real intimacy. One night stands become "cool" experiences, but couples devoted to courting have been looked down upon. Beer commercials exploit both men and women. Average men can only meet beautiful women if they are drunk (Knocked Up), and "average" women look beautiful only if men are drunk. Spring break celebrates wet t-shirt competitions, bikini contests, and beer pong. Bigger has become better. Plastic has replaced flesh. Sex has infiltrated every aspect of our international society.

Yet, the question still remains, what do we as Christians do?

Psalm 119:9-16
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

How do we make this passage real in our present life? It isn't easy to respond to this question. And I am more less asking because I don't know the answer. My mind always drifts to sex. Whether it is pornography, jokes, or just lustful curiosity - it doesn't matter, it's sin. How do we escape the inevitable sexual barrage? If your right eye causes you to stumble, cut it out. Maybe we should cut it out so we don't stumble.

If we remove sex from our culture, how much would remain standing?

With much love and confusion,

Christian Eriksson