“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within...”
Romans 12:2

Flirting with “Pert Dirt” that hurts.

Yeah.  I reckon I really am sticking my neck out on this one!

And for some people this will be an example of a person who carried beyond conformity to “unreasonable” limits.  “You’ve got to be more tolerant,” some would say.  “After all society’s standards have changed … blah blah.”

Sorry!  I’ve just got to speak out, and if I tread on some pet corns, so be it.

SEX.

It’s one of the world’s “in” words today.  Probably always has been, but never so blatantly as it is now.  Its meanings and contrived contexts extend into every area of life.  Just about anything can be “sexy”  – and I am convinced that the frequent use of this term is just an excuse to include the word “sex” as a selling point; the attention grabber.

Let me say quite categorically that I believe that the Creator God who so marvellously designed and made us all, included a beautiful gift to be enjoyed to the full.  This can be a wonderful ingredient for an awesome marriage.  In its pure form, the intimacy of sexual union and the pleasures derived from each marriage partner’s submitting of their body to the other, can only be described as having a sacred quality.  I use that word deliberately.  It is crucial to a proper understanding of what I am trying to say.  So I’ll say it again.  Sexual intimacy a Divine gift which should not be abused.  The sexpo, pornographic portrayal of the female body, especially where the boundaries of decency are pushed beyond limits wherever possible, creates all sorts of social problems.  Marriages and the stable family unit are under attack as all the lingering visual images, and the message that situational ethics are OK, put huge pressure on those who do not want to give in to their destructive power.

Go through the daily newspapers and analyse the use of sex-related or sex-orientated advertisements and news items.

Magazines are full of titillating images of the female body, especially in the weekend newspapers when the readers are more likely to notice them in their leisure browsing.

I won’t elaborate on other reading matter, or the content of TV, DVD, movies, and similar visual material.  It’s there in abundance!

And by and large, people have become so blasé about it all; then wonder why morality and decency seem to have fallen into the “don’t use” category.

Fashions can fuel lust – and for many it is deliberately used for this purpose.  For many people, and especially those of the male species, temptations arising from this source, and those already referred to, could be better done without.  How often I have gone into a shop or office and have had to face an unwanted confrontation with a woman’s cleavage staring at you.  Push-up bras, low cut and form fitting clothing are everywhere, and increasingly these fashions are being worn by teenagers and older children.  It is seen to be acceptable and the market will always create, and capitalize, on demand.

What has happened to modesty?

Is that become another “irrelevant” word?

I picked up a weekend newspaper publication recently and was sickened by what I saw.  This is not an exaggeration.  It was nauseous!  I won’t describe it, but it was there for young and old to be exposed to it.

I won’t comment on current news such as the “boobs on bikes” parade down Auckland city’s main street, apart from saying again, that it is indicative of the emphasis on “sex” that constantly surrounds us. 

I know I run the risk of being called a prude! Talk to me about that if you wish, but I do have standards and values which I will not compromise.  I am not ashamed to say that I enjoy God’s gift of sex, but the intimacy of genuine love is desecrated by the way in which so many people are allowing themselves to be squeezed into a mould which allows it to be so degraded.

Yeah.  I’ve stuck my neck out and will continue to do so – on this issue, and many more.

Think about it – that dangerous activity again! Our talk, to be effective, has to match our walk.  No covers ups.  No double standards. 

Just plain honesty and conviction and consistency.  As Pete says to Pete, “For the ‘rot’ to succeed, ‘good’people do nothing.  So SYNO and ... GO, GO, GO!”