From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Subject: Sexuality in Christianity - A Different View
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 18:45:35 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 


[Note, I've also posted this to soc.religion.christian, but decided to
cross-post it here, since I'm not sure if the moderator to s.r.c. would
approve it for posting there because of its obvious controversial
viewpoints and suggestions.  JN ]



In article wiggins@poppy.cs.odu.edu (Samuel E Wiggins) writes:

>Here are some references in the Bible about sex:
>
>Deuteronomy 22:22-29	about rape and adultery
>Deuteronomy 23:17-18	about prostitution
>Leviticus 18:6-18	about/defining incest
>Romans 1:24-32		about homosexuality
>Deuteronomy 27:21	about bestiality
>
>And these are just a few I whipped out quickly from my Strong's concordance.
>I'm not going to give my opinions on these things, because I don't think
>they're as important as what the Bible has to say (And, the meaning of the
>verses is pretty clear, anyway.)


The above verses focus on the forbidden aspects of sexuality.  However,
to get a balance one should read very carefully the Song of Solomon.  It
is very erotic, using symbolism that would make many Christians blush, even
in today's more liberal climate.  Of course, many Christian theologists
believe that this book refers to Christ's love for the Church and other
similar metaphors.  However, even if this were God's intent (which I
personally don't subscribe to, btw), the use of erotic allusions and even
explicit sexual language (by the standards of ancient Israel) automatically
adds *legitimacy* to the goodness and appropriateness (Godliness) of expressed
and practiced eroticism in Christian sexuality.  Or putting it another way,
God would not have used such eroticism to describe about the relationship of
Christ to the Church unless such eroticism itself is good and approved in
God's eyes.  Thus, one can only conclude from this book that eroticism should
play a normal, honored, and yes, talked about (rather than hidden) part in
Christian sexual expression, and that it should be openly taught to our
children in such terms.  As a thought provoking statement, if Solomon wrote
erotic poetry as seen in the Song, then why don't Christians write Godly
erotic literature and poetry today?

According to Tim and Beverly LaHaye, in their book "The Act of Marriage",
(which is a good attempt - by a Fundamentalist couple - to strip away the
repressive anti-sexuality of the Christian Church in the 1800's which
unfortunately continues until this day), the Song of Solomon actually
describes aspects of sexual intercourse in a very explicit manner.  For
example, in 8:3,

"His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me.", (NIV)

the word "embraces" actually refers to clitoral stimulation by the man
with the right arm (hand).  Put it in this light, the above verse, and the
book in general, brings on new meaning.

With respect to the overall eroticism of the Song, 8:10-12 is illustrative:

"I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me.  Come, my lover, let us
go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages [or henna
bushes!].  Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded,
if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom -
there I will give you my love."  (NIV)

and in 7:6-9,

"How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights!  Your
stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
I said, 'I will climb the palm tree;  I will take hold of its fruit.'  May
your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath
like apples, and your mouth like the best wine."  (NIV)

Wow!  I daresay that if a Christian writer wrote something like this, even
using milder and more symbolic language, he/she would be quickly censored
by the so-called Christian "moralists" who would view this as pornographic.


There are many other erotic allusions in the Song that even today we can
understand (some of the meanings have been lost unfortunately).  I believe
that this book should be required reading for all older teen Christians, to
help balance out the negative messages (thou shalt nots) that the verses
quoted by the poster above listed, as well as to counteract the negative
secular messages about sexuality that we are inundated with today.  It will
give them even something more to look forward to in marriage and reduce
sexual hangups that plague a very large minority of Christian marriages.

I also believe that Christians should take a more active role in discussing
the beauty and goodness of sexuality rather than to try to continually hide
it or feel ashamed talking about it, or to talk about it only when refering
to what one should NOT do, or that its role is strictly reproductive, (as I
said above, how about Christian erotic literature?).  This post is an attempt
to be open and honest (and even explicit) about it.  If any reader is ashamed
of what I have expressed here, I suggest that they get "The Act of Marriage"
and refer to the chapter where the LaHaye's discuss some of the negative
results that continually repressing one of God's greatest gifts has caused
to marriages and to our society.  Let's talk about sexuality openly and
proudly as one of God's greatest gifts to mankind!  In a broader sense, if we
are to show God's goodness and salvation in Jesus Christ to the world, why do
we continually go around telling everybody what they *shouldn't* do - it is
a well-known fact that people are more likely to do that which they've been
told that they shouldn't do?.  It does not take a rocket scientist to know that
the Great Commission is best accomplished by showing people the positive
aspects of what faith in Christ will do for them and their life - then why do
we go around looking like we've been weened on dill pickles and focussing *too
much* on the negative by telling everybody that they've got to repent of their
sins or else?  (OK, OK, I've expanded the subject, but it is related to the
subject of this post.)


Everybody have a good day.  Hopefully I did not ruffle too many feathers
concerning the place of sexuality in Christian life, but this is an area
that has been of interest to me for a while.  I'm interested in hearing
comments from Christians and non-Christians alike about what I have opined.

Jon Noring

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