Sexuality, the Church and America -- Part 1 -- Public Nudity

This is a new series based on some observations I made a week ago about the future of sexual morality in America. In this post, I want to look more fully at the issue of public nudity. The backdrop of this is my series Nudity, Modesty and Culture (If you haven't read it, do so and then come back) where I deal with the following related topics on this issue:

1. That nudity from a Biblical point of view consists of what the apron area of a persons body.
2. The idea of nakedness and women's breasts is never connected in Scripture.
3. Modesty Biblically is supposed to be a matter heart and spirit but the church often makes it a matter of dress and covering up.
4. In the end, modesty is culturally defined.

Which leads us to the culture war between Christians and the secular world of the USA about public nudity. There are significant things to consider here as I look at the news and issues coming up very soon.

1. Several women's groups, lead by the Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) are advocating equal rights for women to go topless (topfree) in the same places men can -- You can go to their web site but understand they have many pictures of 'topfree' women so if this bothers you don't go. A good chunk of the main supporters are women who breastfeed which have increased TERA's membership in number since the whole Facebook breastfeeding fiasco. There are also a growing number of women who simply see this as a constitutional issue. The argument leveled is that if a man can appear in public without a shirt a women should also be allowed to do so as well. They see this as a question of equal rights under law. The inequality being that a man is only considered naked if he exposes his genitals but a women is also considered indecent if she shows her nipples (by the way this is why a woman can show every part of her breast on those magizine covers as long as she covers her nipples). They further argue that in reality women's breasts do not constitute actual nudity as they really don't have a sexual function but a nurturing one.
2. There of course are many nudist organizations which I will not chronicle but suffice it to say they do not see nudity as a problem but maintain that a person should be allowed to dress or undress as they see fit.
3. Currently there are six states that allow some form of topfree rights for women and two others engaged in legal battles over the issue -- in every case the women have won and I predict they will continue to do so. It also should be noted that in many local areas there are topfree rights already in place by local ordinance and these are changing in favor of the women as well. Bourbon Street in New Orleans has been this way for many years but now they are definitely not alone. Ladies you may already have 'topfree rights' where you live and not know it.

How the Christian culture responds to these things is typical. There is a cry of outrage followed by a blaming society for the moral slippery slope. The self righteous judgment game follows where we all feel better about ourselves and our righteousness by looking down on those that engage in these practices. I would have to say this is not effective. A few observations:

1. Lust as a problem does not exist in these women or nudists -- it is a problem of each individual human heart. If the whole world dressed like the Amish, lust would still exist.
2. Self righteousness never wins a culture war.
3. If people are forced to live a certain way they will resent it, but righteousness that is engaged freely as Christianity is designed to do is a powerful thing.
4. In making a Biblical argument against these things we are going to be hamstrung by a couple things -- One, there is no way to make an argument that Women's breasts constitute nudity and so to get on the Bible here is difficult (shocking but true). Two, this IS a constitutional issue in this country and not a Biblical one and the fact is equality would dictate that either women should be allowed to go topfree, or men are going to have to be covered up (No more shirts and skins basketball guys)
5. Full nudity is something that people still have trouble with that are not Christians so the fight is going to be long here anyway because both sexes are required to cover up the angle of equal rights cannot be used.

My prediction is that the women who are advocating Topfree Rights will eventually win them on a nationwide scale and probably before the next ten years are out. Like when women began to show more leg and the public had a fit along with the moral majority the reaction will be same and then familiarity will come to a point that people will not notice anymore. In fact there may be a time when a women walks into a church with a bare chest and nobody will think anything of it. Sorry, it may happen because women walk in with short skirts now and nobody notices, well accept those people with lust in their hearts or self-righteousness.

This of course assumes we continue to go on the same path we have been going and when it comes to sexual morality and right now there does not seem to be a cultural reason to change course.

IMHO

Next: Pornography

Church Antagonism -- Part 4 -- What Allows Antagonists to Thrive

Church antagonists would never get away with anything if they did not act in a atmosphere that allows them to thrive. There are basically two factors involved:

1. Apathetic Bystanders: This can be anyone who would have the influence or could act at least in some way to confront the antagonism or stand up against it. The truth is that antagonists only survive because people do not stand up to it. They feel they are not in a position to stop it or are not sure what they should do. In my own ministry, my greatest problem was not the antagonists but the people who supported me that said and did nothing to stop it. Most are acting on the misguided notion that to be loving Christians they should get involved but real love sacrifices and stands up to evil. Remember it is often the pastor who is getting pummeled here and it is not loving to him or his family to just let him get pummeled. When good people do nothing, evil prospers. In my case it felt like it was me against half of the church with the other half watching the action -- not good.

2. Ineffective Denominational Officials: Boy do I know this one well. The fact is most denominational officials who could come in help the pastor and/or congregational leaders in trouble but they have a few things that make them ineffective: a) no plan -- and they follow it to the end. When you don't have a plan or procedure of how to handle these things you cause the 'bad' guys to have the advantage. b) lack of information on the situation -- ignorance of what is going on and being to lazy to find out what is really going on. If you are going into a bad situation get all the facts before you act. c) Lack of pastoral support: Pastors need support in this and they often don't get it. To tell someone under the gun to just pray about it or buck up smacks of -- 'be warmed and filled' but not doing anything needful.

If you get people fighting for their church and denominational officials who actually can help the situation looks a lot brighter.

Next: How to Act in the Face of Antagonism

Why Do I Lift?

My friend Pastor Sean posted about why he runs and so I thought I would ask the question for my fitness approach. -- I lift weights and have off and on now for almost 11 years.

My father had originally lifted when I was younger and the day he died his doctor told me that it probably added some time to his life. When I turned 29 I came to realize I needed to lose weight -- I was somewhere in the neighborhood of 320 lbs. I needed something.

I hate running -- no offense to my friend Sean and every other runner out there but it bores me to tears and because of my ankles and knees it is very painful for me to run. Walking alone would not do much. I decided then and there to break out my Dad's old weight set. In a single month I lost twenty pounds and three months later I was down to 275. After a year --245. I think it was this that inspired my oldest son to look at being an athlete but you would have to ask him.

I have upgraded from my Dad's old concrete filled plastic to a full Olympic set but the principles I follow have remained the same. I have adopted a very Body Builder style to my lifting and for three months last summer a diet to go with it. In three months 295 to 265.

My largest problem over the years has been sticking to it. I often wonder if this has a more spiritual issue to it. That is there have been times in my life I have needed it. Lifting is very meditative for me. There is something about it that allows me to clear my mind and focus, but there are times when I am focused already and don't need it. It can cause me to give it up and enjoy the results for a while and then the results vanish.

I am ready to go at it again and this time my wife wants to join me. I am not sure how I feel about that -- lifting has always been a solo act for me but I know my wife could use the confidence boost and I would certainly like the results on her if she stays with it. This time it is going to be an attempt at a complete change of lifestyle, not just a temporary action so keep us both in prayer. I am hoping that by doing this together I will have a deeper reason to continue. I also hope our marriage will grow as it would be something we do together.

Back from Vacation

It is good to get away, but it is last good to be back home. My brief vacation was punctuated by several events:
1. Visits to the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac City. This is my home state and the fact is that it is the most beautiful one on the Union as far as I am concerned (yes, I have been to others -- at least half of them). To top it all off the weather was a little cold in the Upper Peninsula it was clear and bright most of the time.
2. Visits with our good friends in ministry -- The Lester's (The Hotel Lester has two chief advantages -- the company is good and the price is cheap)
3. Time to think in an environment so quiet that I could actually hear myself think.
4. Such conditions inspire a closer walk with God -- I have had a lot of time to make decisions involving my call and place in God's kingdom.

Now I am glad just to be home with my family and in an environment familiar.

Vacation Post 08/03/09

Hey -- just a quick post to say I did so on vacation. Having a great time and relaxing. The Hotel Lester is good and no Big Foots have been encountered here in the Upper Peninsula despite Sean Lester's insistence they are here. If we see one we will send pictures.

Blessings to everyone.

Going on Vacation

I have now, including today, posted for 90 straight days. That is now possibly about to come to an end as I head off to vacation with my wife to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. If I gain access to a computer I will post if I can but if not do not be alarmed I will be back on August 5 for sure.

I am not saying I won't post while on vacation but I am saying I might be too busy with my friends and wife to have time to so or simple no way to do so.

Blessings and see you when I get back for sure if not sooner.

Christians and Sexuality: Where is the USA Headed Morally?

As I look at the United States moral issues involving a sexual nature have always been forefront in the secular and Christian culture wars, I see some interesting things on the immediate horizon:

1. Public Nudity: Particularly the fight by women to have equal rights as men to be bare chested in public. The whole breastfeeding thing on Facebook and the current court cases in the last few years indicate that things are changing quickly. Currently there are six states which have 'topfree' laws of a various nature: California, Hawaii, Maine, New York (where a woman can now go topfree in any place a man can), Ohio and Texas. Other states are currently embroiled in battle about this: Pennsylvania and New Jersey come to mind. In many cases local communities define the laws here but in many cases these local laws are changing. It's like I said in my series on Nudity, Morality and Culture, it is something we as Christians are going to have to get used to seeing more and more. Literally.

2. Homosexual Marriage: I do not think this is going to leave the issue of States rights for a while but who will control it is debatable. I hat e to says this we are going to lose in the end and my own issue on this is that I retain as a minister to both not perform or acknowledge homosexual marriage. Just like I feel about common law marriage, neither the church or any minister should have to be forced perform or acknowledge such marriages if they choose not to.

3. Friends with Fringe Benefits: How common is this now and the one thing no Christian is saying is an intelligent response to casual sex. We decry it and we speak against it but this is not a response that people are going to accept. This is largely a continued failure to deal with the results of the sexual revolution.

4. Pornography: Has anyone else notice how common porn has become and it is not the world who has the problem that concerns me, but it is the number of church people caught in it. In fact we seem to have more problems with addiction to porn than anyone else -- I think in large part it is the poor way we sexually educate youth in the church that is the problem.

There are many others but these are the one that seem in front right now. What do you think?