so sexy so soon

Have a read.

It’s not just those fundamentalist, conservative, annoying Christians who are concerned about our western over-sexed culture…

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sexual identity – again…

I’ve posted before on this topic, and thought I’d share a bit more about it. Hopefully, these thoughts will be helpful in aiding fruitful discussion…

I’ve observed a distinction between 3 things that I feel are necessary to distinguish between in order to most helpfully discuss the topic of sexuality. Actually, these three things can, I suggest, be distinguished helpfully when discussing other topics as well… See what you think…

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what’s the problem with porn?

There are a few, perhaps, who would answer this question with a casual (or insistent) “None. Get over it”, but most, I suspect, would agree: porn (obviously only for societies that have it) is a problem.

Some better questions would be ‘what kind of problem is it?’, ‘where does it come from?’ and ‘how do people deal with it?’

Jason Byassee has written an interesting article over at ‘First Things’ website. He refers to a book by Pamela Paul, ‘Pornified: How Pornography Is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families’, whose Times article titled ‘The Porn Factor’ begins with this synopsis of a ‘Friends’ episode:

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i heart the internet…

I mean…

really…

Don’t get me wrong…

the internet is great…

but the by-line for this online ‘friend’ site…

‘be who you wanna be’…

scares me.

Online Identity…

yikes.

I hope humanity doesn’t forget…

how to have a simple meal together…

sharing food…

sharing time…

sharing conversation…

sharing LIFE with each other.

That would be very sad…

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trust and believe… criminals!?

Do you trust? Do you believe?

I’m not talking (at least in this post!) about God – I’m talking about convicted criminals!

Tapu Misa has written another thought-provoking piece about –among other things– the house-arrest conditions of Bailey Kurariki, suggesting that the public needs to trust him to learn how to live in society.

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wisdom

For some reason, I respect people the most when they obviously are very smart, but are ever-concious that they don’t know everything.

Matter of fact, it seems that the more you know, the more you become aware of all the things you don’t know.

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sexual identity remixed

I’m well aware of this topics’ controversial nature. In fact, that’s part of the reason I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while. What I do not want to do is quote verses or provide what I think ‘the Bible says’ about this issue. Of course, I do have a view on that, but that specific pathway into this topic has been almost ruined for all kinds of reasons, not least simplistic applications of various texts. As with any other discussion, the use of words is key. At one extreme, the sheer number of terms being created (‘pangender’, ‘omnisexuality’ and ‘heteronormativity’ to name but a few) does not seem to help fruitful discussion, but at the other extreme, many can fail to appreciate the complexity of the issues being discussed. Because of this complexity, it would be easy to spend huge amounts of time trying to address everything that has ever been said about human sexuality. But, of course, that’s the job of a lengthy dissertation or something. My hope is to fruitfully contribute to the conversation. Quite simply, I want to raise two concerns I have relating to human sexuality.

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pure imagination

I try to limit how often I quote individual bible-verses out of context, but this one is quite a hard one to twist into meaning something else…

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” – Phillipians 4:8 NASB

Your imagination is under attack.

No, this is not some silly alarmism or ‘boy that cried wolf’ nonsense. It’s true. If you live in a place where billboards, magazines, internet, shopping malls and television are the norm – in other words, if you are a Westerner – you are being influenced. You might as well be aware of it.

What we think about matters.

Now, most of us would agree without hesitation, but I wonder if we give much thought to it.

Whether we realise it or not, many decisions we make are the result of carefully planned attempts to ‘capture our imagination’.(1) Advertising works hard to capture our imagination. One of the main ways it does this is to try to get you to identify with the product/service being advertised. Once this is accomplished, when it comes time to make a purchase, you are much more likely to buy their brand, etc.

What I’d like us to notice, however, is that there is a ‘macro’ (large) reality to the ‘micro’ (small) example I just gave. For Westerners, there are so many products being offerred to us, so much hi-jacking of our thoughts, that we get de-sensitised to it. I once knew a missionary couple that came back from years of service in a so-called ‘developing country’ (developing into what, may I ask?), and went to ‘Wal-mart’ to get groceries. Upon entering the beverage aisle, they were stopped in their tracks. There were so many drink choices in front of them, they quite literally didn’t know what to do.

But we’re used to it, aren’t we?

The ‘macro’ reality for far too many of us is this: We are enslaved to a the Western standard of living.(2) Like it or not, you are simply expected to ‘have’ what ‘everyone else’ has.(3) You are expected to be an average Westerner. Complain, argue or disagree with the system, and you’ll get funny looks.

What I’m trying to suggest is simply that we are more influenced than we are ready to admit. I’ve been fond of saying – as I’ve heard from many others – that the best way to tell what you value is to look at your time/calendar and your money/spending. Another interesting value-indicator is this: what you talk about with your friends.

A friend recently vented to me how frustrated he was that basically ALL his conversations were about no more than 2 things. Everywhere I go, I over-hear conversations about TV shows, movies, video-games and fashion. Do we not have other things to talk about?

For crying out loud, I’m NOT saying these things are the devil incarnate. I am saying, however (with no hesitation at all), that they occupy too much of our time, money and discussions. They affect our imaginations!

Here’s the point. Instead of making some ridiculous list of ‘things’ that are OK to think about or not, we are told to think about things that are good, pure, praise-worthy, etc. (above verse). We are instructed by Jesus Himself to pray for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” Unfortunately, we only think about that when we are at our churches.

Our imaginations are being sold to the highest bidder, and programmed to be more and more concerned with getting what we want in life. God’s kingdom is about a different mindset than that. Philippians 2:4 (and the verses before and after it) is beautiful – ‘Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.‘

This will not make you ‘famous’ or ‘successful’.

This is not entertaining or fashionable.

But it is God’s will (a.k.a. His ‘desire’ – what He wants.).(4)

So, be aware of the attempts to capture your imagination. It’s one of the most valuable things for you to protect.

Blessings,

Dale

1. I dare you to read “Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire” by Brian J Walsh and Sylvia C Keesmaat. It will scare you – in a good way.
2. ‘Enslaved’ too strong a word? OK, then… Just try to stop living the Western lifestyle and see how easy it is.
3. Though the result is indeed, being clones of everyone else, the language advertisers use is that of ‘diversity’, ‘choice’ and ‘uniqueness’.
4. Though time forbids me from fully explaining, the best catalyst for staying committed to God’s will is community (true community) with others who want to do the same.

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buying identity

New Zealand is becoming more like America every minute.

And it’s not a good thing.

Yet another Temple for Capitalism (a.k.a. shopping mall) has just recently had it’s grand opening not far from my flat. So many people were flocking to this Marketing Mecca that traffic was jammed all opening-day long.

Lately I’ve been thinking more and more about how my standard of living (and all of the decisions I make to keep it in place) affects the world around me. It’s not been a pleasant exercise for me. I’ve had to realise that many of the choices I make (most are daily) have very negative consequences. This has caused me to think more and more about many things. Take-away beverage (coffee, coke, etc.) cups, plastic shopping bags, plastic water bottles, ridiculously in-efficient and wasteful product packaging, disposable goods and other such things don’t just disappear when we throw them away.

Allow me to share with you some of the terminology that pushes this type of consumerism along. An article (advertisement?) in the Tamaki and Districts Times, celebrated (venerated?) stage one of the opening of the new Consumerist Worship Centre in Mt. Wellington known as Sylvia Park Shopping Centre. Here is an excerpt.

‘Ultimately, Sylvia Park Shopping Centre will feature over 180 specialty stores, indoor/outdoor foodcourt, The Warehouse Extra, Foodtown and Pak n’ Save, a top-line specialty fashion precinct that is set to offer consumers an unprecedented range of fashion labels from a single location, cafes, restaurants and a state of the art theatre and entertainment complex… …Angus McNaughton says that the retail offering at Sylvia Park is the strongest and most diverse of any centre in New Zealand… …there will be brands and stores making their debut appearance on the New Zealand market to provide shoppers at Sylvia Park with the most comprehensive fashion choices available.’

Another article features the ‘new specialised retail store’ Howard’s Storage World with this opening:

‘…families strive to cope with increasing collections of electronic gadgets, toys for weekend warriors and wardrobes overflowing with clothing, shoes and accessories.’

Hmmm… Anyone see a pattern here?

The connection between our ‘comprehensive fashion choices’ and our ‘wardrobes overflowing with clothing’ is both humorous and deeply unsettling. Also unsettling are the use of the words ‘strongest’ and ‘diverse’ in a sentence about a retail centre that promotes anything but strength or diversity. True strength might help us to realise that we don’t actually need any more clothes. It might begin to reveal just how obediently we are dancing to the beat of the fashion drum (which waits till sales have peaked and then changes pace to generate another peak). True diversity has nothing to do with people letting clothing manufacturers tell them what looks good and why they should dress just like everyone else.

I know we may think ‘it’s just business’ and that it’s harmless, but I think we really need to be aware of the impact that this has on our identities.

Our identities?

Yes. Our identities.

You see, if they can get us to agree with them that we are simply ‘shoppers’ or ‘consumers’ then they have succeeded in altering how we view ourselves – and our identity consists of how we view ourselves. We are not concerned with staying ‘in fashion’ until we are told that we need to ‘make room in your wardrobe for the new season.’ We are quite content with what we have until we are reminded by countless billboards, store-fronts and countless other forms of advertising that we are about to be left in the dust if we don’t keep up with the times. The more I begin to see advertising and marketing for what it really is, the less I’m buying it (literally). We pray ‘lead us not into temptation’ but happily gaze at magazines that tell us how we ought to dress (and also ‘educate’ us as to how we might have ‘healthier’ sex lives) and walk around malls ready to give money to companies who remind us that we can’t do without what they have to offer.

I’m no longer seeing these issues as spiritually neutral. I want to live my life thinking about serving others, not myself. I want my imagination to be captured by the call of the Gospel on my life, not held captive by the call of Globalist agendas. I want my identity to be informed and solidified by the Gospel of Christ, not by anything else.

May we support and encourage one another in our true identity which we could never buy, but that was bought for us with Blood so priceless it could never be sold.

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let’s see some I.D. please

One of the most bizarre notions in the entire universe is also one of the most important doctrines of Christianity. It’s the idea of a new identity.

The over-abundance of self-help books, ‘inspirational’ seminars and ‘inner-peace’ tapes/CD’s only begin to show our human obsession with life change. We want it. We crave it. We need it. We know something is wrong inside of us, and we will try anything to make it better.

Unlike the comforting, feel-good, wholeness, positive message of these mediums, the message of the Cross is offensive. The Cross doesn’t hide our weakness, but painfully exposes it. The Cross doesn’t try to fix our broken lives, but ends them! In the book, Grace Walk, Steve McVey rightly points out that we don’t get our lives changed, but get them ex-changed!

At times we forget that the Empty Tomb and the wonderful promises of newness of life come only after the Cross and it’s shame. Humanity would love to have the power of the Empty Tomb, but is too proud to humble itself to bow to the Cross. Take a fresh look at the following verses:

Jesus in Luke 14:27, “The man who will not take up his cross and follow in my footsteps cannot be my disciple.” – (Phillips)

Jesus in Mark 8:35, “Whoever wants to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.” – (New American Standard)

The Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me; and the life which I now live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up to death on my behalf” – (Weymouth)

Paul in 2 Timothy 2:11, “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” – (New King James)

This dying is not a once in a lifetime occurance, either! For God’s life and power to flow through us, we must take Jesus’ advice in this last verse:

Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” – (King James Version)

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