FYI (if you’re a teenage girl) [COUNTERPOINT]

This is a response to this post – http://givenbreath.com/2013/09/03/fyi-if-youre-a-teenage-girl/ – which reads, in part:

Did you know that once a male sees you in a state of undress, he can’t ever un-see it? You don’t want the Hall boys to only think of you in this sexual way, do you?

Neither do we.

And so, in our house, there are no second chances, ladies. If you want to stay friendly with the Hall men, you’ll have to keep your clothes on, and your posts decent. If you try to post a sexy selfie, or an inappropriate YouTube video – even once – you’ll be booted off our on-line island.

I know that sounds harsh and old-school, but that’s just the way it is under this roof for a while. We hope to raise men with a strong moral compass, and men of integrity don’t linger over pictures of scantily clad high-school girls.

Read the rest of that article here: http://givenbreath.com/2013/09/03/fyi-if-youre-a-teenage-girl/

Counterpoint:

1) I can’t help but find it a bit ironic that the post is about women’s modesty but includes two photos of topless boys on a beach. Seems a bit like a double standard.

2) Rachel Held Evans says it way better than I could:
a) “We turn modesty into objectification when we hold women responsible for the thoughts and actions of men.”
b) “The truth is, a man can choose to objectify a woman whether she’s wearing a bikini or a burqa. We don’t stop lust by covering up the female form; we stop lust by teaching men to treat women as human beings worthy of respect.”
c) “It doesn’t take long for a woman to realize that no matter what she wears, the curves of her body remain visible and will occasionally attract the notice of men. If this reality is met only with shame, if the female form is treated as inherently seductive and problematic, then women will inevitably feel ashamed of their bodies.”

You can read RHE’s whole article here:
http://www.qideas.org/blog/modesty-i-dont-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means.aspx

Now on the Red Carpet: Rachel Held Evans

http://www.redletterchristians.org/now-on-the-red-carpet-rachel-held-evans/

Yes, this!

“…but I think an alternative is to move away from equating virginity with sexual wholeness (and therefore something that can be lost or given or taken away in a single moment) and instead focus on the path of holiness. Holiness, to me, means committing every area of my life— from sex, to food, to time, to work—to the lordship of Jesus… So holiness can’t be reduced to a single decision or sex act, and it can’t be rendered into a list of rules. It’s a way of life, filled with twists and turns, mistakes and growth, uncertainty and reward.”

Image source and article: <a href="http://www.redletterchristians.org/now-on-the-red-carpet-rachel-held-evans/

Rachel Held Evans: Missing the Mark on Sexual Ethics

(A response to this post: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/sex-and-the-path-of-holiness)

I linked to RHE’s post yesterday and found this critique to be on point. The (long overdue) discussion around Christianity and sexuality is getting really interesting (and I mean that in the best way possible).

“The thing is, Rachel is still saying that sex should be saved for marriage, just like I was taught growing up. And so I have to ask—why? Why should sex be saved for marriage? I don’t personally see any conflict between premarital sex and things Rachel describes above—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and loving one’s neighbors.”

Article: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2013/06/rachel-held-evans-missing-the-mark-on-sexual-ethics.html

Sex and the Path of Holiness

LOVE this post!

“Holiness isn’t about sticking to a list of rules. It isn’t something you either have or don’t have, keep or lose. It’s a way of life, filled with twists and turns, mistakes and growth, uncertainty and reward. And, (to make matters even worse for the fundamentalists), a holy lifestyle often looks different from person to person, though the fruit of the Spirit is the same.”

Image source and article: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/sex-and-the-path-of-holiness

RHE: 10 Things I’ve Learned About Church History From ‘The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1” by Justo L. Gonzalez

“I’ve found that most Christians know very little about the history of the church. And we Protestants have the unfortunate habit of skipping from the epistles of Paul to Martin Luther and the 95-theses, leaving centuries of church history in the dust.”

Image source and article: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/church-history-volume-1

Ask Jennifer Knapp…

Fascinating and gracious responses.

“Jennifer’s impact on Christian audiences took a new turn in 2010 when she made public her long-standing same-sex partnership… Having experienced, first hand, the devastating effects of rejection and judgment, Jennifer knows full well the challenges of being “out” in certain faith communities. However, it is in the sharing of her journey through story, music and conversation that she has discovered the healing that comes from breaking the silence.”

Image source and article: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/ask-jennifer-knapp-response

Do Christians idolize virginity?

Lots of really amazing links in this article. IMHO, a must read for anyone in church leadership today.

Image source and link to article: http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/christians-idolize-virginity