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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Debunking the Evangelical Obsession with Virginity

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ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Debunking the Evangelical Obsession with Virginity

I got this in my email today. Take a look and tell me if I am misunderstanding the writer.

https://us-mg205.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=c095llmf6m5ks#mail

We were taught from day one the importance of being virgins, keeping yourself free from sexual involvement until marriage and then it is blessed. My parents and others and others before them never knew about pop culture and their fixation on the issue. My faith forbears were concerned about the WORD and what it had to say.

What say, saints? Am I understanding the writer to say that virginity is over emphasized?

ginnyrose


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Sandra Miller

 2014/4/10 16:06Profile
MaryJane
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Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re: Debunking the Evangelical Obsession with Virginity

greetings ginnyrose

I tried the link but just an email login page comes up for AT&T. I did not get to read the email maybe try to copy and paste the email here that might work.


God bless
mj

 2014/4/10 16:22Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

Here it is: (don't know if I am violating any copyright laws in posting it -may have to remove it, but please share your take on it.)
***********************************************************


ChristianityToday.orgDonate
hermeneutics newsletter
Thursday, April 10, 2014

Debunking the Evangelical Obsession with Virginity

You've probably heard criticism of so-called purity culture and the church's hyper-emphasis on virginity. We've certainly written about it before.

This time, though, Karen Swallow Prior reviews the veneration of virginity through history and pop culture, instead of focusing only on the church. When I first read her article, I was delighted at the breadth of the piece, from Vestal Virgins to My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, the Cult of the Virgin Mary to Madonna's "Like a Virgin."

Her argument: Idolizing virginity is not an evangelical thing. It's human thing.

In fact, "The value placed on virginity across human cultures, including the church, reflects the universal human desire for that innocence that was lost in the fall," she concludes. "But rather than fixate on the virgin state as the pagan cultures did, the church is called to weave the whole of human sexuality into the grand story of creation, fall, and redemption."

While Karen reminds us about the cultural context for what many see as a church issue, another post does the reverse: pointing out the church's historical involvement in an issue deemed modern-day and secular. Dallas Theological Seminary professor Sandra Glahn writes about the early push for gender equality coming out of the church.

While many consider Betty Friedan and second-wave feminists as the beginning of the "woman movement," she highlights to pro-woman, pro-justice Christians dating back to a 7th-century abbess. Check out her piece, which concludes our six-week series on Women's History.

And I can't end this newsletter before recommending Megan Hill's article on the relationship between overprotective parenting and our faith. Parents, Christians, Christian parents: don't miss it.

Thanks for reading! For more from Her.meneutics, be sure to sign up for Her.Say, a biweekly roundup of some of our favorite essays, articles, and quotes.

Copyright ©2014 ChristianityToday.org, Christianity Today, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved.


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Sandra Miller

 2014/4/10 16:43Profile
havok20x
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Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re:

[Previous Post Obsolete]

I believe that the author is saying that the entire culture emphasizes virginity, not just Christians.

 2014/4/10 16:59Profile
leftbehind
Member



Joined: 2006/6/6
Posts: 41


 Re: Debunking the Evangelical Obsession with Virginity

ACtually, in a fornication-obsessed society, virginity is UNDERemphasized. People feel guilty nowadays to be a virgin. The older individuals that discussed these good values: "We were taught from day one the importance of being virgins, keeping yourself free from sexual involvement until marriage and then it is blessed." People actually encourage you to fornicate in modern times and mock those that haven't "scored" or "fornicated". People don't teach this as much as before...IF a person fornicates, God forgives. We have to try not to fornicate with the intent of having God's forgiveness... Well enjoy your night.

PS People want you to lie.

SPEAK unto US SMOOTH THINGS
by David Wilkerson

A man recently wrote the following to our ministry: "I don´t know
who put me on your mailing list, but please remove my name
immediately. I can´t stand your gloomy gospel and your hammering
against sin. None of us is perfect, not even you. I´ve had it with
your King James gospel of doom."

Isaiah spoke of this kind of response: "This is a rebellious people,
lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which
say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto
us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Get you out of the way" (Isaiah 30:9-11).

The word "smooth" in this verse means "nice, flattery." The people
of Israel were saying, in short, "Don't tell us any more bad stuff.
Describe how we´re going to prosper, how great things lie ahead
of us. If not, then get out of our faces."

No believer who hides sin in his heart ever wants to hear a holy,
sin-exposing word. That person will always flee the Holy Spirit´s
voice of truth. And he´ll turn to some preacher who is soft on sin,
offering smooth talk and flattering prophecies.

So, you ask, what hard message did God´s voice deliver to His
people on Mount Sinai? He said simply this: "I am the Lord thy
God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house
of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Thou
shalt not make thee any graven image. . . . Thou shalt not bow
down thyself unto them, nor serve them" (Deuteronomy 5:6-9).

Here was the pure, unadulterated word of the Lord, coming directly
from His mouth. It should have sent the people flying to their tents
to smash their graven images. It should have stirred their hearts
and brought them to their knees. But instead they cried, "No more
thunder, fire, shaking. Give
us a spokesman who is like us, and let him speak to us. Then
we´ll hear and obey."

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/27275

© 2012 World Chal

 2014/4/10 17:33Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

leftbehind, so you are understanding the writer to mean that moral purity is not important? That it is irrelevant for our day and times?


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Sandra Miller

 2014/4/10 17:40Profile
havok20x
Member



Joined: 2008/9/14
Posts: 980
Pineville, LA

 Re:

I agree leftbehind. Our culture is obsessed with immorality.

 2014/4/10 17:47Profile
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

greetings Ginnyrose

After reading over what you posted I would say the author is trying to walk a line where they are saying that Christians put to much importance on being a virgin before marriage but not going so far as saying its ok to fornicate.

After reading another article linked from the first it became more clear that there is an attitude that diminishes the importance for men/woman to remain chaste until they are married being put forth. In the article "virginity isn't the holy grail" the author writes: "God's purity standard is effectively impossible to meet." Its this attitude that plagues many churches and youth groups today. The notion that the standard is to high and no one can live up to it. This is a lie from the enemy of course, while the standard maybe high, JESUS gives us all that we need to meet it! Sadly there is no emphasis on living a righteous life unto GOD instead its all about doing what ever you want when you want, with whomever you want. I have even heard Christians claim that its better for people to sleep together first before they marry so they know if they will be compatible or not.

The only thing I will agree with is that I believe strongly that teaching to remain pure and chaste before marriage needs to be taught to both young men/women as HIS truth. The idea that some how its more shameful for a woman to commit the sin of fornication then it is for men is completely wrong!!

God bless
mj

 2014/4/10 18:38Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

Thanks, MJ for your input.

I was horribly shocked that "Christianity Today" would stoop so low to promote this philosophy.

For around 25 years we got this magazine. I learned a lot reading it, developed a lot of respect for it. We quit when it went liberal but still looked to it (via emails) for news and other interesting articles. Anyhow, I was wondering if something escaped me in the reading of it where I was not understanding it as per the author's intent.

Who, what is next? It is just like mama27 told me, "the remnant must be smaller then I thought it was."




_________________
Sandra Miller

 2014/4/10 19:31Profile
Sidewalk
Member



Joined: 2011/11/11
Posts: 719
San Diego

 Re: The article

Am I missing something from the original article? What a yawn. There is no substance in the article, no passion, no appeal to reason, no persuasion!

Like life itself, virginity is once. It is precious in God's eyes, its holiness is a prime target of satanic forces as a delicious victory against righteousness because virginity doesn't renew. (Well, it does in the Orient by the hands of local surgeons- ugh- what people will do for money!)

Satan has a surprisingly small bag of tricks. He doesn't have to be too creative, he gets so many to fall into the age old traps. The world is full of ignorant Esau's willing to sell out their birthrights, and their virginity for trinkets and small change.

We should give these merchants of moral death no quarter!


_________________
Tom Cameron

 2014/4/10 23:21Profile





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