By now you are probably familiar with the book series that
is polarizing social media. I am, of course, talking about 50 Shades of Grey. But that is not really what I am talking about.
I am not going to weigh in on the book (if you want a good
opinion, here is one that I enjoyed). I want to look beyond the book at a
phenomenon that is overtaking our culture.
For so long we have understood simple things to be “black
and white” issues. Remember when your word and a handshake served as a binding
agreement? Now high priced lawyers are experts at finding loopholes in written
documents. They call these loopholes “gray areas.”
You were probably raised on the fact that lying is wrong.
Now we want to debate if lying is ok in some instances (we don’t want to hurt
someone’s feelings, for example). I could go on, but I think I made my point.
Whether it is an erotic book, a crude sitcom, a steamy
cinema, a “fun” song, or anything else, ask yourself if you have to create a
gray area for your conscience in order to enjoy it. When you do, that is called
compromise.
Let’s go a step further and forget the black and white;
let’s focus on the red letters.
“You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to
you that everyone that looks at a woman with lustful intent has committed
adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus
Matthew 5:27-28
(this also applies to a woman having lustful thoughts from a
man in a book, like Christian Grey)
The natural response becomes, “Don’t judge me!” So before
someone uses that line let me remind the reader that the same rebuttal was used
by the wicked men in Sodom the night that it was destroyed in Genesis 19:8-9.
“[Lot said] ‘I
beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.’ But they said, ‘Stand back! This
fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge!’”
It seems that
sexual sin has a way of making people feel conviction and cry “Judge!” Then
they hide in the gray of night and carry on.
Christian brother
and sister, come out of the gray and into the light.
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