Let's Talk About Sex!

Now that I have your attention, I would just like to say that I am a statistical anomaly. "According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 96 percent of Americans over the age of 20 have had sex." - Foxnews.com That's right. I am now officially a minority. All these frustrating years of being in the majority in every possible way (as a straight, white, protestant male I don't have a single affirmative action playing card) have not been in vain. I am finally part of a minority - a very small minority at that.

But, this isn't about me. That would be awkward. This is specifically about sex-ed. Few things piss me off more than conservatives' fight to teach abstinence only sex education. It's just so unrealistic. If only 96% of the American public is sexually active what's the problem right? I mean, obviously all those abstinence pledge cards are working.

The thing that astonishes me is that if everyone in the country was tested and treated for STD's and from now on wore condoms unless they were in a long-term monogamous relationship we could virtually eradicate every known STD in a generation. Then, we could all have as much sex as we wanted without having to worry (hint of sarcasm).

There's a deeper issue (deeper than my biting sarcasm you ask?) dealing with sin nature. It is our sin nature to want to have sex. Our churches are teaching that you can overcome your sin nature. (I'm okay with this idea to some extent, "dead to sin alive in Christ", etc.) Our churches are advocating that even non-Christians in public schools can overcome their sin nature. (I have a huge problem with this one. It's impossible to overcome your sin nature apart from Christ.) Not only are we trying to get non-Christians to live like Christians when Christians don't live like Christians; but we are asking them to do something impossible.

I support a full sex education in all public schools. Kids are going to have sex. We need to have abstinence training at our churches in our youth groups and in our families. Our kids are still (more than likely) going to have sex. Beyond abstinence training we need to have grace and forgiveness training. We need to abolish the idea that if you have lost your virginity you are worthless to Christ.

At church camp last summer I had a high school kid confess that he had slept with his girlfriend. He grieved so heavily at his sin that he cried. I have never felt greater joy in my life than when I looked him in the eye and told him. "Your sins are forgiven."

I'll take "Michael Teeters on the Edge of Universalism" for a thousand Alex.

I don't think bad theology sends people to hell. I believe that God is so intent on saving humanity that he will accept all who choose to follow him. Even those who belong to the "cults" that follow Jesus. The Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons have views that don't totally line up with orthodoxy. The Catholics, Orthodox, and Liberal Protestant churches don't line up with evangelicalism. The Evangelical and Pentecostal churches are moved more by opinion polls than they would ever like to admit.

None of us have it exactly right. But, I believe that God is less than capricious. I believe that God wants to save sinners from Hell. If he didn't he could have skipped that whole "sending His son to die on the cross thing." I don't believe bad theology sends people to hell.

So...um...it's layers (ogre-esque)

Aw, shucks, Michael...I'm just a fount of wisdom...heh.

Actually, I really miss those face to face conversations. Sorry I hate phone calls and email is yet another layer removed (heh - and this is, what, seven layers removed...layers...like an OGRE...um....).

Anyway, I'm really glad that you had to go to church today... I've been at Annual Conference since Thursday morning, so I missed this til now. Here's the thing - I don't know what your pastor did - maybe we need to email this one - but I DO know that you don't go there to worship the pastor - and I DO know that God can speak to you even through someone as frail and broken as a sinning pastor... But more importantly, God WILL speak through the readings, prayers, songs, hymns, handshakes, hugs, smiles... And I do know this - of all people I know, you go to church to worship God - to make your offering of your time and your attention and your praises... I know it hurts, and I know that it'll take time to get through whatever happened with your pastor.

Here's the thing - I don't believe in coincidence as a rule. I think God is trying to MAKE you keep going to this church... God has a sense of humor, you know...

So...um...it's layers. Keep going deeper - no matter what. God is there.

"Remember, Jesus went to the temple that day with the full knowledge that the leaders there would crucify him the next day." - Bill Beatty.

I almost left my childhood church a number of years ago. I didn't like the pastor and I felt I "wasn't being fed." I talked with Bill about it and he gave me that quote. I kept going to church, and am still in love with the church, because of that quote.

I am angry at my pastor. He lied, he cheated, and I don't want to deal with him anymore. I tried so hard to run away. I looked into youth positions at neighboring churches, but none were available. I decided that this Sunday I just wouldn't go. Then, by accident I invited a person to go to church with me and realized that now I have to go to church on Sunday.

I need to remember that quote. I need to reinforce my belief that all pastors are sinners, some just need more grace.

Wow - Pop Goes Theology

Too much of theology is badly overdubbed Russian bootleg DVDs of marginal movies....um, the funny thing is, I get what you're saying.

I had another (pretty-conservative) pastor in my office and he was thumbing through my copy of Searching the Scriptures: A Feminist Commentary and looked at me like, "Why in the world would you ever have this book in your office?" The thing is, while I don't agree with feminist theology in it's entirety, this commentary and a handful of other feminist and womanist (yes, there's a difference, but don't ask me to try to explain it) sources have helped to shape my theology. Michael would probably be booted from TCS just for having the book in his library, but I think he should have it - and some good liberationist theology, process, neo-orthodox, wild right-wing, wild-left wing, even some of the off the wall theology (thank you Benny Hinn) in his library.

I have yet to quote from Searching the Scriptures but I've used it as a resource for sermons. Having another perspective can only help to open your own perspective.

For example, I just opened the book to page 383 - which is part of Elsa Tamez' article on the book of James. She writes:

A feminist reading of the letter recognized James's patriarchal language. Jas. 1:17 refers to God the Father of lights; 1:14, 15 relates concupiscence (seduction, sin, and death) to woman's pregnancy; to conceive (syllambano), to give birth (tikto), and to engender (apokyeo). By contrast, in 1:18 the Father of lights engenders (apokyeo) with the word of truth...

...and it continues. Now, I don't dispute that the Bible was written in a very partriarchal culture and that most of the writers were, as we would call them in our contemporary culture, sexist. And, while there may not be anything new in what Tamez wrote, reading it makes me again aware that the language I use, and the language that the Bible uses, can be a barrier to people hearing what God is saying. And I MIGHT even make reference to the fact that James equates pregnancy to sin...not sure what concupiscence is (better not use it in church, it sounds like a dirty word...heh).

My point (oh, there is one?) is that you are absolutely right. We need to experience God in 3-D (heh, maybe in 10-D?) - not just one aspect (which is what every theological movement seems to do - focus in on one aspect of God's character or one issue) but the whole breadth and depth of God - take in as much as we can...

I'm watching my Russian-dubbed version of the box-office flop, "Garfield."

Before I begin my blog I would like to say that maybe this movie would have been less of a flop if there wasn't a product placement every three freak'n seconds.

Now, the blog.

When I was in Russia where I bought this DVD, this movie had just recently come out in theatres. The movie is very poorly dubbed. There is one male voice doing all of the voices. In a monotone fashion, of course. It's so boring to hear such a divergent range of voices being spoken by one man.

I feel this way about theology, and specifically about my theological training at TFC. The Bible is so expansive, so interesting, and so full of life ... but, when only one point of view is taught it becomes boring and stagnant. Not just that point of view, but the whole Christian faith.

Although I agree, Jesus would probably side with the pro-life camp ... would Jesus ever support big business? We need to think about what we are saying. Our lives and our theology are monotanously one sided. We need some change. Any suggestions?