Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Sex and the People of God



You know Adam and Eve, right? Okay, not personally, but the story of the first couple who manage to mess up on the whole paradise thing, and who eventually procreate is close to the beginning of the "in the beginning" book of Genesis in our bible. There is also the direction to "be fruitful and multiply" which is about the only biblical commandment we have actually followed through on.

Multiplying is apparently okay for people of faith. We Protestants trace our spiritual lineage to Martin Luther who was a priest before leaving Roman Catholicism. He eventually married a former nun and they had six children, which is a fairly strong statement about procreation. It is a bit shocking to read Luther on sex. He says that if a man can't satisfy his wife she should look elsewhere.

Why then are Protestants so uncomfortable, generally speaking, about acknowledging sexuality, particularly during Sunday worship? This past Sunday I spoke about the Sabbath and mentioned that Sabbath-keeping for Orthodox Jews includes encouragement to engage in sex as a celebration of marital intimacy. Eyebrows rose as though folk had just received an injection of botox. Did he just use the word "sex" in a sermon, as though it might be something to be celebrated? I chuckled and commented on their stunned silence and then there was some nervous laughter.

I laughed during the day when I recalled the startled looks in that moment. For some it may have been the first admission that church people engage in sexual activity and maybe even enjoy it. That's the ambivalence of our approach to sexuality. These days we affirm that sex is good, a gift of God, as long as we don't admit to doing it. Luther also said that there is something of sin in sex, but keep encouraged people to keep on doing it!

Now, in some megachurches in the States the pastors have actually gone in the other direction encouraging their folk to engage in sex more often. One actually brought in a bed which he perched on while delivering his message. While I like visuals this will never happen at Bridge St!



Were you brought up with mixed messages about sexuality? Did you ever hear sex mentioned in a positive way in church? Can you live with the occasional reference to sex without tarring and feathering the minister?



16 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe the stunned silence had something to do with the fact that the congregation is aging - and many may not be ABLE to perform, due to illness or age-related issues ... or they are single and not finding an appropriate partner ( we would all like to have wonderful, amazing sex, regularly, with someone who is planning to stay with us and be a partner to us in life ... not easy to find a partner these days, in your own age bracket, with a few of the same interests...)And, of course, many are not used to hearing encouragement to have sex from the preacher , as you say. Also, there IS a lot of guilty hangover from all of our past teachings...the older we are, the more we feel guilt about our sexuality.

David Mundy said...

One of our seniors sent me an email saying he was tempted to nudge his wife at that point in the sermon but knew what the response would be.

I told him we can all live in hope!

Unknown said...

Yes, there is that, too...I know a few couples my age where one of the partners is not interested in the other, sexually, any more, except in a public, and economic interest. The ties that bind are not necessarily of benefit in important areas...

roger said...

I hate it when someone is only interested in me sexually in public...er...I think that's what you said Judy. And I'd rather not get into ties that bind.

Sorry...I couldn't resist. Sex brings out my immaturity I guess.

Unknown said...

I didn't mean sex in public, Roger ... ( see how flustered we Christians get when talking/writing about this topic???) I meant that some couples, after years together, are only interested in remaining as couples for the sake of public display and economic security - and things get very complicated when one partner is still interested in sexual activity and the other is not - that is just sad, I think....

Unknown said...

Maybe I should avoid any comments on this topic in the future ....

David Mundy said...

You only need to give up Roger's sense of humour for Lent Judy.

Judy said...

I dunno - I think it is pretty funny! Ties .... hmmm....but I wouldn't want to get into them, either!

roger said...

That's okay...I'll try to stick with Maple Leaf jokes. You can't go wrong with those.

Hey, we're approaching 10 posts on this thread. We can do it!

Judy said...

It is the most posts I have seen since I started reading David's blog ... !!! ;-)

Frank said...

Cute snake in the cartoon.

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ALWAYS SODOMIZED BY 30 CM LONG DICKS: COSTANZA BARRAI, BORN IN MILAN ON 1.1.1999, EX INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MILAN. ALWAYS WITH ANUS FULL OF SPERM AND THE NOSE FULL OF COCAINE! SEMPRE INCULATA DA CAZZONI DI 30 CM, COSTANZA BARRAI, NATA A MILANO IL 1.1.1999, EX INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MILANO. E AD APPENA 18 ANNI (E 18 ANI CHE SI DOVRA' RIFARE, SE CONTINUA COSI', E FRA MOLTO POCO). MEGA COCAINOMANE. STA FACENDO FILM PORNO A RAFFICA ( CATEGORIA: TEEN AGER NINFOMANE)! PRENDENDO NELL'ANO FALLI "ESOTICI" LUNGHI PIU' DI MEZZO METRO! E STA INIZIANDO, ORA, ANCHE A FARE DEPRAVATISSIMI PORNO FILM LESBICI. D'ALTRONDE.... VENNE SODOMIZZATA DA SEMPRE DAL PADRE.. BASTARDO PEDOFILO PAOLO BARRAI NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965. IL PEZZO DI MERDA COLPEVOLISSIMO DI STO DRAMMA. CHE DOVREBBE MARCIRE IN GALERA FOR EVER AND EVER. SU CUI TROVATE, " NON POCHISSIMO", QUI:
https://es-la.facebook.com/public/Truffati-Da-Paolo-Barrai
1
SI... E´ SBORRATA SEMPRE TUTTA DENTRO AL CULO: COSTANZA BARRAI! NATA A MILANO IL 1.1.1999, BORN IN MILAN ON 1.1.1999! EX INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MILAN.
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PRENDENDO PROFONDAMENTE NEL CULO CAZZI "ESOTICI" PURE DI 30-32-35 CM ( E LE PIACE SEMPRE DI PIU', SEMPRE DI PIU', SEMPRE DI PIU')! D'ALTRONDE..VENNE, GIA' DALLA NASCITA, SODOMIZZATA DAL BASTARDO CRIMINALISSIMO PADRE. NOTO PEDOFILO PAOLO BARRAI. NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965 ( E NOTO PEDERASTA INCULA BAMBINI ERA PURE SUO NONNO, SCHIFOSISSIMO PEDOFILO VINCENZO BARRAI ABITANTE IN VIA PADOVA 282 A MILANO E NATO A MILANO IL 3.5.1938... A "KAPO' " DI SCHIFOSISSIMAMENTE MALAVITOSA BSI ITALIA SRL MILANO, VIA SOCRATE 26 http://jenkins-ci.361315.n4.nabble.com/BASTARDAMENTE-CRIMINALE-BSI-ITALIA-SRL-VIA-SOCRATE-26-MILANO-CON-A-quot-KAPO-quot-2-NOTI-PEDOFILI-VI-td4896202.html)!
E A PROPOSITO DI STI ULTIMI DUE BASTARDISSIMI MOSTRI....

LA PUTTANONA COSTANZA RACHELE BARRAI ALIAS COSTANZA BARRAI, NATA A MILANO IL 1.1.1999, PRENDE CAZZI DI 30 CM IN CULO E DA QUANDO POCO PIU' CHE BAMBINA! https://twitter.com/ScopataIn said...

2
E' DAVVERO DA ARRESTARE SUBITO (PRIMA CHE FACCIA AMMAZZARE ANCORA), IL TERRORISTA NAZISTA ED ASSASSINO, PAOLO BARRAI, NATO A MILANO IL 28.6.1965. NONCHE' MEGA RICICLA SOLDI MAFIOSI E POLITI-C-RIMINALI, OSSIA FRUTTO DI MEGA RUBERIE E MEGA MAZZETTE, RICEVUTE DA LEGA LADRONA E STRAGISTA SPAPPOLA MAGISTRATI, NONCHE', TANTO QUANTO, NAZIFASCISTA DITTATORE E PEDOFILO SILVIO BERLUSCONI! DICEVO, E' DAVVERO DA ARRESTARE UNA QUARTA VOLTA, E SUBITO, IL TERRORISTA NAZISTA ED ASSASSINO, PAOLO BARRAI ( ASSICURANDOSI CHE QUESTA VOLTA RIMANGA IN CARCERE PER SEMPRE O PER LO MENO PER DECENNI E DECENNI). NON PER NIENTE, GIA' STATO IN GALERA 3 VOLTE. OPINIONI TUTTE TERRIFICANTI SU DI LUI! MEGA TRUFFATORE E MEGA RICICLA CASH LERCIO CHE PIU' LERCIO NON SI POTREBBE, VIA CRIMINALISSIMA BLOCKCHAIN INVEST, OLTRE CHE VIA CRIMINALISSIMA WORLD MAN OPPORTUNITIES LUGANO, CRIMINALISSIMA WMO SA PANAMA E CRIMINALISSIMA BSI ITALIA SRL DI VIA SOCRATE 26 MILANO! NOTO PEDOFIL-O-MOSESSUALE SODOMIZZA BAMBINI PAOLO BARRAI! CACCIATO DA CITIBANK A SBERLE, PER MEGA FRODI CHE LI FACEVA ( IL FUNZIONARIO SUPER DELINQUENTE DI CITIBANK MILANO DELLA FINE DI QUESTO ARTICOLO E' LUI http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2001/02/19/maxi-evasione-da-400-miliardi-terenzio-sotto-torchio.html )! SBAGLIA SEMPRE IN BORSA! AZZERA I RISPARMI DI CENTINAIA DI PERSONE! FALSO&LADRO&TRUFFATORE! DIFFAMA SUL WEB A FINI NAZIRAZZISTI! FONDATORE DEI NUOVI MEG-A-SSASSINI MOVIMENTI TERRORISTI DI ESTREMA DESTRA: "NEO NAR"! FONDATORE DEL, PROSSIMAMENTE, DI FREQUENTE, OMICIDA: KU KLUK KLAN PADANO! CONDANNATO AL CARCERE A MILANO ED IN BRASILE ( 8 ANNI E PURE PER PEDERASTIA OMOSESSUALE, RIPETO, PURE PER PEDERASTIA OMOSESSUALE)! MULTATO DA CONSOB BEN 70.000 €! DESTABILIZZA L'ITALIA PER FILO NAZISTI SERVIZI SEGRETI SVIZZERI ( ITALIA, DICEVAMO, DA 30 ANNI, GIUSTAMENTE, NAZIONE SCHIFATA IN TUTTO IL MONDO, IN QUANTO FASCIOMAFIOSA DITTATURA DI BERLUSCONIA.. NON PER NIENTE, TUTTE I MIGLIORI CERVELLI PRIVATI E TUTTE LE PIU' GRANDI INDUSTRIE, IN ITALIA DA SECOLI, DALLA TIRANNI-A-SSASSINA DI BERLUSCONIA SON SCAPPATE, VEDI FIAT, PIRELLI, LUXOTTICA, MERLONI E MIGLIAIA E DI ALTRE... E CHE SIA CHIARO, PLS, CHE IDDIO BENEDICA I GRANDI PM ED EX PM CHE NON SOPPORTANTO IL CANCRO DEL MONDO INTERO SILVIO BERLUSCONI, COME HENRY WOODCOCK, ILDA BOCASSINI, ANTONIO INGROIA E CHIUNQUE ALTRO DI QUESTA AMMIREVOLISSIMA CATEGORIA)! FA CRIMINI SU CRIMINI E NAZI-ST-ALKING, SU INTERNET, SU ORDINE DEI BASTARDI CRIMINALI SILVIO BERLUSCONI, PAOLO BERLUSCONI ED UBALDO LIVOLSI DI FININVEST ( PER NON DIRE SU ORDINE DEL FIGLIO, PADRE E MARITO DI PUTTANE ENNO DORIS DI MEDIOLANUM). IL BASTARDO, PURE ASSASSINO, PAOLO BARRAI, E' ANCHE, DA SEMPRE, INNEGGIANTE ALLO SPAPPOLAMENTO DI MAGISTRATI SCOMODI "COME BERLUSCONI GRANDEMENTE FECE CON FALCONE E BORSELLINO"! PAROLE SUE, DETTE SPESSISSIMO! FU LUI AD ORGANIZZARE L'OMICIDIO DI DAVID ROSSI DI MONTE PASCHI!
Avrei tantissimo altro da scrivere sul gia' 3 volte finito in galera, accertato pedofilo omosessuale, ladro, truffatore, sempre falso, nazi-st-alker, mandante di omicidi ( spesso, ma non sempre, mascherati da finti incidenti, malori o "suicidate"... come quando fece ammazzare David Rossi di Monte Paschi), mega ricicla soldi mafiosi e/o politico-criminali (piu' tanto di orrido altro), arrestato gia' 3 volte, Paolo Barrai, nato a Milano il 28.6.1965 e gia' residente a Milano in Via Ippodromo 105! Come presto meglio sottolineeremo, multato pure dalla Consob ben 70.000 euro!

http://www.consob.it/main/documenti/hide/afflittivi/pec/mercati/2013/d18579.htm

VI SONO TONNELLATE DI ALTRE COSE DA DIRE SU QUANTO SIA BASTARDAMENTE EFFERATO CRIMINALE E PEDOFILO, PAOLO BARRAI. NE TROVATE UNA NON PICCOLISSIMA PARTE ( CHE PRESTO AMPLIEREMO ALL'INFINITO)... QUI:
https://es-la.facebook.com/public/Truffati-Da-Paolo-Barrai