The Sexual Lives of Others: Like Catnip to Everyone—Even Christians

by John Shore on July 17, 2008 in Christian Issues · 38 comments

Two days ago I posted What Would Jesus Do if Invited to a Gay Wedding?, a simple enough little piece in which I rather cursorily addressed the question of whether or not I should attend the wedding of some gay friends.

A preacher’s wife snorting coke during a televised Easter service wouldn’t generate as many comments as that blog post did. I wouldn’t have gotten any more responses if I’d written that I’d discovered absolute proof that Jesus was a schizophrenic Muslim magician. I guarantee you that in the time it’s taken me to write this, four more Christians have left comments on that post to the effect that Jesus hates sin, and would no sooner attend a gay wedding than he would assist Satan in trimming his hooves.

I just went and checked. I was wrong: five Christians just left me a message along those lines. And that number will double by the time I’m through here.

Before I was a Christian, I thought Christians were definitely more focused on sex than they were anything else. Now that I am a Christian, I still kind of think that.

But so what? That’s just people, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter who you are—Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jew—it’s a sure bet that in the course of any given day, you spend more time thinking about what other people are doing—and why, and when, and how, and with whom—than you do anything else. And there’s nothing particularly wrong or malevolent about that. Saved or not, we’re all first and foremost Social Creatures.

I do think, though, that it wouldn’t kill we Christians, when condemning Today’s Offensively Secularized Culture as often as God knows we do, to remember that we, right along with everyone else, are constantly and everywhere proving that we’re fairly fixated on what others are doing with their time, energy, and (most of all) sexuality.

Non-Christians are irresistibly fascinated by the behaviors, imperatives, and core motivations of others. So are Christians. So is everyone else in the world.

God can forgive us for how readily we surrender to our desire to be involved in the personal business of others. But it’s clear that he’s in no particular rush to cure us of that desire.

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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }

Dianne October 15, 2009 at 10:49 am

Yes, I have a problem with men being gay. It offends me as a single woman. Especiall the really fun, cute ones.

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Deacon July 20, 2008 at 3:33 am

Usher: Hey Deak, this reminds me of something I ran into the other day – a non-believing friend of mine mentioned the very distasteful sexual behaviors of a certain person (with his wife and friends – whom I know attends the bible study of my very best friend)

Deacon:And……

Usher: Well he told me he couldn't do business with someone like that and that even though the guy in question had a business proposal, the fact that has seen videos of the unseemly behavioir was enough to keep him from ever doing business with this man.

Deacon: So what did you do?

Usher: Nothing. Even though I struggled with the knowledge of the whole thing because I know all of the parties mentioned.

Deacon: Isn't it your responsibility to tell your friend that leads the bible study?

Usher: Says who? Is that not simply more gossip to fuel the flame? None of my business. I did something like that once when I was a very young buzzrd and it got me thrown out of my nest and into a lot of hot water. Sometimes God tells you things you just have to keep to yourself. That's why stones are part of your craw – so you can digest it without it comin' back up:)

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whos_your_dolly July 19, 2008 at 6:50 pm

OHH my could there be MORE than ONE John in here? LOL

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whos_your_dolly July 19, 2008 at 6:47 pm

Get over your holier than thou selves would ya? NONE of us is without sin, and if we say we have not sin we decieve ourselves… but of course not GOD. Personally I simply don't understand how men can lust after men nor women after women, but men lusting after women and women lusting after men is still the same sin. Lust. And so many LUST after other things and think nothing of it….money, possessions, power, fame… to name a few. Far too much time being spent worrying about everyone elses walk with God— work out your OWN salvation in fear and trembling. Stop with the who's the biggest sinner. NONE of us will get to heaven without JESUS. Let HIM do the saving. Was David less a sinner than a gay man? Adulterer, lustful, murderer, liar, and still beloved by God. Hard one to figure, but its all right there in His Word. Get on with what God wants you to do in this life, how He wants YOU to serve Him. And JOHN seems to be alive and caustic in MANY forums and blogs. What's up with that?

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Candace July 18, 2008 at 3:12 pm

Arlywn — that’s so funny :-) Mind our own business! ROFLMAO ;-0

Wouldn’t that mean a lot fewer comments on John’s bog?

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arlywn July 18, 2008 at 9:36 am

it would, now that I think about it!!!

Darn, what a problem. If we minded our own business, then I wouldnt have ever come to this blog and told ya'll that nifty little idea. Wow. there sure are a whole lotta gossipy kinda folk here. lol

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arlywn July 18, 2008 at 6:26 am

maybe we should forget the bible and just practise this cool sentence : Mind your own business

it works really well- unless your one of those gossipy kinda folk

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happy4life July 18, 2008 at 12:34 am

I agree and disagree with what you wrote. I agree with it in that people pretend that sex is some secret rite, when, (let's face it) if you are married everyone knows you are doing it. If two people are unmarried and believe in premarital sex EVERYONE knows they are doing it because the parties can never keep it quiet.

A jewish wedding (old tradition) has the couples get engaged, throw a huge party in which the guests are in a large room ajoining the honeymoon suite as newly weds 'consummate' their marrige while the grooms best friend stands outside the door until the act is done! How's that for attraction to other people's business?

On the other hand, I discarded my fixation with sex when I realized I could be doing something else! In other words, I've found something else to fulfill my personal (non-sexual) desires.

Thumbs up for a good piece!

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