No Sexual Ethic - Postmodernity's Chickens Come Home to Roost

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
Western culture has rejected the Biblical sexual ethic.

This has been in process for a long time, beginning with the enlightenment but especially escalating with the sexual revolution of the 1960s which has continued up until today. The Biblical sexual ethic which has been rejected would include:
  1. Sex only within the confines of marriage
  2. Sex inextricably connected to the having and raising of children
  3. Sex between one man and one woman
  4. Sex as a vehicle of service, intimacy, and commitment rather than an act of self expression and self fulfillment
  5. Deviance from the Biblical norm understood to be sin and in need of repentance
All of this has been eschewed. The problem is that a coherent, clear, and agreed upon replacement ethic has not been articulated. So there is an ethical sexual vacuum wherein it is unclear what is acceptable, worthy of celebration, or immoral and shameful. So the chickens of the sexual revolution have come home to roost with all of the allegations of sexual misconduct that we're seeing today. You cannot have a culture which celebrates and consumes inappropriate contentography, divorce, adultery, polyamory and at the same time conducts itself in sexually appropriate ways.

So what is the postmodern sexual ethic? If there isn't one, then why is everyone up in arms about "sexual misconduct"?
 

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
It is. That's why it's a legal career field.

I'm struck by the affects of rejecting Scripture. When Scripture is rejected then the only thing that we have in order to call people to account is the law of the land. But there's not a lot of legislation on the books in America in regards to sexual morality. So, without the help of divine Revelation exerting its authority on the consciences of men, our society is forced to simply legislate sexual ethics more clearly.

In the secular world "legal" and "moral" will inevitably become synonymous.
 
Upvote 0

HereIStand

Regular Member
Supporter
Jul 6, 2006
4,080
3,083
✟317,987.00
Country
United States
Faith
Presbyterian
Marital Status
Married
I'm struck by the affects of rejecting Scripture. When Scripture is rejected then the only thing that we have in order to call people to account is the law of the land. But there's not a lot of legislation on the books in America in regards to sexual morality. So, without the help of divine Revelation exerting its authority on the consciences of men, our society is forced to simply legislate sexual ethics more clearly.

In the secular world "legal" and "moral" will inevitably become synonymous.
That's true. We are held back by the after-effects of a Christian consensus on public morals. Generally though, things are considered moral because they're agreed upon, not because there is a recognized standard governing consciences.

Listening to Peter Kreeft's lectures on Plato he notes that justice in law schools (or most of them) isn't taught as an ideal existing on its own, but as what's in the confines of the legal code. Or justice is defined by what the law says it is, not as part of natural law. So, as you noted, by this thinking, something is made morally permissible because it's legal.
 
Upvote 0

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
That's true. We are held back by the after-effects of a Christian consensus on public morals. Generally though, things are considered moral because they're agreed upon, not because there is a recognized standard governing consciences.

Listening to Peter Kreeft's lectures on Plato he notes that justice in law schools (or most of them) isn't taught as an ideal existing on its own, but as what's in the confines of the legal code. Or justice is defined by what the law says it is, not as part of natural law. So, as you noted, by this thinking, something is made morally permissible because it's legal.

I think this is what the book of Revelation means by "the beast".
 
Upvote 0

Cearbhall

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2013
15,118
5,741
United States
✟122,284.00
Country
United States
Faith
Other Religion
Marital Status
Single
I'm not sure what this means.
The list you made has never been and will never be universally accepted or practiced in any civilization. It's a fairy tale understanding of history.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sarah G
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
The list you made has never been and will never be universally accepted or practiced in any civilization. It's a fairy tale understanding of history.

It will be perfectly practiced in the future civilization of the kingdom of God.

But I never said that any society perfectly practiced this in history. It's just the Biblical sexual ethic that all societies are called to embrace. Societies - even our own - have come closer in the past to embracing it.
 
Upvote 0

Desk trauma

Front row at the dumpster fire of the republic
Supporter
Dec 1, 2011
20,190
16,169
✟1,173,012.00
Country
United States
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Others
You cannot have a culture which celebrates and consumes inappropriate contentography, divorce, adultery, polyamory and at the same time conducts itself in sexually appropriate ways.
Sure you can.
 
Upvote 0

Cearbhall

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2013
15,118
5,741
United States
✟122,284.00
Country
United States
Faith
Other Religion
Marital Status
Single
You cannot have a culture which celebrates and consumes inappropriate contentography, divorce, adultery, polyamory and at the same time conducts itself in sexually appropriate ways.
If this is the case, then no culture has ever conducted itself in sexually appropriate ways, or at least not for very long and not without many death sentences. So what are you mourning?
 
Upvote 0

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
If this is the case, then no culture has ever conducted itself in sexually appropriate ways, or at least not for very long and not without many death sentences. So what are you mourning?

I'm not mourning anything. I'm just saying that the secularists have failed to articulate an alternative sexual ethic. I'm also asking if there's been any credible attempt.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Cearbhall

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2013
15,118
5,741
United States
✟122,284.00
Country
United States
Faith
Other Religion
Marital Status
Single
But I never said that any society perfectly practiced this in history. It's just the Biblical sexual ethic that all societies are called to embrace.
Could you be more specific? The Bible covers thousands of years of history and culture over an entire region. And the current sexual climate that you're lamenting resembles your list much more closely than the sexual ethics of most of those civilizations.
 
Upvote 0

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
Could you be more specific? The Bible covers thousands of years of history and culture over an entire region. And the current sexual climate that you're lamenting resembles your list much more closely than the sexual ethics of most of those civilizations.

Well I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to.

The Bible gives laws governing sexuality. These would be the Biblical sexual norm. It also tells stories of sexual immorality. Though these are contained in Scripture, they do not represent a Biblical sexual norm.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: HereIStand
Upvote 0

quatona

"God"? What do you mean??
May 15, 2005
37,512
4,301
✟175,292.00
Faith
Seeker
Western culture has rejected the Biblical sexual ethic.

This has been in process for a long time, beginning with the enlightenment but especially escalating with the sexual revolution of the 1960s which has continued up until today. The Biblical sexual ethic which has been rejected would include:
  1. Sex only within the confines of marriage
  2. Sex inextricably connected to the having and raising of children
  3. Sex between one man and one woman
  4. Sex as a vehicle of service, intimacy, and commitment rather than an act of self expression and self fulfillment
  5. Deviance from the Biblical norm understood to be sin and in need of repentance
All of this has been eschewed. The problem is that a coherent, clear, and agreed upon replacement ethic has not been articulated. So there is an ethical sexual vacuum wherein it is unclear what is acceptable, worthy of celebration, or immoral and shameful. So the chickens of the sexual revolution have come home to roost with all of the allegations of sexual misconduct that we're seeing today. You cannot have a culture which celebrates and consumes inappropriate contentography, divorce, adultery, polyamory and at the same time conducts itself in sexually appropriate ways.
That´s because of your personal understanding of "appropriate".

So what is the postmodern sexual ethic?
Apart from "consenting adults" there probably is none that is agreed upon. So you are free to hold the personal "sexual ethics" you see fit (and this includes "Biblical sexual ethics", whatever you think they are - no wait: You are e.g. not allowed any more to marry or have sex with persons in their early teens.)
If there isn't one, then why is everyone up in arms about "sexual misconduct"?
I don´t know that "everyone is". Those who are probably have personal ethics that don´t approve of the conduct in question.
 
Upvote 0

Tree of Life

Hide The Pain
Feb 15, 2013
8,824
6,243
✟48,077.00
Country
United States
Faith
Reformed
Marital Status
Married
Apart from "consenting adults" there probably is none that is agreed upon. So you are free to hold the personal "sexual ethics" you see fit (and this includes "Biblical sexual ethics", whatever you think they are - no wait: You are e.g. not allowed any more to marry or have sex with persons in their early teens.)

I don´t know that "everyone is". Those who are probably have personal ethics that don´t approve of the conduct in question.

In my country this is a big deal. The vocal majority of folks who reject the Biblical sexual ethic are up in arms about sexual misconduct, demanding that people who are facing allegations resign and seeking to impeach our President and so forth.

Now if you don't care about sexual ethics and think that what's going on in the news in America is no big deal then fine. Just don't say that you don't care about sexual ethics and then demand people to resign because they've been sexually unethical.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

quatona

"God"? What do you mean??
May 15, 2005
37,512
4,301
✟175,292.00
Faith
Seeker
In my country this is a big deal. The vocal majority of folks who reject the Biblical sexual ethic are up in arms about sexual misconduct, demanding that people who are facing allegations resign and seeking to impeach our President and so forth.
So it´s not "everyone". I suggest you talk with them and ask them for their personal, individual ideas of "sexual ethics and conduct" - I´m sure many of them will be happy to explain them to you.

Now if you don't care about sexual ethics and think that what's going on in the news in America is no big deal then fine. Just don't say that you don't care about sexual ethics and then demand people to resign because they've been sexually unethical.
You would need to understand that "caring about sexual ethics" doesn´t mean agreeing with your personal sexual ethics, and not adopting your personal ethics doesn´t mean "not caring about" sexual ethics.
You would also need to understand that the fact that postmodernism doesn´t promote any particular sexual ethics won´t keep individuals from having (and possibly promoting) their personal, individual ideas about sexual ethics, conduct and appropriateness - just like you do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rajni
Upvote 0