Is sexual promiscuity solely the arena of more liberal Christianity?

Athanasius377 said:

Fair enough. But is trying to grow crops in the desert the answer? Or maybe our ancestors had it right or perhaps there’s another solution.

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Until society expects their children to marry at a young age, meaning forming families being more important than careers and 'higher education' you cannot solve this problem. The solution is off the table if you expect 'liberated western' women to remain virgins until they marry at 30 (or older) or for men to do so until they make enough money.

The PCUSA actually did an analysis in 1989. However the results were too radical even for us. The most interesting idea was that people who are unable to find a spouse should become secondary husbands or wives to someone else. I'm reluctant to use that report as a basis for sexual ethics.

Athanasius377 said:

Fair enough. But is trying to grow crops in the desert the answer? Or maybe our ancestors had it right or perhaps there’s another solution.

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From my experience, abstinence and wiring are closely related. I was abstinent when I wasn’t walking with the Lord. It was a question of values and self-respect. Delayed gratification is easy for me but less so for others.

If they’re overcome with lust, who do they marry? More importantly, are we setting them up for greater sin should they divorce?

Athanasius377 said:

Recall the early Christians were faced with both idolatry and sexual promiscuity yet they kept themselves obedient or pure as a rule.

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It was common for teenagers during those years, usually 15 for boys and 14 for girls. Sexual promiscuity (usually reserved for the elite who made concubines of poor lower socio-economic women) was not as common as you may think. Athenian girls were practically shut ins till they married.

buzuxi02 said:

The solution is off the table if you expect 'liberated western' women to remain virgins until they marry at 30 (or older) or for men to do so until they make enough money.

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I think you’re right. That isn’t something most will do or want to do either.

Athanasius377 said:

I agree and that is the premise I am arguing against.

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Societies that have or (had) success in curbing pre-marital sex made sure they gossiped and had no problem accusing a loose woman of being loose. Compare 1960's Italy or Greece with today., Those people made sure their sons didnt end up with some loose women as they would be given all sorts of well deserved labels. Today the loose and the players are celebrated.

buzuxi02 said:

Societies that have or (had) success in curbing pre-marital sex made sure they gossiped and had no problem accusing a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] of being a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]. Compare 1960's Italy or Greece, those people made sure their sons didnt end up with some loose women. Today the loose and the players are celebrated.

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You seem to be telling us that there's no way we can continue to follow traditional Christian sexual ethics.

Athanasius377 said:

So shame was a tool in this discussion? I’m really curious if that’s what you are saying. Or did I mis read you?

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This is correct. Society places shame. A few years ago it was ok to call someone retarded, now you will be shamed for putting down disabled people. Remember just 5 years ago you can call someone a homo as a generic insult but today it's considered bigoted?

Athanasius377 said:

Great post. So what is the Christian response to lust?

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We’re meant to flee from lust. But in truth, you must eliminate the cause and put God in its place.

For those unable to control themselves, marriage may not satiate the lust. Especially a stronghold. The behavior continues. The best response is self-control.

LaBèlla said:

We’re meant to flee from lust. But in truth, you must eliminate the cause and put God in its place.

For those unable to control themselves, marriage may not satiate the lust. Especially a stronghold. The behavior continues. The best response is self-control.

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And thus later marriage is likely to reduce divorce rates as it gives folks more time for brain chemistry to slow, plus more time to hopefully practice self control. However, this poses major problems for the churches who turn familys into idols.

buzuxi02 said:

Societies that have or (had) success in curbing pre-marital sex made sure they gossiped and had no problem accusing a loose woman of being loose. Compare 1960's Italy or Greece with today., Those people made sure their sons didnt end up with some loose women as they would be given all sorts of well deserved labels. Today the loose and the players are celebrated.

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But turning a church into an intentional sin pool to prevent a small number of kids engaging in premarital sex is the wrong answer. Its like the lies put forth in the sexual purity movements... anything goes in order to prevent pre-marital sex, which while it can work in the short term comes back to bite in spades.

There are no easy answers... but we do know a lot of things that don't work and/or fall outside the bounds of the scriptures.

Athanasius377 said:

Moralistic Therapeutic Bachelorette

Discuss.

Before posting understand that Rod Dreher is an Eastern Orthodox believer and I don’t know if he actually wrote the headline. Please read the entire article because there is nuance in the body of the article not present in the headline. And remember, this is Christian forums not Twitter.

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Conservative US Evangelicals are big on moral therapeutic deism, especially so when it comes to preaching about sexual moral values... so in that domain, its more of a conservative problem than a liberal one. Outside of conservative circles at large, MTD is not taught as much... rather I think something pointing more toward Bonnhoeffer's religionless Christianity seems to be coming into light. I don't know if its the "right" answer per se, but at least its opening the door to serious discussion.

Athanasius377 said:

Moralistic Therapeutic Bachelorette

Discuss.

Before posting understand that Rod Dreher is an Eastern Orthodox believer and I don’t know if he actually wrote the headline. Please read the entire article because there is nuance in the body of the article not present in the headline. And remember, this is Christian forums not Twitter.

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The guy who thought premarital sex was wrong is a Southern Baptist.

What denomination (if any) is the girl?

hedrick said:

There's definitely a difference. Over Four in 10 in U.S. Now Say Teen Sex Morally Acceptable.

For those who attend weekly, 38% say sex between unmarried adults is OK, 20% for teenagers.

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But that's going to differ between Evangelical and Mainline groups.

mnphysicist said:

But turning a church into an intentional sin pool to prevent a small number of kids engaging in premarital sex is the wrong answer. It

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Kids??? what about the adults??? Its ok for them? Divorced people can shack up as pre-marital sex implies certain age limits and prerequisites?
It's not the Chutch's role to police morality it's the government and the media's job and society as a whole. Unfortunately they have given that up.but still complain about single motherhood, std's, abortion rates, deadbeat dads etc.
The title of the OP used the title sexual promiscuity yet most in this very thread have been conditioned to say liberal christianity shuns sexual promiscuity but not pre-marital sex. Some posters in here then equate the sinful type of premarital sex to occur between teens but not adults as if it becomes ok after a certain age or divorce.