Freedom from Sexual Consequence

The current scandal involving the United States Marine Corps is the direct result of a society that holds Freedom from Sexual Consequence as an inalienable right.

For those who are catching up, apparently various Marines posted photos they received from ex-wives, ex-girlfriends (if you count one night stands), or former sexting partners across several internet discussion boards and Facebook groups.  Some of these posts include names and personal information on the women in the photos as well rank and duty assignments of some of the women who were or are current service members.  The Department of Defense is conducting an investigation into the existence of these internet posts to determine whether criminal prosecution of any of the men involved is possible.  Now, Congress has become involved in the issue.  During the Senate's hearings, this past Tuesday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made a splash as she spoke harshly to Marine General Robert Neller.  The Honorable Mrs. Gillibrand called the General's testimony "unacceptable" as he was unable to point to a commander or officer who had been found guilty of allowing such an atrocity to take place.  Who should be found guilty for allowing such an atrocity to take place?

Now, let us examine some ugly truths.

1.  The men looking at these photos on the internet are wrong.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoeer looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." - Jesus

2.  The Marines sharing these photos on the internet are wrong.

"Temptation to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!  It would be better fro him if a milstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin." - Jesus

3.  The women who sent these photos to men they weren't married to are wrong.

  "It is what proceeds out of the man (or woman) that defiles the man (or woman).  For from witin, out of the heart of men (or women) proceed the eviil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deeit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.  All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man (or woman)." - Jesus

Those biblical truths cannot be escaped.  Of course, we sure have tried. This whole scandal is a result of our culture raising an entire generation to value freedom from sexual consequence.  We have taught the young people of this generation that there is nothing wrong with pornography.  We have said that it does not inherently devalue women in the eyes of the men who look at it.  We have said that the 30% of women in America who view pornography on a weekly basis are in no way inhibiting their abilities to make moral decisions.  We have said that by releasing them from their inhibitions we are empowering them.  We have said that doing what God says not to should have no consequences.

We have taught them that there is nothing wrong with premarital sex and consequently having multiple sexual partners throughout the course of their lives.  We have taught that sexual promiscuity is desirable and divorce is acceptable while lifelong monogamy is mythical and to be derided.  We have said that calling sex liberating instead of sacred will in no way negatively impact our society as a whole.  We have said that doing what God says not to should have no consequences.

We (as a society) have said that God is not the Absolute Moral Judge when it comes to sex.  The problem then comes down to where we as a society draw the line.  This is the issue with graduated morals and slippery slopes: People fall down.

I know what moral liberalism's argument is.  They would say that the issue here is not one of God or moral absolutes but one of consent.  They would say that the women in these photos consented for the men to keep these photos for personal use only and therefore the men had no right to post them to the internet.  The thought being that a person has the right to place limits on how their image is to be used even after they give it to someone else.  I would say that I am using the same argument.

"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." - God

Our Schools Don't Need Jesus!

Our Schools Don’t Need Jesus!

It’s 3:34 a.m. as I am writing this.  I’m probably too tired for this rant to be advised. However, here it is.  I’ve noticed lately several of my Facebook friends saying that our schools need Jesus.  I disagree wholeheartedly.  For far too long we as parents and as a society at large have expected the government (our schools) to give our children what is our responsibility to give.  Our schools have proven themselves inept at integrating simple multiplication into our children’s lives.  I shudder to imagine the mess they would make with Christ.

Our schools do not need Jesus.  Our homes need Jesus.  I look around me and see parents teaching children that Jesus is a priority only when He is convenient to our schedules and our bank accounts.  I see parents teaching that ball games, birthday parties, and drama club are all ample reasons to forsake the sacred assembly of the Body of Christ.  I see parents teaching children that God comes first on Sunday’s and Wednesdays for an hour and fifteen minutes (we can’t tolerate a service if it runs longer than that) but not Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in the foremost position of our priorities.

Our days are spent beholding Facebook or our TVs instead of beholding the Lamb of God.  Even during worship services and Bible studies we have phones in front of our faces.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Him in our hands in the form of our Bibles (He is the Word of God).  I’m sure some of us really are looking at our Bible App during church, (but many are checking Facebook when the preaching fails to keep our interest).  I know this because I see you thumb-scrolling for twenty-five straight minutes and if you had ever tolerated reading that much of the Bible in one sitting your life would be different than it is now.  Can you imagine what would happen if our children saw us reading our Bibles as much as they saw us reading our phones?  What would our future look like if we shared Christ with them as often as we share posts on Facebook.  Dare to think of a day when they saw us searching God’s Word for His Truth with the same vigor we scour Pinterest for art and craft projects.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in our thoughts and on our lips.

Our pulpits are filled with men and women (unfortunately in the latter case) who are more worried about attendance numbers, offering totals, and how people feel than preaching the Word.  Our sermons focus on how to have good lives rather than the Good Shepherd and eternal life.  We refuse to rebuke and exhort as we should because then someone might get offended and leave.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in our pastors and elders.  Our deacons are lazy and more concerned with acting as a board of administrators than serving the body as they should.  Our worship leaders are concerned with sounding relevant to the unsaved instead of bolstering the Word as they steer Christ’s Church in worship.  Our youth directors are more concerned with developing programs and content that is popular with young people than developing disciples and freeing them from the popular culture.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in the leaders of our local church congregations.

Were educators to “put Jesus back in our schools” they could not do so legally without placing him on equal ground with Mohammed, Buddha, Brahma, Gia, or any other deity that is the focus of any other religion.  We as parents certainly have no room to complain about that.  We place Him on equal ground with Santa Claus, finances, television schedules, spouses, jobs, sports, houses, automobiles, happiness, education, and any one of the countless other things we spend our time, energy and effort on instead of Him.  He deserves more.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in our living rooms.  We need Jesus in our hearts when we lie down and when he rise up.  We need Jesus in words when we go in and when we come out.  We need Jesus in our actions as we set about our days.

We don’t need Jesus in our schools.  We need Jesus in our children.  And only we can introduce them to Him.  If we do this they will carry Jesus with them when they go to school and no one would be able to take them from His hand (the change in possessive pronouns was intentional).

Yours In Christ,

R. Scott Thomas, Chief Among Sinners