When
I was driving through Texas recently, my radio choices were between Christian
radio and Christian Christian radio. I thought I would listen awhile.
On
at least two radio preacher programs, the message was the same: in
relationships, it is most important to cultivate a close relationship with one
person than to be promiscuous with lots of partners; and that a lasting
relationship begins with a strong bond of shared values, and grows out into
physical intimacy from there.
Actually,
most non-Christians that I know believe this also. With few exceptions, the
people I know who are not conservative Christians also form long-term bonds
(usually marriages) that are based on character and values, not just sex; and
with few exceptions, these people are not promiscuous.
So
I did not have a problem with what the preachers said about the best way of
forming, and the value of forming, deep lasting relationships (for many of us,
that means with a spouse). What I found objectionable was that these preachers
were consistently portraying all non-Christians as being sex-driven promiscuous
maniacs. They did not actually say this, but their implied advertising message
was, “Are you a sex-driven promiscuous maniac? If not, then join us and send us
your money.”
Conservative
Christians routinely lie about liberal Christians and about non-Christians.
This is particularly outrageous because many famous evangelical preachers have
been promiscuous and sex-driven.
So
the radio preachers may be right about what they say about long-term intimate
relationships, but they are consistently wrong, and I believe deliberately
wrong, about what they say about those people who are not allied with them.
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