“Those in the entertainment industry who worship sex haven’t even the faintest understanding of the tenderness and affection Jesus had for women who were marginalized in their time. They cannot even recognize Jesus’ touch of purity” (Zacharis, End of Reason, pg.78).
Just throwing this out there -- pornography, the sexualization of America, and the overall break down of intimacy breaks my heart. Friendship is becoming null and void not just because of the autonomy we are taught to have from pretty much day one, but also because the whole notion of intimacy is something which is considered strange. To say you are in a relationship with intimacy or with real connectedness with a memeber of the same sex today, gives off the image that you must be physically involved. Because surely there is no other kind. But why? According to the thesaurus on my computer itimacy does not necessairly reflect sex at all rather "familiarity, closeness, relationship, understanding and confidence."
For a man to tell a man that he loves him, or a woman to tell a woman that she loves her -- has just got to mean that they are gay or lesbian. Because surely, once again, the word love can signify nothing more than sexual interest. So, there can be no other meaning when speaking love to another human, but when speaking love about, say, a particular movie, or food, or vehicle, ... then the word can mean something other than sexual interest? Why? And as far as love goes, there are a million different meanings to this word. "Adore, worship, be devoted to, care for, watch over, support," etc. are just a few in my thesaurus.
To allow the removal of the language of intimacy and the language of love from this world will be such a devastating concept. I wonder if this is not just another way for the evil in our world to remove any element of God language left; after all "God is Love." (1 John 4:7-8)
Yesterday I was walking through the grocery store and I passed this little girl in the frozen food aisle. This girl, probably 9 or 10 years old, was so intently brushing her hair in the reflection of the glass door and wearing a shirt which said "I can show you paradise." What is that? She is 10 at the most, and yet instead of discovering her interests, instead of learning to use the creativity which has so divinely been placed within her, instead of enjoying imagination and being a child -- she is so overly concerned with her appearances, and wearing a shirt with a statement on it that she does not even understand. Will that little one grow up understanding love as it is meant to be? Will she ever know that she has a Father God who Created her to be something so beautiful and so wonderful -- something she already has within her to be ? Or will she grow up being marginalized by society and simply seen as an object; all the while assuming that is the best role she can take for this life?
2 comments:
I agree with you. Love is misconstrued entirely too much. I think about the story of David and Jonathan. Many scholars believe that these two had a homosexual relationship. Is it possible that they were just intimate friends? I feel sad that men (especially) cannot have deep friendship without society saying that they are less masculine for having such a close friendship.
As for women, I hate watching them feel like they have to look a certain way or act like a floosy to gain acceptance and "love" from people. I think of a scene from "Mean Girls" where the little sister of one of the characters is wearing slutty clothes and dancing like the girls she sees on MTV's Spring Break shows. What are we teaching little girls? Our clothing styles (like bikinis that look like underwear!!) encourage promiscuity even more!
People are obviously yearning for intimacy, yet the ways that they are trying to fulfill that need lead to addictions and baggage that consume their lives. The truth that the Bible offers seems counterintuitive to the ways society is dealing with its need, but the Bible's way is surprisingly satisfying. I feel my need for intimacy is completely satisfied with my husband and with my developing friendships. God wants these needs to be satisfied, but He has different way of doing it that may take a little more time.
You and Elise are right on. Just catching up from not reading in a little while. Anyways, I want you to know that what you are saying is completely true and it is sad that is has come to this.
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