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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Sexual Politics "Friends With Benefits" Don't Lead to Sex Trafficking

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Thu, Sep 8, 2011 at 12:15 PM

sexualpolitics-1.jpg
I still haven't heard anything directly from Mars Hill church since posting the news last week that the conservative, Evangelical church is opening a new branch in SE Portland... but that's not a big surprise, since founder Mark Driscoll has said that “interviews are for wimpy guys who wear Sans-a-Belt slacks and chew sugar-free gum.” (EDIT: Oh wait! That was a joke.)

But anyway, today on their website, Mars Hill's local pastor has posted a response to the issue.

The post spells out their stance on non-straight, nonmonogamous sex, but then add: "We don't hate anyone... We want to be good neighbors and seek the common good of the city of Portland."


When it comes to sex, we believe what Jesus says.

Our view of sexuality is the same as many Christians have held for thousands of years and is currently held by thousands in and around the city of Portland in most churches. Sex is a gift of God to be enjoyed solely within lifelong marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, we cannot endorse pornography, sex before marriage, adultery, swinging, friends with benefits, bisexuality, or homosexuality, because if we did, we’d be going against what Jesus has said. We get our view from the Bible, and we know that many do not agree with the Bible. We live in an oversexed time and an oversexed city, and we deal daily with the pain and relational devastation that comes from this reality. We do everything we can to help heal the undeniable wounds that come from sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and serial sexual relationships.

Whoa whoa whoa, believe whatever you want, new neighborhood friends, but linking gayness and even "friends with benefits" to "devastation" of serious crimes like sexual abuse and sex trafficking requires some rebutting. That's not saying, "Jesus thinks you're wrong." That's equating personal, legal, consensual life choices with criminal acts.

I'm not going to spend time pointing out that condemnation of queer and nonmonogamous sex is only one take on Christianity, because Reverend Chuck Currie eloquently spelled that out yesterday and there's great pro-gay religious groups all over the country.

In describing Portland as an "oversexed city," Mars Hill links to this OK Cupid number crunching that lists Portland as the city with the most people per capita who say they're looking for casual sex in their online dating profile.

We can assume that someone who creates an online dating profile looking for, among other things, casual sex is someone who, yes, actually wants casual sex. Having consensual sex with various people throughout your lifetime does not make you a human trafficking or sex abuse victim. Putting OK Cupid users on the same level as people who troll the streets looking for prostitutes diminishes the actual trauma and real, terrible issues of people who suffer from trafficking and abuse.

The reality of human trafficking doesn't stem from widespread acceptance of bisexuality or sex before marriage. Its root causes (pdf) are much more sinister and systematic, from global gender inequity leading to lack of economic options for women, to women nationally being far more likely to live in poverty than men, to problems with drug and alcohol addiction. When talking with law enforcement and social service providers about the causes of human trafficking locally, I've never ever, heard anyone explain the crisis as, "Adults having too much consensual gay sex in their own homes." Instead, experts note a shortage of social services for addicts in Portland, a lack of shelter space for women, high unemployment, and lack of affordable housing.

Don't look at Portland's—and the nation's—problems with sexual violence and point the blame finger at the swingers, feminists, and queer folk, Mars Hill. Not only is it wrong, it's not very friendly to your neighbors.

UPDATE 1:54 PM: A reader just sent me a link to MarsHillPortland.com—a website mimicking Mars Hill's web style, but with only a video from Basic Rights Oregon's gay marriage campaign.

 

Comments (14) RSS

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1
Exactly what did Jesus say about pornography, sex before marriage, adultery, swinging, friends with benefits, bisexuality, or homosexuality?
Posted by Suburban Porn King on September 8, 2011 at 12:30 PM · Report
2
And even if Jesus *did* say something about it (and he didn't), who gives a shit? That was then, this is now, and Mars Hill is not in the business of following reason.
Posted by Wm. Steven Humphrey on September 8, 2011 at 12:41 PM · Report
3
They make a big deal out of having never sposnored a political cause or candidate. They're not doing that out of the kindness of their heart; they're doing it because to do so would remove their tax exempt status.

Oh, and they also try and put themselves somewhere 'middle of the road' because the WBC protested them. The WBC is not indicitave of anything other than trolling and media-whoring.

Other fun issues to examine with Mars Hill Church is their complete lack of women in leadership roles (they have a few female deacons, but traditionally deacons are volunteer positions and not in a position of leadership within the organization [think sergeants as opposed to lieutenants]). So not only are these dingleberries homophobic, they're misogynistic. Great; this really what Portland needs. How long till we find some old LDS-style racism within their organization?
Posted by Graham on September 8, 2011 at 12:42 PM · Report
4
Your posts spread their message far more widely than their own organization.

Ignore them and they'll go away.
Posted by D on September 8, 2011 at 12:43 PM · Report
5
Look out Mr. Humphrey, Sara's friend Chuck Currie is going to be saying you're engaged in hate speech.
Posted by Number Six on September 8, 2011 at 12:47 PM · Report
6
Four out of five dentists recommend Sans-a-Belt slacks for their patients who wear pants.
Posted by dmitrir on September 8, 2011 at 12:48 PM · Report
7
As much as I like the Wittenburg Door article you linked to, I'm pretty sure that it's a christian version of the onion...
Posted by Anti2501 on September 8, 2011 at 1:00 PM · Report
8
Eloquent meaning utterly facile?
Posted by ReadsGood on September 8, 2011 at 1:14 PM · Report
9
Anti2501 is right. Wittenburg Door is satire. Interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wittenbur…
Posted by no one in particular on September 8, 2011 at 1:37 PM · Report
10
Great job! You lifted quotes from a SATIRE article!!
Posted by wolfchoir on September 8, 2011 at 2:07 PM · Report
11
This whole "oversexed" concept I just don't get. If you're truly oversexed you fall asleep or get too sore to continue. Besides, I think there's a lot more talking about sex, thinking about sex, singing about sex, and selling with sex than there is actual sex going on in this country.*

*except in Waterfront Park
Posted by Todd Mecklem on September 8, 2011 at 3:07 PM · Report
12
Smirk, you shouldn't be such an intolerant anti-Christian bigot!
Posted by guspasho on September 8, 2011 at 5:08 PM · Report
13
JOHN MACARTHUR - ROB BELL RICK WARREN MARK DRISCOLL SERMON JAM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HidbQZMKVI
Posted by MRWBBIII on September 8, 2011 at 11:57 PM · Report
14
Does 2000 years count as "thousands" or hundreds. Because that felt a little hyperbolic on his part, almost trying to make Christianity sound older than it is
Posted by camille13 on September 13, 2011 at 11:40 AM · Report

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