A lot of sin has stayed in the closet because "nice Christians don't talk about that stuff."
context bro - in the context of a study guide the distinction needs to be made between love and sexual gratification - Ones a sin - the other is love
Sexual gratification without the love we see and experience in a monogamous relationship is sin -
Lets couch the phrase differently - If the study guide teaches love in monagamous matrimonial relationship, I have no problem (were in agreement here)- but sex in of itself without that is sin - why teach it within in the boards of the Bible? (are we in agreement here?)- Instead - the Bible as the Word of righteousness should stand against it by itself
I had a toddler get ahold of our pulpit Bible recently and crayon it up something fierce - Its still readable - but completely adulterated as the additions prove to be too distracting.
I dont mean to argue - heaven knows - people are "laughing" at us - ahem - maybe were in agreement and are just coming at it from two different angles
We're probably closer than this forum allows us to communicate.
Like I said, not trusting this source, and not having seen the book, I'm not endorsing it. I get the impression, but not an assurance that it does come to the right conclusions regarding sex.
So if it does teach that "monagamous matrimonial relationship" I just wouldn't have a problem discussing the other issues as long as the proper conclusions are reached.
If thats the case, why do you bother to expound upon it in your church?
Explanatory notes in Bibles are certainly not a bad thing. Having an explanatory note that explains why Leviticus, a book that most teenagers have never read, is actually quite relevant to their lives. The Christian message, as far as I can tell from the WND article (and I distrust WorldNetDaily as among the worst journalists on the planet), is not only intact, but clear - "God's definition of sexual purity covers much more than intercourse."
Frankly addressing these issues with teens is imperative. The WND article quotes a parent who says, "I would not give this 'Bible' to my 20-year-old virgin daughter to read – much less a 13-year-old. Why should she have images of oral sex, lesbianism and rape in her mind?" Frankly, this mother's an idiot. The simple fact of the matter is that her daughter almost certainly knows about this stuff to begin with, and if she doesn't, she very soon will. If the mother forever shelters her daughter, when she leaves for college or wherever, bar the door, because she won't be able to handle the newfound freedom. My friends who went to ridgid, ultra-fundamentalist colleges tell me that this is a major issue.
Kids deal with this. The youth culture is irretreviably sexualized. They need to know, frankly, what Christian morality demands - and that means frank discussions. Denial of this reality will literally kill these kids