Posted on 11/28/2012 7:01:52 AM PST by CHRISTIAN DIARIST
There have been several supposedly “scientific” studies published this year that either disparaged people of faith or insidiously mocked religion.
That includes a study, published in the journal Science, which asserted that people who believe in God are not analytical thinkers.
There also was a study, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, which claimed that “highly religious” folk are less compassionate toward the needy than atheists.
Now comes yet another study, published this week in the Journal of Sex Research, which claims that adult film actresses are actually more religious than women who don’t get paid to have sex on camera.
“In terms of psychological characteristics,” the study’s five co-authors concluded, “porn actresses had higher levels of…spirituality compared to the matched group.”
This dubious study would be unworthy of comment except that it has gotten a lot of media coverage. It pretends to be scholarly research. But it’s nothing more than junk science.
Indeed, for those who blindly accept its findings, it leads to the absurd conclusion that there is some sort of link between sexual depravity and religiosity.
Uncritical thinkers could come away with the cockeyed notion that, just because a woman is sexually depraved – because she is a stripper or a prostitute or a porn actress – doesn’t mean she isn’t a woman of faith. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t love the Lord.
The authors of the Journal of Sex Research study argue that their findings disprove the “damaged goods hypothesis” with respect to “female performers in the adult entertainment industry.”
But close examination of the study’s methodology reveal obvious flaws that skew its findings.
It relied on the self-reporting of 177 porn actresses who responded to an advertisement posted at a Los Angeles health clinic, which was founded by a retired porn actress, and which catered to the adult film industry (before it was shut down last year by the L.A. County Health Department).
Apparently, it did not occur to the study’s authors that self-delusional porn actresses might misrepresent themselves as well-adjusted.
Might claim to have higher self-esteem, more positive feelings about themselves, a better support system, a more satisfying sex life and even a closer relationship with the Lord than women who don’t defile themselves for all the world to see.
The reality is that the 177 porn actresses who responded to the survey on which the study published in the Journal of Sex Research was based are indeed damaged goods.
And there is no better authority on the subject than Shelley Lubben, a former porn actress and born-again Christian. She is currently the Executive Director of the Pink Cross Foundation, a faith-based organization that reaches out to women caught up in the adult film industry.
The pornography business destroys body and soul, Lubben attests. Many porn actresses battle alcohol and drug abuse. They perform sex acts that are physically harmful and psychologically traumatizing. They contract sexually transmitted diseases.
There is a way for porn actresses to avoid that almost certain fate – give their lives to Christ. For whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
Have mercy on me Lord Jesus, I am sin, I am like Adam, I am like Cain.
Yet,you, even as a part of the ONE God the creator of all things desire a relationship with me? still?
I will take what the Christ part of you has done, and I will take the Holy Spirit the part of you that Christ sent me for guidance.
I will throw of my “religiousness” and pick up my cross.
You know me and you know I will stumble often and perfection will not come to me before my first death.
I will do the best I can with your guidance which I need to seek as highest priority in all things.
I have faith that your grace is indeed sufficiant and that you will know me when I see you face to face.
Only mans sin nature makes this a contest.
Religious people had Christ crucified.
Christ is the end all to Religion.
Religion means nothing to God.
Religion does not mark you as belonging to God, the Holy Spirit does.
Rejection of the Holy Spirit by the rejection of Christ is the one unforgivable sin.
If God knows the outcome before it happens, then doesn’t it have to happen as God knows it will? He knows when you will die, so He knows what is in your heart at death, right?
If you were to replace blame with tacit approval I would agree. Blame has negative conotations to me, which I don’t think is applicable.
I think one can invoke predestination and consider God responsible, but I do not believe we can apply our human concept of right and wrong to God’s actions. We are still responsible to society here on earth for our actions. I just do not believe that what we do here on earth, matters after we die.
That'll solve the porn addiction problem the go along to get along crowd like to ignore.
Job had to rely wholly on God. His family could not help him, his health could not help him, his friends could not help him, his wealth could not help him. He only had God. Are we any different? We think we can turn to all the things and people Job had when everything is nothing without God's love.
Only God's love can restore us. Without Job, there is no need for God. Without Job, there is no need for Christ to die on a cross. Job's pain is felt by all of us to some degree and the story of Job is a story of the faith in God that never fails. Even a man with nothing; no wealth, no family, no friends no health, is priceless in God's eyes.
Job's story ='s hope.
I think not at all that he is assuming they have freedom to indulge the flesh, as one might think from much current and popular neo-evangelical thought. No, he is pointing out that they have freedom to choose to abandon* (1 Jn 1:9) the works of the flesh -- a freedom which worldlings do not have! Those unsaved are forever in the snare of the Wicked One!
* abandon = apheeaymi - to leave behind with no future claims nor interest in it
These are the works commonly practiced by the disobedient children of the god of this world, and here the Holy Ghost, through Paul, is commanding the brethren to immediately cease and desist -- as those today standing at the Sacred Desk ought also to speak and teach (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). When the Galatians were thus admonished, they had their orders. And they were told of the results:
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a (hu)man soweth**, that shall he/(she) also reap. For he/(she) that soweth* to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he/(she) that soweth* to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
** soweth - present tense = persistently, continually sows
Paul, presenting The Inspired Word of The God, seems to me to be pointing out that:
(1) he is addressing brothers and sisters of the congregation, yes; but not all of the constituents are regenerated believer-disciples, for some are preaching a gospel of works, which he also is reproving; and
(2) he is pointing out that some present who are still practicing works of the flesh as a life-style, and sowing their final corruption, are not saved, no matter what they claim. They are not "backsliders" (an unscriptural term) -- they are still children of the god of this world trying to deceive others (see text) that they are holy, sanctified. Yes, they may claim to be "believers" -- but they are unregenerate believers, much as exist very predominantly in many churches today.
I see scripture and my experience as demonstrating that a Christian is in a constant state of process from indulging the flesh toward serving others as Christ serves. Some Christians may make this process happen in an instant. I think most Christians experience this process over time.
Each regenerated believer experiences a primary, instant sanctification upon evidence to The God, in His foreknowledge, that his belief and attitude, learned through trust in The Faith of The Christ will persist to a heaven-bound destination. That is the first condition of reconciliation/justification by his trust in The Faithfulness of The Savior Jesus Christ. No matter what their psychological/reasoning advancement has been in life, the person at this stage is a spiritual newborn babe (1 Pet. 2:1-3). Though willing to abandon the works of the flesh, he/she has begun a maturation venture, a stage of progressive sanctification which, accomplished under further Biblical instruction under a trained discipler(s) and congregating with other believers who observe Christ's ordinances. Moving through the spiritual stages of newborn (brephos) --> infant (naypios) --> child (paidion) --> young adult (have overcome the Wicked One)(neaniskos) --> fathers (pateros). (Heb. 5:13, 1 Jn 2:12-14)
In this journey, the carnality of the old fleshly person will be overcome by more and more fearing The God, and walking, together with his/her discipler, in The God's ways, walking as the new spiritual being. Under Scriptural discipling, the beneficial ways of The God will be taught, practiced, and bear fruit (personal traits and more disciples). However, if one attends an assembly composed only of communicants but not encouraging Scriptural and consistent discipling, that person might only slowly, or perhaps never, come to the maturity God expects. I will tell you, this does not happen in an instant, and expertise in the natural ways of the world will not produce an instantly effective Christian. One must start at the beginning, as did The Twelve.
Capisce?
Respectfully --
But God knew how it would end up before it even started, didn’t He?
Job had to rely wholly on God.
Job was holding on to his own righteousness with one hand, and The God's with the other -- and was being torn apart. It was only when he clung to The God with both hands and heart that his testing immediately stopped, and Satan was banned from further attacks. IMHO.
(Obviously I use the mnemonic PALEGAS).
Any one of them can be deadly, and most of us are subject to one or two (or more) of them, all our lives.
However, a Christian ought to examine his conscience, and resolve a least not to justify, promote, or reward these sins; and to repent, confess, and form a battle plan against them in oneself.
A porn actress who loves the Lord, is a porn actress on her way out of the industry. Let's pray for such people, and for each other.
Code word for made up, false religion.
Why was he tested if God knew the outcome before it even started?
I would rather listen to a porn star witness than a politician. She is only hurting herself and she may even believe she is saved. The politician is just lying to get votes and damages all of us.
God knew but we didn’t. Neither did Job.
Also, I suppose a good cup of tea has to simmer even for God.
Why does it matter if anyone other than God knew?
You never tell your spouse that you love her?
All the time, but not by making her go through all that stuff Job went through.
Probably so Job would know too.
The other six are merely symptoms of Pride.
???
It's explained in the last part of Job--Who are you to ask why? Our lives are His to do with as He pleases. He requires no justification to do with His Creation as He sees fit. Job never received an explanation. I, also, receive no explanation for what He leads me through.
Why do you think Job had to go through all that?
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