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Would Jesus Approve of SI’s Swimsuit Issue?
The Christian Diarist ^ | February 16, 2014 | JP

Posted on 02/16/2014 2:15:20 PM PST by CHRISTIAN DIARIST

The annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue arrives on newsstands Tuesday. It features three semi-nude babes on the cover.

The issue is eagerly awaited by much of SI’s readership. However, let those of us who are Christ followers not deceive ourselves: the magazine’s swimsuit issue is nothing more than softcore pornography.

Indeed, SI’s cover, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its swimsuit issue, actually is more sexualized than the cover of the latest issue of Playboy, which marks the skin magazine’s 60th anniversary, and which features the model Kate Moss in a bunny costume.

What particularly offends about SI is its hypocrisy.

The magazine’s writers and editors pride themselves in being on the right side of controversial social issues that transcend sport. But they have been silent about the sports media’s shameless exploitation of young women for the lustful pleasure of men (and boys).

To wit: SI recently published a fawning cover story about Michael Sam, the former Missouri college football player who came out of the closet as a homosexual, who hopes to become the first openly-gay player in the NFL.

“America is ready for Michael Sam,” SI declared.

Then there’s SI’s campaign to compel the Washington Redskins to change its team name to comport with the magazine’s politically correct sensibilities. In fact, the mag’s NFL writer Peter King decided last football season he would no longer reference the franchise’s team name.

“It has nothing to do with calling anyone racist.” said King. “It’s just I’m uncomfortable using the name.”

Yet, SI’s writers and editors think it perfectly acceptable to pander to its preponderantly male readership with lascivious pictorials of young women that are seminude or fully nude (save for body paint).

MJ Day, the madam of sorts who edits the mag’s swimsuit issue, even goes so far as to suggest that the cover shot of models Nina Agdal and Lily Aldridge, “clad in orange thong bikini bottoms,” as the New York Daily News described their skimpy attire, and Chrissy Teigen, in a “barely-there pink bikini,” was perfectly wholesome.

As to the models themselves, who’ve sold their souls for fame and fortune, “They’re really good girls,” Day told the Newark Star-Ledger. “They’re the girl next door.”

Well, really good girls do not take their clothes off for the titillation of millions of men. And girls next door don’t strike come hither poses suggesting that they’re inviting a sex acts.

Of course, most of SI’s male readers look forward to this Tuesday’s arrival of the swimsuit issue. They can’t wait to ogle the scantily clad models therein.

But for those us who are Christ followers first, sports fans further down the list (behind family, country, et al.) we are instructed to be not “conformed to this world,” where soft core pornography has been mainstreamed by the popular culture.

No, we will not go to hell by viewing the risqué photos in SI’s swimsuit issue. But we certainly will be conducting ourselves outside of God’s will.

Indeed, in the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus declared, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

That’s why the men among us who are committed Christ followers will bring every lustful thought into captivity to the obedience of God. And that means avoiding SI’s soft core porn issue.


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: blogpimp; moralabsolutes; objectification; sexuality; sportsillustrated; swimsuit
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

Oh lord....

God made women so lovely for a reason

And I’m in his debt forever

Christ was here for things more transcendent than female beauty...heady as it is


61 posted on 02/17/2014 1:46:58 AM PST by wardaddy (Bus to Shreveport... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYF682WYRtw&feature=youtube_gdata_)
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To: Popman

Women watch porn too


62 posted on 02/17/2014 1:48:19 AM PST by wardaddy (Bus to Shreveport... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYF682WYRtw&feature=youtube_gdata_)
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To: ctdonath2; Ken H; Black Agnes; dixiechick2000; Squantos; CatherineofAragon

My wife loves and understands men and is a one percenter herself

She never busts my juevos over looking at beautiful women....we talk about it..
Like fashion...

She’s a great wife and very secure...my mommy was like that too God bless her

Jealous women are usually projecting....and messing around themselves or homely or not taking good care of their man and have reason to be possessive

My wife buys SI swimsuit for me...we love that Russian gal linked to the hunk footballer

But folks wish to condemn...go ahead

SI is pretty tame..truly

Do these poster wear bikinis?

Watch R movies?

Have sex for pleasure...say outside of ovulation frame?

Like miniskirts or bustiers?

Oral sex?..

That’s a sin too right?

Drinking alcohol?

I can see bashing porn but calling SI swimsuit porn and the models whores ....sorry....a bit loony

I guess my mom was a whore as Miss Mississippi or my wife a whore as CMT video gal and lingerie model for Saks and others?

And God forbid... she wears a bikini...a tiny one..
Not a thong nowadays but small still......on Emerald Coast or Miami

Self righteousness bugged me as a kid

Now PC posturing is the new self righteousness

Fembots don’t like SI either,... u know


63 posted on 02/17/2014 2:13:19 AM PST by wardaddy (Bus to Shreveport... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYF682WYRtw&feature=youtube_gdata_)
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To: wardaddy

When I was much younger, I treated such things as temptation for lust, but the more I study Scripture and apply it to all things, now when I see a woman, I don’t view her as an object of lust, but as a person God made to match a particular man. It’s an interesting study to observe how some women, are made for particular men, not as anybody’s sex toy. It doesn’t matter what the worldly environment might be as what matters is one’s thinking.

Besides, our Lord invented sex and the woman for man.

By avoiding the cover, one might avoid lust, but it is also possible to control one’s thinking through faith in Christ, even when it is seen.


64 posted on 02/17/2014 2:52:01 AM PST by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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To: octex

“What a sick mind. .....Men and women don’t look at and admire people of the opposite sex, whether in person or in film or print media, with the “hope” of becoming that person’s suitor.”

That’s a really bizarre statement. So, hundreds of thousands of celebrity fans *don’t* wish that they could be married to those (attractive) celebrities? That they would not go to great lengths to meet them, with the idea that they might be seen as special enough to care about by the celebrity?

I beg to differ. There are even frequent celebrity stories about who are the “most eligible bachelors”.

“Their admiration of a person of the opposite sex does not indicate a ‘lusting’, as you put it, but just an appreciation of the beauty/handsomeness of someone.”

I thought I was pretty clear that people might wish or fantasize about having a relationship with no problem. In fact, it is necessary for procreation; but that a small minority become obsessive and weird about it. That seems to be a better description of the contrast between attraction and lust.


65 posted on 02/17/2014 5:26:01 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy (WoT News: Rantburg.com)
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To: doorgunner69

I’m disappointed that no one has taken me to task for my Lewis Grizzard prayer thanking G-d for the beauty of woman.

I first prayed it in church when a young woman entered the pew in front of mine, in a miniskirt that made sitting problematic & her legs were so long she had to sit sideways. Lewis’ prayer welled up in my heart & I poured forth my thanks.

;^)


66 posted on 02/17/2014 6:20:36 AM PST by elcid1970 ("In the modern world, Muslims are living fossils.")
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To: yldstrk

Yeah that’s what I thought...Let me ask you something... when you stand up in the market square and call things Sexualized Garbage, Im curious how you are displaying the Love of Christ by doing that? When the woman caught in adultery was brought before Christ did he stand up and scream at her and what she did? Or was his response Mercy and Love? Do any of those models, photographers, editors, printers, advertisers etc have a relationship where they want to express a purity in their lives by not producing photos like that? Er... no... So how specifically will standing up and condemning them call them into a relationship of Christ? Christ is not obsessed with Sin. He already paid for it in full.....


67 posted on 02/17/2014 7:46:42 AM PST by Walkingfeather
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST
I can well imagine.
68 posted on 02/17/2014 9:55:34 AM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Pope Calvin the 1st, defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades)
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To: Wyrd bið ful aræd; CHRISTIAN DIARIST
"I can well imagine."

Actually that sounds a bit wrong given the context. I didn't mean it like it sounds I meant it. :)

69 posted on 02/17/2014 9:57:52 AM PST by Wyrd bið ful aræd (Pope Calvin the 1st, defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades)
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To: christianhomeschoolmommaof3

Is this any different than liberals being offended by “In God We Trust” on the courthouse?

Live with it, let your objections be known to the Chinese restaurant, choose not to eat there, etc, etc.


70 posted on 02/17/2014 10:57:04 AM PST by CPONav
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To: Walkingfeather

eh whatever


71 posted on 02/17/2014 3:09:03 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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Comment #72 Removed by Moderator

Comment #73 Removed by Moderator

To: yldstrk

wow never in all my years had a post deleted...


74 posted on 02/17/2014 6:55:33 PM PST by Walkingfeather
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To: Walkingfeather

the mod must be super bored tonight


75 posted on 02/17/2014 6:59:01 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Walkingfeather

the mods get carried away with their little powers and illustrate perfectly how power corrupts


76 posted on 02/17/2014 7:02:55 PM PST by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Walkingfeather

No one cast any stones. Expressing an opinion is just that, an opinion. It is not judgement, because there is no penalty attached.

Plus people always say “don’t cast stones” but they always forget the “Go and sin no more” part


77 posted on 02/17/2014 7:05:07 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans!)
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To: yldstrk
the mods get carried away with their little powers and illustrate perfectly how power corrupts

Who's getting carried away?

78 posted on 02/17/2014 7:05:50 PM PST by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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Comment #79 Removed by Moderator

To: Alex Murphy

not getting carried away with their little powers, but just being cool;

Now what all of that has to do with the forum here ---
Free, baby! Rent Free!

80 posted on 02/17/2014 7:15:49 PM PST by BlueDragon (gonna' change my name to Nobody, then run for public office.)
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