The Humility Project

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I've recently been reading a chick-lit book called The Rosie Project. Cute love story, a little too free with the sex (and language) for my usual tastes, but a cute story. I would recommend it. In fact, the cavalier presentation of sex is partially addressed in the book - infidelity - and faithfulness in relationships is held up as the more rewarding option by the end of it. This irreverent approach to sex didn't bother me until I watched an entirely unrelated movie.... Her. 

www.louderthanwar.com

Her is a unique movie, I would recommend it to very, very few. It, too, approaches sex casually. Beyond just depicting casual sex, it includes phone sex and sex jokes in its portrayal of a blossoming romance. It isn't trying to be funny - it is actually quite tasteful by worldly standards. It is nothing like the sexually crude comedy I can't stand to watch. Its goal was to be cute and romantic. But.

Watching Her coloured my world in a very negative way. It coloured my intimacy (not just sexual) with my husband so that I felt dirty. It coloured the cute book (The Rosie Project) I was reading so that the portrayed relationship felt more sexual than it was actually written to be. It really put me off. It bother me, a lot, that society takes such an off-hand stance when it comes to sex. Intimacy is supposed to be highly treasured... 

When I was talking about this to my husband, who was wanting to know why I was so "off" that day, my explanation put him in mind of the movie 50 Shades of Grey that is set to release this spring. He noted that we are becoming more and more like the ancient wealthy societies who had nothing better to do than wallow in their own depravity. I'm thinking Romans and Greeks. Then he made an interesting point...

What was Christ's response to the depravity of the world around him? He mourned. I'm thinking of the well known "I long to gather you together as a hen gathers her chicks..." spoken over Jerusalem in Matthew 23.  He didn't rant and rail against the evils of the world (I'm thinking of the many blogs and articles I've seen decrying 50 Shades of Grey and those who are entertained by it), but rather spoke love in humility and mourned. 

I need to learn how to mourn rather than rant.