Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 6.12
We had a Super Bowl party at church Sunday. With the history of sexualized Super Bowl halftimes, we knew the halftime show would not be part of our experience. The post halftime commentary of bug eyed men, drooling on themselves while engaging in suggestive commentary, confirmed the foresight. A record viewing audience of one-hundred and two million sports fans were again treated to a halftime performance celebrating women as sexual objects.
It’s an irony that, while it’s ok for the Super Bowl halftime shows to feature sexually charged female talent, Harvey Weinstein, the accused sexual predator, outed by the Me Too movement, is standing trial for acting on fantasies promoted by these kinds of performances. He is accused of committing sexual violence against women and treating them as sexual objects.
The game lived up to the hype as two superbly prepared teams competed for the prize. The thrilling come from behind win will seal this Super Bowl game as one for the record books. During our halftime show, we were inspired by the personal faith testimonies of Kirk Cousins and Drew Brees, two starting NFL quarterbacks that could well have been playing in the game.
Violence aside, the frank truth is, women can’t have it both ways. Faux offense at being seen as sexual objects by men, while featuring their bodies in erotic performances for public consumption are not congruent values.
The power of sex in human relationships is well documented throughout Biblical and human history. Satan has used it’s allure to destroy those who yield to it’s power, without respecting it’s purpose. Sex is God’s gift to the marriage of a man and a women, as two separate individuals become “one” in spirit and life. God warns of it’s power to destroy when sex becomes the end game outside of marriage.
“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”
Proverbs 7: 21-23