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Think Outside the Box

COUNTER POINT

On Sex and Human Trafficking

Sam Harris writes:

        Your [the Christian’s] principal concern appears to be that the creator of the universe will take offense at something people do while naked. This prudery of yours contributes daily to the surplus of human misery.

                                                                           (Letter to a Christian Nation, p. 26)

R.C. Metcalf responds:

       You seem to arrive at this conclusion primarily in response to the majority Christian consensus on stem-cell research and abortion. Have you ever considered specifically what Jesus had to say about sex? Once again, let us look at the fifth chapter of Matthew’s gospel.

You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

                                                                                           -- Matthew 5:27-28

        Jesus’ statement definitely sounded new to his audience, a group of Jewish rabbinic teachers known as Pharisees. They had always believed that adultery was only punishable when action followed lustful desire. Jesus turned this thinking on its head by condemning lust outright.

        Pornography is a billion dollar industry that depends solely on profit gained from the promotion of lust. You can see why the Christian Right emerges as the most vocal opponent of pornography. Yet why is that the case? Among pornography’s most vocal advocates, the Liberal Left fights for its artistic value and proclaims first amendment rights violations toward those seeking to limit its availability. Jesus recognized the degree to which lust denigrates the dignity of human persons.

        Yet are humans really worthy of being treated with dignity? If we evolved solely as another mammalian species, like other animals, then should we really expect to be treated with dignity? That presumption reflects an aura of blatant speciesism, an unwarranted preference for our own species. Yet who among us would choose a lifestyle devoid of dignity? We all have an intrinsic sense of dignity as a direct result of what theologians call the imago dei (the image of God). We reflect many of the qualities attributed to God in the Bible, such as love, mercy, compassion, and even anger, although Paul warns us not to sin in our anger.[i] Pornography tramples the inherent dignity of humanity by converting individuals into objects. Men who become addicted to pornography often fail in their marital obligations or commit adultery, resulting in human suffering. Many women become involved in pornography for financial reasons or due to boredom. Though this may superficially appear harmless, those women often regret their actions later in life. Further, pornography doesn’t just affect adults, it also affects children.

 Tragically, the world's oldest profession has one of the world's youngest workforces today. Dawn Herzog Jewell, who wrote this month's cover story [in Christianity Today], "Red-Light Rescue", found that millions of preteen and teenage girls are trapped in prostitution, typically earning money for their families or brothel owners.[ii]

        Bored homemakers or struggling co-eds comprise only a small percentage of those involved in pornography. As the above quotation indicates, the vast majority also participate in prostitution and human trafficking. In fact, the only form of slavery that still predominates in our day involves trafficking in persons as a direct result of the pornographic industry the Liberal Left so ardently defends.

President Bush's National Security Strategy reaffirmed our belief that promoting democracy and human rights is the most effective long-term strategy for ensuring stability. Included in the Strategy's goals for ending tyranny, spreading freedom, and championing human dignity is our commitment to ending human trafficking: "Trafficking in persons is a form of modern-day slavery, and we strive for its total abolition. Future generations will not excuse those who turn a blind eye to it."[iii]

        Fortunately, for the many victims of human trafficking, a dedicated few have felt the call to invest personally toward finding a solution to this growing problem.