Christian Sex Beliefs - What's Right, What's Wrong?

By Chess Mcdoogle

There are many different Christian sex beliefs which people will claim to be right and wrong. The problem is, there are some who believe one particular practice is wrong, while another group will find the practice perfectly acceptable. So how do you discern who is right and who is wrong? Here's how to get to the bottom of Christian sex beliefs, and what is right and wrong for Christian intimacy.



1. Listen to the different views.



Don't automatically accept one view that may say that a particular position is absolutely sinful and should not be practiced. Many Christians have done this, only to find years later that there are other views that point directly to scripture, showing that the position is an actual sound practice within Christian intimacy.

Research the different points of view on Christian intimacy. Then and only then, as a couple, make a sound decision on what you feel should be allowed in your relationship. Below you will find an excellent starting point when it comes to the rules.



But for now just remember, if you have already heard one point of view that sounds extremely limiting, rest assured there will be other opinions which will argue for a much more non limiting intimacy practice. In the end it will be between the two of you to make a sound decision. This decision should be arrived at by not only discussing it with one another, but also praying on the subject with one another.



2. The two main rules:



There are two main rules that you and your partner can agree on right away and begin to adhere to. These two rules have to do with: Safety and enjoyment.



Your intimacy practice should be safe. That's a fairly straight forward, common sense rule that any Christian can agree with and adhere to. Any practice that places obvious harm, should not be allowed. Below you will learn how to find out what practices are safe and allowed. You likely will be pleasantly surprised at what practices are safe and acceptable within Christian intimacy.



Next, enjoyment should be paramount. You should focus your sex life on the enjoyable nature in which it is meant to be. Focus on techniques and practices that will make for a joyous, exciting and intimately pleasing experience.



3. The Christian sex manual:



Getting a Christian sex manual is a must. A good manual will outline what is said to be allowable and what is not, as well as provide amazing and exciting tips and techniques for Christian sex. You can gain a wealth of knowledge just overnight by reading up on acceptable ways to greatly increase your intimate Christian experience.



You will also learn tips, techniques and even intimacy tricks to become more pleasurable and pleasing during intimacy. And of course everything is considered Christian safe. There are even Christian sex toys which are allowable. Christian intimacy manuals will describe the best and most safe forms of intimacy toys which can add excitement, pleasure and variety to your relationship.



About the Author: Here's an excellent Christian Sex Manual which outlines rules as well as intimate tips and techniques - Christian Sex Manual This was written by an average Christian who made it his life's work to bring Christian couples closer to one another -Christian Sex Manual



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You Don't Have a Soul

Title: You Don't Have a Soul
Author: Kevin Forrester
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What would you do if you were told that you don't have a soul? What if you were told that you must develop your soul in order for you to live on past this life?



Most of us have been conditioned to believe that we have a soul and that if we live a decent moral life our soul will continue to live on past this life and into the next. Whether it is in the form of Christianity or Buddhism or any number of religious faiths, we have been conditioned to believe that our soul is immortal and will always live on. There is another thought on this that is interesting to say the least.

The thought is that in order for your soul to continue on after this incarnation it must be spiritually developed to the point that it retains its vibrational identity after you die. That would shed a whole new light on the complacent attitude most people have when it comes to their spirituality and developing their dimensional consciousness. No longer would you be able to delude yourself into believing that because you go to church and are a good person you will live on for all eternity.



No longer could you justify your lack of work on your spirituality. Your daily activities would take on a whole new meaning. Instead of filling your days with meaningless activities and being so caught up in the Matrix that it becomes your only identity, you will begin to explore the endless possibilities your life can have. Your life would take on a renewed sense of meaning and urgency. You will begin to unravel the mysteries of life and see the real beauty and love that can be found in your life.



If you just opened your eyes and did some serious work on yourself.



Imagine that at the point of physical death your soul is absorbed into a large energy melting pot. No longer recognizable from the millions of other lost souls. No longer do you have a soul with a distinct vibration that sets you apart from the masses. You are lost to a vibration of indistinguishable energy patterns. How sad and unnecessary. How lost, and irretrievably non-existent you will become. This is a scenario, which is a real possibility and should not be taken lightly.



Now imagine the opposite. At the point of physical death your spiritually developed soul is free to move on to the higher energy planes and retain its newly evolved spiritual vibrations. Not quite ready to merge with these heavenly energy planes you are able to reincarnate back to the physical plane where the continued work of evolving can take place. You get to continue your journey to reach the ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment and re-uniting with the One Source, God, Universal Consciousness or the Zero Point Field.



It is difficult to understand, given our limited multi-dimensional consciousness, what the ultimate sacrifice will be for a life devoid of spirituality, however the potential consequences of this lifestyle should be enough to motivate you to explore your spiritual side. It's time to wake up and get to work on increasing your energy and vibrational levels. It makes no difference how old or young you are it matters that you start now.



Don’t take for granted that you have an immortal soul.



Your life and eternal existence will ultimately depend on it.



What will you do?



About the Author: Don't get trapped into believing you will live on past this life you must expand your consciousness and seek a Higher Balance http://www.higherbalance.wordpress.com



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Angry at God

Author: Jason Powers


There are too many dear people who have been angry at God for the terrible things that have taken place in their lives; a lost loved one, layoff at work or some other tragedy that hit unexpectedly.

A lady lost her young son, being grieved because of the lost she was wrestling with the thoughts in her head, “why would God do this or allow it to happen” she would ask her self? The thoughts got so bad that it begin to affect her everyday life to the point where she became very angry towards God not knowing that God was weeping with her. Six months have gone by since the death of her son and the same thoughts kept taken over her mind, “why would God do this or allow it”.



One day she walked into a church that was close to her home thinking maybe she can find peace from all this bitterness and confusion. She walked up to the last row in the building and took a seat hoping to find answers. She looked around and noticed everyone was wearing black or dark clothes and thought to her self, “This is strange”. She heard a woman in the front row crying and sobbing which worried her, but she just sat there to see what would happen next- when all of a sudden a young handsome minister stepped up to the podium and grabbed the microphone. The minister looked very serious as he gazed around the room and then spoke, “Timmy was a wonderful boy that should have never been taken from his childhood and family, the minister says with deep emotions. We know that today little Timmy is with the Lord Jesus. If ever there is a time to weep it is now because of this great lost. But I want to say something that some might not understand, however I need to say it.



We live in a world where there is good and evil, there is a God and there is a devil; we are taught by scriptures that all good comes from God and all evil comes from satan. It saddens me to know that many will blame God for the tragedy that has come to their life. Well, I don’t want that to happen here tonight and that is why I am talking about this. I want to assure you that God wishes nothing but the best for His people; He doesn’t want terrible things to happen to you, however bad things do happen and many are asking, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to His people”. There are many questions that we will never have the answers too here on earth, but I want you to know that Jesus Christ loves you and wants nothing but the best for you and your family. We must always remember that there is an enemy out there who is working twenty four hours a day trying to destroy us. Never be angry with God because He is the one that can help you get through this terrible time in your life. Trust Him and He will give you strength and power to overcome the grief in your heart. It is God that will bring peace to your troubled mind, the arguments and warfare that goes on within you. So before you leave this room I want to make sure you understand that God had nothing to do with your lost, focus your anger at the enemy satan not God.



The lady on the back row was amazed at the wisdom of this young man not realizing as she listen to his every word peace filled her mind and she didn’t feel angry any more towards God. “Could this be a miracle”, she asks herself?



This lady didn’t know how much God cared for her but He showed her His love by allowing her to walk into a funeral service for a young man named Timmy who she didn’t even know. The Lord knew that the message would change her life and thoughts towards Him. Three years have passed since that day the lady walked into the funeral service of some boy she didn’t even know and today that woman is still free from the bitterness towards God. She is living with peace and joy beyond measure; and every Sunday she goes down to that little church to fellowship with her new family and friends where she learned that God really cares for her.



About the Author: Jason Powers a Christian Writer in the state of Florida. His books have touched many lives from around the world including India, Pakistan, Africa and the UK. For more information about Jason Powers or his writings visit Jason Powers Ministries



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Ten Signs That You Might be a Fundamentalist

Title: Ten Signs That You Might be a Fundamentalist
Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D.
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Presently, fundamentalism is a hot topic. Many folks have been astonished at the level of evil perpetrated by Islamic fundamentalists, the most notable example being the events of 9/11. Those events are indelibly etched on the American psyche. Recently, news stories of the fall of Ted Haggard, a prominent evangelical, have attracted attention. After years of railing against homosexuality and assorted other sins, Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, was "caught" committing the very "sins" he so railed against. More recently, Americans have been shocked at revelations of events happening at the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints compound in Texas.

All of these groups and individuals involved would likely be viewed as fundamentalist. Is there some common denominator they all share? I have recently noted that some fundamentalists, who once proudly claimed the title, are presently reticent to make use of the label. Some American Christian fundamentalists have been opting for the title "Bible-believing," although their belief system hasn't changed. Once again the question is raised, is there any common denominator(s) among the variety of fundamentalists?



Two come to mind. First, there is the idea of absolute certitude. This is certitude that is unequivocal. On the points of doctrine on which fundamentalists groups claim certitude, they are highly unlikely to think they may be in possible error or that these points should ever be examined. The second characteristic is the importance of the fundamentalist culture from which their fundamentalism emerges. This culture supports adherents and discourages asking questions or incubating doubt. These two characteristics they have in common.



From these two commonalities, some signs that one might be a fundamentalist come to mind. I thought it might be instructive to construct a list of "Ten Signs that You Might be a Fundamentalist." Bearing my all too apparent fallibility in mind, here is an attempt at such a list (note that I speak here of Christian fundamentalism, although the signs apply, with a little tweaking, to all varieties):



1. You tend to see the world in terms of dualities. Everything is black and white with little in the way of shades of gray. If someone is not right about the essence of your faith, he is wrong. Period!



2. Going along with that idea, the other's "wrongness" doesn't only extend to matters of faith. You begin to think that the other person is at her core a "wrong person." She is flawed in some way.



3. This leads to the notion that there is a basic "them and us." There exists two basic groups of people, the subgroup with which you identify and the rest of the world.



4. The "rest of the world" is under the control of the Dominion of Darkness. The world is not only different and wrong in what it believes; it is basically evil. You are part of the righteous ones. Those unlike you are most certainly not.



5. The basic character of "the world" is everywhere. It is in the public schools. It is in the libraries. It is on the television (Well, there might be something to that one!). It is in the government. It takes in the folks on your street.



6. Your task is to get out of the world. Find alternative books, music, schools, friends, associates, etc.



7. If you can't escape it completely (Who can?), it is your task to launch a mission to make the world match the fundamentalist subculture. You must work to make the schools more Christian, for example. You must work to make government godlier. It is your task to change society in the direction of your religious beliefs.



8. Generally, you associate with conservative causes. You may not agree with the policies of all conservative politicians, but there are always issues that take on major importance. In the US, these usually amount to abortion and gay marriage/rights. The view is myopic and only the "hot button" issues matter.



9. You will usually "follow the leader." There are several well-known fundamentalist Christian leaders in the US. The fundamentalist faithful take their cue from them. They set the agenda. It is difficult for you to do much other than walk in lock step to the beat of their drummer.



10. Finally, if anyone should ask, these are not your ideas. You must follow them because they mark out God's agenda. To be a fundamentalist is simply another term for being a follower of God. Those in churches that disagree with the basic tenets of fundamentalism are lost. They don't know God. In short, they aren't really Christians at all.



Do all ten of the characteristics apply to all fundamentalists? In reality, folks are probably fundamentalist by degrees. However, the two elements of certitude and a supporting, indoctrinating subculture are universal characteristics. I want to end with an assignment. Go back over the list and write the inverse of each point. What would such person or society acting on reverse characteristics look like?



About the Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D. is an education professor at a church related college and a bi-vocational minister who publishes regularly in the areas of education and religion. His latest book is Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalism: Understanding and Responding to Christian Absolutism. His blog site is located at Repentant Fundie.



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Are the Terms "Fundamentalism" And "Cult" Equivalent Terms?

Title: Are the Terms "Fundamentalism" And "Cult" Equivalent Terms?
Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D.
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In my mind, the term "cult" is an ugly word. It acquires that connotation by its usage. In a quite literal definition, the term refers to religion and religious practice, especially ceremonial practice. Therefore, we might refer to a bar mitzvah as part of the cult of Judaism. We might likewise refer to the Eucharist as being bound up with the cultus of Christianity. In its barest definition, the term "cult" is neither good or bad, evil or benign. It is a quite generic and non-specific word.

However, we all know that there is an entirely different meaning of the term "cult." When we think of that meaning, we usually think of some aberrant form of an established religion. Since there are so many varieties of belief within any given religious faith, it's a lamentable term - maybe not very useful. But, for the sake of argument, we must muddy the waters even further. It seems that many Christians use the term to refer to non-Christian religions in general. Many churches speak of Hinduism as a cult. Or they might refer to Zen as a cult. I've heard "A Course in Miracles" devotees called cultists. Even some techniques, such as transcendental meditation, which may be practiced completely apart from a belief in any sort of god, are often labeled cultish, despite the fact that many medical practitioners recommend meditation practice.



In its lamentable usage, it seems as if there are various defining characteristics assigned to the concept of a cult by those that use the word, a few come to mind quite readily:



1. Cults are authoritarian

2 Cults usually separate folks from mainstream society

3. Cults often use mind control methods

4. Cults brainwash people (This is a slightly nuanced version of number 4.)

5. Cults cause adherents to do illogical things

6. Cultists cannot be reasoned with by conventional methods



Usually, when cults are discussed, the discussion occurs in conservative churches, often churches that might be labeled fundamentalist or evangelical. (For the sake of this discussion both will be regarded as funadmentalist - although I know some evangelicals might object. "Evangelical" is a quite fluid term, historically identical to the term "fundamenatlist.") It would appear that fundamentalists have some need to "contend for the faith." It is rare to see many books written from a religious perspective dealing with cults that was not produced by a fundamentalist.This being the case - that they are the most likely to label alternative religious movements as cults - I am compelled to make a surprising observation. Usually, the characteristics ascribed by fundamentalists to cults - characteristics such as those listed above - are highly descriptive of Christian fundamentalism as well. This can be easily illustrated.



The characteristic of authoritarianism attributed to cults is surely true of fundamentalism. It is true on two counts. First, fundamentalism is a movement largely directed by charismatic figures. I'm not talking about the Warren Jeffs or similar folks here. I refer to the televangelists, megachurch leaders, and leaders of the religious right. Leading figures direct the faithful and teach them what to believe. Adherents "follow the leader" often blindly. This leads to the second source of authoritarianism. Here I am referring to the Bible/Bible interpretation package that directs fundamentalists. The Bible becomes a "paper pope," the fundamentalist interpreters regared as virtually infallible.



On the charge of trying to separate the faithful from mainstream society, surely the fundamentalist leaders must plead guilty. Adherents are encouraged to break ties with family and friends that get in the way of their belief system. They sometimes are forced to cut ties with friends in churches they attended before becoming fundamentalists. Alternative schools flourish to separate fundamentalist youth from "the world." Fundamentalists maintain separate institutions for arts (recording companies and labels, and publishing concerns, all adhering to the fundamentalist outlook) separate organizations teaching authoritarian ideas for husbands (Promise Keepers, for example), and distinct political action groups (guided by quasi-religious opinion).



Mind control methods? Yes, even here it must be noted that fundamentalists meet the qualification for cultists. Members of fundamentalist churches are taught to deny their questioning and maintain a mantra of "God said it! I believe it! That settles it!" Doubting and questioning are discouraged. "Proof texts" from the Bible are memorized for use when a church member might have a question. When taking up questions with church leaders, members are not enouraged to think things out for themselves. Just as when I was a fundamentalist, members are told the "right" answers for troubling questions.



Do fundamentalists brainwash people (remember, we are talking about the fundamentalist church down the street, not the Moonies)? They bombard them with many meetings each week. They often work themselves up into emotional frenzies. Even if that is not always so, one must admit that fundamentalist leaders know how to work emotionalism to arrive at their desired outcome. They threaten those who don't believe the "right way" with hell. They de-construct reality as we see it and create an alternate reality filled with devils, demons, and flaming perdition. Some have been able to get very sick folks to stop taking medicine to prove they have faith worthy of being healed. It would certainly appear to be a form of brainwashing.



What about logic? Is the fundamentalist's version of "science" logical? Is faith healing logical? Is it logical that mental illness is caused by demon possession? Is the fundamentalist world view logical?



What about reasoning with a fundamentalist? All I can say is forget it. We don't have enough time to review that question. Just give it a try some day.



It is a sad state of affairs that there are dangerous cults in our world. Certainly any fair-minded person would agree that white supremacist religious groups, polygamous groups, the Branch Davidians, Reverend Moon and his followers, and many others fit the negative use of the word cult. But, apparently so do fundamentalist Christians. They may not adopt the extremes that the "far out" cults embrace. They may be more socially acceptable. They may share many characteristics (perhaps negative) of Christianity in general. Nevertheless, the similarities remain. I have discovered all people are inconsistent (including yours truly). Maybe in one sense fundamentalists are no more inconsistent than the rest of us. But is fundamentalist Christianity a type of cult? We must agree, the similarities are striking.



About the Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D. is an education professor at a church related college and a bi-vocational minister who publishes regularly in the areas of education and religion. His latest book is Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalism: Understanding and Responding to Christian Absolutism. His blog site is located at Repentant Fundie.



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Think You Can’t Achieve Happiness By Being Obedient To God? Think Again

Title: Think You Can't Achieve Happiness By Being Obedient To
God? Think Again
Author: Stuart Migdon
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American society values control over almost everything. We want to control things at work, things at home, our finances, our weight, our careers, and our relationships. In such a culture of control, where does God fit in? Can you really achieve success and happiness by turning your life over to God?

Turning over control can be a scary prospect because we always think we know the most about what’s best for us. We forget that God knows what’s best. How do we begin to change that mindset? In order to take the steps necessary to turn over control to God we must purpose to live a life of obedience to Him, acknowledging that He does know what’s best. The problem is that many Christians resist obedience to God. They don’t even like the word obedience and question what it means. They rationalize that Jesus died and rose again to set them free. They don’t want to be bound by the things God tells them to do. The assumption is that since salvation is a free gift, and they don’t have to do anything to get it, they shouldn’t have to live a life of obedience to God. So, they obey when it is convenient and rationalize when it isn’t. That’s a formula for unnecessary worry and an indication that God is not in control of your life.



What makes the difference is that when we listen to God’s commandment to follow His counsel, we gain a life filled with His love, peace, and joy. This relationship begins the journey to a transformed life with God because we finally begin to fulfill the reason we were created, which is to glorify God. We can only do that when we are obedient to Him. At the very same time we purpose our lives to be obedient to God, we begin to turn control over to God and something amazing happens…we achieve the greatest joy in life. As our Heavenly Father, He knows what is best for us even though we generally think we know better than anyone. By being obedient, our desires become more in line with His desires and joy is the result.



It’s easy to see why letting God control every aspect of your life can be difficult for many people. What if after all the years you’ve spent trying to climb the corporate ladder to achieve career success you find out that the path you desire isn’t the path God intended for you? Will you feel as if you’ve just wasted years of your life? Will you feel like you’re settling for something less than you think you can achieve? The simple answer is no.



You can take comfort in knowing that because God created you, he knows you even better than you know yourself. He knows how you think, how you feel, and what makes you tick. Also, His love is perfect. When you remove goals, activities, or possessions that have become more important than God in your life, you become truly free from earthly things that weigh you down in ways you didn’t realize. Making God the number one priority and passion in your life changes your entire perspective. You will discover that your goals will be lined up with His goals for you, and you will experience lasting joy and fulfillment. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will change your career but your purpose in the career will be aligned with God’s purpose.



This path is certainly rewarding, but it is not without challenges. You may go through times when you find it difficult to do what God wants you to do. You may not always understand why He wants you to take certain directions, but He asks you to trust Him. He can always see the entire road map even when you might only be able to see a few yards down the road. It is when you continue to follow His lead, even through difficult and uncertain times, that you will be refined and strengthened by Him. You will emerge happier and wiser for having been obedient to God.



What’s stopping you from giving God control of your life today? What you gain will be far greater than anything you give away.



About the Author: Stuart Migdon discovered that his career pursuits left him empty. Upon accepting Jesus, his life turned around and he wrote about his experiences in his new book JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL: 7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God. Go to http://www.LetJesusTakeTheWheel.com for more information on this topic.



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The Road to Fundamentalism

Title: The Road to Fundamentalism
Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D.
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What is the road, the path that leads to fundamentalism? The traditional answer associates fundamentalism with poverty, low educational attainment, and low socioeconomic status in general. This picture has emerged from research such as that by Coreno (2002. "Fundamentalism as class culture," Sociology of Religion 63 No.3 335-360.). The common picture that emerges from sociological research indicates that fundamentalists share a distinct class culture. In this view one might envision all of the factors that coalesce in this culture and see how that might lead to fundamentalism. Ignorance, poverty, and the accompanying hopelessness lead folks to seek hope somewhere.

That "somewhere" comes along in the fundamentalist subculture and the answers it provides. In the face of a none too friendly world, fundamentalism gives hope of a better tomorrow - a "mansion just over the hill top." Those from a higher social status may not impose it, but in one respect Marx is right, religion is an opiate. It becomes a drug that takes away the pain of doing without all one might want and even some of what one might need.



The idea, well established in social and economic theory, of religion as a drug has many other applications as well. Perhaps the problems one is running away from have little to do with economics or education. Perhaps fundamentalism becomes a way to escape from a basically unhappy life. I well remember the answer of many of the church leaders to my problems when I was in the fundamentalist "fold." I was constantly told to doubt my "doubts and believe my beliefs." In this case, fundamentalism becomes a way of escape from the things folks cannot escape by other methods. It becomes a way to "hide one's head in the sand" and simply ignore or discount a reality that is not desired.



Here, we are talking about mass-delusion, mass psychological control. By way of example, in some churches, adherents are taught to believe that miracles are performed regularly right in their church. Yet, the evidence fails to verify such phenomena (a good example can be found in Travis Reed's Associated Press article, "Florida Revival Draws Thousands: Man Claims to be Faith Healer" Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, July 12, 2008).



In fact, in a 2005 controlled study of heart patients reported in the July 2005 edition of The Lancet, no improvements were found in the mortality rates of cardiac patients receiving intercessory prayer. The study followed standard research protocols. The April 2008 American Heart Journal reported that in some situations, intercessory prayer was even correlated with greater mortality among heart patients. Real, bonafide miracles are hard to find and virtually all that are researched can be explained or debunked. Yet, we can see fundamentalism as a type of self-delusion for the hopeless and mass-delusion for the faithful subculture. In this case, fundamentalism works for those who are desperate and grasping at straws or lacking intellectual integrity.



Burton, in a 1989 article in the Journal of Religious Research, takes the common notion that fundamentalists are less educated than other identifiable religious groupings to task. This body of research found the relationship between education level and fundamentalism weak. This makes a sort of intuitive sense. There are many fundamentalist and evangelical colleges, many of them liberal arts colleges. My fundamentalist friends are certainly, as a whole, not less educated. I don't think we can really attribute the gullibility of fundamentalists to less education. It might be more a case of a qualitatively different education. Fundamentalists and children of fundamentalists attend schools where it is automatically assumed that "all truth is God's truth" and the "the Bible is the inspired, inerrant word of God." Therefore, they are led to believe that no "true" information can ever contradict the Bible.



In contrast, I teach at a non-fundamentalist, church-related, liberal arts college. One of our main missions, if not the main mission, is to create critical thinkers. With critical thinking, the truth is open to question. To question sacred positions held by many in our society requires courage - especially if one's questioning results in novel answers. In short, critical thinking can be painful and cause distress. From this perspective, fundamentalists are seeking a world that makes sense, and they cannot bear living with ambiguity. Therefore, they opt for unquestioning certainty. It is those people, those who cannot bear to live a life of ambiguity and would rather believe than investigate, who ultimately become attracted to fundamentalism.



About the Author: James C. Alexander, Ph.D. is an education professor at a church related college and a bi-vocational minister who publishes regularly in the areas of education and religion. His latest book is Stories of a Recovering Fundamentalism: Understanding and Responding to Christian Absolutism. His blog site is located at Repentant Fundie.



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