I read a good historical fiction book written from the perspective of Alexander the Great (“Virtues of War” by Steven Pressfield). In it Alexander was incredibly intelligent and their culture was complex and mature. But in it he mentions that it was a normal and accepted practice for army commanders to take under-age boys as lovers. They also mentored the boys and the boys willingly took part.
How do you guys feel about that?
Something in me says that’s gone too far. And I’d say that our culture is pretty against it too. I feel that the worst crime in the current public’s eye is probably pedophilia.
But it seems to me that about 100 years ago homosexuality was about as taboo as pedophilia now is. Any historians out there? Is that about accurate?
But it seems that now homosexuality has become almost as commonplace and accepted as the pedophilia in the Alexandrian times.
I’m not saying that homosexuality is wrong (it’s such a difficult dilemma), but I am wondering where our cultural warming (like global warming) will take us. I think we can say that the general moral warming, or moral creep, of our nation seems to have been a culture-driven change up until now. So that makes me wonder if it’s in the culture’s hands to be stewards over it and determine where lines should be drawn?
Where and how should we draw a line? Is it for our government to do? Or our churches? I’m afraid we’ve seen that if the churches draw a line that is more strict than the government’s, the church will be VERY uncool for ‘discriminating’ or even perpetrating ‘hate crimes.’ When really they are probably doing what they feel is their part to hold the moral compass of a culture that they feel is losing its polar magnetism.
Just some thoughts. Please consider these things with grace and love toward all our fellow humans, and to me. These are really difficult dilemmas and ultimately we all want what is best for all of us. God help us.
📷
Raw Spoon. 10-22-15
