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The Christian Woman among Cosmopolitan Chicks
by Ronali dela Cruz Hello there. I'm a Christian woman living in an age of "Cosmopolitan," "FHM," and "Maxim." As a freelance writer of feature articles, I often check out the racks at bookstores and newsstands to investigate potential markets. I would have loved it if more literary magazines are sold. And then I see copies of "Cosmopolitan," a widely-circulating glossy magazine for young adult women, and "FHM" and "Maxim," which claim to be two of the top magazines for men. I squirm and cringe at the way women are portrayed at such magazines. Actresses and models are scantily clad, leaving very little to the reader's imagination. These reading materials glorify the female body as something to be lusted over. Men, being visual creatures by nature, are attracted to females primarily because of their physical appearance. Most of the photographs in men's magazines have been airbrushed, making them extremely appealing and enticing. They feed the dragons of men's passions. They promote the idea that women are to cater to men's desires. And since men may not always have access to sexual activity, they think poring through such magazines could somehow relieve some of those passions. As a Christian woman, I'm fully aware that I'm living in an age plagued with the philosophies of post-modernism--an age when there are no longer any moral absolutes and values gave way to "open-mindedness" and "political correctness." However, the Bible is still equally as explicit in saying that sex is to be within the boundaries of marriage. Our modern times promote sexual promiscuity everywhere, especially in the media. Modern situation comedies and soap operas present us with men and women willingly compromising their moral standards without thinking of the consequences. Likewise, glossy magazines promote permissive attitudes towards sex. The pressure to liberate ourselves from our sexual inhibitions drives many women to immodesty and immorality. But as Christian women, we have been set apart to reverse the cultural trend to indulge in sensual lust. God wasn't being a prude when He commanded Christians to keep themselves sexually pure. On the contrary, He wants a man and a woman to find sexual fulfillment in a committed marriage relationship. Let us not conform to the thinking that all that matters is our sex appeal and our bodies. We have minds to allow us to discern right from wrong and hearts to reach out to others in love. No matter what "Cosmopolitan," "FHM," and "Maxim" tell us, we women are more than just the measurements of our busts, waists, and hips. Let us consider the benefits of practicing purity in our thoughts and actions, and give glory to our Lord. I am a freelance writer conceptualizing different types of feature articles for the print and Internet market. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |