Common Knowledge?

You know what the problem with common knowledge is? Apparently nobody knows what that means. Along with common knowledge, there is also a lack of common sense. Just in case you do not know, common knowledge and common sense are the gathered wisdom of the community that keeps us from making complete and utter idiots of ourselves. Sadly, though, that community is slipping away, as is the collected wisdom of the ages, but here is one gem that endures:
Stop sending nudie pictures of yourself to others. This is such a bad idea. In fact, do not take any picture of yourself that is only suitable for the dermatologist to see when he or she is looking for moles. Nobody wants to see that, even if they have asked to see that.
Frankly, I am not sure why you would be communicating with anyone who wants you to send them nude pictures. Does that person really respect you? Of course not! If you have to ask if someone respects you, they do not. If someone asks to have pictures of this nature, this is not leading to a mutual and life giving experience. It is leading to YouTube and a segment on Tosh.o.
Nothing good will ever come from this, and yet people persist in filming themselves, photographing themselves and sending these Kodak moments. Why? I guess because they think others would like to look at them. Somehow they believe that the masses will be overcome with awe after viewing the offending shots. In reality, we are making fun of your bits and pieces.
I guess actually, the people who send these pictures are not thinking at all. They are not wondering why anyone would want to see them. They are not thinking about how their wives or husbands might feel. I wonder if they think that they look good, that they are alluring.
Well, let me answer that for you: there is nothing alluring about you putting it all out there for everybody and his uncle to see. No mystery there at all. Might I suggest instead, meet that person for coffee and see if you would even be willing to talk to him or her with their clothing on. If not, walk away, put the camera away! Believe that you are worthy of respect. Believe that your body is not just a tool for someone else, but a beautiful and glorious part of the whole of you!
Oh how I wish this was common knowledge. I wish people saw their bodies as temples, not idols. I wish people saw their bodies as something to share with another, not a commodity to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. I wish we saw our bodies as part of that glorious body of Christ- broken in parts, strong in other parts, but all part of the purpose and love of God. I guess this is not common knowledge.
Well, here it is folks, a new (or very old) piece of common knowledge. Let us make this a piece of common knowledge that our bodies demand respect and care from ourselves and each other.
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Comments

Jace Paul said…
Sending photos to anyone you don't know is obviously a foolish choice. I take issue with the prudish view of sex presented here, however. Our bodies are unique and precious, and ought to be treated as such. But we're also sexual beings; this "body of Christ" view is antiquated, and in my view, patriarchal. It's almost never applied equally to men and women. Men can be aggressive sexual beings but women, the historical church has taught, must not take pleasure in their bodies. This is conservative and tyrannical viewpoint that needs to be put to rest. Men and women, as part of a holistic approach to good mental and physical health, should embrace their sexuality and make responsible expressions of it.
June 24, 2011 at 6:10 PM
Angela Elain Gambrel said…
As Christians, we are part of the "body of Christ." I think the point here is to have respect for yourself and not plaster the world with nude or near-nude pictures of yourself. Every time I see a picture of a woman posing in a thong, bikini, or other ultra-revealing piece of clothing, I think that she must have little respect for herself and she is just desperate to show off her body - and that's when it becomes a commodity. When we make our bodies commodities, we are accepting the world's values - not Christ's values. And I know from experience that can be very dangerous.
June 25, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Jace Paul said…
I agree that women shouldn't be objectified, of course. But then, why are women always the "product" of male figures in your faith? A male god creates a "helper" female; she comes from Adam the first male, and women are pieces of a male savior's body. Isn't the implicit message here that women are secondary to men? You have to admit, the authors of the bible didn't even have feminism on their radar - women were classified as just slightly more valuable than other types of property. In pregnancy, they thought the male semen was the actual genesis of life while women were just the incubators, they had no idea that genetic information was provided by both genders. Even Paul's view of women was pretty poor.

Anyway, there are only opinions in faith, no truths, so ultimately it's your right to believe as you wish.
June 25, 2011 at 11:54 AM
sherry said…
I am going to shift the comments here....I remember Mary from when I was on the Diocesan Standing Committee and she was in seminary.

It is my hope that something like this message could be heard by the young people of our world. I wish that something like this message was the beginning, middle and end of what passes for sex ed in the state of Louisiana....and I just linked to this post via my facebook wall.

Sherry
June 27, 2011 at 3:32 PM
Dixie said…
In my experience, men are the weaker sex. Especially when it comes to good judgement and naked photos. The evidence speaks for itself though....
June 28, 2011 at 3:49 PM
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