Jerry Falwell, Jr, the president of ultra-Christian Liberty University gleefully photographed himself cavorting (trousers unzipped, drink in hand) on a yacht with a woman to whom he isn’t married.
The only reason to care about this is that Liberty University has a strict code of conduct for students that prohibits non-marital sex and consuming any media with erotic content or nudity.
Hypocritical Christian leaders like Falwell give sex a bad name.
As you may know, I lecture around the country on various aspects of sexuality: from how couples can have better sex, to how therapists can work with issues such as infidelity, to innovative public policy.
I love presenting “Talking with your kids about sex,” which I do for various parent groups—including at Catholic high schools.
Except right now, Catholic high schools think they have too much going on to bring me in. And if they want a speaker about sexuality, they think they need something focused on exploitation, consent, and recovering from trauma.
The “First Amendment Defense Act”—who could quarrel with that? I do. Maybe you do, too. HR2802 prohibits the federal government from acting against anyone who “believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief” that gays shouldn’t marry or that sex belongs only in heterosexual marriage. Under this law, the feds couldn’t withhold tax exemptions, contracts, or loans from people or corporations defying federal laws prohibiting discrimination against GLBT people. The bill would protect a business denying time off for a gay employee to care for a sick spouse. It would protect a private school refusing a child just because…
In a recent op-ed piece, New York Times writer Frank Bruni says “I’ve been called many unpleasant things in my life…but I chafe at this latest label: A threat to your religious liberty.” Bruni is gay, and he resents people claiming that their religion allows them to discriminate against same-gender couples and individuals in arenas such as marriage, parenting, and employment. Indeed, an increasing number of bakers, photographers and other wedding vendors are claiming the right to not serve gay couples. I totally agree—it’s pathetic that adults hide behind religion to selfishly and piously opt out of our American constitutional…
I’m in New York training psychologists this week, and as I always do here, I visited a neighborhood with a professional guide. On previous trips I’ve toured Harlem, Wall Street, Brooklyn Heights, Midtown, Upper Park Avenue, and several other neighborhoods. This year we went to Williamsburg, home to the most insular and religious community of Hasidic Jews in North America. The group is called the Satmars, who came to this country from Eastern Europe after WWII. They dress meticulously like the nobility of 18th century Lithuania/Poland. Even in summer, the men wear long sleeve white shirts, black vests, long black…
In the wake of the DOMA and Proposition 8 Supreme Court decisions opening the door to same-sex marriage across America, churches have expressed anxiety. For years they’ve said that gay marriage would destroy straight marriage and the family. But what about the church? Here are some answers that should clarify and perhaps comfort those concerned. […]