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April 08, 2007
He is Risen, Indeed: Horndog Preachers Speak Out
Discussions of evangelical Christians rarely mention s-e-x in a positive light. The shenanigans of Jimmy Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and now Ted Haggard keep alive that stereotype of repression and acting out.
"Completely heterosexual" Haggard was back in the news lately with an L. A. Times article about his sleazoid behavior when he was still leading the New Life Church in Colorado. The article said,
As an example of Haggard's inappropriate remarks, [associate pastor Rob] Brendle cited the pastor's boast to a documentary filmmaker that "evangelicals have the best s-e-x life of any other group."In front of the church, with the cameras rolling, Haggard pulled aside two men from his congregation and asked how often their wives experienced orgasm. The clip made the documentary, Alexandra Pelosi's "Friends of God," and is now featured on YouTube.com.
That is thought-provoking, I must say. I wonder if any of the 50 famous rabbis have asked their synagogue presidents that kind of question about their wives. That approach could certainly liven up those board or Brotherhood meetings.
If Haggard represents the corrosive side of evangelicals and s-e-x, then TV preacher James Robison stands for a more positive image. I never would have imagined this. You see, back in my, shall we say, religiously eclectic phase as a teenager, I heard Robison speak several times. He was a young, hard-edged pulpit thumper who could call down hellfire in a Texas accent so uncompromising that he made President Bush sound like Dame Edna. I moved away from that phase, thank HaShem, and lost interest in Robison, although I would at times flip past his TV show.
I flipped past recently and something made me stop. He looked the same, just 35 years older, and he sounded positively jovial. Here's why: he and his wife were talking to another couple about s-e-x.
I had to stop and enjoy an electronic visit with the Robisons and the Rosbergs, Gary and Barbara, or, as they call themselves, America's Family Coaches. The discussion had an awkwardness about it, but they made some good points. I jotted down that Barbara Rosberg said, "Women love affirmation." The Tiffany's ads in the Northwest passage leading out of Grand Central Terminal make the very same point these days, albeit from a different perspective.
I was amazed at Robison's transformation. Aging and perhaps smart media advisors smoothed the rough edges off. But 35 years changed me, too.
The discussion moved on the Song of Songs a/k/a Shir Ha-Shirim. Flipping through the Rosbergs' website, I found quite a detailed discussion of this book from an eroto-Christian perspective, dealing with the language of these matters. I can't really quote much of this essay by Ryan Howes, but it charmed me with its explicit interpretations of Shlomo ha-Melech's vocabulary. Whether the wise Sages of our tradition agree with these views, I'll leave that to my more learned co-bloggers to tell, but I like what I read. What, for example, might be the true meaning of such phrases as:
feed among the lilies
enter the garden
myrrh
orchard of pomegranates (yeah, baby)
garden of nuts (that's too easy)
Better yet, provide your own interpretations, and let Brother Robison know the Jewish view of these matters. Does "feed among the lilies" really refer to the rush to the hummus at the post-service kiddush?
Van | 04/08/07 at 10:42 AM | Categories: Sensual pleasures
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