MetaFilter posts tagged with sex and religion

Get your schadenfreude here

reenum — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:53:08 -0800

Recently, there have been a host of websites that delight in exposing the inanity and stupidity of our society. There is the granddaddy, Overheard in New York, which recounts silly conversations heard in the Big Apple, as well as a host of similar sites. There are now a variety of such websites, dedicated to different aspects of our society. First, there are the ones targeted at different groups: STFU, Marrieds, STFU, Parents, STFU, Believers, and My Roommate is Such a Dick. Then, there are the ones that expose the silliness and inanity in our communications: Texts From Last Night, My Drunk Texts, Passive Aggressive Notes, and Lamebook. Relationships and sex loom large as well: Disgusting People I Have Made Out With, Why My Ex Sucks, and I Bang the Worst Dudes. Finally, there is just plain bad luck or failure: F My Life and FAIL Blog. Bonus: Awkward Family Photos and Hot Chicks With Douchebags

Saving Sin City

zarq — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:50:46 -0800

Two Christian ministries, Hookers for Jesus and JC's Girls aim to "save" Las Vegas sex workers from their professions by introducing them to Christianity. Their founders, Annie Lobert and Heather Veitch (respectively,) both ex-sex workers, have been the focus of various interviews & documentaries, and have produced an outreach video series on YouTube: "Saving Sex City: 1, 2, 3, 4. (The series has a MySpace page, as well.) Also see XXXChurch, which targets porn addiction and has been featured previously on MeFi. Lobert recently participated in a rather surreal ABC Nightline "Faceoff" debate regarding the existence of Satan. Predictably, not everyone is thrilled with the groups' names or methods.

Let's Talk about Sex (Ed).

lunit — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:19:53 -0800

Let's Talk About Sex. Challenging the convention that Americans are reluctant to have sexual health issues taught in school, the surveys show that most parents, along with educators and students themselves, would expand sexual education courses and curriculum. In the meantime, some churches are offering their own curriculum, based on guidelines developed by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust

KokuRyu — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:22:38 -0800

Christian Sex Retailing. Christian Sex Toy Retailing There's a new sexual revolution happening, and the people driving it are not exactly a bunch of free-love libertines. Many people probably think of evangelical Christians as being more preoccupied with denying the pleasures of the flesh. Christianity has always had a lot to say about sexuality. But attitudes are changing and new approaches to Christian sex are emerging. Dagmar Herzog was interviewed today on CBC's The Current (second segment, requires Flash Player), and, who says in a recent interview with Salon: For liberals, sex has become the problem that has no name; one simply does not hear liberals articulate a defense of sexual rights. Instead, what we have witnessed is a coalescing of conservative evangelical and mainstream secular perspectives on sex. The conversation on sex in America -- when sex is discussed in a serious and earnest way at all -- tends largely to adopt the parameters set by the Religious Right. Herzog's new book. A collection of print interviews with Herzog can be found here. Five years after Wilson gave birth to her first child, she and her husband, Kevin, wanted to spice up their nights in the boudoir, but did not want to go to a store and were offended by pornographic pop-ups on some online shops. To provide options suitable to their marriage bed, the two founded a website, which features everything from condoms to massage lotions to vibrators. The California couple’s favourite purchase? A pair of remote-control vibrating faux leather panties she wears out in public. “It’s fun and nobody else knows,” Preschern said. [previously]

Saint and Sinner

carsonb — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:25:16 -0800

Rasa von Werder is the current name of one Kellie Everts [NSFW], stripper for God, bodybuilder, and church-founder. During the 70's she toured the nation on the novel concept that a stripper could save souls, and during the same time helped establish female bodybuilding as a legitimate sport. Nowadays she tends the followers of her female empowerment doctrines via the University of MotherGod Church, Woman Thou Art God! [NSFW] website and her Matriarchy RAMANA MAHARSHI Mother God Worship Femdom YouTube channel. via the excellent coisas do arco da velha, and mentioned previously on MeFi by the incomparable madamjujujive.

30 day sex (or no sex) challenge

ThePinkSuperhero — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:59:20 -0800

A church in Tampa, FL has issued a 30-day sex challenge: If you're married, have sex every day (PDF of daily workbook). If you're not married, don't have sex at all (PDF of daily workbook). There's a blog, there's a billboard, there's a lot of press. Wirth told CBS News he believes most people go into marriage "without really knowing each other emotionally, without knowing their partner's emotional needs, and this (the challenge) is a way for people to discover their greatest needs -- both married and non-married couples."

Nick Cave, the Black Crow King, is fifty today

the_very_hungry_caterpillar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:59:54 -0800

NickCaveFilter: Fifty years ago this very day, Nicholas Edward Cave [previously] crawled from the womb and started to plot. At 16 he formed his first band which evolved quickly into the Boys Next Door [Shivers]. This in turn mutated into the Birthday Party (1980) who terrorised the post-punk soundscape in Australia and the UK [Release the Bats | Nick the Stripper]. The Birthday Party relocated to England and in 1984 the band imploded in an orgy of drugs and booze. Shortly after Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were born [The Ship Song - video & solo live | The Mercy Seat - video & live | Where the Wild Roses Grow], and 23 years and 11 studio albums later (not to mention a best selling book, a great screenplay, some acting and several soundtrack projects) he is still going strong. But, instead of sitting on his musical laurels he decided to get back to basics and, in 2006, grew a huge moustache and formed Grinderman – a four piece with a primeval hybrid Birthday Party/Bad Seeds sound [No Pussy Blues | Honey Bee]. Fellow Mefites, I ask you to raise a glass to Mr. Cave… And, especially if you are not familiar to his work, don’t forget to “look inside” for my primer on the enigma that is Nick Cave, one of the finest song-writers on the face of this miserable planet. The Boys Next Door released a couple of singles and an album, Door, Door (1979) [although the early Birthday Party singles and debut LP were originally credited to the Boys Next Door]. Not much remains except for the LP (re-released on CD), the promo video for the single Shivers, an interview and one decent live recording (1977). The Birthday Party were a tour de force, fuelled primarily by booze and drugs. They made three stunning LPs, the eponymous Birthday Party (later re-released with two singles as Hee-Haw ), Prayers on Fire and Junkyard. The band imploded in 1984 with Mick Harvey leaving the band temporarily. Check out: Junkyard, Sonny’s Burning, Deep in the Woods [discography]. (Mick Harvey gets an honourable mention as he is ever present in Nick Cave’s music, 24 years to date, playing drums, bass, guitar and keys at diferent times. He has also release several critically acclaimed solo LPs.) Cave re-surfaced straight away with Mick Harvey, Barry Adamson and Blixa Bargeld as the Bad Seeds. (Blixa Bargeld of Einsturzende Neubauten also gets an honourable mention, playing guitar with the Bad Seeds from 1984 to 2003.) The Bad Seeds hit hard with From Her to Eternity (1984), taking up the primeval growl where the final Birthday Party EPs left off [ From Her to Eternity | I Put a Spell On You]. They also released a cover of In the Ghetto. (Elvis and Johnny Cash are strong influences in Cave’s music, along with John Lee Hooker, the Stooges and Nina Simone.) They followed this with The Firstborn Is Dead (1985), with a more laid back, bluesy edge (although Cave dislikes this being referred to as bluesy) [ Tupelo | Wanted Man]. 1986 saw two LP releases: Kicking Against the Pricks (an LP of cover versions, including Hey, Joe) and Your Funeral, My Trial (a really dark LP with a dense sound) [The Carny, featured in Wim Wenders “Wings of Desire”, and also Scum, for the journos] [Interview] 1988 saw Tender Prey released (selfIndulganceFilter: my personal favourite, along with Henry’s Dream). The album has a fantastic Elvis-esque sleeve and contains The Mercy Seat (widely regarded as Cave’s signature tune and played at most of his shows since 1988, and covered by Johnny Cash) [Deanna | Mercy]. Cave, Bargeld and Harvey scored the soundtrack to Ghosts… Of the Civil Dead, in which Cave acted as well as co-writing the screenplay. The Good Son [1990] was Cave's first release after kicking his heroin addiction, and he produced his most accessible music to date. Songs such as the Weeping Song saw Cave attract a new audience with a mellower sound [Jack the Ripper]. In 1991 a road movie filmed in B/W on Cine 8 called The Road To God Knows Where was released. Henry’s Dream (1992) is an intense LP [Straight to You | I Had a Dream, Joe] which is captured vividly in their Live at the Paradiso video. 1994 saw Let Love In [Red Right Hand], and in 1995 Cave dueted with Kylie Minogue on Where the Wild Roses Grow. [Written interview]. This single was included on Murder Ballads (1996) [Stagger Lee], which also included Henry Lee (with PJ Harvey). He also rejected his MTV Award. 1998 saw the release of The Boatman’s Call - a really beautiful, chilled piano led LP [Into My Arms | Lime Tree Arbour | Far From Me | People Ain’t No Good ]. Cave’s debut novel, And the Ass Saw the Angel was released in 1999. In 2000 he released Secret Life of the Love Song & The Flesh Made Word – two philosophical lectures [transcript]. 2001 saw the mellow No More Shall We Part released [God is in the House | Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow], followed in 2003 by Nocturama (not their finest, best left alone) The double LP Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus was released in 2004. A truly beautiful LP, characterised by a lush production (and featuring members of The London Community Gospel Choir) [Nature Boy | Breathless | Abbatoir Blues | Oh My Lord]. The film The Proposition was released in 2005 (a gritty Western, set in Australia) and as well as writing the screenplay, he and Warren Ellis also recorded the soundtrack. 2006 saw Cave form Grinderman, a raw, stripped down four piece recording and mixing their debut (Grinderman, 2007) in 12 days [Grinderman | Electric Alice | interview]. Cave is joined by Martyn P. Casey, Warren Ellis and Jim Sclavunos – all from the Bad Seeds. Even at 49 Cave was kicking against the pricks. Their debut live performance was at the All Tomorrows Parties festival (2007) and... (selfIndulganceFilter:) I was there! [And finally... Other Cave YouTube Interviews, and other performances: John the Revelator, I feel so Good, Mack the Knife]

A Teenage Guide to Self-Control

punkfloyd — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:28:37 -0800

At a certain age, young people get seemingly uncontrollable urges. But, in accordance with God's plan, these urges must be controlled.

Sex toys for Christians

Roger Dodger — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:23:29 -0800

Book22 is named after the 22nd book of the Bible, Song of Solomon. Apparently, it's also a great place for married couples to pick up their intimate items. And, also an opportunity to share the gospel. Note that these are links to an online sex toy shop, NSFW, though safer than most online sex toy shops.

That was a great orgy. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?

saysthis — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 10:23:11 -0800

Now that's what I call a Jesus Freak. A movement out of Phoenix, AZ, that hotbed of fornication, to reform what it means to be a Christian. They've got some interesting ideas (even if they don't always do a good job of defending them), and of course there are people who like this idea and people who don't.

a penguin love story

digaman — Sat, 07 Feb 2004 11:29:04 -0800

Birds do it, bees do it... homosexual attachment and lovemaking are widespread in the animal kingdom, say biologists like Bruce Bagemihl, author of "Biological Exuberance." [For a longer, better-edited version of the same article, go here, but NYT reg. required.] Not everyone agrees, particularly those apt to quote the Bible to justify claims of a "natural revulsion to perverse sex."

Bible Sex Stories

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 30 Apr 2003 04:08:39 -0800

Bible Sex Stories: The Good Book's dirty bits explained. Pssst, wanna snack while you read? [From the always entertaining Jewsweek; Definitely NSFW or for those still with one foot still out of their handbasket to Hell.]

A Remainder of Fear

The Jesse Helms — Mon, 25 Nov 2002 07:29:15 -0800

If you have sex before marriage, you will die. Why is fear so often used to promote an agenda?

magullo — Fri, 30 Nov 2001 06:23:09 -0800

The Vatican incensed at distribution of the morning after pill and sex manuals in Afghan refugee camps. "They will introduce young men and women to an individualistic and irresponsible use of sexual pleasure". In a refugee camp? Hello?