Christian Romantic Fiction: Porn's Eviler Cousin

That'll do it. Now people will read this blog, and then stop reading forever.

I was just reading Prodigal John's recent post on Christian Romantic Fiction and I remembered I wanted to do a post on this.

I seriously do think that Christian Romantic Fiction is more insidious for Christian women than pornography is for men. Considering my considerable experience with pornography (see my post on 3 years of Freedom - soon to be 4), I consider myself a sort of lay-expert (pun not originally intended but now left in on purpose).

Since porn is a false god set in place of an appropriate view of God's intention for sexuality, and since it is addictive, and since it is so destructive, it is obviously bad. But because it is so obviously dangerous, huge battles are fought over it. Your local Family Christian Store retail outlet isn't going to carry it.

However, since Christian Romantic Fiction is written by Christians and is about Christians in ministry situations (why, if the Prairie-Living schoolmarm, Marie, isn't able to tame the wildness of David Gideon's rebellious but lonely heart by the end of the 28th Chapter, I don't know if I'll be able to live with this world), it clearly belongs in our Christian stores.

My mom's not reading this, and she's not going to, and neither will my dad, so I'm pretty safe here I think, but if not, I guess this is no surprise to either of them: My mom probably read every book by Brock and Bodie Thoene, and she did so (and does so) because she had and has a desire for genuine affection. When my dad didn't give it, she found it in these formulaic, sanctified romance novels.

It's Danielle Steele meets Jesus and Zondervan publishing house on the same day.

So why is it eviler? It's been baptized and cleansed by its presence in the bookstore alongside legitimate Christian writings. At least we recognize that porn is dark and we don't let it in the front door. This stuff arrives in broad daylight, ready to seduce hearts with saccharine-sweet "goodness."

Just one more example of being "Of the world but not in it."

You saw it here first

I was just goofing around with the "Live Trace" feature of my Adobe Illustrator CS3 program, trying to figure out some silk-screening stuff, and here we have it: Mr. Cool smiling!

I don't believe it had ever been photographed before, and I'm fairly certain it hasn't been photographed since.

You're welcome, world.

Soon, spray-painted Che Guevara faces on utility boxes and stop signs will be replaced with this revolutionary mug right here.

By the way, it's 2:59 a.m.