Is it wrong for Christians to have strippers at their Bachelor/Bachelorette Party? (mystic, soul)

[Jrhockney]

Originally Posted by vplegend

I would like to see a Christian, debate these scriptures:

Lusting over a stripper is a sin

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body."
-1 Cor 6:18

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."
-2 Timothy 2:22

"But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
-Matthew 5:28

"For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell."
-Job 31:11

Just for fun, I'll give it a try since I know alot about this topic from my own research and past discussions with both very conservative and very liberal Christians. I can't exactly refute them with 100% certainty regarding the exact meaning, but I may be able to throw some reasonable doubt upon what constitutes Lust, Sexual immorality, and the overall meaning of these verses.

"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body."
-1 Cor 6:18

The Greek word for Sexual immorality in this verse actually "porneia" which literally means "prostitution," which would make sense in this context. In another part of Corinthians, Paul also references a old testament incident where 23000 worshiped a false God through "porneia" so Paul may be concerned with idolatry since the Greek prostitutes were often cultic worshippers with their act and there was no direct law against non-cultic prostitution in the Torah which it had a separate Hebrew word for.

"But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
-Matthew 5:28

This is an important verse to jump to since it forms the basis for modern Christian belief on lust because since Jesus was interpreting the Torah in a why we may not immediately understand. One thing to remember about this verse is that it uses 3 words that need to be looked at: "Lust/Covet," "Adultery" and "woman." The word lust is and English made word based on the word the Greek epithumia (Covet) which has its basis from the 10th commandment which discusses not Coveting anything that belongs to your neighbor (that are not for sale by the neighbor) which would include their wives. Considering the neighbor could still sell his slaves and other parts of his property (maybe even wives in some cases), Coveting in this case may be more of a desire of theft. The Greek word for "look" in this verse is also more of a obsessive "gaze" word as well so it makes sense.

Adultery was also a very specific sin which involved sleeping with another mans wife which was a violation of both property and potentially lineage and always brought the punishment of death. In the Torah, it was not called adultery if he slept with someone that was not someones wife (though they might have been considered by many to be married by the act and after a dowry was paid if it was a virgin and the father said ok). The Greek word for Woman in this verse is "Gyne" which can mean both Woman and wife (a few early English bibles even translated it as wife) and given the Adultery context, Jesus may more likely be referring to Coveting their neighbors wives. Given that God created in us the innate ability to fantasize and the instinct seek the opposite sex, the idea that coveting may just mean obsessively desiring someones wife (or any property or anything more than God) may not be such a stretch.

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."
-2 Timothy 2:22

I agree with this for the most part, but the word for Passions here is again epithumia with is "coveting." Not all coveting is bad though, only the coveting with a negative connotation since even Jesus "coveted" the last supper. I'm not sure I would put all actual Youthful passions in a bad or sinful category since some of them involve the continuity of our species.

"For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell."
-Job 31:11

The word "lust" is not actually in the Hebrew of the verse (its really a English plant by the translators based on what they think was being talked about). It might still be lust though considering if you read above the verse, he's talking about desiring another mans wife or property.

Well, how did I do?! lol. I'm mostly just playing devils advocate here (not literally though eventhough Twin might disagree lol), but I do think there is something significant to these arguments that needs considered since there are potentially many situations where us Christians overstepping our bounds biblically condemning things that aren't necessarily condemn-able. I personally do feel its wise to err on the side of caution on topics like this and I have a hard time imagining Jesus (or myself for that matter) spending some of his precious time on earth to go see and oogle at a stripper. There are many slippery slopes to fall down on issues like this but I find myself hesitant to immediately condemn a Christian for getting slightly turned on when appreciating the "beauty" of stripper when they are not obsessing over them...I still wouldn't recommend putting ourselves in that kind of situation though.

[monumentus]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

No, not just to me

Not funny. You know what I mean. When I say "to you" I do not mean you specifically. But you and your cohorts compared to those who have a different interpretation - who are also quite numerous.

[AliciaWilliams]

If you have to ask, the answer is probably yes, it is wrong.

[MORebelWoman]

If one is a true Christian, one would not even want strippers.

[trumpethim]

Duh!

How about:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Or maybe: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

I think that if you are serious about your faith, it is a good time to stand up FOR your faith.

[MysticPhD]

I was always pretty wild before I married. I courted my wife for 6 years before she let me catch her. She wanted to be sure I was sure and there were no "unsown Oats." My Bachelor party was fun . . . but absolutely no strippers or other sexually arousing stimuli. I saw no point in stimulating my body when there was no chance that I would engage in the activity my body was being stimulated about. I was (and remain) totally committed to my wife. We never even undress in front of one another after all these years. We refuse to expose ourselves to the stimuli until we intend to do what the arousal provokes. It has served us well. I recommend it. We have been married happily for 51 years. I don't know what the guidelines for a Christian are . . . but I know what we used.

[augiedogie]

Strippers at a party would be completely inappropriate for a Christian. The best witness the OP could give in this case is to not attend.

[nateswift]

No problem with having strippers at all..... the problems start when you watch them.

[Newsboy]

How about this: It's inappropriate for ANY groom to have strippers at his bachelor party! Any fellow who's in love and about to commit his life to another woman for life shouldn't want to be tempted by such nonsense. It's a stupid tradition. Sure, boys will be boys. But men should behave as men. I'd have worlds of respect for any guy who told his buds "thanks, but no thanks" on this issue. And I'm sure his future bride would too!

[other99]

:

Originally Posted by nateswift

Why in the world would a Christian have a stripper at a party?

Wondering about the same thing.