Casual sex is a growing phenomenon. When considering current world views, I am often a noob, so I looked to one of the most culturally reliable sources known to mankind—Urban Dictionary. This "wise" book defines causal sex as, “Having sexual contact with another person with no plans on furthering a long term/committed relationship with that person. I had causal sex with him/her because I needed sexual gratification and nothing more.” Living in the moment, feeling good, indulging lusty pleasures, and one night stands are normal standards to live by. Modern day media is pumping people’s brains full of an incorrect view of sex, “I know you want me. I made it obvious that I want you too. So put it on me. Let’s remove the space between me and you.” This song is one of the many anthems about the cultural normative of indulging in physical attraction and sexual tension between two people—who are generally strangers. While new “love” is fun, society allows the fleeting excitement to override potential personal danger. Although modern day culture supports casual sex, I believe that engaging in this act has negative effects. In this article, we will be discussing casual sex in the modern day culture, how it is destroying our society, and viewing the Christian worldview in light of the recent “hookup culture.”
Similar to Iglesias, our good friend, Salt-N-Pepa, opens the discussion for this topic, “Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be. Let’s talk about sex.” If only he intended for his song to begin a discussion on an important topic. Unfortunately, if you continue listening to his song, you would realize that Salt-n-Pepa is just the opening act for Iglesias. Both musicians are simply stating the societal worldview. “Casual sex… has become prevalent among adolescents and young adults… Regarding the prediction of causal sex, Nabi & Clark (2008)… have suggested that when individuals find a media main character who engages in causal sex more likable, they are more likely to engage in causal sex themselves.” The media pollutes society’s minds with the lies of fulfillment via casual sex, thus making the phenomenon increasingly more familiar in modern society. This promiscuous lifestyle is destroying our culture and infecting it with shallow values.
Casual sex is becoming more and more common. A Pew Research Statistic conducted in 2007 states, “A strong majority (75%) of Gen Next Americans (18-25 year olds) say today’s youth are more likely to have casual sex than were young people 20 years ago.” Only 20 years ago people had much less casual sex than today. The current worldview tells people that to be happy, everyone needs to do what they want, whenever they want to do it, no matter the consequences. It is all about the instant gratification. Rather than caring about what long-term effects engaging in causal sex have on an individual, they just go for what they think will make them happy in the moment;
“‘Hookups,’ or uncommitted sexual encounters, are becoming progressively more ingrained in popular culture, reflecting both evolved sexual predilections and changing social and sexual scripts…A review of the literature suggests that these encounters are becoming increasingly normative among adolescents and young adults in North America, representing a marked shift in openness and acceptance of uncommitted sex. We reviewed the current literature on sexual hookups and considered the multiple forces influencing hookup culture, using examples from popular culture to place hooking up in context. We argue that contemporary hookup culture is best understood as the convergence of evolutionary and social forces during the developmental period of emerging adulthood.”
The incorrect ideals about casual sex have led to a “hookup culture.” This worldview is setting the stage for the generations to come. Not only is it negatively affecting the current generation, it is already negatively affecting the future generations.
“Hookup culture” blatantly expresses a non-Christian worldview. The world is becoming an extremely God-less world. A Biblical worldview is one that aligns with values that Jesus preaches, yet our society chooses to live counter-Christ. This is a nation-wide norm. The Bible clearly states that sex ought to be between a man and his wife. Culture turns the opposite way from God’s plan and negates His intention for sex. “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.” Sexual immorality is a hot topic in the New Testament. One of the ways sexual immorality is often committed is via sex outside of marriage or casual sex. This is so polar to what society preaches. The media is constantly telling its viewers to live in their fantasy world, lust after whoever, have sex with anyone, live and not consider the side-effects. Sex is something created by God to be special, perfect, and holy. Sex (within the context of marriage) ought to be an act of service from one spouse to the other. Paul says;
“The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”
Paul describes sex between a husband and wife, as a selfless act. The spouses bodies are no longer for themselves, but for each other. Today, sex is just for the pleasure of one. Sure, there are two people involved in casual sex, but the person initially seeking the lusty pleasure is only looking out for their own interests. It becomes a game of "what can I get from my sexual partner," rather than, "what can I give to my sexual partner." Our culture is cheapening the beauty of sex. It is tainting the intended purpose for engaging in intercourse. Maintaining a “hookup culture” is dirtying the pure act of sex in a marital context.
Although modern day culture supports casual sex, I believe that engaging in this act has negative effects. In the course of this article, I hope to have discussed what casual sex is and means in the modern day culture, how it is destroying our society, and how this phenomenon preaches opposing views to what the Bible teaches. Engaging in casual sex is becoming a trend in today’s culture. Media is making sex into an extremely short-term commitment. Musicians are singing about living in the heat of the moment and having one night stands. Though new “love” is exciting, society allows the fleeting excitement to override the inevitability of inter-relational danger. Dissimilar to what the media believes, the Bible views casual sex as a sin, as should our society. When considering sex, turn from what the media endorses and remember the spiritual effects.
Citations:
1. Urban Dictionary “http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=casual+sex” (Urban Dictionary, May 18, 2004), definition of “Casual Sex.”
2. Enrique Iglesias, Tonight (I’m Loving You) (Enrique Iglesias, 2010), song lyrics.
3. Salt-N-Pepa, Let’s Talk About Sex (Salt-N-Pepa, 1990), song lyrics4. Inge Boot, Jochen Peter, and Johanna M. F. van Oosten, Liking a Sexual Character Affects Willingness to Have Casual Sex: The Moderating Role of Relationship Status and Status Satisfaction (Journal of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, and Applications, 2015), 1.5. Pew Research Center, A Portrait of “Generation Next” How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and Politics, 2007. http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/casual-sex-among-the-young/. Accessed 16 September 2015.6. Justin R. Garcia, Christ Reiber, Sean G. Massey, Ann M. Merriwether, Sexual hookup culture: A review (Review of General Psychology, 2012), 161.
7. New American Standard Bible (La Habra, The Lockman Foundation, 1998), 1 Corinthians 6:18.
8. New American Standard Bible (La Habra, The Lockman Foundation, 1998), I Corinthians 7:3-4.
