Purity is Gaining Ground

Today I was reading the August issue of Christianity Today and there was an article that particularly interested me. It was an article on discussing sexuality on the college campus. It's something that is surprising to me, but also a "thank you Lord" moment. The article was actually an interview with the author of a book that studied sexuality on college campuses and compared evangelical Christian with secular campuses. As usual, these articles are focused on heterosexual relations only, which is fine given the audience they're shooting for. The key point of this was that the "hookup" culture is beginning to lose ground on secular campuses. Students (even the most liberal of them) are beginning to come to the realization of their unhappiness of the hookup culture which objectifies people. For Christians, the hookup culture is naturally contrary to the teachings of Christ. For to objectify someone and not treat them like we would treat Jesus is indeed sin.
In the Gay community, fortunately, the hookup culture is also losing ground. Young gay adults are beginning to realize that hooking-up is detrimental to one's spirit and one's own self. They are figuring out that the dangers are much more than getting HIV or an STD (which in and of themselves are life threatening). They are figuring out that hooking up is hurtful. The gay community has too long been marred by the image that we are sexual perverts who engage in relations without regard for who it is we are "doing". Fortunately this is losing ground, but not soon enough, and not fast enough. Unfortunately, this culture has infected the Church as well (both in straight and gay populations ... no pots calling the kettle black here!).
So here is where I commit political suicide, or something rather close to it. The liberal end of mainline denominations have not done enough to teach sexual ethics according to scriptural expectations. When the Diocese of California announced that they would be providing pastorally for those same-sex couples in the Church who wished to get married, I was overjoyed. Yet where was the message reminding them of the expectations of a disciple? Where was the statement that it is the expectation of the Church that sexual relations occur only within the context of a committed relationship (preferably lifetime)? It's one thing to talk about societal ethics and norms, it's quite another to talk about the norms and expectations for someone who claims to be a disciple. In becoming disciples we have laid down our rights and given up our pride. So there is no "I have the right to sleep with whom I choose when I choose" in the Church, absolutely not. There is a huge difference between trying to live the Gospel as best as we can and throwing it in the trash altogether. This goes both ways, the Mainliners have been so busy policing the bedrooms of their gay parishioners that they have not had time to teach straight people about the moral expectations of discipleship.
It is with great thanks that this news comes to me, that is that purity is gaining ground. The new generation is turning out to be much more conservative than their parents, albeit in different ways. A church leader said that this new generation is marked by a selfless faith that is also engaging. The Holy Spirit is working! Thank you Lord!

I know this sounds "ranty" but that's the state of mind I'm in at the moment :)