Listen:  84 Question 3

This is a unique question, and may seem to be obvious, but it does deserve an answer from the scriptures, especially since this question comes from a woman.  Today, things such as strip clubs and pornography are so readily available and accepted that its sinfulness has been lost sight of.  It wasn’t too many years ago that these places were thought of as dirty and most people of any repute stayed away from.  That has changed drastically.  Today, there is no shame in going to these places or in watching pornography.  We read in Zephaniah 3:5, “The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.”  There just doesn’t seem to be much shame in doing these things in our day.  For a woman or a man to stand naked, or participate in sex acts for the entertainment of others shows a great, great lack of shame, humility, and self-respect.  It’s not that the human body is unattractive, but a person’s nakedness is intended to be reserved for themselves and their spouses…not for public display.

In 2 Samuel, we read of a time when King David’s army was treated spitefully by the king of the Ammonites.  2 Samuel 10:4-5 tells us, “Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.”  These men were ashamed at this treatment and of having their bodies exposed in this way.  Let’s consider Isaiah 20:4, where we read, “So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.”  In defeat, the Egyptians and Ethiopians were treated in a most shameful way.  They were stripped of their clothes and made to march publicly.  It was a shame to be shown this way.

In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened, and with innocence gone, they realized their nakedness.  Genesis 3:7 says, “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”  Realizing they were naked, Adam and Eve immediately covered themselves.  Have you ever noticed how that a young baby, in its innocence does not mind being naked in front of people.  As that baby grows, he will begin to become conscience of his nakedness and start to cover up around people.  Even a young child realizes the shame of being naked in public.

So, is it wrong to go to strip clubs?  Yes it is.  Let’s read Matthew 5:27-28, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”  For someone to watch a naked woman would certainly produce lust in his heart…and that is sin.  In a place where women take their clothes off for others to watch, lust would certainly be in the hearts of those watching.  Proverbs 5:18 says for a man to, “…rejoice with the wife of thy youth.”  A man should not rejoice, or find pleasure, in looking at women other than his wife.  This ultimately cheapens the relationship between a man and his wife.  The Lord wants us to look upon others with a sense of dignity and purity.  1 Timothy 5:1-2 says, “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.”  We should regard older women even as we would regard our mothers, and younger women as we would regard our sisters.  It is a terrible thought to think that some would watch their mothers or sisters take their clothes off.

Don’t be deceived.  Going to strip clubs or watching pornography is not harmless.  It reduces the value of a person to just a piece of flesh.  It is shameful for people to put their bodies on display for the gratification of others.  It is a shame to participate in watching those people.  1 Timothy 2:9 says, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.”

If you have a husband or boyfriend who likes to go to strip clubs or to watch pornography, I encourage you to help them get some good Christian counseling to end this sinful practice.