Is it sinful for Christians to read the book 50 Shades of Grey?
Fifty Shades of Grey, the runaway best-selling novel by E.L. James has become so popular for its racy content, that it has even become a subject of discussion in the church, as many Christians have become enthralled by the book series. With this in mind, Beginning and End is very pleased to have Dana Suggs of the From Chaos To Grace Blog, as a guest contributor. We felt it was important to have the perspective of a Christian woman to discuss this book and she has graciously agreed to bless us with her perspective in the article she has written below.
50 Shades of Grey May Not Be So Gray After All
By Dana Suggs
I know this post will NOT be popular with the world. I realize this. And yet…..here I go anyway. I am not supposed to be of this world anyway, so there. LOL
I have been hearing a *LOT* about a certain, new series of books that are out for women and people are going NUT-SO for them! The raving reviews are INCREDIBLE! It’s what The Hunger Games and the Twilight series did for teenagers: got them reading in droves! (Although it has NOTHING to do with the literary talent.)
Now, I’ve always been a book-lover. I love to read.
But, God spoke to my heart a few years ago and convicted me of the kind of books I had been reading: romance novels….the kind involving bodices being torn, etc. (Emphasis on the etcetera.) The racier the better. I loved it all. (Now I look back on it and I cringe!)
I had to come to terms to what exactly I was doing and having it shown to me with such honesty and abruptness by GOD HIMSELF really hit home to me and I’ve never forgotten it.
Ladies, it’s p o r n o g r a p h y plain and simple. I don’t mind being the bad guy that tells you this either. More on this later.
E.L. James, seated, the author of the book series, has women flocking to meet her at every signing.
This book series that has all the women a-twitter is called 50 Shades of Grey. As a Christian woman, striving to live a close relationship with God, I cannot in any way shape or form, promote this book. I find it very sad honestly. I know the reviews are saying things like how “liberating” it is for women, but I just don’t see it like that.
Let me put it in terms that you may see it from my vantage point. If a wife stumbles across her husband’s hidden p l a y b o y collection, she would be upset. If she came across her husband’s hidden p o r n collection, she’d probably scream and yell and possibly throw things.
Men are visual, that’s why these appeal to men.
These books, 50 Shades of Grey, appeal to women’s minds.
IT’S THE SAME THING.
The only difference is, women can put it on their coffee tables, carry them around with them in their purses, read them on their kindles, and it is just a part of polite society. Liberating…. (tongue in cheek)
It is p o r n. It is written to appeal to women’s sexual appetites. It is expecting our husbands to live up to this made up, make-believe man in a book and taking our affections away from our husbands and onto another (fake) man. It is emotionally and in some cases, physically draining on our marriages. It’s detrimental. I don’t care about the reviews that say it’s “bringing marriages closer” or about the “50 Shades of Grey” baby boom…..it’s taking your physical desire away from your husband in your own mind. It is finding your pleasure in something else other than your husband.
OR, in the cases of single women…..it’s finding your pleasure in an unnatural source. It’s still p o r n.
1 Peter 5:7-9 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Now, I realize the early church was not speaking on p o r n o g r a p h y for women, but it IS a warning: Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I don’t know about anyone else, but that SCARES me!
Sadly, some churches are using 50 Shades of Grey as a theme for sermons.
These books are Satan’s way of devouring us with a made up man named Christian Grey. It’s his way of steering us away from God. Not the direction I desire to go. And it worries me how very popular these books are.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Now, let me end this by saying, this was written by a Christian woman’s perspective. It is directed at the Christian women out there. Those who do not know Christ will not understand what it is I’m trying to convey. I believe these books to be a stumbling block in a Christian woman’s walk with God.
And…..this is something very personal that God has laid on my own heart. If He has not convicted you (and you have sought Him on this), then by all means, make your own decision. But I cannot, in all good conscience, recommend these books on any level.
Be kind to others, and seek Christ diligently.
Please know, I am an exceptionally kind lady to everyone. I am non-judgmental of people, and I have very real feelings that can and are being hurt by comments by internet-brave people.
Also, please remember this was WRITTEN by a Christian woman to other Christians out there that love Jesus. So, before you leave a nasty or mean comment, please ask yourself if it is something that you would say to Jesus Himself. If you are not a Christian yourself, you do not even need to leave a comment because I was not directing this post to you at all.
Article originally published at the From Chaos to Grace blog.
As a recovering ‘romance novel’ reader, I have to agree with you 100%. I literally had tote boxes filled with these kinds of novels. And I strayed into demonic territory many many times with my choice of books…..Laurell K. Hamilton and True Blood as examples. I reasoned it out as “it’s just a book”. But it isn’t just a book. Luke 11:34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Put God’s goodness into your heart/body via the eyes and ears and only good can come out of your mouth. Matthew 15:11 What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.
God Bless you sister!!
T(Quote)
Well Done Donna, You could not have put it in a better way.
John 10;10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Ha Satan wants to deceive all mankind, and what better way than to do it via the Mind.
All SIN…begins with the middle Letter… I. Take the I out and you have no SIN.
All SIN falls into 3 Categories…. Lust of the Eyes…. which then leads to Lust of the Flesh… as what you see, you want to Taste… and then… The Pride of Life.
This SIN is very scuttle as it works from within you, and some where down the line you feel as if you were the MOST HIGH.
We, at some stage of our lives have gone the way of Kane (Cain). The period of Teshuah in Hebrew means to return. In Hosea 6 ” Come, and let us return unto the LORD”.
That’s all we need to do, return to our First Love, Confess our sins and Live in HIS LIGHT, or choose the Darkness (Choshack) which begins with spiritual darkness.
Blessings
DAvid
David. Nicolle(Quote)
I agree with you 100 %, at first I didn’t know what the book was about, then found out what it was. An old friend of mine reads it, my neighbor read it, they are not saved. I also before I was saved, I read Danielle Steel books, not anymore, I threw them out for good! I only read the Bible!
Sarah(Quote)
Thanks for writing this and warning people about this.
i’m in the UK and this book is popular in UK, everyone was talking about it.
It’s so obvious it’s the devil’s work.
Media will promote something like this so everyone would get it.
Just like Harry Potter, when media talks about something, they are building the heat upon that subject so it can get popular. In fact it’s more of a way of advertising it.
It’s quite annoying because “word of mouth” is the best way to make something popular.
Everyone talked about this book so much, even till now they still talk about this book.
Many people who comment about the book say it’s “mommy porn”, “porn for women”.
Which is basically what you described in your article.
I’m so glad our Heavenly Father spoke to you and convicted you on the kind of book you are reading.
When I was born again, I had to reform my ways because my mind was corrupted with so much worldly things.
I first had to stop watching all these horror movies, then I started to realize the amount of evil there are in everything we watch and read.
The problem about life is that, we do not know what is good and evil for we cannot tell.
This is why God had to cast out Adam and Eve from Eden because if they had eaten from the Tree of Life, they would become immortal and not knowing the discipline between good and evil and not having Fear of God.
The secret of the world is to make evil look good, which Isaiah 5 talked about, woe to people who make evil look good.
There are so MANY demon possession horror movies out there that their poster are becoming very scary for me to look at. Yet people do not see the truth! They are so blind, the world is just feeding them so much evil.
There was even a news about a couple who tried the things on 50 shades of grey and they ended up being arrested because the woman over did the sexual torture act on the man
xino(Quote)
Have you even road the book? It’s not porn. Not at all. The sexual side is a small aspect if the story, but nowhere near the main theme. It’s a beautiful love story and one where we can root for a child who found safety in his form of expression/live because of his childhood. His abuse and drug addict mother forced him to find a way to cope with his emotions. The story is his journey to overcome his sexual affliction. You are crazy if you think this is Satan’s work. Get real.
Heidi(Quote)
This article is very convicting . However as a Christian unmarried woman who has been praying for a mate I do reaad them at times simply because as God hasnt blessed me with a husband although I try my best to be a Christian. I dont sleep around etc but I see friends and family member sleeping around or living with their partners ending up getting married and having kids and I know for a fact that most are happy. Whats the harm in reading these novels every now and then?
grace namwila(Quote)
I hope that I write this correctly for understanding as I am using my phone (LOL). I am in the same boat with you, not having a husband and wanting God to bless me with one. This is what I believe that the Lord put into my heart for understanding. For women who are not married, The Lord should be your only love Jesus Christ. He is our covering, leader,and, provider. I read a book called confessions of a video vixen only because I wanted to the juicy gossip of Hollywood men. Boy was I convicted after read that book! I will not do it again. SIN starts in the mind and when single women read stuff like this it causes you to imagine sinful things and scenarios. Yes its just a book and has power to create sin mentally just like the Bible has power to create righteousness mentally. Single should not read this or books like it because it may cause you to long for an experience that is not righteous. These are just my thoughts on single women and reading sexy books.
jameccia(Quote)
I hope that I write this correctly for understanding as I am using my phone (LOL). I am in the same boat with you, not having a husband and wanting God to bless me with one. This is what I believe that the Lord put into my heart for understanding. For women who are not married, The Lord should be your only love Jesus Christ. He is our covering, leader,and, provider. I read a book called confessions of a video vixen only because I wanted the juicy gossip of Hollywood men. Boy was I convicted after read that book! I will not do it again. SIN starts in the mind and when single women read stuff like this it causes you to imagine sinful things and scenarios. Yes its just a book and has power to create sin mentally just like the Bible has power to create righteousness mentally. Single should not read this or books like it because it may cause you to long for an experience that is not righteous. These are just my thoughts on single women and reading sexy books.
jameccia(Quote)