A Warning and a Challenge

By: American Decency Staff

Submitted by Lisa Van Houten  Today’s email alert includes a special challenge to all our readers, but perhaps especially to our female readers.  While traditional gender roles have changed somewhat in our culture, from my observation it is still typically women who do the weekly grocery shopping.   And so, I’m sure most women reading this are more than familiar with the slew of tawdry magazines filling the checkout aisles.  Everything you don’t want to know about the latest celebrity scandal is emblazoned across the headlines.  But of course the worst of the lot of checkout magazines is Cosmopolitan.   It’s hard not to be aware of the sexually graphic headlines of Cosmo – they stare us in the face every week.  This month’s cover headlines include:  “Foreplay Men Crave – Touch His Secret Erotic Spotâ€ÂÂ  and “What He Thinks During Sex – The Crazy, Dirty … Stuff  That Goes Through His Head When You Two Get Nakedâ€Â.  These headlines are explicit enough.  There is no way I will even give examples of the content of the articles.  Suffice it to say, the magazine reads like a dirty sex manual, teaching young women to prostitute themselves for the pleasure of men.   One quote I will include that isn’t of the typical pornographic nature of Cosmo, but does convey the message given to young women is this – a “tipâ€Â from a guy surveyed for one of the above titled articles, who states:  “After it’s over and girls try to cuddle, I just get angry.  How are there still girls alive who don’t know that we hate this?  …â€ÂÂ Â  Basically, Cosmopolitan tells young women, ‘just let men use you and discard you.’  Cosmo, which likes to think it “empowersâ€Â women, is nothing more than a device to demean women.  It teaches the young women reading that their worth is based on their sex appeal and their purpose is to be nothing more than a sex toy.  And it is mostly young women who buy the magazine and buy the lies.  The target audience is 18-34 year olds and Cosmo brags about being the number 1 magazine sold to college-age girls.    I have family members in that age bracket.  It grieves me to think that young women I care about could be swayed to degrade themselves by this pack of lies.  Not only is it degrading, it is downright perverse.  This month’s issue gives women lessons on tying knots for bondage sex!    The article actually includes a step-by-step diagram of how to tie a slip knot to bind a person’s wrists!  Without describing further, please take our word for it – Cosmopolitan is nothing more than outright pornography.   However, back to the challenge to all, but especially women, reading this alert.   Take a look at those around you next time you’re stuck in line at a checkout lane.  Look at the vulnerable young women who struggle with self-image after being bombarded by the false image of femininity put forth by the likes of Cosmo.   Notice the children who have Cosmo’s explicit headlines and cleavage-baring photos foisted upon them at their own eye level.  And think about the men who can easily be impacted by such sexually-charged material, even Christian men who can be lured into a lifestyle of lust.   Look at these, our neighbors, whom the Lord calls us to love.  How can we then not do something about such degrading, damaging filth?   How can we just walk through the line and turn the other way while Satan’s lies are being sold to those around us?  One small form of protest is to turn the magazine over.  While this may temporarily hide the sleazy cover, we know it’s only a momentary fix until someone flips it back around.  And, as we’ve reported before, Cosmo has recently been placing pornographic ads on the back of their magazine.  This month again they have an image implying group sex of 6 nude men and women posed provocatively.   The ad is for D&G Fragrances (see our previous alert on this at: https://americandecency.org/campaigns/campaigns/grocery-checkout-lanes/)  And so the challenge.  Don’t walk away, but step out of your comfort zone.  Pick up a Cosmo magazine and ask to speak to a store manager.  In a friendly but firm manner express your concern that such lewd material is being sold in a family marketplace.  Urge them to remove Cosmo from the checkout lanes.  And be persistent.  If Cosmo is still there next week repeat the process and urge your friends and family members to join you.  I can almost guarantee you, it won’t be easy.  Your knees may shake and your palms may sweat.  Your heart will race and your face may feel flush.  Confrontation is never easy.    But read Ephesians 6:10-20 or I Corinthians 16:13,14.  Remind yourself that while you may be weak, Christ is strong.   And let us know of your accounts.  You will be an encouragement to us as well as to others.  We can make a difference if we don’t turn the other way when the sleaze of Cosmopolitan stares us in the face.  ==================================== To support this ministry: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/main.php?f=donate/display9 ================================== American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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