Is it a sin to have Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazines?

[faithwalkonline]

Depends.....are you just having the magazines to look for have naked women and LUSTING!
If you are than yes its a sin.

For all that is in the worldâ€â€the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessionsâ€â€is not from the Father but is from the world.
1 John 2:16

 

[Free]

Depends.....are you just having the magazines to look for have naked women and LUSTING!
If you are than yes its a sin.

As I posted above: there are zero other reasons to have one.

 

[jasoncran]

Now if your buying National Geographic to read about tribal rituals and there happens to be an article with half naked tribes women THEN THAT is not porn.

I am able to decipher right from wrong with out judging people. I would not call these women porn stars. They are models. First off.
Giving your money to a magazine that spends hundreds of thousands to sell sex to men is wrong. These magazines pay women to fly to an exotic location, wear next to nothing (some have their bodies painted-like the American flag etc). Then they market their bodies to men. How is that right in the eyes of a Christian?

for me it's sinful but certainly not porn, if one wants a porn like mag check out stuff,maxim and the others, think about those and there are worse ones, shoot while were at it what about the weightliftin mag, watching mma, each person must decide for themselves and let's remember romans 14, fembot we recently discussed a similiar issue before, so i see your point but this thread is a little different.
jason

 

[Lewis]

This type of stuff does not belong over here, please do not put this type of stuff in this forum. So I am moving it from Talk & Advice, to General Talk.

 

[HaveFaith7]

What is the reason for having a sports illustrated swimsuit magazine? To view the women in the magazine. Why have something that will open up the door for lust. Having a swimsuit magazine is considered soft core and then once you are not satisfied with that you may want more magazines and those magazines can lead to pornography.

Fred C. Rochester author of Secret Sexual Sins speaks about it in his book.

Glad you brought this topic up because I just read about it in this book.
http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?I ... 1432741297

 

[Sparkey]

Spicy Sports Magazine and L U S T ...

A subject of interest it certainly is!

Note the "hot points" of current advertising hype celebrants:

• [list:2014um7j]
• Secret Sexual Sin
• "Hot" Youthful Bodies [/*:m:2014um7j]
• Taboo Discussions[/*:m:2014um7j]
• Religion and Hypocrisy (only potentially but WOW - It could happen!!)[/*:m:2014um7j]

[/*:m:2014um7j][*]But wait! There's more![/*:m:2014um7j][/list:u:2014um7j]
Act now to receive your SPORTS ILLUSTRATED subscription.
Never have to wait weeks before you get the best and most recent information on your favorite sports team...

Clearly this is pointed at MEN. "But wait, I'm just getting started!"
Clearly this is pointed at WOMEN. Being such it needs to be more subtle and guess what?
IT IS!! Yes, this subject meets and exceeds all the qualifications set by the Enemy of God for a Hot and Spicy Meatball... perfectly poised on top of a mountain of spaghetti; Ssucculent and waiting for the first sniff, then yet another mouth watering ssniff...

• <OKAY, okay! We get your point "Sparrow". It's a juicy topic. Isn't that what we want on a Christian Forum? I mean, knock it off already, okay?>

Sure, Sparrow was gone for a bit but is back now.
Is it a crude literary device to see a "bird" reign himself back in? Yes it is. May the Literary Society forgive me.

So, I guess what I was trying to point out was that the topic about "Is it sin?" implies (almost demands) the thought "Is it sin FOR OTHERS to have this in their life?" Then we add to that another impliction (because the topic is posted here on ChristianForums.net) <---- "Is it sin for OTHER CHRISTIANS <also implied, "No! Not me."> to own or possess this edition of that magazine.

To answer this question on the face: "I don't know."

Not to put too fine a point on it but I am commanded to not peer into the lives of others in this manner, aint' that the truth? Why not confess the sin we are speaking about in the first person like the bible instructs? All this cloak and dagger and being the artful dodger isn't the act and action and method of LIGHT itself, now is it? What about youthful Christian Legalists, oops I mean "lawyers" not the more condemning word "legalist". But what about that? Should I join my mouth and declare my judgment and become a judge of my brother who happens to be a Sports Writer and has a legitimate interest (non-lustful) or somebody who happens to have a subscription and also a weak conscience and enjoys sports and gets this particular issue once a year and prays about it.

Can I rebuke or condemn a brother because he swam near a fisherman's net? Maybe he was caught in it. Maybe he did sin. Maybe it was inadvertent sin and he repented and it didn't lead to a change in his lifestyle but was quickly confessed and all MY SECRET VICARIOUS NEEDS to peek into HIS SIN are thwarted. Am I disappointed? If so, I need to go before My God and repent, don't I?

Yes, I Sparrow have struggled against the sin called the Lust of the Flesh for my entire adult life. This particular sin made entrance into my life (in point of fact) prior to my being an adult just like it does with many. Sorry for disappointing some who have a need for gossip and are not compassionate in their nature but that's all I need to say. Confess your sin and our Lord Jesus is faithful.

I marvel at Him and His fidelity because this sin is like any other. As we follow the truth of what is taught to us by the Holy Spirit and is written in the Word of Truth (the bible) and resist the devil and deny ourselves, as we move closer (draw nigh) unto God ---> SO ALSO <--- does God draw closer to us. He is faithful. His fidelity becomes mine (it's a process, but that's no surprise) and His Righteousness becomes mine (that's immediate and to some this may be a surprise!) and I (me) am forgiven and my voice is joined to that same voice of other saints who can declare, "We are saved by the word of our testimony and the blood of the Lamb!"

His faithfulness is both to cleanse and to purge us -- that sin drops off of a man and falls into the septic tank that our Father has prepares since before the beginning of time. We are purged from sin. He is also faithful in another "both" manner because He works into us BOTH the will and the way. He first changes our hearts - it starts as HE writes HIS law into our hearts. Then we are convicted inside ourselves --it's not the OLD WAY where we were convicted from outside by reading the AWE INSPIRING law of God written on tablets of STONE -- and we (mankind) made our hearts Hard like Stone (foolish us --we hardened our hearts against God).

No, it's not like that any longer! That way didn't work. What is it then? God writes His law into the fleshly tablets of our hearts themselves. He then convicts us from inside ourselves and by our invitation. We get to participate in this too and it's a personal intimate thing and He is faithful to say and show us (again by His Holy Spirit) that He is our Father -- our progenitor and He is faithful to chastise all who come to Him and faithful in this to all Sons of the Most High! We are told "Be still and know that I am God!" But wait! I'm merely getting started here!! There is more! Much more. That bubbling of living water is in me now and I am anointed to preach the whole truth here and not leave out the other part because not only does our Heavenly Father work into us the will (the determination) to turn to Him in all things... No! He does not leave us there ... willing but underpowered and incapable but He also works into us the very WAY to accomplish the impossible.

Shall I go on? It is better for me to allow His Holy Spirit to counsel you in this because it is very personal and very intimate but I will share this one little part before I depart. I am so very thankful that our God has "longsuffering" as one of His primary characteristics. I do so very much want to be like Him. Let us be kind and gentle and consider His longsuffering toward us when we deal with each other, okay? The question that our Glorious and Overyly Capable Father God has asked instructively is, "Is it not imperative that we deal with each other in a Godly manner? Shall we who worship a God who calls Himself LOVE itself fail to greet each other in Love? If we consider the Longsuffering of God to be our salvation, shall we not hearken to our Father who only wants the good, the best for us?"

We shall! By God we shall.

 

[justvisiting]

I find it amusing to hear someone asking if a halfway project like looking at a bikini is wrong. Well, if you feel it's wrong... it's wrong. What's funny to me is most people that are going to view something in the area of sex go all the way to the gutter. You can't be all bad :naughty
I'm not a believer in working overtime on scruples. Just get the mind elsewhere in better territory.

 

[Blazin Bones]

Visiting, can I ask if it is possible that it is still wrong to stare at a woman in a Bikini and that a heart is hardened to lust to the point where it doesn't feel wrong?

 

[justvisiting]

Obviously, that's possible. There is a little rule in life. Not everyone reacts the same way to the same things. If you saw nudity, you would be offended. If a doctor saw it. It probably wouldn't bother him.
Some of the so called sanctified believers, are tied up in knots from over zealousness. There is the weaker brother, that can't eat meat, can't listen to secular music, would never watch an event that was violent like boxing, etc. I was a Christian since the time I was 17 years old (I am 53 now). I have seen a lot of zealousness and a lot of burnouts. It's better to keep a balance in life and not live in a closet.
I can tell you what happens in a Bible College surrounding. A person becomes accustomed to this over sanctified situation. When you finally come back into the real unsanctified world. Normal life. A lot of Christians have a hard time adjusting to the shock. I gather you are in a Bible College environment now. So extreme sanctity is expected from teachers etc. A lot of people can be influenced. If you are asking whether I can look at a beautiful woman, even in a bikini. No problem. In fact I don't even mind watching Miss Universe contests. It's no obsession though. I spent two years in Bible College. I will tell you this much. Often times the pious front that some believers put on, is very much show. I live in reality. If I asked some Christians how many sexual relationships they had before they were married. I am sure there would be very little divulging, (probably rightly so) If you asked them about the requirement for total sanctity however. You may hear everyone pipe up like they have been to the third heaven and had revelations from God.
I know the fallibility of man. I know the image projections we like to exude. I am easier on some, than perhaps an over zealous preacher might be... but I have been through life. People mess up lives a lot.
There is a little more live and let live in me, than some.
I do however believe in sanctity and truth.

 

[Blazin Bones]

You are right, I have been living in a Christian environment for the last five years and I can say this, rather for show or for truthfulness in spirit is no concern of ours. Ours is to press on toward the goal of righteousness according to Paul, and if you are content to "live in the real" and live moderately in relation to the word's commands, than that is between you and God. I would encourage any believer who wishes to feel God's presence in their life more would seek to find what they should and should not be partaking of. If you can look at a woman's body and not lust after her, that is your blessing, but it would be wise for a brother to avoid such a temptation for not all have such a blessing as you claim.