c. 2005 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) A reader asks an important question: “As a Christian, how do you advocate responding to the rampant promiscuity, infidelity, immodesty, offensive language and disrespect for godly values so prevalent in our society?”

That isn’t an easy question to answer. By some measures, promiscuity and infidelity might actually be declining. The rate of teenage pregnancy, for example, is declining. The divorce rate is declining. Studies suggest that adultery, while difficult to measure, may occur far less than popular myth might have us believe.

Immodesty and offensive language seem tied to immaturity and insecurity. What seems “rampant” is the visibility of unseemly behavior and the exploitation of it for entertainment and profit.

As a Christian, I would advocate turning off our television sets, taking our lives back, talking with our children and reading good books. I also think faith communities should teach fidelity and responsible intimacy, provide pastoral support for those struggling in relationships and behavior, and give up the righteous judging.

Even harder is the question of “disrespect for godly values.” I agree that godly values are under severe assault today. The question is: What are “godly values”? That is the debate we should be having. We need to step back from our acidic bickering over sexual morality, and ask, “What does God truly care about?”

In December, I began focusing my daily e-mail meditations on the prophets. The process has been disconcerting. Not because the prophets are difficult to read, or because they require too much ancient history to understand, or because they seem at odds with the Gospels. If anything, the prophets are too clear, too pertinent to our day, and, far from being at odds with the Gospels, they explain the Gospels.

The prophets explain why Jesus said virtually nothing about sexual morality but a great deal about wealth, power and self-serving. The prophetic voice explains why Jesus cleansed the temple, wept over Jerusalem, refused to curry favor with the powerful, and felt dismay when his disciples sought privilege.

The prophets thundered against Israel for cheating, abusing power and privilege, exploiting the poor and powerless, and retreating into self-indulgence and empty religiosity. Any discussion of godly values in our day must start there.

“You cows of Bashan,” raged Amos, “who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, `Bring something to drink!”’

“Your wealthy are full of violence,” raged Micah; “your inhabitants speak lies.”

“Ah! City of bloodshed,” raged Nahum, “utterly deceitful, full of booty _ no end to the plunder!”

“Because you have plundered many nations,” raged Habakkuk, “all that survive of the peoples shall plunder you.”

“Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!” raged Zephaniah. “The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves.”

“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?” asked Isaiah.

“They went far from me,” said Jeremiah, “and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves.”

These outraged prophets make it clear that God values justice and compassion, fairness in all dealings, welcoming strangers, being generous, caring for the vulnerable, speaking truth. Jesus added forgiveness, love of one’s enemy, conquering fear and forming circles of inclusion.

Every one of those godly values is under assault today. Greed is enshrined and encouraged. Tolerance is declared weak and unnecessary. The poor and powerless are viewed as easy targets. Truth-telling is considered bad politics. Leaders encourage fear and then exploit it. Enemies are to be destroyed, not loved. Bigotry and exclusion are declared “patriotic values.”

Meanwhile, the only values getting serious public attention are those associated with sexuality. The dangers in that area are being overstated as a pretext for imposing punitive and narrow legislation. Some think the sexuality battles are themselves a pretext or cover for seeking power and wealth.

What would I advocate? Instead of brutalizing each other over things prophet and Messiah cared little about, we should target what God actually does care about.

(Tom Ehrich is a writer and computer consultant, managing large-scale database implementations. An Episcopal priest, he lives in Durham, N.C. His Web site is http://www.onajourney.org.)

KRE/PH END RNS