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CASTIMONIA

Sexual Purity Support & Recovery Group

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Saturday Morning Meeting Topics

June 4, 2016 By Castimonia

To curb prostitution, punish those who buy sex rather than those who sell it

Originally posted at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/to-curb-prostitution-punish-those-who-buy-sex-rather-than-those-who-sell-it

By Jimmy Carter

Opinions

May 31

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, is founder of the nonprofit Carter Center.

It is disturbing that some human rights and public health organizations are advocating the full legalization of the sex trade, including its most abusive aspects. I agree with Amnesty International, UNAIDS and other groups that say that those who sell sex acts should not be arrested or prosecuted, but I cannot support proposals to decriminalize buyers and pimps.

Some assert that this “profession” can be empowering and that legalizing and regulating all aspects of prostitution will mitigate the harm that accompanies it. But I cannot accept a policy prescription that codifies such a pernicious form of violence against women. Normalizing the act of buying sex also debases men by assuming that they are entitled to access women’s bodies for sexual gratification. If paying for sex is normalized, then every young boy will learn that women and girls are commodities to be bought and sold.

There is a much better policy option.

In my 2014 book “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power,” I described the approach known as the “Nordic model,” which is consistent with advancing human rights and healthy societies. Pioneered in Sweden and adopted most recently in Canada and France, this strategy involves decriminalizing prostituted women and offering them housing, job training and other services. Instead of penalizing the victims, however, the approach treats purchasing and profiting from sex acts as serious crimes. Another key component is public education about the inherent harms of prostitution for those whose bodies are sold.

In Sweden, demand for prostitution has fallen dramatically under this model. Conversely, Germany and New Zealand, which have legalized all aspects of prostitution, have seen an increase in sex trafficking and demand for sexual services.

Critics of the Nordic model assert that mature adults should be free to exchange money for sex. This argument ignores the power imbalance that defines the vast majority of sex-for-cash transactions, and it demeans the beauty of sexual relations when both parties are respected.

Sex between people who experience mutual enjoyment is a wonderful part of life. But when one party has power over another to demand sexual access, mutuality is extinguished, and the act becomes an expression of domination. As author and prostitution survivor Rachel Moran explained in her book, “Paid For,” once money has exchanged hands, a woman must deliver whatever service the customer demands.

In May 2015, when the Carter Center held a global summit to end sexual exploitation, sex-trade survivors, including Moran, described their painful journeys through exploitation. They told of the abuse they suffered — abuse that should be understood as torture. They expressed their determination to speak not only for themselves but also for those who are either too traumatized to come forward or who perished as a result of homicide, suicide, drug abuse or disease. They compare their movement to the abolition of slavery, an institution that once also seemed like a permanent fixture in society.

Prostitution is not the “oldest profession,” as the saying goes; it’s the oldest oppression.

Those survivors told us that they once believed that selling sex was their choice but that this attitude was a requirement for survival — that only once they were fully free from the fetters of the trade were they able to fully understand their lack of choice.

If full legalization is adopted, it will not be the “empowered sex worker” who will be the norm — it will be the millions of women and girls needed to fill the supply of bodies that an unlimited market of consumers will demand. Where do we think these young girls in the sex trade will come from? (Most victims are girls, though some boys are exploited, too.) It is simply naïve to oppose sex trafficking of children and women and at the same time support decriminalizing the buyers who create the demand and the pimps who profit from the supply of girls and women.

I believe it is better to help women and girls avoid a life of prostitution and to deter men from buying sex acts.

We must not abandon the equal dignity of each human being by simply regulating a form of abuse. There is a better way.

Filed Under: Saturday Morning Meeting Topics Tagged With: addiction, Affairs, alcoholic, castimonia, Character Defects, christian, co-dependency, Emotions, escorts, father wound, gratification, healing, Jesus Christ, lust, masturbation, porn, porn star, pornography, pornstar, pornstars, prostitute, prostitutes, ptsd, purity, recovery, Sex, sex addict, sex addiction, sexual, sexual addiction, sexual impurity, sexual purity, spouses, STD, strippers, trauma

October 13, 2015 By Castimonia

Fight of Your Life “2015”

Fight of Your Life || October 24 || 8:30a-12:30p || FCC

This powerful 4 hour event is an effective and preventative learning experience to help men 16 & older gain ground in the battle against the dangers and temptations of our overly-sexualized culture. The Fight of Your Life event is for Men Only (16 and up). It is a powerful one day event, Saturday, October 24, 8:30a -12:30p @FCC. $20pp (sons 16-18yrs free).

Register:

https://fccsm.wufoo.com/forms/fight-of-your-life-2015/

Church Home:

http://friendswoodchurch.org/home/events

Contact Kevin Pate for more information.

Filed Under: General Meeting Information, Saturday Morning Meeting Topics, Sexual Purity Posts Tagged With: addiction, Affairs, alcohol, alcoholic, castimonia, Character Defects, christian, co-dependency, Emotions, escorts, father wound, gratification, healing, Intimacy, Jesus Christ, lust, masturbation, meeting, porn, porn star, pornography, pornstars, prostitutes, ptsd, purity, recovery, Sex, sex addict, sex addiction, sexual, sexual addiction, sexual purity, spouses, STD, strippers, trauma

February 23, 2015 By Castimonia

Castimonia Fellowship Cookout – 2/28

We will be meeting under the gazebo in the Grand Lakes subdivision this coming Saturday, February 28th instead of at The Fellowship.  This will be an informal meeting focused more on Food, Fun, and Fellowship which is a very big part of our recovery.  Please plan to join us for some hamburgers, hotdogs, and whatever else we decide to grill!  If you have something you would liked grilled, then please bring that as well.

Time: 10:15 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Gazebo at Grand Lakes subdivision – S. Lakebluff Cir, Katy, TX 77494
From The Fellowship, take Peek Road South to Fry Road and turn West (right).  Proceed past HWY 99 (Grand Parkway), past the Home Depot, Denny’s, and McDonald’s.  Turn Northeast (right) on Grand Trace Lane and proceed to South Lakebluff Circle.  The gazebo is at the center of the circle.

Please bring some sort of chair for you to sit on!  If you have any questions please inquire with ExecutiveCommittee@Castimonia.org.

 

Filed Under: General Meeting Information, Saturday Morning Meeting Topics Tagged With: addiction, Affairs, castimonia, christian, escorts, gratification, healing, Intimacy, Jesus Christ, lust, masturbation, porn, pornography, pornstars, prostitutes, ptsd, purity, recovery, Sex, sex addict, sex addiction, sexual addiction, sexual purity

August 28, 2014 By Castimonia

Temptation, Sin, & Death – VIDEO

A friend of mine in recovery contacted me after hearing that I was looking for ideas for other recovery-themed movies and after seeing one of the movies I edited.  At first, when he told me the name of the movie, I was skeptical because of the nature of the film.  Yet, as he explained the scripture verse that he wanted me to use in reference to one scene of the movie, my ears perked up and ideas started to flow.  As usual, I went overboard on the movie and added other scenes that correspond to other scripture verses but that can be related to the film and theme as a whole.  Another thing I liked about editing this movie is that it is one of my all-time favorite science fiction / horror movies.  I’m wondering at this point how many are reading this text versus skipping to the movie or for those reading it, if they have any idea which movie I am referencing.  The movie is Alien.  “Did he just write ‘Alien’ as the movie that inspired the topic of this post?”  For those that do not like Sci-Fi movies or have never heard of this movie, below is a short description of the film:

A mining vessel, Nostromo, sent to investigate an SOS distress call encounters an alien that begins to kill the crew members one by one.

To my friend and me, this movie is really an allegory for what Christians deal with every single day on their way “home” to heaven from earth.  We are told in scripture by James that every person is tempted by their own selfish desires and if we allow the desire to conceive and sin because of these desires, then it gives birth to a spiritual death.  In recovery, we are tempted to sin just about every day whether it be through lying, stealing, cheating, excessive lustful thoughts, or sexually immoral activity.   Another point of this film is to show how our sin, even if “only pornography and masturbation that doesn’t hurt anyone” (/sarcasm) can and will affect those around us.  In this movie, one man’s sin becomes a hideous monster that destroys the rest of the crew of the Nostromo except for one who stands and fights against “temptation and sin” as all Christians are called to do.  In real life, our sexual sin can and will affect those around us, our closest relationships, our family, our friends, our jobs, our ministry, etc…  It has the capacity to destroy all of those things if we choose to give in to our temptations and sin.  What James precedes the warning with is a blessing for the man who is tempted but does not sin. This is something we should all strive for, to not sin when tempted, as we walk this 80 or so year journey home to Heaven. 

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.  These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. – James 1:12-15

Disclaimer: Although tempted to watch the original movie from where this clip was taken, a person new to recovery should consult their therapist, sponsor, and/or accountability partner on whether to watch this film.  It is a Sci-Fi “Horror” movie that could trigger an individual to medicate their fear or anxiety. Also, the excessive violence (some of which I removed from this clip) can be harmful to your recovery if you are like I was early on; prone to medicate the viewing of violence and associated guilt.
As always, take what you like and leave the rest.
 
FAIR USE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, & education, etc. This constitutes a ’fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED! All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their owners.

Filed Under: Meeting Topics, Saturday Morning Meeting Topics Tagged With: addiction, Affairs, Alien, Aliens, castimonia, christian, Emotions, escorts, gratification, healing, Intimacy, Jesus Christ, lust, masturbation, porn, pornography, pornstars, prostitutes, purity, recovery, Ridley Scott, Ripley, Sex, sex addict, sex addiction, sexual, sexual addiction, sexual purity, trauma

July 19, 2014 By Castimonia

Iron Sharpens Iron – VIDEO

I recently watched “300: Rise of an Empire” and although not really impressed with the movie as a whole and how Hollywood has distorted history and also added a completely fabricated and unnecessary sexual scene to this movie, I thought it had some deeper recovery-related gems.  For those that don’t know much about this movie (and I don’t expect those early in their recovery to watch the entire movie) here is a summary from Wikipedia:

Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield-on the sea-as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. This film pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemesia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

Nevertheless, in watching this movie, I did pick up on  the recovery-related themes.  Maybe it was me trying to find some sort of redemptive quality in a poorly made movie, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit saying to me, “use this material, men will ‘listen’ when you speak to them through these films.”  I don’t know which one it was, but I’m hoping it was the latter.  The subtheme I saw in this movie is similar to the one found in my United We Stand video based off the Battle of Carthage in Gladiator.  In 300: Rise of an Empire, the leader of the Greek forces, Themistokles, rallies his troops by encouraging them to fight for one another; to fight for your brother.  This resonates with me in recovery in that not only do I fight this battle for sexual purity every day, but I also fight alongside, with, and for my brothers in recovery.  The bond we have formed is stronger than any other bond I have found in my life, apart from my bond with God and with my wife.  These men in recovery know me better than my own family of origin and they fight for me, as I fight for them.  I titled this movie, Iron Sharpens Iron based off Proverbs 27:17 where we are told, as brothers, to sharpen one another, prepare one another for battle, support one another, and fight for one another.

Disclaimer: Although tempted to watch the original movie from where this clip was taken, a person new to recovery should consult their therapist, sponsor, and/or accountability partner on whether to watch this film.  It has a sex scene with some partial nudity that could sexually trigger the individual. Also, the excessive violence (some of which I removed from this clip) can be harmful to your recovery if you are like I was early on; prone to medicate the viewing of violence and associated guilt.
As always, take what you like and leave the rest.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, & education, etc. This constitutes a ’fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED! All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their owners.

Filed Under: Saturday Morning Meeting Topics, Sexual Purity Posts, Videos Tagged With: addiction, Affairs, Brotherhood, Brothers, castimonia, christian, escorts, gratification, healing, Intimacy, Iron, Iron Sharpens Iron, Jesus Christ, lust, masturbation, porn, pornography, pornstars, prostitutes, Proverbs 27:17, purity, recovery, Sex, sex addict, sex addiction, sexual, sexual addiction, sexual purity, strippers, trauma

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Castimonia Restoration Ministry, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization


This site is intended for individuals who struggle with maintaining sexual purity. This information is posted for individuals at various stages in their recovery, year 1 to year 30+; what applies to some, may not apply others. Spouses are encouraged to read this blog with the caveat that they may not agree with, understand, or know the reason for some items posted. As always, take what you like and leave the rest.

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