Sex God C9: Whoopee Forever

*This blog is hosting an online book club featuring the book Sex God, by Rob Bell, with discussions that post about once weekly.  This post refers to Chapta' 9!

Well hello, Chapter 9!  It's taken me awhile to get here.  :)  This last chapter was a bit abstract.  I started writing up the C9 post last week, but I needed more time to chew on it.  Definitely woo-woo.

The first part of the chapter talks about how - referring to being single or married - neither path is preferable, actually leaning slightly towards being single.  Well, we all knew that.  There are pros and cons to both lifestyles.

On page 165, Rob Bell starts a conversation about how light exposes things and shows them as they really are.  I love this:

"Light is freedom.  There is nothing to fear because everything is shown to be exactly what it is." (p166)

Also...

"For many people, sex is brief moments when everything is okay with the world, even if it isn't.  It's escape from the pain and suffering and brokeness of life.  It's a short time when all is right, even if lots of things around us are falling apart... We find sex so powerful because it provides people with glimpses into the world we all so desperately desire but can't seem to create on our own." (p167)

I find the juxtaposition of those two quotes interesting.  Of course, this is just my viewpoint, but I think sex often falls in line with one of those two quotes.  Either sex is a part of a truthful, naked, intimate world - or it's a part of a shadowland, as much of a sad place as it is a reprieve.  To me, this is a good thing to be aware of.

The chapter goes on to discuss a first century era journey to the altar.  Once a couple is engaged; the groom begins to build their home.  His father oversees and approves the work.  Often, the groom is adding an addition to his family's already existing home, a multi-generational dwelling.  The bride is at her home, learning to run a household.  (Hey, this is first century we're talking about here!)  She doesn't know when they'll be ready to wed either, but each night she leaves a lit oil lamp in her window, so he knows which room is hers.

Finally, one day, the father tells his son that it's time, and the groom sets off to pick up his bride.  There's a giant procession, followed by a wedding, followed by a great celebration.  Both have prepared themselves for this day. 

I think this is a good metaphor for you engaged peeps!  (or if you intend to marry someday.)  You [hopefully] don't just show up at the wedding ceremony unprepared.  Good metaphor for life in general, I think.

***EPILOGUE***

99 Red Balloons!Bell finishes Sex God with this story...  He talks about a couple he married in a wedding ceremony that included a pretty amazing ritual.  The ceremony took place in a park, and midceremony, the bride and groom walked alone into an adjoining field and released a set of balloons.  These balloons represented past regrets, relationships, mistakes.  This was a private moment. 

Several years later, that couple divorced.

Bell says he uses this story to illustrate that life is sometimes gut-wrenching.  Sometimes things fall apart.  He then talks about how we can recover in the face of horrible things.  For me, I agree with him, to a point.  For tragedies such as divorce, etc., yes, but there ARE some things that people don't always fully recover from: abuse, etc. 

I really loved this book - I think it's great for someone with a normal, everyday existence - some of his assumptions seemed a little too wrapped up in a neat bow for those headier life experiences - for instance, the "everyone can recover from anything" bit.

For ME, this book was excellent. This book gave me some hope.  Six months after my life was seemingly ruined by a person I no longer recognized, I see a purpose in it.  You know in The Matrix where Neo could either take the pill that would put him back to sleep, or he could swallow the pill that would irrevokably open his eyes?  That's how I feel.  I will never see relationships in the same way again (positively!)  I feel like I have been catapulted into a new sphere of awareness, and for that, I'm thankful. 

What was your favorite part of Sex God?

For all of YOU, I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I did!  I may do this again if I find another book I think is really great.  If anyone has a book they'd recommend for our lil book club, email me or comment below!

XOXO,

Penny

Comments

[Stacy Marie]

That is really powerful that you feel you're in a whole new place of awareness!

I am a big Rob Bell fan. Have you read Velvet Elvis or Jesus Is Trying to Save Christians?

[Penny]

I have not, but I intend to. I am really excited to read Velvet Elvis - it sounds really good! I really like Rob Bell, too.