Byron Snapp

Book Review
"Sojtfom" PlaysRep-dba/l: Its Tragic
Effects on Women, Children, and the
Family by Dr. Judith A. Reisman,
Huntington House Publishers P.O. Box
53788 Lafayette, lA 70505, 218 pp with
index $16.95 hb. or $8.99 pb. .
Perhaps you bave been tempted to
pick up a copy of Playboy just to see what
was in it. In reality, you knew what was in
it,thatiswhyyouwantedtopickupacopy
and leaf through. Hopefully you did not .
yield to temptation.
Dr. Reisman's research as set forth in .
this very readable book leaves no doubt as
to what is inside Playboy, Hustler, and
Penthouse and the damaging effects it has
had on individual, family and national life.
TheauthorpointsouuhatHughHefner's
sexual ~ w s were influenced by the sex
research of Kinsey. "Kinsey blamed
Christianity and Judaism for all the world's
ills. His paradise :would he attained when
the archaic sexual restraints imposed hy
Judea-Christian morality were. destroyed.
Only then would everyone behappy."(p. 36)
She goes on to wrtte: ''Unbeknownst to
the young men who bought the first issues
of Playboy, love was being shifted not to a
modified form of the prevailing Judea-
Christian 'family' oriented view but totally
away from that view, to one that could be
called anthropologically, a 'Third-World'
view. That is, women's status was to be
increasingly devalued and male
responsibllity,fidelltyandlifelongobligation
to one woman undermined. ...To alter
attitudes of an entire generation of young
men toward love and marriage, Playboy
cast males as sexually primal,predatory,
and guiltless animals. In fact, perhaps the
most disturbing aspect of this strange. new
world Playboy helped create is that there
really are no men in it. There are only boys
playing at being men-playboys. Ages may
vary widely; but the emotional maturity
and common interest of all males is
supposedly the same." (pp.45-46)
The book is marked by clear, incisive
reasoning throughout as the author
examines cartoons as well as material in the
magazine that attracts children to notice it;
suchastl1ePlayboycoloringbook,afourteen
page pull-out in the January 1963 issue.
The Playboy philosophy is clearly at
war with the familYl.!nit, with women and
children as well as, perhaps surprising to
some, men themselves. These magazines
present an unrealistic view of women,
portraying them as objects not as indivi-
duals made in the image of God to be a
helpmatetoman.lnourowntimewehave
seen a great loss of Childhood. Sexual
actlvityisbecomingrealicytomanyintheir
preteen and early teen years. Sadly such
activity includes juvenile sex crimes.
Reisrilan's research.includes much docu-
mentationofrhemagazines'incorporation
of children in canoons, including their
involvement in sexual activity with adults.
The book concludes with a chapter on
how to regain "a lost civilization" and
many practical appendices.
The heart of the problem lies in our
sociely'srlesiretolive,think,andactwithout
reference to God. Such desire and activity
brings God's judgment in the time and
fonn He desires. Cenainly the breakdown
offamily life, theriseofsexuallyrransmitted
diseases and sexual lawlessness do not give
evidence of God's blessing on our society.
Fonn these pages we also leam of the
great effects of sin from generation .to
. generation. Playbcry has been in existence
for almost forty years. During that time a
new generation has grown up. TheBinS of
the fathers have indeed been visited upon
the next generation. One only hils to
. notice how sex is increasingly used in
advertising and needlessly brought into
media shows to prove this point. Our
generation has deluded itselfinto thinking
that "safe" (illicit) sex can be practiced by
the use of condoms that are now being
distributed in some schools in the u.s ..
Gonealso isaBiblical understanding of
love, the family and the duty ofhushands,
wivesandchildrenwithinthefamily. What
has been needed for a long time is the
faithful preaching of God's Word, mcluding
His laws against illicit sex and man's only
6 ~ TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t June, 1992
hope as found in Christ. Only as man
repents and finds forgiveness in Chrisi's
finished work can we expect a change in
our culture.
For too long the church has failed to
realize the negative influence the Playboy
philosophy has had in national life and
even among the people in the pews. This
book needs to be inpastor'sstudies as well
as in the homes of interested laymen in
order that the concrete infonnatlon in the
book can he accessible in teaching and
counseling situations to underliile Biblical
instruction and commands that our
congregations so need to hear..Q
Two years ago in the Republic of South
Africa, 3.500 youthS went to a Christian
youth conference at the Kwasizabantu
mission to speak to Pastors Erlo Stegen
and Kje1l Olsen. These young Christians
ranged in age from 10 to 16 years old.
They told the pastors they were ready to
take a stand against the African National
Congress (ANC)and other COmmunist
parties who were COntinually threatening
them andtrying to scare them intojoining
and serving the communist groups.
"These gtOupS have intimidated and .
persecuted our Christian friends for their
faith throughout the country," said Pastor
Olsen, during a recent visit he and Pastor
Stegen made t6 the U.S. 'We have
docwnented, factual case after case of
these persecutions. Young people are
threatened with knives and are beaten for
refusingtojoin "The People". ANCOffices
are set up inside the schools and childrert
are called in and threatened. And the
youth are standing for Christ."
That day, at the mission conference
was the founding of the group Olristian
far Truth. "Jtbeganspontaneously because
of the urgent need for protection and
urtity," said Pastor Olsen. "These young
Christions jor Truth, completed p.24
Christian's for Truth, continued from p.6
people told us they didn't want to march
and destrOYarid obey the comrades. they
didn't want to be intimidated anymore.
They said they wanted to stand for the
Lord."
Christians for Truth was fonned with its
headquartersatthe300 acreKwasizabantu
mission to keep with the Christians who
have joined. The ' mission supports a
Christian school arid offers free meals and
a bed to people who visit. The members
reguIarlyprayforeach other and worship
together. Today Christians far Truth has
motethan23,000membersandpublishes
a newsletter in eight languages, every two
months, according to Pastor Stegen. "The
newsletter exposes the teen mobs and the
activities of the political patties. We also
print testimonies of the members. We're
here to fight against intimidation arid to
teach arid help blacks arid whites to stand
for Biblical values."
According to the Pastors, about 2,000
new members join Christians for Truth
each month. They do not "accept just
anybody" into their membership, but only
those who "ascribe to Biblical values and
the standards of God's Word." It was the
battle against intimidation that fonned
Christians for Truth and they said theywill
now fight against abortion and
pornography whichhas wormed its way
teachers and doctors have fonned
Educators for IifeandDoctorsfar Life, to take
a Stand for Christ in their workplaces.
Pastor Olsen said, "The Lord is using His
people in South Africa, the picture is not
all dark. Christians are standing for the
ttuth, not compromising arid the Lord is
blessing their efforts.
Thereare people in Gennany, Holland,
Belgium, France, Switzerland arid all over
Europewhoare joining Christians forT ruth,
Non-Profit Org.
U.s. Postage
PAID
BULK RATE
Pennit No. 1553
Greenville, SC
29602
according to Pastor Stegen. "Even
European countries are facing similar
problems we are in our country. If there
has ever been a time in the history of
mankind where Christians should stand
together, it is today."
Formote infonnation on Cbristiansfor
Truth and the ministries of the mission
write to: Pastor Erlo StegenlPastor Kjell
Olsen, KwasizabarituMission,Pl Bag252,
Kwasizabantu 3561, Republic of South
Africa.n
Help WantedAdministrative Manager
A Christian non-profit organization seeks full-
time administrative manager with at least 3 to
5 years supervisory experience who will report
to the Board ofDirettors. Degree preferred but
not necessary. Successful candidate must be
familiar with financial reporting and will be
required to develop and implementadministra-
tive systems. Desirable skills include computer
familiarity, fund-raising and experience in
working with volunteers.
Please send resume to:
R.K. Michaels Corporation,
1175 Spring Center South Boulevard
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
24 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon Jnne, 1992