I don't like it on my facebook news feed

I started noticing a couple of days back some of my female facebook friends starting to post suggestive status updates like "I like it on the floor" and "I like it on the kitchen table". If you haven't seen them yet, chances are that 1) you have better friends than me, 2) you don't have any friends at all, or 3) you will.

Now to state the obvious, "it" does not refer to sex. Although the sexual innuendo is undoubtedly intended on their part, they are in fact disclosing where they like to put their handbags. And it's apparently an unofficial campaign related to breast cancer awareness month.

Now that the cat's out of the bag, let's talk about both the cat and the bag shouldn't have existed in the first place. First let's talk about the cause.

"Now you're not saying that breast cancer awareness is an unworthy cause, are you ?"

Well it's unworthy of you sacrificing your chastity on it's altar for sure. That aside, I'd say breast cancer awareness is an obsolete cause, as people are largely already aware that 1) there is such a thing as breast cancer and 2) that it's bad.

Secondly, let's consider the method. Neither the coordinates of your purse nor the sexual innuendo implied in the campaign has anything to do with breast cancer to begin with. And seeing such a status on facebook does not make anyone more aware of breast cancer. Possibly with the exception of the girls who respond to it and thus are let in on the secret.

But whatever awareness they receive by this is far exceeded by the price they pay for it by perpetuating this meme. Because by doing so they are cheapening something that is exceedingly precious: Their sexuality. And while some women might see themselves as nothing more than a piece of meat, and thus be comfortable exploiting their own sexuality like this; the vast majority of the women I've seen perpetuate this campaign are women who in the past have shown at least some semblance of discretion.

Which leads us to our third and final analysis. This is the most important one. This is first and foremost an issue of the heart. What does the perpetuation of these status updates tell us about the motives and the heart of the women posting them? Here are some observations:

Observation 1) None of the women who I've seen post this status have previously approached me about breast cancer awareness. Nor have I seen any of them wearing pink ribbons, handing out literature in the streets, or anything else that might suggest the cause is important to them.

Conclusion 1) Either this campaign has made them urgently aware of the cause, or their true motive is something else than breast cancer awareness. If they have truly been awakened to the cause, that will be proven by further involvement in it. I dare predict that this will only be the case for the vast minority of them

Observation 2) I pointed out that the campaign is exceedingly deficient in bringing attention to the cause of breast cancer. This is because the campaign explicitly relies on the cause being kept a secret. If the cause was their true motive one would expect that they would chose a more effective means to that end. What the campaign does raise awareness of though, is the women who perpetuates it.

Conclusion 2) Since the campaign has very little potential of bringing attention to breast cancer, one cannot help but wonder if the women posting this are really motivated by the campaign's potential to bring attention to themselves. Specifically male attention.

Observation 3) I already mentioned most of these women are not women who will sit around the lunch table telling dirty jokes, or whistle at good looking guys on the street. They would normally exhibit at least some basic propriety and discretion. So when they post "I like it on the floor" they are acting out of character. Which is exactly why the campaign raises attention.

Conclusion 3) Building on our last two conclusions, may I dare to imply that the propriety they generally exhibit is not a true reflection of their hearts? They are only outwardly conforming to religious or societal standards of chastity and modesty. Yet when they come across this excuse, the willingly overlook it's obvious deficiencies, and compromise their standards. They would not be able to do so if those standards were rooted in their heart.

So what to do... Well here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to post this to my facebook wall. You're free to do the same. Maybe we can make our own counter meme.

Oh, and here's the bonus. I saved the best for last. What I have described for you is only one appearance of human nature. What theologians refer to as original sin. We do it in countless other ways, hurting those in our path, and ignoring God in the process. Maybe the only reason you bothered reading this far is because you enjoyed the feeling of superiority that you got from analyzing the faults of others. I've got news for you, you're driven by the same desire to elevate yourself.

Before a pure and holy God, we all stand guilty as charged. And justice demands that guilt leads to punishment. Most people will take that punishment themselves after the final judgment. Yet you don't have to. 2000 years ago God sent his only son Jesus Christ to die a gruesome death in your place. He became the final sacrifice that all the lambs slaughtered in old testament times were pointing forward to. He did it to atone for thieves, liars, slanderers, adulterers, women who post inappropriate facebook statuses and all those who self-righteously revel in the criticism of said women.

He took your guilt so that you can not only escape hell, but live a life in freedom from sin, and then enjoy all of his blessings eternally in heaven. That is an infinitely gracious offer, and you may receive it if you are willing (I did not say able - just willing) to lay down your life as you know it - sins self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, pride and all - and pray for him to give you a new life and new desires.