One Man's Kiss is Another Man's Porn

post by Michelle Griep

In the Christian book market, the war still rages over what is appropriate vs. inappropriate in the sexuality department. Oops. I just wrote the word sexuality. Dang it! And then I just wrote "dang." Yikes. Did you hear that big crash followed by a shattering noise? Yeah, that was my halo.

Getting back to the controversy, though, I have only two words to add:
Dead. Horse.

Do we really need to continue beating this subject to a bloody pulp? Apparently so, because Christian authors are still in the crosshairs of angry readers when it comes to "graphic" scenes. I use that term loosely because what's graphic to one person may not be for another.

But here's the thing . . . if a book clearly states it's a romance, then maybe readers with a sensitivity toward kissing or hand holding or deep, probing gazes shouldn't pick the book up in the first place. Yes, I know. I could very well get hate mail just for having written deep and probing. Bring it.

I figure as long as there are no explicit body parts hanging out for the reader to see and no clear lines of Biblical immorality being crossed (keyword: CLEAR), then there's no shame in writing or reading a love story. Anyone heard of Song of Solomon? Just saying.