BOAZ,"Regarding morality in general, and the abuse of women in particular, surely it is obvious (?) that to 'commodify' a human body is detrimental to the individual and society."

People and their bodies are products like everything else. It's ubiquitous. It has been such for hundreds of years. The fashion idustry treats it's employees bodies as products, for example. And it's ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.

As for your example, she can do whatever the hell she wants. To suggest otherwise is treating her like your property.

Ah yes Robert “Feminism like christainity encompases a wide range of viewpoints and attitudes.”

Christianity is a “broad church”.

Myself, I would rather stand outside in the rain and thank God directly for that than listen to the deranged ranting of some preacher, pumped up on ego and a captive audience.

As for the title “prostitution, race and politics”

Try

“Politicians in a Race for Prostitutes” – a sly bang on the back benches, so to speak.

And a racing certainty it has already happened and is possibly happening as we speak.

As Evans, Kernow, Richardson and Bob Collins showed, a politicians considerations are not exclusively focused on representing the constituents and doubtless some of them will have certainly indulged in the services of a lady of the night.

As for “'Porn in service stations' would be high on my list.”

Adds new meaning to the expression “a quick grease and fluid check”.

Porn is nothing to get all pumped up about (so to speak) (and I am not going near a “jack” )

I love these play posts. Lots of fun.

Keep up the good work Bosie – oops BOAZ (confused your name with Oscar’s favourite friend)

Steel, you really believe that 'people and their bodies are products like everything else'? Or is that your opinion of how everyone else (society) views things?

Either way, you hang yourself mate.

Boazy, I am ill-equipped to comment on Feminism and Christianity except to say I quite like 'em both. Why ain't they on the same page? Some no doubt are, while other Fems. read from the Marxist hymnbook and some god-botherers are literal nuts.

OT perhaps but I find the chemistry of sex is diluted by the addition of alcohol, best keep ones senses unimpaired I reckon.

David, the "obvious to all" bit will beat you almost every time.

In regard to your comment "Regarding morality in general, and the abuse of women in particular, surely it is obvious (?) that to 'commodify' a human body is detrimental to the individual and society."

What is much more obvious is that to take away an individuals right to choose what they do with their body is detrimental to the individual and society. People if they have the freedom will do things which I consider harmful to themselves, possibly which objective evidence would consider harmful but it's their life and their body not mine. The greater harm comes when outsiders take that freedom away.

I don't see a viable basis for me to believe that my values, views and preferences should override someone elses when it comes to how they use their body.

If we want to reduce the incidence of abuse of women then one of the steps is to make it clear that a womans body is her body and that she is sovereign over it. Society usurping control over a womans choices about what she does to her body reinforces the idea that it's not her right to choose which in my view may well increase the risk of abuse.

"by some little club of do gooders who dislike some behavior, and wish to stamp it out." - I didn't mention any little club of do gooders in my recent post although thats a possibllity. I was thinking about things which are widely thought to be immoral and detrimental as your own marriage would once have been considered.

When a big enough group hold to an idea it is difficult to challenge. When I was a kid I recall quite clearly that a lot of people thought that half casts got the worst traits of their parents races. Not logical but rarely challenged.

R0bert

"Steel, you really believe that 'people and their bodies are products like everything else'? Or is that your opinion of how everyone else (society) views things?

Either way, you hang yourself mate."

Unless you care to elaborate I will have to assume. And I assume you think it is a bad thing people's bodies are products? To that I will say you are being presumptuous. If you think I meant that people can't tell the difference between the general population and a product or that is what I was implying, then you are being an idiot. Learn to distinguish that an apple (for example), can be both a product, or a fruit. While you should read what R0bert says below you, let me repeat what I wrote,

1. THIS. IS. VOLUNTARY.

Wrap your head around that a few times. People can use their bodies as they please for business or commercial gain. In fact, they always have and always will.

It's just that many feminists and christians have wrongly asserted over many decades that, nudity, pornography and prostitution are 'different' (immoral, degrading and dangerous), even for free thinking adults who consent and volunteer to engage in such acts.

2. Other industries and practices "commodify" people's bodies:
- Fashion industry
- Modelling
- Media/advertisements
- Retail
- Medical
- Entertainment
- Performing arts

People who make a business out of selling their bodies do so across many industries, because their bodies are the product. It's simply Capitalism. If you do have a problem, you must end all advertising and objectifying images of people. To single out pornography and 'adult' industries, which neatly fits into the agendas of the religious theocrats and most feminists, is illogical and irrational.

COL.. u rrrrr a funny man :)

One point though. You said:

<<Myself, I would rather stand outside in the rain and thank God directly for that than listen to the deranged ranting of some preacher, pumped up on ego and a captive audience>>

I have to agree that there are preachers like that, and even some churches like that. So, we are all wise to steer clear of them. I think some are the ecclesiastical equivalent of the 'Nigerian Email Scam'.

But I recommend you search out the letters of Paul, and see what the true picture is, and realize that 'the' real Church is not like you described. As Jesus said.. "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you"
If you look at Pauls life, his pre-conversion cruelty, and his post conversion grace and love, just imagine this on a broader scale:)

So, definitely keep away from 'ego driven' churches and captive audiences, but look to the Savior Himself, and seek those who are of like mind, and perhaps meet at home? If ur in Melb, I'll happily zip over and share a few thoughts from the Word if anyone wanted.

COMMODIFICATION of our BODIES. I should elaborate/expand on this. We all do this to a degree when we offer ourselves for labor under others. So, it's the 'type' of commodification which is important.

Rob.. seriously, I doubt you would ever in a million years want your daughter, if you have one, to 'choose' to sell herself to dirty old men for sex. So, this raises the question of 'how' do we as a society make such choices repulsive in the extreme?
Well..this gets back to what we communicate to our children regarding dignity, self worth, and their value as people.. right? So, education, upbringing.. etc.

The more we allow the public degrading of ourselves with 'Adult' stores, where kids receive the message that "All that stuff is ok, I just have to be old enought to partake".

I'd rather all that kind of stuff was illegal for public display and definitely NO 'Adult' stores.