Un-offendable?

Yesterday I went to Koorong, and whilst there, was meant to be shocked. I was meant to be appalled. What I read had been likened to the Christaian version of "Fifty Shades of Grey."

Yesterday, in the middle of the bookstore, I skimmed through the book "Real Marriage" by Mark and Grace Driscoll.

When this book came out it got a lot of attention (you can read some reviews here) and was #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list.

I'd heard the hype and read some of the reviews so I knew what I was getting into. So I skipped straight to chapter 10... the controversial one entitled "Can we _____?"

Sue me for going straight to the sex.

And, for a Christian book, it... um... had a granular texture. It could rub you up the wrong way. No doubt.

Was it more graphic than I expected? Only slightly. It was not christiannymphos.com (now THAT is a website which will shock some people!). If you've listened or read stuff by Driscoll then his frankness shouldn't have come as a surprise.

As I skimmed over the rest of the book I found things much more disturbing than the sex chapter (the reviews point some of these out), but also a heap which positively engages with questions people, especially young adults and teens, are wrestling with.

In fact, the way chapter 10 was handled, although not perfect (for the reasons pointed out here) did attempt to construct a framework for people to make the wisest sexual decisions possible. Whilst not faultless the lawful/hurtful/enslaving criteria based around 1 Corinthians 6:12 is better than none at all.

But one thing I didn't encounter was shock.

And that has me puzzled. Should I have been?

Have I read to much FHM and Cleo/Cosmo in the past for "Real Marriage" to offend me?

Should I be offended more easily?