You Learned What?

Growing up Catholic, the only messaging I received about sex was not to do it. Certainly that has its own issues when it comes to developmentally appropriate sexuality; however, I was shocked to read some of the mainstream Protestant messaging in The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended by Sheila Wray Gregoire. Though I have lived in the Bible belt for over a decade, I had no idea that some significant denominations and Christian leaders say that women must not deprive their husbands of sexual satisfaction or he will cheat and become addicted to pornography.

This preaching hurts both men and women. No one is a sexual object. All adults have full control over their actions even if they’re horny. Sex should be connecting and enjoyable for all parties. Naturally Gregoire’s research among 20,000 Evangelicals found significant vaginismus (vaginal pain with penetration), low sexual desire and unhappy marriages.

I’m so happy that my therapist friend, Erin Tilson Jeffries, sent this book my way. I learned so much about how to ask my clients about their sexual histories especially if they have come from an Evangelical upbringing. I would highly recommend this book for anyone recovering from harmful sexual teaching in Christian churches.