What do you think?
Rate this book
Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance
Are you ready to respond to the most relevant questions of sexuality today?
Lifetime monogamy is passé. Pornography infiltrates nearly every home. Homosexuality is accepted. Lust has been redefined. The family as an institution is questioned.
We are reminded every day that assumptions about what is right and wrong, sexually, are different today than they were fifty–or even ten–years ago. Christian principles that formed the pattern for generations of American families are conspicuously absent. What happened and why? How do we respond to the dramatic shift in our culture’s perspective on sex?
As one of today’s most influential thinkers, Dr. Albert Mohler addresses these critical topics in a thoughtful, cut-to-the-chase style in Desire and Deceit. As you follow Mohler’s guidance in applying biblical solutions to today’s most highly charged issues, you will be not only equipped but also inspired to speak the truth in a society hungry for answers.
Lifetime monogamy is passé. Pornography infiltrates nearly every home. Homosexuality is accepted. Lust has been redefined. The family as an institution is questioned.
We are reminded every day that assumptions about what is right and wrong, sexually, are different today than they were fifty–or even ten–years ago. Christian principles that formed the pattern for generations of American families are conspicuously absent. What happened and why? How do we respond to the dramatic shift in our culture’s perspective on sex?
As one of today’s most influential thinkers, Dr. Albert Mohler addresses these critical topics in a thoughtful, cut-to-the-chase style in Desire and Deceit. As you follow Mohler’s guidance in applying biblical solutions to today’s most highly charged issues, you will be not only equipped but also inspired to speak the truth in a society hungry for answers.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2008
About the author
R. Albert Mohler Jr.
114 books390 followersDr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world.
Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. In fact, Time.com called him the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.”
In addition to his presidential duties, Dr. Mohler hosts two programs: “The Briefing,” a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview; and “Thinking in Public,” a series of conversations with the day’s leading thinkers. He also writes a popular blog and a regular commentary on moral, cultural and theological issues. All of these can be accessed through Dr. Mohler’s website, www.AlbertMohler.com. Called “an articulate voice for conservative Christianity at large” by The Chicago Tribune, Dr. Mohler’s mission is to address contemporary issues from a consistent and explicit Christian worldview.
Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. In fact, Time.com called him the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.”
In addition to his presidential duties, Dr. Mohler hosts two programs: “The Briefing,” a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview; and “Thinking in Public,” a series of conversations with the day’s leading thinkers. He also writes a popular blog and a regular commentary on moral, cultural and theological issues. All of these can be accessed through Dr. Mohler’s website, www.AlbertMohler.com. Called “an articulate voice for conservative Christianity at large” by The Chicago Tribune, Dr. Mohler’s mission is to address contemporary issues from a consistent and explicit Christian worldview.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 16, 2015
This is a "must read!" Dr. Mohler brings to light the twisted thinking of our society regarding sexual tolerance. He covers such topics as pornography and its damage to one's marriage and the push for legitimizing the lifestyle of homosexuality (in the home, workplace, school and even in the church).
Don't think this is a book for "bashing" the homosexual lifestyle. Yes, Dr. Mohler clearly stands opposed to that way of living. Quoting the late Elizabeth Achtemeier of Union Theological Seminary, he writes:
"... if there is any one thing that is plainly revealed in Scripture, it is Scripture’s absolute condemnation of homosexuality in every form and in every context. There is no room for negotiation" (p154).
But he also has a clear message for every pastor, every Christian who lives and speaks God's Word:
Salvation and repentance must be preached to homosexuals – and to heterosexuals as well. East of Eden, not one of us has come before God as sexually pure and whole, even if we have never committed an illicit sexual act. Our ministry to homosexuals is not as the sinless ministering to sinners, but as fellow sinners who bear testimony to the reality of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
The gospel always comes as both judgment and grace. But the last word must always be grace. Our duty is to tell the truth about homosexuality and to name it as Scripture names it. But our responsibility hardly ends there, for our next task is to speak the word of grace, and to present the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ as our substitute, by whose blood we have been bought with a price.
To the homosexual, as to all others, we must speak in love, never in hatred. But the first task of love is to tell the truth, and the sign of true hatred is the telling of a lie. Those who genuinely love homosexuals are not those who would revolutionize morality to meet their wishes, but those who will tell them the truth and point them to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life (pp82,83).
I would encourage you to read this short book for yourself.
Don't think this is a book for "bashing" the homosexual lifestyle. Yes, Dr. Mohler clearly stands opposed to that way of living. Quoting the late Elizabeth Achtemeier of Union Theological Seminary, he writes:
"... if there is any one thing that is plainly revealed in Scripture, it is Scripture’s absolute condemnation of homosexuality in every form and in every context. There is no room for negotiation" (p154).
But he also has a clear message for every pastor, every Christian who lives and speaks God's Word:
Salvation and repentance must be preached to homosexuals – and to heterosexuals as well. East of Eden, not one of us has come before God as sexually pure and whole, even if we have never committed an illicit sexual act. Our ministry to homosexuals is not as the sinless ministering to sinners, but as fellow sinners who bear testimony to the reality of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
The gospel always comes as both judgment and grace. But the last word must always be grace. Our duty is to tell the truth about homosexuality and to name it as Scripture names it. But our responsibility hardly ends there, for our next task is to speak the word of grace, and to present the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ as our substitute, by whose blood we have been bought with a price.
To the homosexual, as to all others, we must speak in love, never in hatred. But the first task of love is to tell the truth, and the sign of true hatred is the telling of a lie. Those who genuinely love homosexuals are not those who would revolutionize morality to meet their wishes, but those who will tell them the truth and point them to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life (pp82,83).
I would encourage you to read this short book for yourself.
December 31, 2020
Como minha carne é cega! Como meus desejos são imundos! Que Deus abra os olhos daqueles que leem, e que possamos enfrentar temido pecado!
Uma obra abençoadora que contribui para nossa conduta santa, motivando-nos a caminhar em santidade para a glória dEle!
Uma obra abençoadora que contribui para nossa conduta santa, motivando-nos a caminhar em santidade para a glória dEle!
January 15, 2023
This book is very Mohler-like - filled with philosophy, theology, and cultural trends. It has good content as always. It gives us something to think about, worry about, and even makes us want to go fight the cultural war out there. However, I'm coming to the point where the evangelical brand that this book falls squarely within does not help Christians love God and their neighbor more. It instead pulls you into a cultural-political vortex that is endemic of evangelicalism.
November 28, 2008
Desire and Deceit is an easy to read engaging discussion of how "sexual tolerance" has made itself the primary moral issue in our society. The author, R. Alber Mohler, is president of a Baptist seminary, and while he footnotes the book, it is not an academic tome but rather a very readable text. while he claims to present the Biblical view of sexuality, he does not reference or quote much scripture.
The book begin with a look at some letters JRR Tolkien wrote to his son, a man in his early twenties, about marriage and human sexuality. "The devil is endlessly ingenious, and sex is his favorite subject. He is as good every bit at catching you through generous romantic or tender motives, as through baser or more animal ones" Mohler quotes Tolkien as saying. Mohler further points out that Tolkien understood that those who give themselves most unreservedly to sexual pleasure will derive the least pleasure and fulfillment in the end.
Next, Mohler looks at lust from both a secular and Christian perspective. From a secular perspective, it is defined as "the enthusiastic desire, the desire that infuses the body, for sexual activity and its pleasures for their own sake.", though from the secular perspective, there is nothing wrong with that. From a Christian perspective, "Lust goes beyond attraction, and appreciation of beauty, or even a healthy desire for sex--it makes these desires more important thatn God. Lust wants to go outside God's guidelines to find satisfaction." About the human sex drive he says "we need the guiding assistance of the sex drive to pull us out of lethargy and self-centeredness into a fruitful and faithful relationship with a spouse."
Pornography is also addressed, including its mainstreaming into adverstising and entertainment and points out that increased exposure to erotic stimulation creates the need for ever-increasing stimulation in order to demand notice, arouse sexual interest and retain attention. Mohler draws a contrast between the man who seeks sexual fufillment through porn, with its lack of contact, lack of relationship, and lack of demands, with the faithful husband who has to make himself worthy of his wife's attention and desire.
Quite a bit of the book is devoted to discussion homosexuality. He points out that defining homosexuality as "who you are" rather than "what you do" is a recent phenomenon. He discusses the efforts of those within the church who would legitimize homosexual behavior. They make one of two arguments when faced with the Biblical proscriptions--they either claim they only refer to those who are of a heterosexual orientation, and therefore not being true to their nature or they claim that those proscriptions need to be viewed as reflections of the hierarchial patriarchial culture that we can safely reject as not applying to us. Kohler describes the process by which the homosexual activitsts have changed the way America views homosexual behavior. He looks at some of the big names in the study of sex and discusses how much of their "research" has been discredited.
I find it interesting that one aspect of modern sexual behavior was not addressed at all in this book--birth control.
I've read about Theology of the Body. I'm going to have to read it, and I think comparing it to this book would be an interesting exercise.
The book begin with a look at some letters JRR Tolkien wrote to his son, a man in his early twenties, about marriage and human sexuality. "The devil is endlessly ingenious, and sex is his favorite subject. He is as good every bit at catching you through generous romantic or tender motives, as through baser or more animal ones" Mohler quotes Tolkien as saying. Mohler further points out that Tolkien understood that those who give themselves most unreservedly to sexual pleasure will derive the least pleasure and fulfillment in the end.
Next, Mohler looks at lust from both a secular and Christian perspective. From a secular perspective, it is defined as "the enthusiastic desire, the desire that infuses the body, for sexual activity and its pleasures for their own sake.", though from the secular perspective, there is nothing wrong with that. From a Christian perspective, "Lust goes beyond attraction, and appreciation of beauty, or even a healthy desire for sex--it makes these desires more important thatn God. Lust wants to go outside God's guidelines to find satisfaction." About the human sex drive he says "we need the guiding assistance of the sex drive to pull us out of lethargy and self-centeredness into a fruitful and faithful relationship with a spouse."
Pornography is also addressed, including its mainstreaming into adverstising and entertainment and points out that increased exposure to erotic stimulation creates the need for ever-increasing stimulation in order to demand notice, arouse sexual interest and retain attention. Mohler draws a contrast between the man who seeks sexual fufillment through porn, with its lack of contact, lack of relationship, and lack of demands, with the faithful husband who has to make himself worthy of his wife's attention and desire.
Quite a bit of the book is devoted to discussion homosexuality. He points out that defining homosexuality as "who you are" rather than "what you do" is a recent phenomenon. He discusses the efforts of those within the church who would legitimize homosexual behavior. They make one of two arguments when faced with the Biblical proscriptions--they either claim they only refer to those who are of a heterosexual orientation, and therefore not being true to their nature or they claim that those proscriptions need to be viewed as reflections of the hierarchial patriarchial culture that we can safely reject as not applying to us. Kohler describes the process by which the homosexual activitsts have changed the way America views homosexual behavior. He looks at some of the big names in the study of sex and discusses how much of their "research" has been discredited.
I find it interesting that one aspect of modern sexual behavior was not addressed at all in this book--birth control.
I've read about Theology of the Body. I'm going to have to read it, and I think comparing it to this book would be an interesting exercise.
March 28, 2009
Contrary to what one might think from reading the cover of the book, it would be wrong to say that R. Albert Mohler Jr.’s book, Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance, is a “right jab” from the evangelical side of the political spectrum. It would also be wrong to categorize Mohler as preaching to the choir, which he actually is but that isn’t the whole story either. Albert Mohler’s book is much more of an exercise in educating the religious right so that they will have their own ammunition to fight moral sexual degradation. It is an educational lecture and a pep talk, if you will.
The main target of Mohler’s lecture is obviously homosexuality. In this case we are not talking about homosexuality itself per se, even though Mohler gives loads of biblical and rational arguments against the homosexual lifestyle. Mohler’s attack, if you will, is squarely against the political homosexuality that he believes has changed the landscape of American culture for the worse and almost to the point of non-recognition. Albert Mohler also rails against pornography and sexual promiscuity in virtually every form labeling it as against God’s plan for man and woman. In many ways the author believes that political homosexuality has won in their battle but for those who stand with evangelical Christianity this is no reason to give up the fight. The battle for souls must rage on.
Mohler portrays Alfred Kinsey, lauded as many social intellectuals today, as some sort of sicko at best and at worst a de facto “black pope” (my words, not his) who’s sexual depravity have lead many of our own brightest minds astray. Albert Mohler states that he believes Kinsey, thought by some as the father of the modern sexual revolution, to have been an intellectual fraud who, originally studier of insects, molded his own sexual desires into a pseudo-science of carnal knowledge, totally discounting any supposed contributions that Alfred Kinsey was purported to have made to our earlier knowledge of sexual behavior.
I don’t really think that even the casual reader would find many surprises in what Albert Mohler has written in Desire and Deceit. For one he is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, hardly a bastion of left-wing thought and liberal demagoguery, and Mohler has been many times in the American press defending evangelical Christian values, raising the flag for the whole world to see. As such, I would be surprised to find anyone who did read the book with an open mind to take umbrage with Mohler’s position. It is almost as if the position is stated in the title. Of course if the reader’s only intention in reading the book in the first place was to “dig up dirt” to argue against Albert Mohler’s stance then they would have lots to work with because he is unequivocal. I do believe though that the book’s merits are in whether or not it accomplished what the author intended to do when he wrote it: Shore up the evangelical soldiers for the fight against evil sexual mores as they see them. And in this respect Albert Mohler can claim his desired effect.
The main target of Mohler’s lecture is obviously homosexuality. In this case we are not talking about homosexuality itself per se, even though Mohler gives loads of biblical and rational arguments against the homosexual lifestyle. Mohler’s attack, if you will, is squarely against the political homosexuality that he believes has changed the landscape of American culture for the worse and almost to the point of non-recognition. Albert Mohler also rails against pornography and sexual promiscuity in virtually every form labeling it as against God’s plan for man and woman. In many ways the author believes that political homosexuality has won in their battle but for those who stand with evangelical Christianity this is no reason to give up the fight. The battle for souls must rage on.
Mohler portrays Alfred Kinsey, lauded as many social intellectuals today, as some sort of sicko at best and at worst a de facto “black pope” (my words, not his) who’s sexual depravity have lead many of our own brightest minds astray. Albert Mohler states that he believes Kinsey, thought by some as the father of the modern sexual revolution, to have been an intellectual fraud who, originally studier of insects, molded his own sexual desires into a pseudo-science of carnal knowledge, totally discounting any supposed contributions that Alfred Kinsey was purported to have made to our earlier knowledge of sexual behavior.
I don’t really think that even the casual reader would find many surprises in what Albert Mohler has written in Desire and Deceit. For one he is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, hardly a bastion of left-wing thought and liberal demagoguery, and Mohler has been many times in the American press defending evangelical Christian values, raising the flag for the whole world to see. As such, I would be surprised to find anyone who did read the book with an open mind to take umbrage with Mohler’s position. It is almost as if the position is stated in the title. Of course if the reader’s only intention in reading the book in the first place was to “dig up dirt” to argue against Albert Mohler’s stance then they would have lots to work with because he is unequivocal. I do believe though that the book’s merits are in whether or not it accomplished what the author intended to do when he wrote it: Shore up the evangelical soldiers for the fight against evil sexual mores as they see them. And in this respect Albert Mohler can claim his desired effect.
September 2, 2010
You know those silly IQ questions that all go something like this: If all zips are zaps, but not all zaps are zops, are all zops zips? It may seem like an easy relation problem, but I have a feeling that Mohler never did so well at those. Many of the chapters seemed to rely on the basis that "homosexuality" and "promiscuity" are synonyms, and that all lesbians are extreme feminists.
If he had any good points about the "new sexual tolerance", it was drown out by his terribly biased diction and unwillingness to look at both points of view of any issue. By the end, I felt that unreasonable frustration that comes from an analogy that just doesn't fit and shameless ad hominem towards several of his references.
If he had any good points about the "new sexual tolerance", it was drown out by his terribly biased diction and unwillingness to look at both points of view of any issue. By the end, I felt that unreasonable frustration that comes from an analogy that just doesn't fit and shameless ad hominem towards several of his references.
December 16, 2021
Excelente livro para quem está se introduzindo nesse assunto e deseja aprender mais. Uma obra que me fez abrir os olhos, me edificou e me colocou em alerta. Que sério! Que mundo louco este em que estamos vivendo! Recomendo muitíssimo (apesar de ser o primeiro livro que leio sobre esse assunto, tive alguns estudos na minha igreja sobre sexualidade e isso me despertou o interesse).
September 29, 2013
There is little doubt our current societal milieu is one that has embraced a tolerance for all things deviant. In many regards, this so-called tolerance is nothing new in the world given the tendency for humanity to reject God’s clear prescription for proper sexuality in favor of the anything goes approach. Despite the assertions by some that an individual’s sexual decisions have no larger impact on those around them or society at large, Scripture clear annotates what will take place when man goes against God’s Word. Dr. Albert Mohler, in his book Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance, engages this issue with tact, sincerity, and most importantly, a Scripture centered dialogue outlining how sexual tolerance is negatively impacting the world and the church.
Mohler begins his book with a look at what the noted author J. R. R. Tolkien had to share with his son back in the 1941. In a letter to his son Michael, Tolkien noted “The dislocation of sex-instinct is one of the chief symptoms of the fall. The world has been going to the bad all down the ages. The various social forms shift, and each new mode has its special dangers, but the hard spirit of concupiscence has walked down every street, and sat leering in every house, since Adam fell.” This is a tremendously salient insight into the impact of sexual deviancy and sexual sin throughout the ages. Using this statement by Tolkien, Mohler engages the secular perspective on exactly what lust is and how such sinful behavior has been twisted to such a degree that is has become part and parcel of everyday life.
In comparing the secular view of lust with the proper biblical view, Mohler aptly notes “Sexual desire for its own sake is sexual desire stripped of the Creator’s glory and stolen from its moral context.” Conversely, the proper biblical approach to sexual desire is stated by Molher as found in the reality that “Our creator made us sexual beings and put a strong sex drive within us in order to drive us toward marriage and all the goods that are united in the marital union.” I was pleased to see Mohler utilize the writings of Joshua Harris in this particular discussion given Harris’ strong stance on purity in the dating environment, an area where lustful behavior is flaunted in our society as acceptable behavior.
A truly pernicious element of society is the impact of pornography, and Mohler rightly notes “The intersection of pornography and marriage is one of the most problematic issues among many couples today, including Christian couples.” It is extremely difficult to escape the influence of pornography given the full embracing of sexual debauchery at all levels of entertainment. The pornification of society as it has been called has been especially influential on men, something Mohler aptly points out. He states “a frighteningly large percentage of men develop a dependence upon pornographic images for their own sexual arousal and for their concept of the good life, sexual fulfillment, and even meaning in life.”
Given the negative influence of pornography in marriages, even Christian marriages, it is thus vital to understand what the Christian worldview, the biblical stance on such this requires. Mohler again aptly weighs in on this issue commenting “Marriage is not merely the arena for sexual activity; it is presented in Scripture as the divinely designed arena for the display of God’s glory on earth as a man and a woman come together in a one-flesh relationship within the marriage covenant.” Unlike the throw away approach to marriage that so often formulates how our society views the male/female relationship, God designed marriage to be a lasting commitment, one where two become one flesh, desiring to build one another up to the glory of God within the bounds of intimacy confined to the covenant of marriage. In order to properly engage the carnal approach to matters of sex, Mohler declares “our first responsibility to point all persons toward the right use of God’s good gifts and the legitimacy of sex in marriage as vital aspects of God’s intention in marriage from the beginning.” In doing so, we will declare by our actions and behavior, the beauty of sex as God intended it in juxtaposition to the sexual depravity our society proclaims is “normal”.
The next area of sexual depravity in society today that Mohler addresses is the hot-button issue of homosexuality. It is not surprising that sexual culture has embraced homosexual behavior within the overall umbrella of sexual behaviors it not only tolerates, but promotes. This promotion of homosexuality has found its way into Hollywood, the halls of Congress, the classrooms of the public schools, and perhaps most unfortunately, homosexual behavior is increasingly being tolerated and promoted within the church.
Mohler does an excellent job of providing the reader with the truth behind the fiction concerning homosexuality. Typically, society tries to present homosexual behavior as something of a “gene problem”, a behavior people are born with thus providing, at least in their minds, an excuse for why they pursue an activity God declares as sinful. If God made me that way, then He certainly cannot expect me to go against how I was made right? In response to that often utilized approach, Mohler reveals the failure of such an approach especially in light of the overt attempt in secular society and even in the church to twist history and biblical truth. For example, Mohler states in relation to the excuse that people are born homosexuals that “No adequate scientific data exists to prove any one of these – or any combination thereof – as the source of homosexual orientation. It is important to note that the hypothesis preceded any scientific proof, and yet is has been accepted as virtually self-evident.” Ultimately, the church has become scared of such false scientific assertions, leading many evangelicals to succumb to this society acquittal of immoral behavior.
Furthermore, Mohler brilliantly outlines the fact that ultimately, this is an issue of biblical authority. Are we as a society going to affirm biblical truth or rest on the whims of society? Those within the church who have seemingly made it their goal to approve of homosexual behavior so as not to offend, are in fact setting themselves against God and His word. Mohler avers and rightly so “evangelicals must establish our understanding of homosexuality on the Bible and rest upon an undiluted affirmation of biblical authority. The Bible is unambiguous on the issue of homosexuality, and only a repudiation of biblical truth can allow evangelicals to join the moral revisionists.” Since Scripture is blazingly clear that God created man and women as well as creating sex to be enjoyed only within the confines of the covenant of marriage, any deviation from that biblical model, whether that is lust, pornography, or homosexuality, should be rejected in favor of God’s perfect design.
Desire and Deceit is an excellent exploration of the current state of sexuality in society today. Dr. Mohler expertly engages the issues at hand, continuously bringing the reader back to the necessity of understanding what God has to say about sexuality and what happens when a society deviates from God’s perfect blueprint for His creation. These are difficult yet necessary issues to discuss especially given the proclivity of society at all levels to embrace all manners of sexual promiscuity and in turn, to proclaim such behavior as the new norm. Mohler pulls no punches in this book, revealing sexual promiscuity and deviancy for what it is, a rejection of God’s authority. I highly recommend this book for anyone desiring to fully understand the issue at hand as well as understanding biblical based solutions to meet these challenges to biblical authority and God’s design for proper sexual behavior.
Mohler begins his book with a look at what the noted author J. R. R. Tolkien had to share with his son back in the 1941. In a letter to his son Michael, Tolkien noted “The dislocation of sex-instinct is one of the chief symptoms of the fall. The world has been going to the bad all down the ages. The various social forms shift, and each new mode has its special dangers, but the hard spirit of concupiscence has walked down every street, and sat leering in every house, since Adam fell.” This is a tremendously salient insight into the impact of sexual deviancy and sexual sin throughout the ages. Using this statement by Tolkien, Mohler engages the secular perspective on exactly what lust is and how such sinful behavior has been twisted to such a degree that is has become part and parcel of everyday life.
In comparing the secular view of lust with the proper biblical view, Mohler aptly notes “Sexual desire for its own sake is sexual desire stripped of the Creator’s glory and stolen from its moral context.” Conversely, the proper biblical approach to sexual desire is stated by Molher as found in the reality that “Our creator made us sexual beings and put a strong sex drive within us in order to drive us toward marriage and all the goods that are united in the marital union.” I was pleased to see Mohler utilize the writings of Joshua Harris in this particular discussion given Harris’ strong stance on purity in the dating environment, an area where lustful behavior is flaunted in our society as acceptable behavior.
A truly pernicious element of society is the impact of pornography, and Mohler rightly notes “The intersection of pornography and marriage is one of the most problematic issues among many couples today, including Christian couples.” It is extremely difficult to escape the influence of pornography given the full embracing of sexual debauchery at all levels of entertainment. The pornification of society as it has been called has been especially influential on men, something Mohler aptly points out. He states “a frighteningly large percentage of men develop a dependence upon pornographic images for their own sexual arousal and for their concept of the good life, sexual fulfillment, and even meaning in life.”
Given the negative influence of pornography in marriages, even Christian marriages, it is thus vital to understand what the Christian worldview, the biblical stance on such this requires. Mohler again aptly weighs in on this issue commenting “Marriage is not merely the arena for sexual activity; it is presented in Scripture as the divinely designed arena for the display of God’s glory on earth as a man and a woman come together in a one-flesh relationship within the marriage covenant.” Unlike the throw away approach to marriage that so often formulates how our society views the male/female relationship, God designed marriage to be a lasting commitment, one where two become one flesh, desiring to build one another up to the glory of God within the bounds of intimacy confined to the covenant of marriage. In order to properly engage the carnal approach to matters of sex, Mohler declares “our first responsibility to point all persons toward the right use of God’s good gifts and the legitimacy of sex in marriage as vital aspects of God’s intention in marriage from the beginning.” In doing so, we will declare by our actions and behavior, the beauty of sex as God intended it in juxtaposition to the sexual depravity our society proclaims is “normal”.
The next area of sexual depravity in society today that Mohler addresses is the hot-button issue of homosexuality. It is not surprising that sexual culture has embraced homosexual behavior within the overall umbrella of sexual behaviors it not only tolerates, but promotes. This promotion of homosexuality has found its way into Hollywood, the halls of Congress, the classrooms of the public schools, and perhaps most unfortunately, homosexual behavior is increasingly being tolerated and promoted within the church.
Mohler does an excellent job of providing the reader with the truth behind the fiction concerning homosexuality. Typically, society tries to present homosexual behavior as something of a “gene problem”, a behavior people are born with thus providing, at least in their minds, an excuse for why they pursue an activity God declares as sinful. If God made me that way, then He certainly cannot expect me to go against how I was made right? In response to that often utilized approach, Mohler reveals the failure of such an approach especially in light of the overt attempt in secular society and even in the church to twist history and biblical truth. For example, Mohler states in relation to the excuse that people are born homosexuals that “No adequate scientific data exists to prove any one of these – or any combination thereof – as the source of homosexual orientation. It is important to note that the hypothesis preceded any scientific proof, and yet is has been accepted as virtually self-evident.” Ultimately, the church has become scared of such false scientific assertions, leading many evangelicals to succumb to this society acquittal of immoral behavior.
Furthermore, Mohler brilliantly outlines the fact that ultimately, this is an issue of biblical authority. Are we as a society going to affirm biblical truth or rest on the whims of society? Those within the church who have seemingly made it their goal to approve of homosexual behavior so as not to offend, are in fact setting themselves against God and His word. Mohler avers and rightly so “evangelicals must establish our understanding of homosexuality on the Bible and rest upon an undiluted affirmation of biblical authority. The Bible is unambiguous on the issue of homosexuality, and only a repudiation of biblical truth can allow evangelicals to join the moral revisionists.” Since Scripture is blazingly clear that God created man and women as well as creating sex to be enjoyed only within the confines of the covenant of marriage, any deviation from that biblical model, whether that is lust, pornography, or homosexuality, should be rejected in favor of God’s perfect design.
Desire and Deceit is an excellent exploration of the current state of sexuality in society today. Dr. Mohler expertly engages the issues at hand, continuously bringing the reader back to the necessity of understanding what God has to say about sexuality and what happens when a society deviates from God’s perfect blueprint for His creation. These are difficult yet necessary issues to discuss especially given the proclivity of society at all levels to embrace all manners of sexual promiscuity and in turn, to proclaim such behavior as the new norm. Mohler pulls no punches in this book, revealing sexual promiscuity and deviancy for what it is, a rejection of God’s authority. I highly recommend this book for anyone desiring to fully understand the issue at hand as well as understanding biblical based solutions to meet these challenges to biblical authority and God’s design for proper sexual behavior.
July 26, 2020
Brief and insightful treatment of topics Dr. Mohler frequently writes and speaks on regarding the sexual revolution and its influence in American culture, with an eye to what the Christian worldview has to say instead. I appreciated that some of the earlier chapters were positive in their outworking of a scriptural ethic so that the entire book is not only polemical. Reading it twelve years after it was written serves to highlight how some of his analysis/predictions were prescient and how dramatically things have changed in the U.S. in a relatively brief time (this was written several years before Obergefell, e.g.). One of the most helpful lines of thinking was his observation of how the concept of "sexual orientation" is entirely a modern construct, and what that should mean for us.
August 2, 2019
Quite revealing. I enjoyed reading the informative chapters. Obviously, there is a lot that the “polymorphous perversity” movement is keeping hidden.
My only disappointment about the book is that it leaves too much to be desired. I wish Mohler could expand each chapter, diversify them a bit, build on the existing credible data and publish a bigger volume. The current work sounded a bit like an apologetic tract— an inspiring tract nonetheless.
My only disappointment about the book is that it leaves too much to be desired. I wish Mohler could expand each chapter, diversify them a bit, build on the existing credible data and publish a bigger volume. The current work sounded a bit like an apologetic tract— an inspiring tract nonetheless.
August 4, 2021
This is an interesting read, the author dwelled in the massive transformation (war) that’s taking place in America that establishes the polymorphous perversity which is seen as overthrowing the traditional institution by normalizing the abnormal. It’s very well written and simple for understanding. For those who wonders what’s happening now, should starts with this short book on the brief background of the origins.
April 14, 2022
This is a zoom in and thought-process mentioned in "The Briefing" quite often. The sexual movement of our time has created identity idolization centered in sexual identity. The sexual movement has attacked our families, education system, and culture. A sexual tolerance has allowed God's intended picture of sexuality to become more and more distorted. Albert Mohler Jr. addresses these issues and acknowledges a dangerous potential future driven by identity politics.
April 20, 2022
Mohler tries to pinpoint some of the largest areas where the world, and America in general, have dropped the ball in sexual ethics - allowing the secular society to pick it up. Our society, Mohler contends, is one of deep tolerance. Anything goes as long as it isn't restrictive. This is, of course, contradictory and nobody seems to care. The implications of this worldview are vast but it can be stated with great certainty that they are all destructive.
February 13, 2024
Livro muito interessante, o autor aborda o problema do pecado da homossexualidade falando sobre o seu surgimento e como seus defensores militam em vários campos da sociedade. Apresenta também uma defesa bíblica e pontos práticos para reflexão e ajuda.
December 4, 2018
An excellent book on Christian approach to sexuality.
September 29, 2013
If you read this book with Mohler's voice in mind, it's a pretty solid read. Of course, I might just be saying that because like so many contemporary Evangelical writers, Mohler's a better speaker than he is a writer.
Overall, this book is fine, if a bit skewed in its approach. The claim is (at least according to the back of the book) that this little text answers the question "Are you ready to respond to the most relevant questions of sexuality today?" Which I suppose it technically does. Mohler gives five chapters to the questions of lust, pornography, and traditional marriage; three chapters to "The Age of Polymorphous Perversity", and nine chapters to homosexuality. All of these chapters give a quick overview of the major issues and ways Christians can be responsibly thinking about and engaging with these viewpoints and movements.
And so far as all that goes, I think this book is good and useful and am happy to recommend it.
Yet, here's my quibble: far more than half of the book is dedicated to the issue of homosexuality. True, that is a way that Americans have skewed our views of sex in the past couple of decades, but is it the major way? Is it worthy of half a book (even as short a book as this one) on the subject of sex in contemporary culture?
I suspect that the bigger issue driving our obsession with sex is exactly the same thing that drives our problems with food and our problems with, well, everything. That issue is our unrestrained appetites. We hate it when anyone tells us "no", and have no greater desire than to be able to give into our spur-of-the-moment impulse at any time and for any reason without restraint (and if we can do so without consequences, so much the better). Now I may be wrong and presumably "Dr. Mohler should have written the book I would have written" isn't the ideal critique. But I think there is something to be said to maintaining an appropriate balance when approaching social ills, and I'm not sure this book does a great job of that.
Anyway, all that said, this is still an interesting (and quick!) read. Recommended for those interested in the subject matter.
Overall, this book is fine, if a bit skewed in its approach. The claim is (at least according to the back of the book) that this little text answers the question "Are you ready to respond to the most relevant questions of sexuality today?" Which I suppose it technically does. Mohler gives five chapters to the questions of lust, pornography, and traditional marriage; three chapters to "The Age of Polymorphous Perversity", and nine chapters to homosexuality. All of these chapters give a quick overview of the major issues and ways Christians can be responsibly thinking about and engaging with these viewpoints and movements.
And so far as all that goes, I think this book is good and useful and am happy to recommend it.
Yet, here's my quibble: far more than half of the book is dedicated to the issue of homosexuality. True, that is a way that Americans have skewed our views of sex in the past couple of decades, but is it the major way? Is it worthy of half a book (even as short a book as this one) on the subject of sex in contemporary culture?
I suspect that the bigger issue driving our obsession with sex is exactly the same thing that drives our problems with food and our problems with, well, everything. That issue is our unrestrained appetites. We hate it when anyone tells us "no", and have no greater desire than to be able to give into our spur-of-the-moment impulse at any time and for any reason without restraint (and if we can do so without consequences, so much the better). Now I may be wrong and presumably "Dr. Mohler should have written the book I would have written" isn't the ideal critique. But I think there is something to be said to maintaining an appropriate balance when approaching social ills, and I'm not sure this book does a great job of that.
Anyway, all that said, this is still an interesting (and quick!) read. Recommended for those interested in the subject matter.
September 7, 2015
With a copyright of 2008, I wonder if Mohler saw 2015 coming... but anyway, here are a few highlights that made me dog-ear some pages.
"(Tolkien) knew he was out of step, and he steadfastly refused to update his morality in order to pass the muster of the moderns. Writing to Christopher, his youngest son, Tolkien explained this well: 'We were born in a dark age out of due time (for us). But there is this comfort: otherwise we should not know, or so much love, what we do love. I imagine the fish out of water is the only fish to have an inkling of water.'"
"Regardless of the pattern of sexual temptation, the only way out of the problem is redemption in Christ. No act of will, no matter how titanic, can solve the problem of sin or offer liberty from the prison of our temptations. The only way out is through the redemption Christ has accomplished. The only way to deal with the problem of sin is to trust the transforming power of the gospel and the renewal that comes to the believer in Christ."
A quote of Paul Berman: "It is now forbidden anymore to forbid."
"(Tolkien) knew he was out of step, and he steadfastly refused to update his morality in order to pass the muster of the moderns. Writing to Christopher, his youngest son, Tolkien explained this well: 'We were born in a dark age out of due time (for us). But there is this comfort: otherwise we should not know, or so much love, what we do love. I imagine the fish out of water is the only fish to have an inkling of water.'"
"Regardless of the pattern of sexual temptation, the only way out of the problem is redemption in Christ. No act of will, no matter how titanic, can solve the problem of sin or offer liberty from the prison of our temptations. The only way out is through the redemption Christ has accomplished. The only way to deal with the problem of sin is to trust the transforming power of the gospel and the renewal that comes to the believer in Christ."
A quote of Paul Berman: "It is now forbidden anymore to forbid."
February 16, 2013
In this short book Al Mohler explains how our society got so far off track and how during this process this shift went largely unnoticed. Al primarily deals with the shift (from monogamy to accepting of all sexual behaviors as being either okay and/or somewhat acceptable) in our culture by examining and explaining the strategy, arguments, and circumstances that all played a part in promoting the homosexual lifestyle. He refutes both the popular authors and their musings and so-called studies that are often referred to. This book is highly educational and insightful.
October 30, 2010
This is without doubt one of the best books I've read so far for my project. This book is a Christian approach to sexuality. Specifically, it talks about marriage, pornography, homosexuality, and cultural changes relating to sexuality in our world.
It is clear, coherent, and well written. Mohler is one of the best evangelicals I've heard & read as of yet. He spoke at GBSC last year.
Excellent book!
It is clear, coherent, and well written. Mohler is one of the best evangelicals I've heard & read as of yet. He spoke at GBSC last year.
Excellent book!
September 11, 2012
Al Mohler clearly articulates some very interesting points regarding our culture's views on sexuality. He specifically addresses the issues of lust, pornography, marriage, and homosexuality. As the subtitle states, Mohler describes the real cost of the new sexual tolerance and how the anti-biblical views on sex, lust, and marriage are much more harmful than they are helpful. This book is extremely timely as this is the main issue for our generation. I highly recommend it!
September 7, 2012
A collection of related essays on sexual morality from the head of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary... while I have no problem with his theology or his application of that theology, I wouldn't recommend this book for general reading. The majority of the essays are written with a definite bent toward more academic thought & argumentation.
January 15, 2013
Great book on modern purity issues. I especially appreciated the section on the problems associated with the present-day homosexual agenda. My eyes were opened to the seriousness of the efforts to make their lifestyle acceptable to all, and will stop at nothing in their drive to extinguish the lips of any who would oppose their sinfulness.
February 11, 2013
Excellent! Everyone should read this book. It really gets to the heart of the matter of what we have lost and how it slipped away. It also shines a light on some of the leaders of the "sexual revolution" and gay rights movements. People quote these leaders and really know nothing about them or only choose to see what they want to see.
February 12, 2014
A recommended primer for conservatives looking to find support to debate liberals in defending traditional family values against the growing acceptance of sexual perversity. This is a short book and will not take long to read.
March 11, 2014
I will write a review in a couple of days. Desire and Deceit is book I recommend to everyone involved in ministry. Chapters 6-14 are what sparked my initial interest in the book. As usual Dr. Mohler nailed the issues.
May 4, 2014
Typical Mohler, very good.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews