Tyler Garns

Ever since President Clinton’s “I didn’t have sex with that woman” affair with Monica Lewinsky, many have cried, “Why should it matter what our politicians do in their personal lives?” They continue on, “It doesn’t matter what happens in the president’s bedroom as long as he’s a good president”.

I argue that these justifiers are way off base. Commitment to sexual purity is just one area that should be carefully scrutinized in every politician.

Some of the most difficult struggles of this life are those of self-mastery. All of us are in a constant to battle (or at least we should be) between our righteous desires and our carnal desires. As man gives in to the wants of the flesh he over-eats, he indulges in illicit sex, he seeks narrow-mindedly after lucre, he covets, and his vanity increases. When the flesh is winning the internal battle, the soul is losing. And when the soul loses, the mind becomes irrational.

The most important commitment a man will make is in the covenant of marriage. He pledges, among other things, to be true to his wife for eternity. If a man is willing to break that sacred commitment, what other commitments might he be willing to break? If he cannot be true to is wife, how can he be expected to be true to his constituents? If he has the capacity to throw all reason out the door in a moment of passion, why would he not forget his honor when presented with lucrative, under-the-table offers? If a man has shown that he cannot control his eating habits, how can he be expected to control his desire for power, love, or money? If our politicians are so vain that they think the law no longer applies to them, why do we entrust them with the creating, commissioning, and sustaining of our laws?

What a man does in his secret time is indicative of his character. Character is not charisma. Character is not the ability to lead the masses. Character is not charm. Character is not pride. Character is not producing movies about the latest current issue. Character is defined by how a man spends his quiet moments. Character is what a man thinks about when all other thoughts have retreated. Character is revealed when only God is watching.

The general character of American society has deteriorated to the point that the average adult does not see the connection between personal character and the ability to magnify a public office. Americans, in an attempt to justify their own sinful acts, readily forgive those same acts of those who they want to follow. Rather, men follow others who sin in order to justify their own acts.

It is time that we Americans revive the character of our ancestors. Our society would greatly benefit from the standards of the past; when a man’s word meant something, when hard manual labor was respected, when a man’s marital fidelity was revered and infidelity and promiscuity were crimes.

Does sex in politics matter? Absolutely! As do all other facets of a man’s character. I have not even addressed the detriment that politicians’ character flaws have on our society, especially the youth. That is for another day.

Last night I found myself once again deeply engrossed in another episode of 24. Its the only TV show I watch. I’ve banned myself from watching all other TV for a very specific reason. Too much of our TV shows depict an amoral society and encourage the audience to believe it is good.

For example, Grey’s Anatomy had its season finale last night. The whole season revolved around a young, single, female intern having a sexual relationship with a married attending physician. The physician’s wife is set up to be a witchy woman and therefore the audience begins to cheer for the extramarital affair. The audience is encouraged to want the intern and the physician to continue their relationship. During the middle of the season they abstain and apparently go their separate ways, but the producers of the show always hint that there are feelings still there. In the last episode, just as the show had a chance to redeem itself and end this affair forever, lust takes over, all prior commitments and covenants are thrown out the window, and worst of all, the audience loves it.

Why it is that our society is so accepting of a show that denigrates traditional values?

Why does a show like 24, which depicts patriotic people defending freedom and liberty, have to start with a disclaimer: “Viewer Discretion Advised”?

Why does the movie United 93, again a movie that shows the heroic actions of a few people saving our country’s capital, get an R rating when other movies full of sex, crude and foul language, and suggestive material only get a PG-13 rating?

Why do we as a society sit back and accept this behavior from producers? Worse – why do we enjoy it?

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED – Check your thoughts!