If you only see smut as simply wretchedness whose sole purpose is to usher your mind towards the fires of hell, you're over simplifying.
Sex was created by God, and this is not in Satan's best interest for us to remember.
Man / woman was created by God as image bearers of God himself, and this too is not in Satan's best interest for us to remember.
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One of the primary similarities between my Silas and I is our tendency to gravitate towards high-caliber beauty. And taking the purview of Samson Society into consideration, this primarily (for our contextual purposes) pertains to smut. Therefore, for he and I, we're likely going to be far more interested in top-tier sources of smut than anything minutely smitten with the aroma of homebrew, naked-people-next-door porn.
Why is this?
Because we're super intelligent, sophisticated gents. That's why.
No. I'm only kidding. It's just the way we're wired. But it's cool nonetheless, having this similarity.
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Last week, the Turners spent our Spring Break in Sandestin, FL. We've had the good fortune of visiting there many times in the past, but what was different this time around was our exact condo location relative to the beach. Due to last week's adjacency to the white sands, we spent more time than ever before either in the crystal clear Gulf waters or enjoying the sugary sand. The weather was stellar for March, and overall, it was a wonderful vacation.
As an aside, as you know, I'm an architect. And I'm also an automobile aficionado. It's important that you know that going forward.
For a number of years now, I've admired a beachfront condominium in Destin that truly is an architectural landmark. It's a standout for sure relative to the daring design language used. Plus, it also has retro appeal - to a degree, though the design is so strong that the building really cannot be pigeonholed as simply "retro".
This multi-story condominium building looks unlike anything in Destin / Fort Walton. And this is due to the daring design which had to have pushed the budget far beyond its milquetoast context (row after row of ubiquitous multi-story condominium buildings).
Taking that into consideration, one of the first things I took note of from our tenth floor Sandestin condominium balcony view was the profile of this architectural gem in the far distance - looking westward down the beach. It was a ways away, but indisputable. And this excited me greatly.
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Immediately upon our return to the Jackson Metro after my job loss from Delta State University (for breaking the institution's IT policy), I made an appointment to see a therapist who I'd heard speak a number of times at local gatherings of men. These few sessions with him started in late '13 and ended sometime in early '14 (he wasn't a good fit for Rob). Nonetheless, one of his insights in hearing my story consisted of me needing a creative outlet to counterbalance working at my family's insurance / financial services business. He was obviously taking my background in architecture into account, and this was no doubt low hanging fruit for him to consider / throw out.
What he failed to realize though is just how much Internet porn I consumed whilst working within local architecture firms - day after day after day - for hours on end. And mostly the same type of material. As if I truly had a bottomless pit within my mind for these strikingly beautiful images / videos.
It was almost as if simply working within a very creative industry amplified my craving for this smut.
Isn't that weird? Or maybe it isn't. Maybe it's reality. For I knew of a number of other creative types who were similarly "right brain moonlighting" just as I was there on my employer's dime.
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So, as you might have guessed, I did make my way down to the Edgewater Condominium building, following the beach due west to my destination. It was a somewhat distant journey, trudging through the sand, but well worth it - both times. In fact, the second time I paid the actual building an exploratory visit by walking right into the lobby, making my way upwards in order to walk some of the perimeter corridors along the west elevation. From there, it was simple to understand the floor plan. And I loved what I was experiencing. It was inspiring and so very beautifully executed. Hence, my appreciation for this gem was furthered along exponentially, and these steal aways became Rob's trip highlights.
As an architect experiencing a new building like this one (that's not a design commodity), it's akin to reading a few select chapters from a fellow author's novel - with great intent and respect - versus flipping through someone's mass produced romance story out of boredom.
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Did any of you take any of those "appreciation" classes in college in order to obtain an easy credit or two? I distinctly remember one of these being offered within the School of Architecture, and as you might imagine, it was NOT AT ALL part of the architecture students' (mine) curriculum track.
Looking at high production images of beautiful naked people having sex is akin to a sexuality curriculum. A curriculum that's laser focused on a topic that I'm so not fluent in yet want very much to be degreed in.
But, this methodology, though so very convenient and culturally relevant, isn't an option for me any longer. Too many people get hurt on the other side of the camera lens. Plus, I waste too much time consuming imagery that regales sinful behavior. And sinful behavior I'm called to avoid as a Christian. No matter how alluring. Beautiful. Compelling.
But it's freaking hard. Even today, I could so easily jump right back in. Jesus help me to resist by turning my attention to other sources of beauty / inspiration. Sources that make a positive impact on my psyche.
