There was a story on the news about this, and I thought it would be an iteresting debate. I am undecided.

As I see it, there are many religions and many religious texts in this world. If we are talking specifically about the bible, why, even this document is open to interpretation. This is why there are so many different branches of Christian belief. What one gets out of one's faith is to some extent what one puts into it. Some people choose to favour judgement and punishment in their approach to the behaviour of their fellow men and women. Some choose merely to observe, to help whenever possible, and to leave this business of judgement to that most advanced Being, if He exists. "The quality of mercy is not strained but droppeth like the gentle dew"...and all of that. Nowhere in the Bible did God appoint anyone of us to be His moral hall monitors.

Thus, talking about sin is a simplistic approach to a complex problem. The point is that most individuals who turn to prostitution do so because of such issues as poverty, self-loathing due to dysfunctional childhoods, etc. Some of these individuals are drug addicts and have their addictions to pay for. I would rather that they earn the money by hooking than by violent crimes (mugging, home invasion) against individuals such as myself. This is my selfishness talking, of course.

No prostitute can survive if there were no men interested in buying his or her services. There are some who believe that prostitutes are needed, that they serve as a valuable sexual outlet for many men, that without their services more young women risk rape. I don't know whether this is true or not.

I do know that many Bible-believing men do sin, do stray sexually. This is only one indication that belief in sin does not protect one against it. To take Patty Green's hardline stance is both simplistic and counterproductive. What we need to do is make prostitution a less dangerous activity for all who are involved.

I love the whole attitude that when women do these things, THEY are sinning and MUST BE PUNISHED. What about the guys? They are the ones PAYING TO HAVE SEX! Many of them are married too so they are commiting adultry.

But, hey, they are guys, so I guess that's okay and they can even mistreat the people they are paying and that's okay too ... those nasty sinning women have to be punished after all!

Yah, don't ya just love that finely developped double standard? lol Makes me wish I had a penis (instead of a lot of them).

As I see it, there are many religions and many religious texts in this world. If we are talking specifically about the bible, why, even this document is open to interpretation. This is why there are so many different branches of Christian belief. What one gets out of one's faith is to some extent what one puts into it. Some people choose to favour judgement and punishment in their approach to the behaviour of their fellow men and women. Some choose merely to observe, to help whenever possible, and to leave this business of judgement to that most advanced Being, if He exists. "The quality of mercy is not strained but droppeth like the gentle dew"...and all of that. Nowhere in the Bible did God appoint anyone of us to be His moral hall monitors.

Thus, talking about sin is a simplistic approach to a complex problem. The point is that most individuals who turn to prostitution do so because of such issues as poverty, self-loathing due to dysfunctional childhoods, etc. Some of these individuals are drug addicts and have their addictions to pay for. I would rather that they earn the money by hooking than by violent crimes (mugging, home invasion) against individuals such as myself. This is my selfishness talking, of course.

No prostitute can survive if there were no men interested in buying his or her services. There are some who believe that prostitutes are needed, that they serve as a valuable sexual outlet for many men, that without their services more young women risk rape. I don't know whether this is true or not.

I do know that many Bible-believing men do sin, do stray sexually. This is only one indication that belief in sin does not protect one against it. To take Patty Green's hardline stance is both simplistic and counterproductive. What we need to do is make prostitution a less dangerous activity for all who are involved.

Thank you for a very intelligent post. That is exactly how I view the whole religion thing. Too many "religious" people think that their religion somehow gives them the power to judge others... leave the judgment to God and take care of your own shortcomings.

It is NOT our goverements job to moralize us. We are human beings that make our own choices--and deal with the consequences ourselves. Moral regulation is just ignorant.

And considering how immoral much of our government is, it's a helluva step to try to moralize US. They can't even moralize themselves.

Everybody needs a job ...I would lump them in with waitresses and strippers the all just kiss ass for tips...

Yea, most of them are the ones paying the prostitutes! Remember the New York governor? lol

Yep, politicians and prostitutes......lol

Yea, most of them are the ones paying the prostitutes! Remember the New York governor? lol

That's just one of many... and that doesn't include all the other scandals that didn't involve prostitutes but DO involve morality. Many of these people have NO shame whatsoever.

If a person came into my home to rob me or hurt me, I might shoot him.... The worst sin of all, in my opinion, was legalizing the act of killing the unborn. (one of the ten commandments, 'thou shalt not murder') Yet millions do it every year and it is accepted.

So are you telling us you would not "turn the other cheek"? Is it therefore alright to murder someone in this circumstance, that someone is trying to take your worldly goods?

plain: I've been out of the loop for a few days. Your comment that the pimps would be the ones who are in charge of prostitution after it becomes legal is pretty silly. Unless of course you consider that the people who run things in Nevada are just pimps and the people who run things in Amsterdam are pimps just waiting to get hold of a john and rob him while in the meantime he's thinking of fun ways to beat up and cheat his prostitute.

I can't get over how some of you equate a prostitute to a waitress or a secretary. And some of you even compare a prostitute to a wife. What planet are you living on - what hole do you live in? What a skewed sense of morality.

Our entire capitalist society is based on people providing goods and services for money. Are you trying to say that in this country if you provide a service for money, you're nothing more than prostitute? I'm going to pass that little bit of wisdom along to my lawn mowing guy.

Btw, the general consensus is that rape is not so much about sex as it is about power.

So abortion rears its' ugly head even here? Interesting.

Some women who become pregnant without their consent might equate their situation to the one where an intruder entered your home and threatened your existence.

So abortion rears its' ugly head even here? Interesting.

Some women who become pregnant without their consent might equate their situation to the one where an intruder entered your home and threatened your existence.

HA HA, good one!

It is sad these women (and male prostitutes) are not protected as human beings, and respected by others.

I know. I'm trying to get my male prostitution biz off the ground right now, but I'm not getting any respect!

plain: I've been out of the loop for a few days. Your comment that the pimps would be the ones who are in charge of prostitution after it becomes legal is pretty silly.

So you think the organized and petty crime will just let their control of prostitution drop? C'mon.....There will always be illegal prostitution, even if it were legalized. Wow, that sounded weird, didn't it? But to legalize prostitution means that all the workers would agree to the conditions that the law would impart, and there will always be some that won't do that (like the criminal element I mention).

Unless of course you consider that the people who run things in Nevada are just pimps

Um, yeah, I think they are. What would you call them?

I know. I'm trying to get my male prostitution biz off the ground right now, but I'm not getting any respect!

I have a degree in marketing, I can help you. :wink_smile: I can be a pimp too.... lol....

I can't get over how some of you equate a prostitute to a waitress or a secretary.

I can't get over how some people think a business transaction between consenting adults is a moral issue. :tongue2: