Beauty, Lust, and the Culture War

By Douglas Groothuis, PhD

“Culture war” usually refers to the social conflicts generated by opposing viewpoints on politics, entertainment, education, and sexuality. The left is sexually permissive. The right is traditional. However, sometimes both parties can be wrong about an issue, but in different ways. Sydney Sweeney’s recent ad for American Eagle jeans is generating two equal and opposite errors. One error is that of misinterpretation. The other is that of erotic clemency for a good cause.

One side claims the reference to “good genes” is somehow coded for white supremacy and even eugenics, since the actress is a white and attractive. This falsely assumes that “good genes” is meant to be exclusive. White genes are good; non-white genes are not. This is obviously absurd. You’d think that stoking racial discord for no reason might eventually fall out of favor.

The other side agrees with what I wrote, but then celebrates the actress, making her into a cultural hero, since she wears her sexuality unapologetically. Better this blonde bombshell in public view than the sad transvestite who promoted Bud Light a few years ago. Many are also happy that a traditionally attractive women is featured in the ad and not someone vainly trying to look sexy. Let’s get back to real sexy! Well, Yes and No.

It takes no genius to know that sex sells products, even when there is no logical connection between the two. Bombshells will look sexy in those jeans; others will not. Most will not. Sydney is not an average-looking woman. She is voluptuous and has mastered the seductive “come hither” look and voice.

Yes, we should affirm and celebrate the male-female binary and not pretend that everyone is physically attractive. Some people, artworks, and landscapes are more beautiful than others. It is not all in the eye of the beholder. However, two truths should be kept in mind.

First, physical attractiveness pales in significance to godliness. As the Bible says,

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;     but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).

Character and appearance are two different things, and the Bible prizes character. As Paul says to women: “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes” (1 Timothy 2:9). This applies to men as well.

Second, sexuality needs to be restrained by self-control and modesty.

King David’s fall into egregious sin began by leering at an attractive (and naked) woman named Bathsheba. Of course, she was not parading her sensuality in an ad for money. The King was snooping (2 Samual 11). In American culture, it is easy to snoop all the time if we are not self-controlled, even apart from consuming pornography.

David’s cautionary tale is but one example of how erotic sensuality may lead to terrible sin. This is why Jesus demanded that we go to the root of the problem. If his words were heeded, most of American advertising—and much of American culture—would cease to exist.  

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell (Matthew 5:27-30).

Therefore, those who adhere to the Bible, who walk in the Spirit and who want to be salt and light in culture, should not celebrate a lustful ad for jeans. We cannot overlook immodesty simply because a real woman is presented as such to sell things. The religious and culturally conservative Jewish commentor, Ben Shapiro, made this point recently on this podcast. In the contested terrain of a culture war, often both sides are wrong. Better to bring biblical wisdom to bear on an issue than to simply choose sides reactively.