Blame David and Bathsheba

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Young man is confused about sexual morality.
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Moondrift
Moondrift
2,277 Followers

"Chastity -- the most unnatural of all the sexual perversions."
- (Aldous Huxley "Eyeless in Gaza")

*

When Howard began to become sexually aware he found himself in a world of mixed messages.

The media seemed bent on encouraging him to engage in sexual activity; sex education at school -- long past the days of birds, bees and flowers -- gave explicit instruction on "how to" and what to," and this applied not only to heterosexual, but also homosexual activity; all, of course, in the name of "safe sex."

The church he attended with his parents, a vaguely middle of the road religious club, seemed to be happy to go along with whatever was current. News was that somewhere it had recently consecrated a bishop who was openly gay. The priesthood was no longer the sole preserve of the male, and it was not unknown for priests to openly state that they were in homosexual or lesbian relationships.

On matters of sex before marriage, abortion, adultery, live in "relationships," and divorce the denomination was ambivalent, and Howard could not find the guidance he sought about things sexual.

His parents were equally ambivalent. This may well have been because both his mother, Sarah, and his father, Harvey, were not averse to engaging in a little extramarital sex, especially after one of their parties when the alcohol had flowed freely.

On the one hand they seemed to imply that Howard should not engage in sexual activity until he was "the right age; it was not stated what that was. On the other hand they seemed to say it was okay to go ahead, "as long as you or the girl is 'Safe.'"

Howard was somewhat confused about what to do with his enlarged penis, the dreams of naked girls and the nightly emissions of semen. At least, he was confused until he found "The Church of Holy Purity," or more accurately, it found him.

It was a school friend that suggested he go along to the Church of Holy Purity, or the CHP as it was usually called. "We have a great time," the friend informed him. "They've got a fantastic band and choir and we sing 'Hot Gospel Songs,' and the preachers are great guys; not boring like your guys."

And so Howard went along to the CHP and there found the guidance he was looking for.

To state the CHP position in relation to sex baldly: no masturbation; no sex before marriage; sex in marriage to be for the purpose of procreation only -- it was recommended that married couples slept in separate beds, and ideally in separate rooms - and above all, no gay relationships.

Of all the sins most avidly condemned, the word "Fornication" was used to cover every possible sexual act apart from within marriage, but even then only within the limitations already stated.

Strange as it may seem to the more sexually cynical and lustful, the CHP had a large membership, the majority of them young people around Howard's age. It was unlike the church in which he had been brought up, which was a mixture of middle-aged to elderly people and lots of empty pews.

Four times on Sundays the CHP Gateway to Paradise Church, which seated seven hundred and thirty two people, was packed to capacity.

Unlike the stolid and set responses Howard was used to, the CHP congregation was noisy, with many cries of "Praise the Lord," "Thank you Jesus," and general cries of agreement with what the preacher said.

It seems that one of the most entertaining aspects of the CHP was confessions by penitents. The penitent, clad from head to foot in a black robe thus obscuring their identity, sat on a chair facing the congregation. The preacher standing on the rostrum above the penitent asked loudly, "What do you confess?"

There now followed a set formula.

The penitent stood and cried out almost invariably, "I have fornicated."

The congregation gasped with horror.

The preacher then asked, "Do you repent your foul sin?"

"I repent my foul sin."

The congregation gasped with delight.

"Do you now promise as you shall answer on the Day of Judgment that you will hereafter renounce, abhor and shun this sin?"

"I will renounce, abhor and shun this foul sin hereafter."

Applause and cries of "Praise the Lord" from the congregation.

"Then I release you from your sin in the name of the Lord." The preacher took off the penitent's black garb to reveal the penitent clothed in a white garment.

Loud cheers from the congregation and much hugging and kissing of the penitent as he or she was received back into the main body of the congregation; this was always followed by an extended, lurid and entertaining dissertation by the preacher on the subject of fornication which included a description of what happened to the fornicator in the after life.

The Penitent to begin with was unidentifiable since the black garment included a hood; when the black garment was removed the penitent was then recognizable. Howard noticed how often the same people confessed and were absolved of their sin.

Much more fun and entertaining than the church of his parents, and feeling that it gave him solid guidance on all things sexual; the CHP became Howard's religious home.

At first disappointed at Howard's refusal to attend their church any more, his parents were at least relieved that Howard was attending the CHP. They had no knowledge of what the CHP taught or of what the services consisted. When questioned, Howard was unforthcoming, and his parents took no steps to find out what went on.

In keeping with the current philosophy they decided that, "Young people have to make their own mistakes and find their own way," they rested content with Howard's choice of church, thinking, "He'll grow out of it."

* * * * * * * *

As the years passed Howard did not seem to grow out of the CHP. In the perverse way of people, especially parents, Howard's parents became increasingly concerned about his "Unnatural chastity."

"It's not natural in a boy his age to not be having sex with girls. Just look at the other boys his age, they're all at it like rabbits," his father's commented one evening.

"There's no need to be crude," his wife replied, thinking of the prominent member of their congregation who had paid her a pastoral visit and burrowed into her two days before.

"But your right," she went on, "it's not normal."

Apart from the prominent member, she had in mind the days of her promiscuous youth.

Being among other things the changer of the family bed linen, she also had in mind the semen she found on Howard's under sheet that was clearly not of masturbation origin, but the involuntary emissions said to be the dream outcome of celibates since overloaded testes must have some outlet.

Howard passed out of high school and went onward into university, still an adherent of the CHP, and still a virgin.

His mother, who nursed an ambition to be a grandmother by the time she was forty five, grew anxious as she passed her forty first birthday, and then her forty second birthday, and still Howard showed no signs of desiring to reproduce the species.

She tried sharing her anxieties with her husband but he proved unsympathetic. He had grown inured to Howard's chastity and simply commented, "You can forget about grandchildren, he's probably a closet gay."

He looked thoughtful for a few moments and then went on, "You might get a grandchild. They're thinking of passing legislation that will allow gay couples to adopt children."

"But isn't that against the Church's teaching?" his wife protested.

"Not our Church," he replied, "They're not against anything these days." He paused and looking doleful added, "But I expect it's against the teaching of that CHP lot."

* * * * * * * *

His mother, finding her husband less than sympathetic regarding her grandmotherly desires, shared her anxieties with her younger sister, Bathsheba, usually called "Sheba."

Sheba was the object of family curiosity. Ten years younger than Sarah, she had long been Sarah's confidant in times of trouble, like the time Harvey had become too involved with one of his "bits on the side," and had come near to leaving Sarah.

The "bit on the side" happened to be the parish priest's wife, and for once the alleged "Openness, liberty" and general permissiveness of that denomination did not seem to apply, at least as far as the priest was concerned.

When the affair was exposed it was further muddied when it came to light that the priest had been enjoying the favours of one of the members of the congregation, a bank manager's wife of buxom proportions.

Harvey stayed with Sarah; the bank manager divorced his wife; the priest's wife divorced him, and the priest was sent to a distant rural parish to consider his options. It was rumoured that he had established a relationship with the divorced wife of a farmer who had disposed of her on the grounds that she was an alcoholic.

The priest, so it was said, joined his inamorata in her alcoholic pleasures and his sermons became increasingly entertaining if a little confused. The Church hierarchy decided that he would be left in his rural retreat until he retired or passed over into eternity.

But I wander, and so back to Sarah and her sister.

The family curiosity was centred on the fact that Sheba, despite being a woman of considerable attractions, not the least of them being a magnificent 42D bra size, and legs that would make the most devoted celibate monk forget his vows of chastity; she had never married.

Not that Sheba was chaste, far from it, but she limited herself to short term relationships with "no strings attached." The "no strings attached" was not always adhered to on the part of her lovers.

She had nearly been murdered by one lover in a fit of jealous anger, when she informed him that he'd had his share and it was now time for someone else to get his portion.

A knee jerked firmly into his groin brought an end to his attempt to strangle her, but she bore the marks of his fingers on her neck for some time afterwards.

When Sarah revealed her concerns about Howard's apparent lack of interest in female flesh Sheba had made the responses common in such situations: "He'll get over it;" "He'll meet someone;" "He's just shy;" "Give him time and you'll see."

When Sarah told her of Harvey's view that Howard might be a closet gay Sheba remained silent for a while, and then said, "You'll never know unless he does something either way."

Sarah, having learned over the years some of the CHP's teachings about sex, she wailed, "It's all the fault of that church he goes to." She went on to explain it to Sheba.

Sheba, who adhered to the same denomination as Sarah, was appalled.

"How can anyone in the twenty first century still be so narrow minded?" she protested. "The government ought to close them down; ban them from teaching such rubbish to our youth. It's unhealthy and inhibits natural development and self-expression."

"Yes," Sarah agreed gloomily, "Harvey and I thought he'd grow out of it, but he's more firmly committed to that place than ever."

They sat silently, as if having nothing further to say. Sheba seemed to go into a trance from which she emerged smiling reassuringly.

"I don't suppose he's ever been tested, not really tested."

"Tested?" Sarah said, looking at her questioningly.

"There is a way..." Sheba began to say, and then stopped short. After a brief pause she went on, "Suppose you and Harvey go away for a weekend...a long weekend, and suppose I come here and look after Howard?"

"But Howard isn't a child, he doesn't need minding," Sarah replied.

"All men need minding," Sheba chuckled. "They never really grow up, you have to cook and clean for them, you have to pick things up that they've dropped them, and you have to keep telling them how wonderful they are. After all, what is a wife but the extension of their mother?"

Sarah thought about Harvey and then heartily agreed with Sheba, but went on hesitantly, "Sheba, I know it's not a very nice thing to say, but Howard doesn't...well he doesn't..."

"Like me very much?"

"Yes," Sarah replied sorrowfully.

"I think you're wrong Sarah," Sheba said thoughtfully, "I think he likes me a great deal."

"But..." Sarah began.

"Let me stay with him for a weekend and I can assure you he'll like me even more at the end of it."

"How...why...Sheba?"

Sheba did not answer Sarah's question, instead saying, "By the end of the weekend he will have finished with the CHP."

"But what can you do, Sheba?"

"Don't ask me; just leave things up to me Sarah."

"But...but...I'll have to ask Harvey."

"You do that Sarah, and let me know, all right?"

"Yes, all right Sheba."

* * * * * * * *

Sarah duly talked over what Sheba had said with Harvey.

Harvey was doubtful that there was anything that Sheba could do to persuade Howard to cease his chaste life and connection with the CHP.

"I've told you," he said, "He's probably gay and afraid to act on it."

"Well I think we should give Sheba a chance to try," Sarah said, "after all, there's nothing to lose."

"And suppose she does break him down and he starts having gay sexual relationships all over the place, will you like that?"

"No," Sarah said, "but it'll be better than forever wondering what if anything is wrong with him."

"Religion, that's what wrong with him," Harvey snarled, "I've always said that too much religion is bad for a young bloke."

"But we go to church," Sarah protested.

"Yes, but that's not really religion, its more...more...well it's not like that CHP mob who actually mean it."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Sarah said, "but shouldn't we give Sheba a chance?"

Harvey laughed and said, "Well I suppose if Sheba wants to carry out detoxification of sexual abstinence with Howard then let her try; we can go away for a dirty long weekend."

"Oh, lovely Howard, we haven't had one of those for a long time," Sarah said enthusiastically. "I saw some interesting lingerie in the adult sex shop recently, I think I shall buy some."

"Yes," Harvey said, "and while you're at it buy some of those restraints they sell."

"Darling," Sarah giggled, "do you mean you'll want me to discipline you."

"No, the restraints will be for you," Harvey replied.

"Oh darling, how lovely," Sarah said excitedly, "but we'd better go where there aren't many people. Remember the last time when someone heard my screams and sent for the police?"

"Yes, it did take a bit of explaining," Harvey laughed.

"Those bite marks took days to heal," Sarah said as she fondly remembered.

* * * * * * * *

Arrangements were duly made for the long weekend.

Howard protested that he didn't want Aunt Sheba to come and stay with him. If asked what he thought of Sheba he would have been hard put to give and answer, but given that her full name was Bathsheba, in his mind he had come to associate her with Bathsheba in the bible, and hadn't that Bathsheba been seen by King David as she bathed, and hadn't that led on to adultery? Making this connection had made him wary of his Aunt Sheba.

On being asked by Sarah how he would like to cook for himself Howard decided that it might be as well if Sheba did come to stay with him. After all, he would not see much of her since on Saturday evening he would be attending the CHP Youth Club of which he was a leader, and on Sunday he would attend the morning service, and then the youth service in the afternoon and then he might attend the evening Hallowing service.

And so Harvey and Sarah set off on Friday evening for their long weekend, armed with various items that would hopefully stimulate their sexual appetites.

Having no CHP functions to attend on Friday evening Howard was alone with Sheba. He had never actually been alone with her before, and apart from his associating her with the biblical Bathsheba, he found Sheba's presence a trifle disturbing.

Quite why this was so he could not specify. She was cheerful and had cooked him an excellent meal and he even began to feel a trifle guilty about his wariness of her.

After the evening meal, and as soon as he decently could. He escaped to his bedroom that combined his study, giving as his reason the need to finish an essay.

He did in fact have an essay to finish but it was difficult to concentrate. He found himself listening for the sounds of Sheba moving around the house, few at first but then the hiss of the shower. He heard her leave the shower and then the sound of soft footsteps.

She had to pass his bedroom and the footsteps seemed to hesitate at his door. He held his breath, and then the footsteps passed on. There was the sound of a door being closed, and Howard tried to return to his essay.

It was useless, he couldn't concentrate. It was as if Sheba's presence in the house destroyed his powers of concentration.

He gave up and had a shower then went to bed. He lay awake for a long time listening for any more sounds of Sheba; there was nothing.

When he slept he dreamt that he was King David looking at Bathsheba as she bathed naked. She came to him still naked and she was in the form of Sheba. He awoke, sweating, and there was a pool of semen on the under sheet. He did his best to clean it up, and then went back to sleep.

He woke up in the morning with an erection, and knew he was being tempted by Satan. He had to get out of the house, away from Sheba, since she seemed to be the epicentre of this unholy enticement.

A smiling negligee clad Sheba greeted him at the breakfast table. The erection he had awoken with became firmer and began to throb. He knew what he must do.

The CHP "Handbook for Young Men" had advice for those who suffered from lustful thoughts: "First, wash the affected parts in cold water; second, engage in some vigorous exercise; third, after the exercise take a cold shower; you will then find that the lustful thoughts will have departed and Satan has been defeated."

He bolted down his breakfast and fled to the bathroom and washed the "parts" in cold water.

As an aid to purity the CHP provided a gymnasium much frequented by the younger male members of the congregation. There Howard rode a bicycle that went nowhere; tugged on weights that lifted nothing of value; twirled dumbbells until his arms ached and then took a cold shower.

It worked, "Thanks be to the Lord," Howard thought. The forces of the Prince of Darkness had been overcome and his thoughts were pure again.

He had only to survive until the evening when he joined the other members of the CHP Youth Club and all would be well. As a leader of the club he would give a talk on the overcoming of lascivious thoughts. To avoid being with Sheba he took a long walk during which he worked out what he would say.

He decided he would take as his main theme the situation as, according the bible, it had been between King David and Bathsheba, and then outline how it could and should have been.

Instead of engaging in lustful activities with Bathsheba, David should have joined his army who were engaged in fighting the Ammonites and worked off his lascivious desires slaughtering a few of the enemy. Since cold showers were not available at the time, David should then have proceeded to the River Jordan and washed in it. After that all would have been well, although no Solomon would have been born since it was Bathsheba who gave birth to him.

Howard missed lunch but hunger forced him home for the evening meal.

Sheba, dressed somewhat casually in white shorts and a red shirt smilingly asked Howard about his day mentioning that she had missed his company and been surprised that he hadn't turned up for lunch.

Howard, not wishing to tell Sheba what he had been doing and why, mumbled that he had taken a long walk so that he might commune with "The Lord's natural world." He hastily added that he was not a nature worshipper, and then went into a muddled theological explanation concerning God and the natural order.

Moondrift
Moondrift
2,277 Followers
12