Fifty Shades of Grey - To Read or Not to Read?

"Mom, there is a new book on our Kindle - don't read it!  I got it at a big discount because I've heard so much hype about it but after reading the first few pages, I wished I could burn it.  You don't want to read Fifty Shades of Grey.

I had just heard a news story that this book was replacing the Gideon Bibles in a hotel somewhere in Europe and that it has taken women by storm.  I had seen some advertising and stories about the book but didn't pay much attention so I'm a little late with a reaction to this bestseller that has made its author a multi-millionaire. When another friend asked me my opinion of the book and shared that  her pastor's wife was distraught by the knowledge that women leaders in her church were not only reading the book but not ashamed for others to know and since I am so involved with women's ministry, I decided I'd better research what was capturing the imagination of so many millions of women, including women of faith.  In light of our daughter's reaction to the first few pages, I knew reading it was not an option. So research meant Google.  And opinions both pro and con abound.  My research leads me to urge women who long to walk by faith and experience the beauty of God's plan for their marriage - Don't read the book(s).  Instead, soak yourself in principles of scripture that encourage married men and women to experience the ecstacy of physical intimacy in a way that doesn't harm or humiliate the wife and husband.  I encourage you to carefully consider the stance of Danna Gresh, a woman whose life is rooted in scripture and dedicated to helping women experience sexual purity and raise their girls to experience the pure freedom of trusting God with His purposes for their sexuality.  Her post I'm Not Reading Fifty Shades of Grey, stirred up a hornet's nest of comments and strong debate.  The comments are worth reading, too.

Dannah Gresh is a best-selling author and the founder of Pure Freedom, (purefreedom.org) and is the creator of Secret Keeper Girl (secretkeepergirl.com). She is a frequent guest who is called upon to defend the conservative position of abstinence in mediums such as The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and TIME. Her most recent best-sellers are "Six Ways To Keep The Little In Your Girl: Guiding Your Tween To Her Teens" and "What Are You Waiting For: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex." She lives with her family and a wonderful menagerie of pets in the Happy Valley of State College, Pennsylvania. (Bio copied from Danna's Amazon.com page.) 

So what say you?  Have you read the book(s)?  Will you?

In His grip,

Sharon