The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

From Alcohol.org, an American Addiction Centers Resource

The original 12-step program has a significantly Christian basis. However, many AA programs change the wording to have more secular appeal.

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Pew Research: Asian American Evangelicals

Asian-American Evangelicals

Asian-American evangelicals are more inclined than white evangelicals to say their religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life (72% of Asian-American evangelicals vs. 49% of white evangelicals) and to believe that there is only one true way to interpret the teachings of their religion (53% vs. 43%). Asian-American evangelicals are just as likely as white evangelicals to say the Bible is the word of God, though Asian Americans are somewhat less inclined to say everything in Scripture should be taken literally, word for word.

About one-third of Asian-American evangelical Protestants are of Korean descent (34%). On most measures of religious commitment, Korean-American evangelicals look similar to Asian-American evangelicals from other countries of origin. In one regard, however, Korean evangelicals stand out from other Asian evangelicals: Korean evangelical Protestants are particularly likely to hold a literal view of the Bible; 68% express this view. By comparison, 44% of Asian-American evangelicals who are not Korean say the Bible should be interpreted literally.

Evening Rose: Christians and Sex Toy Parties

While I have not yet found an exact equivalent to Evening Rose, Christian Sex Shops are a well-established online market and Sex Toy Parties have existed for decades.

The primary principle of Christian Sex Shops is to filter out pornographic images, and crude language and imagery from sex toys. Lingerie is showcased on mannequins rather than models. They emphasize that the products sold are specifically intended to strengthen the bond between married couples. These companies are often founded by husband-and-wife teams.

One marketing tactic often employed by these companies is an “Affiliate Program,” promising independent influencers a commission on sales they help make.

Online Christian Sex Shops

• Covenant Spice
• Marriage Spice
• Married Dance
• Book22.com (NPR article)
• Honoring Intimates
• The Pure Bed

Sex Toy Party organizations

• Pure Romance
• Passion Party

Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon is a portion of the Hebrew Bible that is frequently called on when discussing Christianity and sexuality. On the surface it an erotic poem with call and response between a male and female lover. However, it is usually read as an allegory of God’s love for mankind.

Modern Christians will sometimes cite the Song of Solomon as evidence of God’s support for healthy sexuality between married adults.

Sparknotes on Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon – American Standard version