Sex and Violence in the Bible

If the Bible were rated like modern-day movies, what would it receive?

Joseph Smith shows that Christians needn't be terribly squeamish about unsavory material; rather, we must take a truly biblical approach: frank and forthright, yet tasteful and discreet - rarely detailed or excessive.

Smith writes a carefully organized, elegantly written catalog of pertinent passages, bringing out the original meaning, which has often been obscured by time or translation; it includes detailed study of language and literary devices, together with explanations of ancient customs such as stoning, crucifixion and "hanging" (actually impalement). The principal aim is to clarify what is actually happening in each passage, and exactly how the writers chose to depict it.

Using this material, readers can begin to develop a "Christian aesthetic" of sex and violence, helping them to process our culture's daily deluge of such material.