This is a reply to Alchemist,

First, when I am wrong, I try to admit it. I was writing from memory. Church historians are divided over whether Augustine married the Christian woman before she died, then left her. Or never married her. I did I quick search, and I came up with some answers from Cliff’s notes:

Augustine did not marry the Christian woman. He did attempt to join a monastery, but he became a pastor instead, and later Bishop of Hippo.

Quote from Cliff’s Notes: “Augustine identified the beginning of sexual desire with the beginning of human disobedience.”

He was also a Neo-Platonist. This is Gnosticism, the belief that spirit is good and flesh is evil. It is not found in the Bible.

As for my mention of the Song of Solomon, Augustine was among the first to teach that the Song is only an allegory of Christ and His Church. Of course an allegory is an extended metaphor, and no metaphor has meaning unless the idea that it’s based on is factual. For example, John the baptizer said that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.” But this statement would be nonsense if there were no such a thing as a lamb. So, unless the Song was written to teach intimate behavior to young marrieds, then its status as an allegory/metaphor is nonsense.

I don’t wish to pursue this further.

Eric

Augustine was never married. He was living in sin with a woman for 15 years. He sent her away because his family wanted him to marry this other girl from a good family who could help him become a senator. He then lived with another woman (not his wife). He didn’t fear sex, he feared sexual sin (primarily his own). He wanted to join a monastery after he converted in his 30’s, but I don’t know if he did. He and his friends wanted to join a monastery because they realized their lives were being spent in vain pursuits and fruitless ambition. They wanted a life of Godly contemplation instead. He later became a bishop. I haven’t read City of God yet, so I’ve not read his explicitly stated views on marriage and sex.

Hmmm. Good idea.

Generous Husband is good. And there are some others, but I need to think about recommendations…

Book-wise, I really liked Crazy Good Sex: Putting to Bed the Myths Men Have about Sex by Les Parrott and Sheet Music by Kevin Leman.

ROFL!

Then make it vague! “Just touch me, and let’s try some things. I’ll let you know what feels good.”