Polyamory; Do you know what that is? It is one of the most contentious issues in modern culture, and that means it easily starts arguments.

“Polyamory” look it up, if you want to understand more. I believe it’s a barometer of modern culture.

Be warned, it is very easy to find yourself on the wrong side of a progressive or “woke” issue, and the results can be serious. I don’t recommend public arguments.

I do recommend honesty, and here is something from me: I am writing as a Christian, and that position will influence my opinions. That is truth in packaging.

Now, I have three stories:

Story Number One

About twenty years ago, I started a new job, in a college. I wanted to do good work, so I found a conference for people with work like mine, and I registered. I thought those veterans might give good advice.

The conference was in Portland, Oregon, and the West Coast location might explain some things. From the airport, there was a transit train and I boarded it. On a train like that, seats are wide benches, and they face each other in pairs.

As I rode the train, it stopped and some people got on. I would describe them as West Coast hippies, and I guess they lived together in a commune. They sat near me, and I was facing a young couple, a man and woman, and a small child. They seemed like a nice family. Another man in their group sat nearby.

I heard the child say something like, “I want to sit with Daddy.” The woman nodded, and the child moved to sit with the other man. That was probably an example of polyamory in a commune, the man with the mother was not the parent of the child.

Story Number Two

About a day later, at the conference, I spoke to different people about their professional work. One woman, who worked in a college and did work like mine, was friendly and gave good information, and then she stopped and said “I can’t do this!”

She explained more and said that she had a husband at home, and she didn’t want to damage her marriage. I thought about what she was saying, and then I understood. I turned and walked away, without breaking into a run, and I don’t think I spoke to her again.

Later, friends of mine told me that some people are “players” and try to be promiscuous at public events. A friendly conversation might be mistaken as flirting and a sexual advance.

I was so naive.

Story Number Three

I remember a lecture, at a university, about dramatic stage plays as literature. The professor explained that the Roman Empire had many dramatic plays, with actors on stages. This is mostly lost to us now, and he gave one reason.

Remember, the Romans had coliseums, like the huge one in Rome, and thousands of people would pay money to watch gladiators fight until one of them died a horrible death.

This was popular culture.

We were told, in the lecture, that the play scripts often included scenes where people were molested sexually, including children. The victims were probably slaves, and this was accepted as normal culture.

One day, a man climbed on a stage and forced the actors to stop abusing children. That was a spark, and over months and years, other people added to what the man said, and within a few years, the abuse of adults and children in Roman dramas, as entertainment, stopped.

One man lit the spark.

That man was a Christian.

So, what is the lesson about polyamory? We have at least three lessons, in one vocabulary lesson: Organize – Canonize – Ostracize.

This is one thing; cultural change. Some moral and immoral practices can become the right way to live, in popular culture. They are like barometers of the new culture.

Culture is what everyone does, like going in the direction that the wind blows, and it is correct because that is what we all do. It is accepted, so it is correct.

Organize – The people on the train were probably members of an organized group, and Roman culture was a reflection of a highly organized society. Culture is from communities, and that includes moral standards.

Canonize – You may have noticed that ideas and moral practices that were forbidden and disgraceful have become almost sacred, in modern times. Imagine if old people, from a century ago came back to life, and read a newspaper. Things that they hardly mentioned are now too sacred to criticize.

Ostracize – Ideas that are opposed to the new culture are restricted and mocked. The Roman Christian was outside the boundaries, and he went against common thinking. He was counter-cultural.

So, are you a believer? Are you ready? Ideas that you might disagree with will become mainstream culture, and if you disagree, you will become wrong, and a radical outsider. If your values are like moralizing from a Bible Belt perspective, know that the world around you is changing. Probably your neighbors don’t think in that old way.

The old words in the Bible are new again:

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1: 1 and 2)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12: 2)

Do you know who you are? Can you find God’s direction when the wind blows the other way?