Years ago, before the scandals surrounding Epstein, the #MeToo movement, and even the recognition of same-sex marriage, Dennis Prager, a talk show host and Jewish theologian, penned an article titled Jewish sexual revolution. In this piece, he portrayed a sexually liberated pagan world that often degraded women and children to fulfill male desires. Sexuality, he noted, enveloped almost every facet of life, drawing parallels with the unrestricted sexual practices of pagan gods. As philosopher Martha Nussbaum mentioned, children and women frequently ended up being treated as mere objects of male desire.
This same dire treatment of those created in God’s image has reemerged through the disturbing details from Epstein’s case, with countless victims being trafficked and abused by a nefarious circle willing to cover it all up. It’s shocking to think such depravity persisted for so long.
The key distinction today is that, in contrast to pre-Christian pagan societies, such actions are now deemed evil rather than acceptable. This shift can largely be attributed to the revolutionary concept that God designed sex solely for married couples, a notion that Prager highlights:
This revolution forced the sex genie into the marital bottle. It ensured that sex no longer dominated society, elevated the love and sexuality of men and women, and essentially began the process of improving women’s status.
As Christianity grew and challenged Roman paganism—where women and children were also sacrificed—the plight of Roman women was grim. Apart from a few privileged classes, many were treated almost like property, subjected to their husbands’ whims regarding sexual matters.
In Rome, slave women represented about a third of the female population and could be beaten or raped, with the so-called “lucky” ones ending up in prostitution while unwanted girls were often abandoned to die.
The teachings of Christianity, particularly those of St. Paul, entered this harsh landscape. Sarah Luden, in her 2010 work, notes that to call Paul an “oppressor of women,” as some modern scholars do, is profoundly misguided. She argues that thinking of him as a restrictive figure misses how his teachings on sexual purity and marriage were, in fact, liberating against the backdrop of a sexually exploitative Greco-Roman culture.
Luden describes this influence as a “cultural revolution,” one that guided male desires, uplifted women and the human body, and infused love into marriage. The Christian perspective on marriage starkly contrasted with what existed before.
Prager contends that it’s no coincidence that improvements in women’s conditions surfaced only in Western civilization. The visceral disdain ancient powers had for Biblical sexual values stemmed not from a lack of “fun” but from the inability to rationalize predation.
Modern-day critics of Christian sexual ethics similarly revile these values, yet paradoxically rely on them to denounce the atrocious treatment of women and children highlighted in the Epstein revelations. The uncomfortable truth is that without Christianity, it might be harder to morally condemn such abhorrent acts.
Before Christianity’s spread, the elite of Greek and Roman societies were unashamedly open about using underage sex slaves; it was commonly accepted. If we were to dismantle the moral foundations set by Christianity in the West, cultural norms could revert to those of paganism.
This reality makes it heartbreaking when Christians stray from the clear, life-affirming vision of sexuality that once liberated many from such a world. Ironically, some people consider themselves loving and tolerant while doing this, but in truth, failing to share vital truths with those in turmoil isn’t compassionate—it’s cruel.
This isn’t the only shortcoming. To shield the church and its leaders, Christians have frequently ignored or concealed incidents of abuse and harassment occurring within their ranks, betraying those made in God’s likeness.
The genuine response to failing to uphold the Biblical vision of human dignity is not self-congratulation. Instead, it requires acknowledging one’s hypocrisy and repenting of personal sins. During such times, we ought to remember Jesus’ words: “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and no secret that will not be known and brought to light.”
We should all also pray that the efforts to bury these damaging revelations fail and that justice prevails for the victims. As professor Paul DeHart remarked on X, “Thank God that pagan morality has been overthrown.” Without that upheaval, there wouldn’t be a movement to expose this evil and punish those responsible.
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