Columnists suggests legalizing prostitution

Savannah columnist K.W. Oxnard, in an essay published in the March 31, 2008 issue of the Savannah Morning News entitled "Let's Legalize Prostitution," says, "I've never understood why prostitution is illegal."
Oxnard's argument is that we own our bodies, and should be able to do whatever we wish with our bodies. A professional football player can auction his body to the highest bidder from the NFL, yet "according to local, state and federal laws, I do not own the right to rent my body to someone else for pleasure." Oxnard does not understand why this is the law, and she says she has "no objection whatsoever to women, or men for that matter, who use what God gave them to make ends meet."
Many people, including myself, respond to Oxnard's outrageous suggestion with a natural repulsion. Her suggestion shows what happens when morality is completely removed from our thinking.
Oxnard sees no difference between an NFL player auctioning his body for the pleasure of sport and a prostitute auctioning her body for the pleasure of sex. The reason she sees no difference is she has removed morality from the equation, and cannot see that while there is nothing immoral about playing a game of football, there certainly is something terribly immoral about sex outside of the bonds of marriage.
It is interesting that she makes reference to a prostitute's body as "what God gave them." Oxnard recognizes the creative activity of God, but is unwilling to recognize His authority to expect responsible moral behavior from us in the use of our gifts. It's as if she is saying to God, "You created us, You brought us into existence, but You don't have the right to tell us what to do with what you gave us, so God, butt out of our lives!"
What suggestion will come next? Legalizing polygamy? We already have legalized abortion, and we are headed down the path of legalized homosexual marriage. And to all those people who say, "You can't legislate morality," here's a great example of how we do and should legislate morality.
Why should prostitution be illegal? Very simple-- it's immoral.

Legislating morality

I had the honor and opportunity to address the Georgia House of Representatives last week as the "chaplain of the day," at the invitation of my representative, Buddy Carter. I gave an 8-minute devotional, and led them in prayer, at the opening of the session on Monday, January 29. The video is now online. You can view it by clicking here and then clicking on January 29. Unfortunately, the camera was not turned on until after I had finished more than half of my talk, but you can still catch the last 3 minutes or so, and you still see the key statement I wanted to make about how we can and should legislate morality.

You can read the full text of my speech in the first comment below. Again, you can view the video online by clicking here and then clicking on January 29.