Al Fasol and Malinda S. Fasol
Christian doctrine and Christian belief are like breathing in and breathing out. Each is a separate function and each is dependent on the other. In What Do A Christian Be? the two main characters, Scott and Lori, work through how to become a Christian, and then how to face various issues in the Chrisitan life. Scott and Lori confront dysfunctional family life, sexual temptations, false prophets, race relations, social elitism, and other contemporary problems. How Scott and Lori work through those problems helps us to know how to move from Christian belief into Christian behavior.
Al Fasol served as Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for thirty-two years. Al was pastor of three different churches before his teaching career, and was a newscaster for an NBC affiliate station in Fort Worth, Texas before joining the faculty at Southwestern.
Malinda S. Fasol is the younger daughter of Al and Beverly Fasol. Malinda works with a non-profit organization in northern California which assists foster care children. Malinda is a doctoral degree candidate at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary majoring in Christian counseling.
"Mister Carvelle," this lady wore a look of mischief, so Scott braced himself for a tough question. "I do not know you or Missus Carvelle outside of this classroom, so I am going to risk an impertinent question. Picture your favorite glamor girl...."
"That would be Lori," Scott told her quickly.
The class laughed along with the lady, but Scott looked at Lori in a way that said, "I wasn't making a joke. I was totally serious."
"I'm sure she is your ideal glamor girl," the lady continued, "but think of another one, say Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor, or whomever you choose. Pretend you are alone with her and she is begging you to make love to her. Can you honestly tell us you would say no? The reason I am asking is I think the Bible is unfair about having intercourse with only one person. I think, in fact, that it is down right unnatural to think of being with only one person in your entire life."
"I can honestly tell you that I would say 'no' for a number of reasons," Scott did not hesitate in his response. "First, I have to say your question presumes that physical attraction is the only reason to have sex. Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and countless other females are outstandingly physically attractive; but, if I did not like the woman, beautiful or not, I could not have sex with her. To me, the sex act brings a sense of close relationship that cannot be achieved any other way. If there were no relationship, then there would be no reason to have sex, as far as I am concerned.
"Let me pursue this a lttle more. If I were to have sex with someone only because she desired it and I found her attractive, I would be lowering myself to the level of my pet dog. My dog, Skipper, enjoys sex only for the physical pleasure in it. He does not care much for the other dogs at all. To reduce sex to that animal level, for me, is to make sex meaningless and to make us less than human. It would be like going to the bathroom--you relieve yourself and that's about it. Sex is much more than that.
"Second, Lori would know immediately if I gave in to a temptation like that. She knows me better than I know myself, and she would know immediately that I have shared myself in the most intimate possible way with another woman. That would destroy our marriage, our relationship, and our friendship, all of which are built on trust and commitment. I can honestly say I could not give myself to another woman for a fleeting moment of pleasure knowing it would destry Lori, and if Lori is destroyed, then I am, too.
"Third, I would know God see everything I do. To let Him down in that way is too much to think about after all He has done for me."
No one knew what else to say or ask. Professor Adams looked at her watch and said, "We have gone beyond class time. We will dismiss., but I must say this has been a wonderful session. Mister and Missus Carvelle covered the epistemological differences smoothly, I must say."
Hardly anyone knew what empistemological meant, so they picked up their books and filed out of the classroom.
