Why, as a minister, are you answering questions about the body?

Last updated on October 5, 2020

Question:

One question from my side, why as a minister, and not a doctor, are you answering penile questions?

Answer:

It started out when I was asked to do a class on sexual issues for teenagers way back in 1990. The parents were rightly upset with the amoral and frankly immoral teachings that accompanied sex education in the schools. The class led to a book. Eventually, the book was placed on the Internet and I started receiving questions.

Why me?

  1. The teens don’t know me so they feel free to ask embarrassing questions and know they won’t see me next Sunday in church.
  2. They know I treat their questions seriously. I don’t blow them off. My rule is that if someone has a question, it deserves an answer. I research their questions and tell them what I’ve found.
  3. They know I’m honest. I’ll tell them when something is normal and not to panic over it, when something is a scam, or when they need to see a doctor. I make it clear that I’m a decent researcher and not a doctor. I don’t make money off of this in any way.
  4. I treat them as adults. I try to explain the confusing medical terms simply, so they can make informed decisions.
  5. When questions touch on moral issues, such as picking up a disease by having sex with their girlfriend, they know I’ll tell them why their behavior was morally wrong as well as dangerous.

Many of those asking don’t have a father in their lives, so I end up giving the advice a father would give his son (or daughter). None of what I offer is a substitute for a doctor, but I do help guys know when they need to swallow their embarrassment and see a doctor and why it is important.

Oh, and I don’t mind being corrected because I think the truth is the best answer to all questions, so if someone finds a flaw or knows of a better answer, I’ll look into it and post it.