Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion (Proverbs 11:22).

I live in Amsterdam -- world-famous for its Red Light (prostitution) District.

I am also a red-blooded heterosexual man.

It would stand to reason that this combination should be something of a problem for me -- at least if you consider the fact that I'm a married man, striving to follow the Bible's guidelines for healthy sexuality.

But honestly, it's never really been much of an issue for me.  I'm not saying that I'm a saint, or that I never struggle with lust (either of these statements would be patent lies).  But seriously, the "siren call" of the Red Light District is not even a thought or temptation in the back of my mind, most of the time.  And if I had to try and explain why, I think it would be something along the lines of Proverbs 11:22:  "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."  It's not that I don't like sex (or gold).  It's just that the packaging does a lot to define the experience.  Simply put:  Amsterdam's Red Light District is tawdry.  It's tacky and tasteless... kind of lame and touristy, like a guy selling Elvis bobble-head dolls just outside of Graceland.  To hear people from the Red Light District speak of sexuality, it sounds cheap and plastic and... I don't know, greeby.  The sex industry  treats people (both "service providers" and "customers") as commodities -- trafficking in poverty-stricken illegal immigrants and rich, fat international businessmen.  It's just not something that I feel like I would like to be a part of -- even if they were giving the sex away for free!

I still try not to make a habit of traveling through the Red Light District, if it can be avoided (which it usually can).  I'm not stupid.  I know full well that a guy -- particularly a guy who's down on his luck -- might see a piece of genuine gold jewelry lying in the mud and reach down to grab it, only to find that the gold jewelry is attached to the snout of a big, fat, angry pig (and suddenly, a situation that seemed like it just needed a little bit of water to wash off the dirt and claim the prize becomes much bigger and much messier).  But all things considered, within the context of the Red Light District and all those people showing no discretion, I'm fine with just letting sleeping hogs lie.