Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth, for the Colson Center. I'm John Stone Street. A proposed law from the Colorado State General Assembly would, and I quote, require the statewide decriminalization of commercial sexual activity among consenting adults. The bill would repeal the state criminal offenses of prostitution, soliciting for prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute. And prostitute-making display, end quote.
If passed, Colorado would join Nevada as the only other state to fully legalize and regulate so-called commercial sexual activity.
Now, when one steps back and asks, How did we get here? two answers are offered. The first is a demographic shift that has brought, according to Aaron Wren and City Journal, California-style blue governance. Quote, migration from California, he wrote, has helped change Colorado from a liberation-effective reddish state into a solid blue one. And now blue Colorado is starting to turn into California, end quote.
But in fact, starting is just not the right word here. Colorado is already one of the most progressive states in the nation, and the real shifts came at the hands of Libertarians, not Californians. After all, combined registered Republican and Independent voters heavily outnumber registered Democrats in Colorado.
So the real story of the state is how many voters have been wooed by promises of personal autonomy. And that somehow these promises would be delivered by an ever-expanding government. This new proposed law and the lawmakers who sponsored it are just the latest byproducts of a world view that's been in operation for some time. After delivering to Colorado legalized weed, doctor-assisted suicide, and even magic mushrooms, we're now sold exploitation as sexual freedom. And that points to the second ingredient in the Colorado social experiment.
This law is yet another attempt to reshape a culture through language. The title of the proposed law, Decriminalizing Commercial Sexual Activity Among Consenting Adults. By renaming prostitution, Colorado lawmakers are attempting to normalize seedy, unsafe, and biblically speaking, sinful behavior. It's a move that mirrors similar actions in other areas. Terms like gender-affirming care and reproductive health equity were just ways to destigmatize mutilation, often of minors, and the murder of the pre-born.
Policies advance principles, and principles reflect worldviews. This policy is an attempt to celebrate what is both dangerous and evil, something that Colorado lawmakers already have a reputation of doing. Back in 2022, progressives literally danced on the Assembly floor after passing a law protecting abortion up to the moment of birth. And in 2023, the legislature voted against making indecent exposure to minors a Class VI felony. Out of fear that the bill would target drag shows.
And the proposed prostitution law makes this startling claim: quote, like workers in other fields, sex workers deserve the opportunity to screen their clients to ensure a safe transaction.
So prostitutes are like workers in other fields, and what happens is a transaction. In reality, of course, prostitution is spiritually, physically, and emotionally dangerous. It violates God's design for individuals and couples and for a healthy, flourishing society. It carries the potential to create new life, but then views that life as an unfortunate and disposable byproduct. It promises freedom.
but instead exploits and enslaves. And it's especially dangerous for children. A Harvard study found that child sex trafficking always increases in areas where prostitution is legal and that, and I quote, the type of legalization of prostitution does not matter. It only matters whether it's legal or not. Similarly, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation has also documented that prostitution, legalized or not, preys on children.
Those who are raised around it experience, among other outcomes, increased entry themselves into prostitution as a child. Even radical feminist author Janice Raymond argued in her book, Not a Choice, Not a Job, that a consistent outcome of prostitution is how it affects children. This all makes sense, of course, within a Christian worldview, which explains the tragic consequences of sexual sin as never only including the consenting parties. It always includes others as well. Called to be agents of renewal and reconciliation, Christians should always be asking what's broken around us that we can restore.
Clearly, false notions of libertarian freedom can never hold back the sexual brokenness that's all around us, nor can they offer anything restorative or healing to the victims of that exploitation. But the biblical vision of holy sexuality does, as framed within God's grand story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. As Dr. Christopher Yuan put it, and I quote, holy sexuality consists of two paths, chastity and singleness and faithfulness in marriage. Chastity is more than simply abstention from extramarital sex.
It conveys purity and holiness. Faithfulness is more than merely maintaining chastity and avoiding illicit sex. It conveys covenantal commitment. In fact, Dr. Yuan's book, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, would make a good gift for the four legislators that are sponsoring this proposed law in Colorado.
At the very least, Christians should pray, speak out, and act.
However, Unless the dangerous notion of libertarian freedom is uprooted here, Coloradans will continue to experience the fruit. For the Golson Center, I'm John Stone Street with Breakpoint. Today's Breakpoint was co-authored by Andrew Carico. If you're a fan of Breakpoint, leave us a review wherever you download your podcast. And for more resources or to share this commentary with others, go to breakpoint.org.
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