On taking a stance

About ten years ago, I read a book about so-called Godly sex. Now, there are probably hundreds of books about that topic. But Lauren Winner's Real Sex:the naked truth about chastity was different. It had statistics. It was realistic.  It offered solutions. And it was interesting. This book was, at the time, cool. And as the pastor of a young adult congregation, I was eager to pass it around as soon as I'd finished reading it. 

So I was both surprised and curious when I read that she no longer felt comfortable giving sex advice to Christians. Or anyone, for that matter. In other words, Lauren Winner is distancing herself from her contribution to the no-sex-till-marriage discussion.

Which got me thinking about making bold declarations, then softening one's position later in life. What compels someone to behave like an authority--as Winner did in her book--then abandon that stance? And how uncomfortable is it to have that new "belief" while also knowing that your original position is on record, out there for anyone to find?

I feel for folks like Lauren Winner--people who were firm in their footing, then for whatever reason, were lifted off the path and found themselves in an entirely new place. It makes me cautious about dispensing my own thoughts, and leaves me with the uncomfortable sense that I, too, have some bold declarations out there that I'd like to distance myself from.