The Sydney Sweeney Ads and the Christian Numbness to “Sex Sells,” By Mrs. (Dr) Abigail Knight (Florida)

The recent American Eagle advertisements featuring Sydney Sweeney, built around the provocative double entendre "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," have sparked applause from some surprising quarters: self-professed Christian conservatives. Far from questioning the ads' overt sexualisation, figures like J.D. Vance and Ted Cruz, who proudly wear their faith on their sleeves, have defended them, mocking progressives for their objections. This reaction isn't just a lapse in judgment; it signals a deeper crisis within Christian conservatism, a growing numbness to the commodification of human sexuality in a culture where "sex sells" has become so ubiquitous that even the faithful shrug it off. From a Christian perspective, these ads are problematic, not because of race or politics, but because they reduce a woman to an object of desire to move product, undermining the virtues of modesty and dignity that Christianity holds dear.

The Sweeney ads, with their suggestive imagery and innuendo, fit squarely within the tradition of using sex to sell, a practice as old as modern advertising but no less troubling for its familiarity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church warns against such "voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements," urging believers to resist media that exploit intimacy for profit. Protestant teachings echo this, emphasising modesty as a reflection of inner holiness (1 Timothy 2:9–10). Yet, the ads' brazen focus on Sweeney's physicality to market clothing, strips away the human dimension, treating her as a means to an end. As Irving Kristol defined pornography, it is the obscene reduction of a person to their basest elements, devoid of their God-given dignity. These ads may not be hardcore pornography, but they lean into that same spirit, inviting lust to drive commerce.

Christianity has long held that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), deserving of respect, not exploitation. The Sweeney campaign, like countless others, flouts this principle, using a woman's form to titillate rather than to honour her as a person created in God's image. That Christian conservatives, who once decried such tactics, now cheer them as a cultural win, reveals a troubling desensitisation. The normalisation of "sex sells" has dulled the moral radar of believers, making what was once scandalous seem trivial.

The pervasiveness of sexualised marketing has numbed even the devout. From billboards to Super Bowl commercials, the use of scantily clad models to sell everything from cars to burgers, is relentless. A 2023 Ascent of Christ, urging Christians to avoid lustful gazes (Matthew 5:28). Yet, the constant exposure to sexualised imagery, amplified by social media's endless stream of suggestive content, has eroded the instinct to protest. Many Christians, shaped by a culture where objectification is routine, no longer flinch at ads like Sweeney's. This numbness is evident in the conservative embrace of these ads as a jab at progressive sensibilities, prioritising political point-scoring over moral conviction.

The data underscores the saturation. A 2019 study by the American Marketing Association found that 64% of U.S. advertisements incorporate sexual appeal, a figure likely higher today with the rise of influencer-driven social media campaigns. Christians, immersed in this environment, often fail to recognise how such content shapes their worldview, subtly shifting focus from eternal values to temporal desires. The applause for Sweeney's ads reflects this, a willingness to overlook exploitation if it serves a tribal cause, betraying the call to "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2).

Traditional conservatism, rooted in Christian principles, once stood as a bulwark against cultural decadence, championing restraint, modesty, and family values. Edmund Burke's "moral imagination" called for preserving virtues that sustain civilisation, not indulging in vices to spite opponents. Yet, the reaction to the Sweeney ads shows how far some conservatives have strayed, embracing a libertine streak that celebrates crassness if it "owns the libs." This is not the conservatism of William F. Buckley or Russell Kirk, who saw virtue as essential to liberty. It's a hollowed-out version, revelling in what it once resisted.

Scripture warns against conforming to the world's patterns (Romans 12:2). By cheering ads that objectify, Christians risk losing their moral authority to critique Hollywood's excesses or the pornographic drift of culture. If they applaud the very tactics they once condemned, they undermine their witness. The Sweeney ads aren't an isolated misstep but a symptom of a broader shift, where mockery and partisanship trump the call to "flee from sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18). This desensitisation threatens the soul of Christian conservatism, trading eternal principles for fleeting cultural wins.

The normalisation of "sex sells" doesn't justify its embrace; it demands renewed vigilance. Christians must rediscover the courage to call out objectification, not as prudes, but as defenders of human dignity. Practical steps include advocating for ethical advertising standards, supporting brands that respect modesty, and teaching young people to value inner character over outward allure. Churches can lead by fostering communities that model Biblical virtues, countering the culture's pull. As 1 Peter 2:12 urges, believers should live "such good lives among the pagans" that their actions glorify God, not gratify the flesh.

The Sweeney ads are a wake-up call. Christians must reject the numbness that lets sexualised marketing slide and recommit to modesty, restraint, and dignity. These virtues aren't optional; they're the foundation of a faith that seeks to elevate human nature, not exploit it. If Christian conservatives continue to cheer what they once challenged, they risk not just a cultural defeat but a spiritual one, echoing Christ's warning: "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36).

https://www.aporiamagazine.com/p/against-libertine-conservatism