When CMF student members received Cosmopolitan as well as the summer issue of Nucleus, reactions were mixed: surprise, confusion, amusement. Of those I spoke to, the girls were mildly amused while the boys were taken aback: two of them assumed it had been sent by friends as a joke.

But what of deeper reactions? Fascination; shock; anger? Intrigued, I asked my student friends if I could borrow their copy and found that several had already discarded them. Was this apathy, boredom, or outrage? As I sat down to read, I wondered what we should make of Cosmopolitan from a Christian point of view.

Starting with the good, there are pages of health stories and tips. As Christian medics we need to be reminded to see illness from the patient's point of view, and not merely as a clinical entity. One letter came from a woman who had decided to accept her body as it was, instead of starving herself to conform to the media's image of perfection. Another described coming to terms with hair loss. How strongly we and our society need to hear this message of valuing ourselves and others for who we are, rather than our external appearance!

when sex sells

Then I came across a shocking article about students who get involved in the sex industry to cope with their debt. Turning to it initially out of desperation, they soon found that not only could they tolerate the lifestyle, but quite enjoyed it, earning far more than friends who were pulling pints or waiting on tables.

Appalling as this may be, we need to know about it. Many students will, knowingly or otherwise, have friends who are working in the sex industry. How can we be approachable and sympathetic, yet also challenge their attitudes towards themselves, their bodies and finances, as well as pointing out the risks? Can we show them that not only are there other ways to make ends meet, but that there is a God who loves and values them far more than they are valuing themselves?

There was an article about three single women who became pregnant unexpectedly, and managed to combine motherhood with successful careers. We are all likely to come across women with unplanned pregnancies, many of whom request abortion. We may not agree with their lifestyles but we need to have Christ's compassion for them. While some will see pregnancy as a disaster and abortion as the only option, we need to encourage them to see that there is hope and there are other options. Some women will benefit from visiting a Christian pregnancy crisis centre, while others will find that the support of a wise and sensitive listener is enough.

Unfortunately sex continued to be the theme of several articles. 'The one-night stand just got two nights longer' was just one of the shocking articles. I was saddened to reflect on how sex is taken to be the norm in relationships that were never intended to be long term, as well as how casual sex is promoted and even celebrated.

temptations in disguise

But equally dangerous are the more subtle forms of seduction. 'Cosmostrology' offered an upmarket version of the usual horoscopes. We wonder at the many people who rely on horoscopes for direction each month, rather than recognising the sovereignty of God and our own ability to make decisions. Yet it's so easy to glance at them ourselves and start wondering about their meaning for us.

Then there are the pages and pages of fashion advice. If you 'max your eyes', get the perfect hair colour and follow the top ten beauty tips, you too could be 'hot in the city'. From beach to bar, in bikinis and 'bling', you must have that beauty buzz.

'”Everything is permissible” - but not everything is beneficial', wrote Paul (1 Cor 10:23). But how do we know what is beneficial? When these things start to become our masters rather than our servants. If we start to believe the messages that we 'must have' x, y is 'essential', and z will give us the 'perfect' look - then we are in trouble. If our self esteem comes from our appearance rather than our confidence in God's love, then we must stop and re-evaluate. And if these pages cause us to covet what we do not have, we must close them.

So what are we to make of Cosmopolitan, or similar publications? Is it a must-read? No. Is it permissible? Yes - but is it beneficial? There are articles that give us insight into human suffering and the ways people respond to circumstances, which can help us to empathise. There are articles so godless they are best avoided. And others may be harmless entertainment, yet they might lead us into temptation. We must each decide whether they are beneficial, asking ourselves, 'If I buy this, will it help my Christian life, or will it pull me away from God?' Perhaps we ought to consider Philippians 4:8 in each decision:

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things