What kind of magazines are men reading nowadays? For that matter, what are women reading? Look at any well-stocked magazine rack and you'll see seemingly endless glossy, slick magazines for both men and women.

Consider the December 2004 issue of Cosmopolitan, a highly regarded and popular woman's magazine. The word cosmopolitan means "so sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world" (The American Heritage Dictionary).

The titles on the cover advertise the main stories in the issue. They include "Sex He'll Go Wild For," "Feel Hot Naked," "The Sex Article You Must Read With Your Boyfriend" and "Caught With Their Pants Off." The titles are highly suggestive. Need we ask what message they're selling?

The article titles assume that such language fits well with the moral standards of their intended audience. One would only hope the magazine's readers would pay close attention to another article title offered on the cover: "Five Ways to Make Smarter Choices in Life." Apparently the magazine staff missed the irony.

With content like this, no wonder the apostle Paul foretold that in the end time, men and women would be "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4).