An Early Example of the Christian Side Hug

Posted by Joel Gunz

According to an article in Wikipedia, the Christian side hug was first identified in a 2009 song by Christian rap artist Ryan Penn. Says the article, "it is a greeting where one hangs their arm over the shoulder of the person beside them, minimizing the chance of inadvertent sexual contact."

But the above illustration, which appeared in the 1978 Watchtower publication Your Youth -- Getting the Best Out of It 31 (thus 31 years earlier), clearly shows that Jehovah's Witnesses were on the forefront of matters pertaining to chastity and sexual abstinence. While not a hug, technically speaking, the picture does demonstrate side-by-side physical contact through a layer of thick clothing that prevents any chance of "inadvertent sexual contact."

(Special thanks to Facebook friend and Ex-Jehovah's Witness of Toronto, Ontario, Tall Penguin, for alerting my to this page.)