My uncle, a retired Army colonel and economics professor, as well as all around religious skeptic, likes to say "If you want to read a dirty book, read Genesis." I never disagree. He's also the one who asks my Mom if I am over my holiness phase yet. To which I respond that I am still waiting for it to start! This way of looking at Scripture, along with the truth of what Tripp asserts, was brought home to me clearly and in a powerful way by The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb, one of my favorite book purchases of last year, the book from which the illustration of Joseph being seized by his jealous brothers above is taken. Crumb does a good job of depicting the agony and the ecstasy.
Let's not forget, that, at least according to Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, Tamar is one of his ancestors (Matt. 1:3)
Alithos Anesti