What’s Wrong with Porn?

Be honest now, what’s your dirty little secret?

Pornography is difficult to talk about. It’s as if it’s so dirty. You’re reminded of dirty old men and drunken stag nights. In the Christian context you avoid mentioning the word at almost any cost. Maybe this is because in reality pornography is the biggest secret Christians have too?

The word ‘pornography’ comes from Greek. Pornmeans prostitute or whore, and graphmeans writing. Pornography is sexual acts on show, with the purpose of making money. It often shows a distorted and unrealistic picture of sex and sexual intercourse.

Pornography depicts the human body in a belittling and unworthy manner.

Pornography’s characterisation of sex is one of extreme lust and uncontrollable desire. Taboos and boundaries are broken, everything is not only allowed, but viewable. In the world of pornography sexual activity takes place regardless of whether the participants love each other or even know each other at all. ‘Faithfulness’ is a foreign word in this industry. The only demand that’s made is that the person is ‘sexy’. How does this affect you?

Pornography depicts the human body in a belittling and unworthy manner, as something to be used, or as a tool. People are seen from a naturalistic standpoint, meaning that humans are just viewed as a highly developed animal. It leads to a ‘use and discard’ attitude to the human body.

Human emotions are consumer goods in the word of pornography. How does this affect you?

It exploits the sex drive and natural curiosity.

The pornography industry has a huge turnover each year, perhaps as much as about €10 billion worldwide. It exploits our sex drive and natural curiosity. Most men, if they’re honest, have to admit that it can be difficult not to have a quick peek at the ‘men’s magazines’ in the newsagents. Your pulse increases and your body reacts to these stimuli, these are natural reactions when you see a naked woman. But if you are to develop a good, healthy sexuality and a natural relationship to the opposite sex, then pornography is a poor teacher. How does this affect you?

Pornography appeals to the desire in us to look. To be a viewer is to try to become a spectator, looking at other people’s nakedness and sexual life without them knowing about it. In normal life this is a punishable offence. When you look at pornography, you’re almost doing the same, even though it isn’t punishable. But you really don’t want others to find out what you’re doing… Why?

It’s all about technique, it’s cold and without emotions.

Perhaps you think that pornography hasn’t any negative impact in you? But it does something to you. The sex drive is engaged by powerful visual impressions, and some people experience that after having seen a lot of pornography they no longer get aroused as they once did. They have to have something more potent. As time goes on, many get hooked on pornography. You are then in danger of numbing your emotions, so that you lose your natural inhibitions. It’s no coincidence that police often find large amounts of pornography in possession of people who have committed rape or other sexual crimes. So what should you do? Stop looking at it?

Pornography can actually destroy your ability to experience closeness and warmth in relation to someone you love. Instead, your thoughts are infiltrated by pornographic images. It’s all about technique, it’s cold and unfeeling, while in fact what you need is someone to talk to and to treat well.

By using pornography you can also get a false impression of the opposite sex and what is expected of you. Men can think that they need to sleep with someone in order to be accepted. Women might think that they have to satisfy each and every lustful man. Both men and women can experience great demands made on them in terms of physical appearance.

It’s sin to use pornography.

It’s sin to use pornography. Firstly, you are participating in maintaining a cynical and rotten industry. Secondly, you destroy your own view of sex and its context. Thirdly, pornography easily leads to sinful thoughts. Jesus says that the person who looks at a woman lustfully, has already committed adultery with her.

Now, God loves those who make pornography. He loves those who visit pornographic websites. He wants you to go to Him quickly and tell Him when you fall in sin. Ask Him to forgive you and to help you to stop watching pornography. Next time you fall, rush to Him. He will forgive you a thousand times, and even more if necessary.