Pornography

The Internet has brought many good things into our lives—but (like any other technological advancement) it also has opened the door to much that is evil. Right at the top of the list is pornography, which is now so accessible that millions of people have become addicted and enslaved by it.

Pornography is wrong in God's eyes, and it will become a cancer in your soul that will destroy you if you aren't careful. Pornography appeals to our lusts, and turns what God has created into something selfish and demeaning. The Bible is clear: "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17).

It is a total perversion of one of God's greatest gifts to us—the gift of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife. First, it's wrong because of what it does to us. It appeals only to our self-centered, sinful, pleasure-seeking nature, and the more we get involved with it, the more we feed that nature and become captives to it. The Bible says, "The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit. ... They are in conflict with each other" (Galatians 5:17).

Pornography is also wrong because of what it does to others. It treats others not as people but as objects, as playthings for our own selfish gratification. In other words, lust replaces love and that is wrong. This, incidentally, is why marriages based only on physical attraction seldom last.

God loves you, and He doesn't want you to be enslaved by your lusts. Instead, He wants to free you—and He will, if you will let Him. Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). I urge you to claim this promise as your own.

Are you at peace with God? Would you like to know how you can have a personal relationship with Jesus? Click Here Now!

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.- 2 Corinthians 6:17

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.- Galatians 5:17

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.-John 8:36

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.-Hebrews 4:13

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.-Ephesians 5:3

How Porn Works

Pornography in its various forms has become accessible to just about anyone. With the help of the internet, videos, cable television, satellite and magazines, thousands...or possibly millions of people are becoming addicted to pornography every day. Though the sex industry downplays the impact of porn on society, the truth is that pornography profoundly damages people.

Pornography images are designed to appeal to our human tendencies toward lust and "sexual idolatry." Let's examine these tendencies more closely:

Lust: Webster's Dictionary defines lust as "intense or unbridled sexual desire," "an intense longing: craving" and a "conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment." The problem with lust is that it is based in selfishness and works contrary to love. In fact, it is the opposite of love. When fed, it can grow into an uncontrollable force in a person's life. Like a wildfire, lust can consume a person's resources, time and attention.

The Bible identifies 2 basic types of lust that people are tempted by: "lust of the eyes" and "lust of the flesh". Pornography caters to both types by providing visual stimulation that appeals to our "fleshly" desire for sex. It also gives us lifelong fuel for lust through the memories of the sexual images. With the help of special hormones released in the brain during sexual arousal, porn images are retained in our memories much longer than non-sexual memories.

Sexual Idolatry: Idolatry is the "worship of a physical object as a god" or an "immoderate attachment or devotion to something." Worship means to show "extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem" (both from Webster's Dictionary). Many people may not realize that pornography has helped them develop an immoderate or extravagant devotion to sex. Gazing at pornography for hours, masturbating to sexual images and repeatedly fantasizing about sex are basically forms of worshipping sex. People who practice such activities find that sexual images seem to rise to the top and forefront of their thoughts. Their minds become a type of "mental altar" for sex (more about).

Unfortunately, pornography's powerful appeal leads many into sexual addiction. A life dedicated to pornography, or even just seasoned with occasional viewing of it can become considerably darkened by the many harmful side effects. Here are just a few of the many possible side effects of pornography addiction that we've witnessed:

Perversions (homosexuality, bestiality, bisexuality, transexuality, fetishes, etc.)
Irritability
Sexual imbalance
Sexual dissatisfaction
Masturbation
Lies & deception
Uncontrolled thoughts
Spiritual oppression
Marital strife / destruction / divorce
Corrupted perception of reality
Warped interpersonal skills
Reclusiveness
Fear
Increased tendency toward sexual crime
Guilt & condemnation
Loss of Hope
Depression
Inability to give or receive love
Spiritual death
Torment
Depraved mind
Darkened understanding
Loss of discernment between good & evil
Promiscuity
Lustful eye

Many of the above effects reflect the fact that there is a spiritual aspect of pornography and sex addiction. Jesus gave us a clue about this in Matthew 6:22-23 NIV: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Porn is a form of darkness that follows the rule Jesus described. When people view pornography, they open a "doorway" in their lives through their eyes to darkness. The resultant effects of that darkness can be seen in our list above.

Power for Freedom is Available
We have found that a person desiring freedom from sexual addiction will need spiritual help in order to gain complete freedom. The only source we know of for reliable and decisive help is Jesus Christ.

For more information to help battle porn, visit www.porn-free.org

How can I get free from addiction?

Addiction, in any form, can cause inner tensions and frustration which you may feel powerless to overcome. God longs to set you free through Jesus Christ our Lord; see Romans 6:11-14. The Bible says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36, NKJV). Make certain that you have made your commitment to Christ now by asking God to forgive and cleanse you of your sins and give you life eternal. After you have done this, believe that God has forgiven you and made you His child; read John 1:12, Romans 10:13, and 2 Corinthians 5:17.

None of us is strong enough to overcome temptation in our own strength, but God will give us the strength; see Philippians 4:13. 1 Corinthians 10:13 states: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (NKJV). Note that it is God who provides the way of escape. Read 1 John 3:8. Talk to the Lord many times a day, asking for His help. Read your Bible and fill your mind with thoughts from His Word. The Word of God will have a purifying effect on your life; see Psalm 119:11.

The old sinful lifestyle must now be replaced with the new life in Christ. This requires the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to replace the old habits with new. Avoid companionship with those that influence you to indulge in sinful activities. Make a list of those activities and habits you want changed. Set some positive goals for your life, and with God's strength go after them. Take the initiative and seek the counsel of a gospel-teaching pastor or other dedicated Christian worker.

Teen Challenge National and Overcomers Outreach are organizations which have been very effective in leading people of all ages to Christ and to recovery from addictive behaviors. They have developed proven programs of spiritual therapy, based upon the Bible, which have been instrumental in enabling many to enjoy purposeful, constructive lives. If you will contact them, they may be able to help you. They have branches in many cities. Their headquarters' mailing addresses are: Teen Challenge National, P. O. Box 1015, Springfield, Missouri 65801, telephone: (417) 862-6969; and Overcomers Outreach, 520 North Brookhurst, Suite 121, Anaheim, California 92801, telephone: (800) 310-3001.

Are you at peace with God? Would you like to know how you can have a personal relationship with Jesus? Click Here Now!

Search The Bible

*Search for:*
*in:*
*using:*
Include Study Tools HELP

I hate myself for this, but I just can't stay away from the porn sites on the Internet. God must be very disappointed in me. No one knows I have this problem

Like other inventions, the Internet has brought much good to the human race—but it also has brought much evil. The explosion in Internet pornography is vicious and corrupting, and is one reason why I believe parents should monitor very closely what their children are accessing on their computers.

Others may not know what you are doing in the privacy of your room—but God does, and some day you will stand before Him to give an account of the way you allowed your mind to be filled with this evil. The Bible warns, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). These are sobering words, and you should take them seriously.

But listen: God loves you, and He doesn't want you to be enslaved by your lusts. Instead, He wants to free you—and He will, if you will let Him. Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). I urge you to claim this promise as your own.

Begin by confessing your sins to Christ, and asking Him to forgive you and cleanse you and fill you with His Holy Spirit. Then take practical steps to avoid temptation—by setting up anti-porn filters on your computer, for example, and moving it to a public place.

My parents found me on an Internet porn site the other day, and now they've started monitoring every Web site I visit. I admit I'm a bit bummed, because I was just curious. It's not like I was doing anything immoral, was it?

I have a friend who says that pornography is like the slime left behind by a snail or slug, because it leaves its traces on your mind long after the original image is gone. It is one of our greatest scourges today, and it needs to be labeled for what it is: a great moral and spiritual evil.

I know you probably resent having your parents tell you what to do on your computer—but the truth is, they love you and they don't want you to fall into pornography's trap. They know its allure, and they know also how destructive and addictive it can be. Pornography treats people as mere objects to be used for our own selfish gratification. Pornography also destroys the meaning of true love. The Bible is clear: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity" (Ephesians 5:3).

Never forget that what goes on in our minds eventually influences the way we act. Jesus warned, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Make it your goal to keep your mind pure, as well as your body.

The most important decision you will ever face, however, is what you will do with Jesus Christ. He loves you, and He wants to help you fight temptation and become the man He created you to be. Ask Him to come into your life today.

I've been hooked on Internet porn for several years, and I always excused it by saying it wouldn't hurt me. But now I know better, and God is helping me break free. It's still a struggle, however, so please pray for me.

I'm thankful you have turned to God to help you break free of pornography's evil grip. Few things pollute a person's mind and soul as thoroughly as pornography—and it can be just as addictive as a dangerous drug.

You can be sure the devil will battle you every inch of the way as you turn your back on this habit. He always attacks us where we are weak, and we need to be alert to his schemes. The Bible says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Don't be deceived: He is your enemy!

The most important thing you can do, however, is to grow in your faith and your commitment to Christ. Elsewhere in your letter, you admit that you turned to Christ because you felt so weak—and I'm thankful for this, because you need His strength. Take time each day to read your Bible and pray, and turn to other believers for the help and encouragement you need.

The Bible says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8). This is God's promise to you. Don't give the devil any room to work, but resist his enticements. Put a filter on your computer ... move it to a more public area ... and ask Christ to fill your mind with His love and purity.