Christian Lifestyle Part 5
Pornography
Pornography is probably one of the most pervasive influences in the western world today.
Consider the following statistics:
- A 2020 report by the website Pornhub, one of the largest adult content platforms, claimed that it received over 42 billion visits in 2019, with an average of 1.3 billion visits per month.
- A 2019 survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found that approximately 1 in 5 Australians (21.5%) reported watching pornography at least weekly.
- A 2018 study published in the Journal of Sex Research estimated that around 30% of internet users in the United States (approximately 90 million people) visited adult websites in a given month.
Various studies have revealed that porn use amongst teens is also widespread. This is very concerning as they are gaining an understanding of sexuality that is unrealistic and is deliberately isolated from the context of relationships.
A 2020 Australian study published in the Journal of Adolescence found that:
- 69% of males and 23% of females aged 15-16 reported watching pornography in the past year.
- 45% of males and 13% of females reported watching pornography at least weekly.
The purpose of pornography is to stimulate sexual desire through the use of imagery. There are complex chemical reactions that take place in the brain when exposed to pornography, but the general result of regular pornography use is that we become more fixated on the images that on real people, we seek ever greater levels of stimulation, and some get caught in a spiral that may lead to child sexual abuse material.
People often think that porn is harmless because nobody gets hurt- it is a lesser sin than sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.
The fact is that people are hurt badly by pornography. According to anti-pornography campaigners fightthenewdrug.org, there is no guarantee that actors are consenting to what is happening. There is often a high level of violence being portrayed. There is also evidence of links between pornography and human trafficking.
Right through the Bible there is a strong condemnation of sexual practices that are outside of life-long marriage. Prostitution, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and much more are described as sinful and even an abomination to the Lord.
Watching pornography, though, is not condemned in the Bible, because that was not an issue in those days. Jesus did say this: “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. “ (Matthew 5:28)
Pornography essentially strips away the personhood of the actors. These people were created in the image of God, but are partaking in something that is not honouring to God’s ways. To become a channel of merely stirring desire with no essence of relationship is a violation of the humanity of the people.
For these reasons, christians should not view pornography. It debases watcher, actor and producer. Rather than stir up the works of the flesh, christians should be producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:19-25)