Posted on 11/19/2004 3:07:51 PM PST by Lindykim
Porn Like Heroin in the Brain by Stuart Shepard, correspondent
Senate committee discusses pornography and the First Amendment.
Experts on pornography's effects on brain chemistry testified at a Senate hearing this week where a key point of discussion was whether porn is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment or addictive material that should be unlawful.
Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover described how pornography is analogous to cigarettes, noting that "it is a very carefully designed delivery system for evoking a tremendous flood within the brain of endogenous opioids." It's time, he added, to stop regarding it as simply a form of expression. "Modern science," Satinover said, "allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to pornography is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction."
Dr. Mary Anne Layden with the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania explained how a pornographic image is burned into the brain's pathways.
"That image is in your brain forever," she explained. "If that was an addictive substance, you, at any point for the rest of your life, could in a nanosecond draw it up."
Dr. Judith Reisman, president of the Institute for Media Education, called on the Senate to take action against pornography, saying it's time to mandate that law enforcement begin to collect all data and pornographic materials found in the possession of anyone involved in criminal activity. Doing so, she added, would yield data showing whether pornography is being used as a how-to manual for sex crimes.
"The evidence the panelists presented showed an overwhelming harm from pornography," said Daniel Weiss, media and sexuality analyst with Focus on the Family. He hopes the Senate will turn the evidence into action.
TAKE ACTION/FOR MORE INFORMATION If you think Congress should be taking serious action against pornography, you can start by thanking Sen. Sam Brownback for calling the hearing, then contact your representatives in Congress and let them know what you think. For help in contacting your elected representatives, please see our CitizenLink Action Center.
Also, to learn more about one person's struggles with pornography, we suggest the resource "An Affair of the Mind: One Woman's Courageous Battle to Salvage Her Family From the Devastation of Pornography." Author Laurie Hall shares her courageous struggle to protect herself and two children from her husband's addiction to pornography.
If it were burned in our brains, why do people go looking for more, and more, and more...
If you've seen one naked woman, you pretty much want to see them all.
The New Deal Commerce Clause doesn't recognize individual rights. Witness the Assault Weapons Ban.
No, it isn't. In fact they aren't remotely alike. When was the last time anyone overdosed from porn? When was the last time porn was used as an analgesic? Cause pulmonary edema? When did withdrawal ever cause headache, diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions?
Let's keep our perspective here, please.
A disturbingly large number on both the far left and far right.
Its harmful for young minds... like tobacco and alcohol and other adult pleasures.
I meant...according to your bogus definition of morality.
Yes... a lot of pics of scantily dressed babes have been posted on FR. Quick, arrest Jim Robinson and ban Free Republic for posting "heroin on the brain!" Hehehehe
agreed, keep the government out...yet if it's a sexually motivated crime, like rape it could be seen as probable cause
What crap. I agree that porn is a problem but it is an individual matter that individuals need to resolve. It pisses me off to no end that Focus on The Family is pushing a legislation that can easily be turned against Christians and conservatives:
Example the First:
"Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover described how Christianity is analogous to cigarettes, noting that "it is a very carefully designed delivery system for evoking a tremendous flood within the brain of endogenous opioids." It's time, he added, to stop regarding it as simply a form of expression. "Modern science," Satinover said, "allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to Christianity is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction."
Example the Second:
Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover described how talk radio is analogous to cigarettes, noting that "it is a very carefully designed delivery system for evoking a tremendous flood within the brain of endogenous opioids." It's time, he added, to stop regarding it as simply a form of expression. "Modern science," Satinover said, "allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to talk radio is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction."
Here I am a Christian conservative and I am opposed to this because I KNOW it is a matter of time before it is applied to me.
In order for true conservatism to work as it should, the citizens should be morally informed and ethical. Such citizens would know better than to allow porn to proliferate in open society where it acts as a poison.
The market is amoral, and will produce anything for sale, even snake oil concoctions, unless there are morality based constraints placed upon it.
What truly ignorent fatheads. I expect the Dems. will continue to push for censorship for the next four years so they can then blame republicans for censoring the airwaves and internet.
It is the Dems. on the FCC that are the biggest sponsors of censorship.
Reminds me of an old joke:
Q: What's the difference between a Christian Activist group and a pervert?
A: A pervert looks at pornography alone while the Christians form a committee and then look at it.
There has been a lot of discussion about the relevancy of this post. I think it's very relevant. You guys want to critisize the "moral right"...but who do you think got George Bush re-elected? And didn't George Bush agree to a Pornography Protected Day?
The point is pornography is very, very addictive. And most of the porno out there isn't your cute, bunnyrabbit Playboy stuff. Some of it is cruel, disturbing and outright dangerous.
If its Nicolette Sheridan on "Desperate Housewives" don't look or you'll go blind. :)
Ding! BS Alert!
I beg to differ. I still, at 41, have perfect photographic memory of porn that I found when I was 12.
LOL!
The actual figure is 40% of clergy are porn addicts. Still too high.
If you're banned, you'll go out a hero!
Dems. were on a big censorship kick prior to the election, just as they were on a pro-draft bandwagon.
Republicans believe in free speech. Let the dems. continue to be the anti-free speech party.
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