A Word of Warning: Resist the Lure of Pornography

Chalcedon ^ | 1/9/02 | Gerald W. Tritle

[truthandlife]

Pornography – the written and/or graphically portrayed uncovering of nakedness, especially in acts of fornication – grips the hearts and lives of many Christian men and, according to recent surveys, twenty percent of ministers. It tempts potential patrons from its store shelves and by mail, and it champions over three million websites, enticing over twenty percent of online viewers.

Porn appeals to an undisciplined culture (both inside and outside the church) that refuses to mature mentally and sexually. Specifically, many Christian men of all ages find it easier to view porn than to fulfill their God-given responsibilities to glorify their Lord and to love their spouses, their children, their estates, and their congregations.

As Christians, we would expect unregenerate men, who are in bondage to the sin of their Adamic nature, to embrace no conviction against viewing pornography. These men, as are all men before coming to Christ, are corrupt by nature and in need of spiritual rebirth, needing to call upon Christ Jesus for salvation. These men will only curtail or cease viewing porn when they are threatened civically (being jailed or imprisoned), professionally (getting fired), or domestically (being sued for divorce).

To the Christian, porn appeals to the workings of sin in the flesh (Rom. 7:23) that must yet be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is unbiblical for the world or the church to think that a Christian cannot be tempted to view and to succumb to the viewing of porn during a time or times of weakness. Yet, having yielded to the beguiling temptation of viewing porn, the Christian must realize, as spoken by Christ Jesus, that he has sinned by committing fornication (in the case of the unmarried) or adultery (in the case of the married) in the heart – sins which Jesus says will deprive one of eternal life.

For the Christian minister, porn can be alluring as he manages his pressures to serve others, his solitary work environment, his mental exhaustion, and perhaps, his frustrations resulting from his entering the ministry as a novice not fully disciple himself. If he also has relationship and sexual difficulties at home, then porn becomes for him an easy, seemingly victimless escape. However, when he views porn, he jeopardizes the ministry that his God has entrusted to him. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 is clear that the minister’s household must be in order for him to retain his ministry, and, thus, his admitting his habitual porn use exposes problems in his own household, which he must correct lest he be ministerially disqualified. Often, the tremendous guilt that follows is difficult to jettison because the minister is supposedly required to be not only “perfect” but is also forbidden to confess his faults to his brethren (contrary to James 5:16), which would aid in his repentance and restoration.

All Christians: Shall you risk bringing reproach upon the name of our Lord Jesus for a season of lust-filled escape? Shall you risk destroying your own Christian reputations, marriages, families, and estates? Shall you risk jail or prison to fulfill your potentially illegal lusts before calling upon the name of our Lord to save you from yourselves? Do you realize that your viewing Internet porn can be and most likely is being monitored, if not by your bosses at work, then potentially by credit card companies and by porn sites themselves? Furthermore, have you considered that the hardness of your heart and your refusal to repent of this sin may prove indeed that you are no Christian at all, and are, therefore, in danger of eternal damnation? “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1).

Never forget that all men will eventually appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for the deeds done in this life. We, therefore, strongly urge both Christians and non-Christians to repent of this heinous sin and to beg God’s gracious pardon. Christians, if you confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin. Get rid of your porn regardless of its form or format. Don’t place yourself in a position to view porn. Don’t allow your mind to be idle and filled with pornographic fantasies and thoughts. On the contrary, plan to stay mentally active and to replace pornographic thoughts with pure, holy, and natural thoughts (see Philippians 4:8). Pray for God’s grace to deliver you from the desire to view porn for His name’s sake. Pursue spiritual maturity and love (toward your wife, your children, your church, and your Lord) instead of gratifying your selfish, sinful desires.

Those of you who are spiritual are to restore, with a spirit of meekness, those who have fallen into this sin lest you also be tempted. God will forgive the sins of those who truly repent and turn from their sin.

[Doctor Doom]

Anxiously awaiting your response to A) that stealing is specifically prohibited, but viewing is not and B) is written pornography also immoral, and why?

[is_is]

. If, otoh, someone wishes to do it in front of a camera, out of view of non-consensual viewers, that is their decision.

You are right....but what it comes down to is where does a given society draw the line on any given behavior. Let's be free spirited and say...hey....you like sex with small children, go ahead as long as their parents consent and you do it out of my sight. Is that too far for you?? Societies decide where to set the line. By mans nature when the line is pushed further down, then the next generation wants to push it further down. It comes down to defining morality....and those without God will never agree with those who have God.

[a_witness]

It suggests he really thinks the only reason it is bad is because it's against the law.

No, but it is the only reason it is illegal. It is bad because it is evil.

[Labyrinthos]

there are few people who would even consider doing that as the pressure to perform would be VERY high.

The pressure is really not that bad. You get used to it after a while.

[a_witness]

Dude, do you even read what you are responding to?

Yep, some Eric in Oklahoma City who likes to advertise his wife (and some day his kids) on the net. Why not let her come in here on this thread and speak for herself. I'm sure she can speak for herself.

[Doctor Doom]

No one here has suggested that child porn is anything but evil.

You try to blur the line between consenting adults and CP. But it won't wash, bucko.

[Aquinasfan]

Okay, we'll table the discussion of photographic porn. I assume from your response there is no Biblical injunction against viewing others enjoy themselves sexually, or else you want to keep it a secret.

No, nothing explicitly. However, deliberately viewing others engaged in sexual acts falls under two commandments: "you shall not covet the wife of another" and "you shall not commit adultery." Then there is the instructive story of David and Bathsheba:

2 Samuel 11

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,

3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home.

5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."

6 So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David.

7 When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going.

8 Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.

9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house.

10 When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?"

11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

12 Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.

13 At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.

17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

What about written pornography?

Also immoral.

[Doctor Doom]

Never bothered me. :)

[r9etb]

Lest we forget, your statement was completely general: In a marriage that aknowledges how the real world works the wife doesn't care where the man gets his appitite, just so long as he eats at home.

From this we are apparently supposed to conclude that any "real world" marriage is one where the wife doesn't care about pornography. It also implies that issues of trust and fidelity are trumped by orgasms.

Now you've started adding qualifiers:

A - it depends on the wife.

Of course it does. And I'd bet that most wives would care a great deal.

B - since any woman that knows anything about men knows they get he appetite from just about anything they'd be pretty dumb to object unless the man started going overboard (overboard being defined by each relationship, just like everything else).

So any woman who objects to pornography is dumb? Once again -- orgasms trump fidelity?

C - Nobody indicated that Eric couldn't raise the flag without porn, the only indication was that he and spouse enjoy porn before intercourse sometime; there's a big difference.

You didn't talk about Eric and wife, you talked about "any woman" and "any marriage." (The latter by implication from "a marriage that aknowledges....")

In the real world -- as recounted those who've done marriage counseling -- pornography does in fact present a problem for marriages.

[OWK]

Unfortunately, I think this is just OWK's way of saying he doesn't like it when Christians are confident in their opinions ("when they get uppity").

It is not "confidence in opinion" which is being questioned.

It is abuse, scorn, self-righteousness, and prideful arrogance which is being questioned.

These things were specifically prohibited by Jesus.

I know a fair number of Christians who are quite confident in their opinions, and who rarely (if ever) engage in such behaviors. I gives me cause to respect their faith, inasmuch as they place enough value in that faith to actually practice it. I count these people as friends, and I value their opinions greatly. Confidence does not require arrogance. (although it makes a convenient excuse for arrognace)

[Doctor Doom]

So what if none of the participants are married - that knocks out the whole adultery and coveting issue.

And why, specifically and Biblically, is written porn immoral?

[Aquinasfan]

If the Priest knows about it, he should a) confront him with it, b0 offer to get him help and c) remove him from any church leadership position. Anything less is a dereliction of duty, imo.

You're right. I'll have a talk with her.

[r9etb]

I guess the fundamental difference, is that I am not claiming to represent a religious faith which prohibits these things.

However, you are quite busily engaged in branding the behavior as improper, which suggests that your own religious faith (libertarianism) would also prohibit them.

[OWK]

However, you are quite busily engaged in branding the behavior as improper...

Do you beleieve the behavior described, is in keeping with the dictates of your faith?

[GSWarrior]

...is illegal because it involves children who in many cases do not have the ability to make the decisions necessary. To imply that pornography involving a 7 year old, for example, is simply an "age of consent" issue is morally reprehensible

I don't understand. Weren't age of consent laws brought into being precisely because children do not have the ability to make the necessary decisions. If so, then it is an age of consent issue.

[ColdSteelTalon]

I aggree with you. When I sin I am in torment until I can get right with God. I just wanted to make sure that we are on the same page regarding Salvation. Some might take what you say to mean that you can lose your salvation.

[riri]

Oh yeah, we tend to dance too.

But how well?

[a_witness]

No one here has suggested that child porn is anything but evil. You try to blur the line between consenting adults and CP. But it won't wash, bucko.

Nope, you who have to have it will cause the age of consent to drop. In the meantime the porn with teens is "kiddie porn" and you will be prosecuted by zealous federal prosecuters for violating this law for your lusts. Now that President Bush is in office your industry stock is going to dip, at least we hope and pray so.

[OWK]

Have you ever looked at pornography?