Posted on 01/09/2002 7:29:19 AM PST by 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.
I suspect the problem lies not with "satanic" porn, but with you- most of us dan take it or leave it- particularly at work.
Perhaps if some of the mainstream religions had not made sexual cripples out of generations and generations of people, there would be no outlet for these Onanistic pursuits?
Can it be that the Market for these "services" is as much the outward sign of certain nonScriptural doctrines as it is a sickness of the soul?
Like many I am infuriated by XXX-Spam when it arrives unbidden. The fact it does seems indicative of the high demand, though.
I would be more interested in knowing WHY there is such a high demand. It implies to me that people are not in healthy relationships.
Also, lazyboy chairs, television, and fast food.
The fact that porn is so readily available (you don't have to go to the "dirty book store" anymore) also contributes. I don't know how many e-mails end up in my trash can every week that are designed to lure you in. This highlights the fact that we need to "crucify the flesh" and seek God's guidance and power for living every moment of every day.
No barf alert? :-)
What a Viagra antidote! I bet if you post this every day, the pornographers will be out of business in a month because it would kill the libido of an entire continent....Except for those of the Jano Reno Presuasion, of course.
You could be right I am a FreeRepublic addict even while at work, one day I may get the boot fror freeping too much.
Cheers Tony
You have to realize that some people's idea of porn is a woman with her face showing.
Onan was punished because he refused to impregnate his brother's widow, not because he pleasured himself by "spilling his seed."
As for porn, any activity which becomes an obsession distracting a person from his responsibilities is more related to immaturity than evil.
We have no children..But my WIFE gets them also, and I have heard from many friends who likewise get on one spam list too many. I believe this should be a felony!
I attack and report any spammer who does this, but it does little good. I hate spam to begin with. But these XXX ones send me ballistic.
Look, the way the web is, if I ever want it, I can get it...WHY does anyone need to massmail advertise it!
Also, remember that people can sign you up for it, out of malice or as a "Joke".
And once they do that, you are inundated because they sell the lists to each other.
That is why spammers deserve a bullet to the head.
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I agree with you--pics of Hillary are truly obscene, but definitely not seductive or pornographic.
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