Downloads of internet porn hit record high

[Neil D]

[:"blue"] Ok, if the numbers are true, a couple of you guys here have been downloading porn. I know that I haven't so, come on, fess up.... <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> [/]

Posted by Stuart Miles

29 May 2006 - More and more people are downloading porn from the internet a survey has revealed.

The survey conducted for the Independent on Sunday Newspaper by analysts Nielsen NetRatings found that more than nine million men - almost 40 per cent of the male population - used pornographic websites last year, compared with an estimated two million in 2000.

However its not just men who have been surfing for some action, the number of women downloading internet porn soared 30 per cent to 1.4million.

The figures also show that more than half of all children - some seven million - have encountered pornography on the internet "while looking for something else".

The survey also found that one in four men aged 25 to 49 have visited an adult website in the past month - a total of 2.5 million.

The newspaper claims that relationship agencies have reported that as many as 40 per cent of couples with problems believe pornography has contributed to their difficulties.

Finally randy British internet surfers look up the word "porn" more than anyone in the English-speaking world.

[cricket]

Part of my husband's job is to monitor the user's behavior on his company's computers. Recently an end-user in another state has been found to have 40,000 pornographic downloads on a company computer.

A warning to anyone who might be doing this on company computers: you will be found out. In this man's case, he was terminated from the company.

Likewise, any pornographic material that is found on company cell-phones is grounds for termination of employment.

[Bravus]

It's an interesting case study of temptation: my guess is that all of these people likely had the temptation to look at porn, but before the net it meant going to a little shop in the seedier part of town - a shop where someone could easily see you walk in our out. So likely lots of people didn't do it. Once it's available freely and easily in the privacy of your own home, what you get is a truer measure of who is interested. It's basically the difference between what people do when others are watching and what they do when they think no-one can see. (As Cricket has noted, sometimes it's not that simple...)

I'm not sure this particular genie is going back in the bottle, so it becomes (as always) about changing hearts rather than changing the world.

[Dr. Shane]

This thread should have probally been put in our private forum.

I agree with Bravus completely. I think this also means we need to incorporate sex education into our youth programs. xxxchurch.com has some good programing for youth groups. I also think that this needs to be discussed in the men's groups at marriage retreats when they devide the husbands and wives. The church cannot just cross her fingers and hope for the best.

[Amelia]

When I was working at the Adventist community center we had a problem like this. The thrift store mgr was looking at the wrong things and was found out. Why do they think they will never be caught?

[olger]

It's a big problem all right. Pastors are not immune either.

gcw

[Jeannieb43]

I saw an Oprah show late last night [rerun?] featuring a teenage boy who had been seduced into porn on the internet when he was given a webcam as a gift. He started using it on chat rooms to talk to his friends, but as soon as he got online with photos of himself he became easy prey to professional porn-gatherers. He was seduced, little by little, into showing more and more of himself on the webcam, and then was even PAID money [thru PayPal] to do various porn acts on line.

That wasn't the worst of it. He began to be paid to go out of town to places like Mexico and Las Vegas, meeting pedophiles who then plied him with booze and drugs, all of this just little by little. They then molested him repeatedly -- so many times he couldn't even begin to recall how many times. [This had been going on for five years before this Oprah show.]

His life was literally saved from destruction when somehow an investigative reporter from New York Times got in touch with him; he gained his confidence, and the boy and the Times reporter together reported all this to the Justice Dept. They after two years or so finally made arrests. But the Times reporter said when he met this boy he was a skeleton, from drug use, and really was close to death physically and mentally.

The boy came from a fine, middle-class home, was his class president, got A grades, etc., before all this started.

I couldn't see how his parents let him go out of town on these trips -- but he was smart enough to tell them he was going to computer conventions and they didn't ask further. He actually was a computer geek. The very best thing about his case was that he kept meticulous records, of every contact's name address, etc., plus the financial records, of every dollar he'd "earned". So the evidence was all right there on his hard drive, which he turned over to the Justice Dept. with the help of this Times reporter.

His life has now been threatened. He's of course a State's Witness, but is not in the Witness Protection Program because, truthfully, the Times reporter said, "We don't trust the Justice Dept." The Justice Dept. took two YEARS to make any arrests, even though this boy had given them full detailed info on all the contacts. The boy said he cried when he watched one of his high school buddies who was into the same thing keep getting molested repeatedly for all those two years. The boy couldn't tell that friend anything, and he was SO worried about his safety. Finally, however, the Justice Dept. has arrested the porn kings.

BUT. There are HUNDREDS of kids out there still involved in this criminal activity!

The lesson: NEVER allow a webcam in your home, at any time.

[Robert]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Cricket said: you will be found out. In this man's case, he was terminated from the company.

Likewise, any pornographic material that is found on company cell-phones is grounds for termination of employment.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I understand to a degree, but what would Jesus do? Didn't he say He desires mercy? Rules don't change the heart, love does....

Porn is very appealing to the flesh. In fact when Paul talks about sin he usually lists sexual sins first.

Rob

[CyberGuy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

This thread should have probally been put in our private forum.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I disagree. This is a very serious problem in our society and it should not be buried in a private forum.

I have heard estimates that half of all business done on the internet is porn related. It is estimated that in 10 years 75 percent of all business transactions on the internet will be porn related. That is an alarming trend.

[Amelia]

I agree. If porn and its addictions/problems need to be talked about especially in the church. Why burry it and keep it secret? What's talked about can be worked out. You never know if the person standing next to you in the pot luck line is addicted and could just have learned something that will help him/her break the chain and get help.

[Dr. Shane]

Some will argue that many sexual issues are significant and shouldn't be buried or not talked about. BUT... if we, as a forum, decided not to talk about sex on the open forum and then allow some threads about sex and not others... well that is a bit inconsistant. Who is to decide which sex-based threads should be discussed on open forums and which ones in the private forum? To me it is about submitting (that takes humility) to the rules and everyone playing by the same set of rules.

[Amelia]

Shane, this thread is about the problems of the porn industry and the internet. It is not about sex. Sex issues go in the private sex forum. I see a very big difference in talking about the effects of porn as a world issue and sexual problems as a private one.

[Dr. Shane]

While I am in complete agreement with you, some of our more sensative members and some lurkers would disagree with us. I have no issue discussing sex in any forum but I try to play by the rules.

[Neil D]

Um....are you trying to bring up trouble? If you are in agreement, then let those who have a problem bring thier issues to the forum....We can discuss relavancy on a case by case issue....In the mean time, you don't need to bring up issues that are not yours to bring.

[Amelia]

How is the topic of rising cases of porn viewing on the internet equal to talking about sex?

[Dr. Shane]

Please remember that I was chided when I asked the question if the virgen that David slept with (but didn't have sex) was the same as the bride in the Song of Solomon. I saw the issue as a theological one and not a sexual one but some of the more sensative members couldn't read the word "virgin" without connecting it to sex. I imagine the same is true with the word "porn."

Also notice that I made a small comment about this topic not being placed in the propper section and then went on with comments about the topic itself. I was making a gentle reminder and not trying to blow the issue out of proportion.

[Dr. Shane]

Just a little walk down memory lane:

Son Marries Father's Virgin Wife?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

This morning Paster Doug Batchelor is discussing if King Solomon married his father's virgin wife (1 Kings 1:1-4, 15 & Cant. 6:13) and the symbolism of this in relation to Christ and the church.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Notice the topic was taken from a Sabbath School lesson study by Pastor Doug Batchelor.

Now notice some of the immediate responses to it.

[:"blue"] Clio: Why do so many of your posts have to do with some aspect of sex?

Cricket: By mere definition, the term "virgin" elicits sexual connotations.

Gregory Matthews: The term "virgin wife" in the English speaking world, of the 21st cent., could not have a meaning other than one associated with sex.

[/]

Just the mere mention of the word "virgen" by Pastor Doug Barchelor in his sermon and repeated by me in the forum bothered these members. So I suspect the word "porn" might also be disturbing as well.

[Amelia]

As long as the topic stays on porn and the way to broach the subject in church, then it can stay here. If someone were to slide into the sexual aspects of porn, then it would be moved to the sex forum.

[David_McQueen]

I was at a men's retreat once and we fessed up that a couple of us had browsed and seen porn. We talked about how we could deal with this, how to be accountable to each other and for prayer.

Many Christian men, like men from all backgrounds have downloaded or browsed porn. Its a problem like any other and like David with Bathsheba just takes a moment to lose focus and to lust.

So let's talk about it open and honestly either here on in our churches. The alternative is to keep it like a dirty little secret or to have it any other forums who dont share our morals or beliefs on this subject.

[olger]

I spoke to a youth group two years ago about fidelity. We talked about porn openly and I humbled myself and related an experience when I was 17. Afterwards, several of them wanted to speak with me about things in their own lives.

Openness & honesty are needed on this issue, and most of all the victory of Christ.