Porn and Christianity

[Stan]

Seems kind of strange that porn is legal in most christian countries, and not in atheistic or muslim countries.

http://holykaw.alltop.com/porn-laws-around-the-world-infographic

[Dr. Shane]

Freedom of speech.

[Bravus]

Yeah, just popped in to say the same thing: you could as easily call it a map of freedom and Christianity. Unfortunately when you have freedom people are free to make bad choices. But the alternative is worse.

[Dr. Shane]

I think pornography is degrading to both men and women and am not convinced that freedom of speech should extend to it. However, in the minds of many it does which is why it remains legal in so much of the world. When I was in Mexico City, there was a street both selling pornography on the sidewalk with a TV and VCR playing samples of the material for everyone in the area to see. I was surprised that was permitted.

[John317]

It is ironic also that in Tijuana, Mexico, you can be arrested or fined for "making out" with your girl friend or wife while sitting in your car or sitting on a park bench, but yet you can watch porn on a sidewalk or step into a building and immediately be met with the sight of a naked woman inviting you to drink a beer with her or whatever.

[John317]

Freedom of speech.

Exactly. And I'm all for it. I believe people should have the right to do many things that I (and the rest of society) consider wrong.

[abelisle]

Besides the freedom of speech issue, there is another disconcerting peripheral issue which is how does porn impact our church, fellow Christians and why is it so addictive?

When was the last time you heard of a church sponsored seminar/workshop on dealing with the addictive nature of pornography? Also how do we address this issue with our young people? It seems that a few of our pastors have been caught up in this too?

Alex

[Stan]

the issue so much isn't the porn itself, it is the exploitation of people. People having photos of themselve posted without permission or they abilty to retract if the consent is done under influence of drugs or various other factors.

Hidden cameras

former lovers

etc etc

[John317]

I certainly agree with you in all that. I was addicted to it myself for many years. But I don't believe the solution is to make it illegal. Child porn, of course, is a different issue altogether since it is dealing with children. But adult porn has to do with mature individuals making choices, and those choices, for good or ill, should not be taken away from them.

[Stan]

Studys have shown, and been released that at Christian Conventions (I am not saying Adventist, have never seen one on us) the amount of porn rentals at hotels increases significantly.

[phkrause]

Stan, I've head this also, pretty sad.

[Dr. Shane]

Studys have shown, and been released that at Christian Conventions (I am not saying Adventist, have never seen one on us) the amount of porn rentals at hotels increases significantly.

The reason for that would seem to be that Christians don't have it in their home (like other folks) so it is much more enticing to them when they to to a motel.

[John317]

Studys have shown, and been released that at Christian Conventions (I am not saying Adventist, have never seen one on us) the amount of porn rentals at hotels increases significantly.

It should shock us and sadden us deeply that this happens.

A lot of the Christian world believes all their future sins have already been forgiven at the cross, and that their behavior is not linked to salvation because they now live under grace and not under the law.

SDAs should see it differently but unfortunately many SDAs have accepted some of the same views.

In any case, the solution to this problem is genuine conversion and having a clear understanding of Bible truth.

[Planey]

Originally Posted By: Stan Jensen

Studys have shown, and been released that at Christian Conventions (I am not saying Adventist, have never seen one on us) the amount of porn rentals at hotels increases significantly.

The reason for that would seem to be that Christians don't have it in their home (like other folks) so it is much more enticing to them when they to to a motel.

What, Christians don't have computers with access to the Internet?

Graeme

[abelisle]

What you say is true John but I have always been fascinated by the connections between sexuality and sin in the Bible. For the Israelites it was the Canaanite women, for the young man in Proverbs it was the woman with the haughty look and lips of honey. The Golden calf was supposedly associated with bacchanalian/erotic rites.

Even circumcision is associated with male genitalia. We are warned about giving in to carnal pleasures. There are all sorts of Levitical injunctions against immoral behavior of a sexual nature.

Clearly, then and now, our sexuality is a primary if not the primary weak area in our behavior although pride stands out as one sin God particularly despises.

Lastly, I've always wondered about how Jesus dealt with sexual urges as a young single man? Did he have "wet dreams" for instance? Did he have sexual thoughts in his stream of consciousness?

Are we even allowed to speculate on these matters?

Alex

[John317]

I agree with everything you say here.

About Jesus having "wet dreams," I'm confident that he did, because he developed sexually just as every young man does. But we have to remember that having "wet dreams" is not a sin. We don't have any choice over what we dream.

Every time Jesus was faced with a temptation, He always chose to obey His Father and to reject sin.

I have no doubt, either, that Jesus had normal sexual desires and desires to have a family. But He didn't allow these desires to cause Him to sin nor to dominate His life nor to turn Him away from His mission that the Father sent Him to accomplish. He understands the sexual temptations that men and women face, and He also knows how to help us resist and overcome those temptations. After all, Jesus was the One who made us sexual beings.

[Dr. Shane]

What, Christians don't have computers with access to the Internet?

Graeme

If they are Christians like me, those computers are in common areas of the home where everyone can see the screen.

[Dr. Shane]

Clearly, then and now, our sexuality is a primary if not the primary weak area in our behavior although pride stands out as one sin God particularly despises.

This is indeed fascinating. Pride prevents us from admitting our error and thus prevents repentance from any sin. Sex acts are also associated with all types of false religions which seems interesting. Perhaps it is because of the human emotions attached to human sexuality. When we have sex with someone, it is an emotional experience as well as a physical one. That, of course, is one of the principle problems with pornography as it reduces human sexuality to a physical act.

[John317]

If they are Christians like me, those computers are in common areas of the home where everyone can see the screen.

Good point. Both men and women also know their wives or husbands can look at "history" and see what sites have been watched on their computer.

[Bravus]

Of course, there may be Christian couples who have decided that using porn together as a consenting couple is not wrong, and if they're away from home at a hotel for a Christian convention, perhaps with the kids left home, they might order a movie.

I don't think I agree with those couples: I think the making of the porn is in itself exploitative. But it's possible to see the rationale, and perhaps not to be as shocked with this result as we seem to be...

There's also some interesting thinking to be done around the idea that the repeated cycle of transgression, remorse, forgiveness and new transgression that grows out of a Christian using porn can be something that *contributes* to sex addiction rather than helping with it.

A guiltless porn user might plausibly be less likely to obsess about porn than someone who, when not using it, is consumed with not thinking about the green monkey...

Just some random reflections. The cure to our sexual issues, it seems to me, is developing a healthy sexuality: and the church is not doing a great job of helping with that, in general. An 'anti-porn' workshop is far less useful and relevant than a 'healthy sex' workshop.

[John317]

Sex acts are also associated with all types of false religions which seems interesting. Perhaps it is because of the human emotions attached to human sexuality.

Satan has studied human psychology for thousands of years, and knows that sexuality is such a profound part of the human personality that if he can succeed in manipulating that aspect of us, he can control us to a large degree. Millions of people, who wouldn't think of doing many other evil things, are easily led around, not by the ear or the nose, but by the sex organs.

[John317]

Some good ideas, Bravus.

[Dr. Shane]

Sexual issues are dealt with on many Adventist television programs. Those that don't have Adventist TV, miss out on this. They have also been dealt with a lot here at C/A. I think preachers that deal with it from the pulpit get beat up and transferred out so it is safer to deal with it with Adventist media.

[Dr. Shane]

I think the making of the porn is in itself exploitative.

This is more troubling. Many are drug addicts and just doing porn to feed their habit. Even more troubling, many porn producers get people addicted so they can take advantage of them.

[Guest truthseeker007]

From a (non)secular view point i think there are a number of pros and cons:

Pro:

- Porn is able to canalize sexual frustrations. Why are Catholic priests involved in so many child abuse cases?I think it is obvious that this has something to do with celibacy.

- in a modern society where stress is a regular by product of every day life it has a useful function.

Con:

- Women are presented as objects rather than humans, thereby defiling the human being as an image of God

- It can not only prevent sex crimes but it can also encourage them by propagating a culture of porn which can be normalised in the coming generations. (This fits perfectly in the New Age agenda of Blavatzky btw)

- Sex itself is supposed to be sacred for the instituion of marriage (con: we are cursed from birth and degenerated so human beings don t have the capacity to overcome excessive sexual urges, so the original intent of our creator can not be fullfilled unless we have some very special help)

My opinion is that porn is a bad thing, but for some it is a necessity. If God would help people who are addicted and give them special supernatural help to overcome their evil nature i think it is obvious porn should be forbidden. However this does not seem to be the case, therefore porn is an evil necessity, just like God allowed meat eating in the old testament because the Jews were whining.