Trinity Journal of Apologetics and Theology A Review And Pedagogical Journal Volume 001 January 2007 Issue 003

Sexual addicts are trying to control their own lives, but they sense their lack of control over sinful behavior. Paul shows his knowledge when he says, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19).

Sexual addicts have tried to stop their sinful behavior by, prayer, memorizing Scripture and asking God to remove their lust. Nothing seems to work because a part of them believes that sex is the cure for all their wounds, and that part refuses surrender to God’s control. We know that sexual fantasy’s create powerful chemicals in the brain that give a temporary feeling of relief from the pain of loneliness, anger, anxiety, and depression. Sex is an escape from our painful feelings. The brain of a sex addict may crave the experience of sex just like any drug addict craves the next high of a drug.
What causes sexual addition?

Sexual addiction is rarely caused by only one factor, but is more likely a build up of conditions over time. The child often grows up in a chaotic, hostile or neglectful home. He or she grows up emotionally starved for love because affection is rarely expressed.
Many are exposed to pornography at a very young age, and often escaped into the fantasy world of pornography and masturbation, rather than risk rejection from girls. Even after marriage many continue to indulge in pornography, which put a wedge in their marriage that they may not understand, which leads to divorce. Sexual addiction to pornography can become a part of life without a person even realizing it.

What is pornography: Defining pornography is complicated mainly because the way it is used in common language or defined in dictionaries is much different than the legal definition of the term (Easton, 1998). Generally speaking, pornography should be differentiated from obscenity, which is associated with things that are some how repulsive to the senses and is the term most often used in laws dealing with illegal pornography (Easton, 1998). A good definition comes from The Encyclopedia of Ethics, and defines pornography as "the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, created with the primary, proximate aim, and reasonable hope, of eliciting significant sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such materials" (VanDeBeer, 1992).

The word "pornography" comes from the Greek porneia, porneuo, and porne. Porneia is translated "fornication" in the King James Version (Matthew 5:32; John 8:41; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 6:9,13,18; Galatians 5:19; Revelation 19:2; etc.). Porneuo is the verb "to commit fornication," as in 1 Corinthians 6:18. Porne is translated "harlot" in Matthew 21:31-32; 1 Corinthians 6:15; and Revelation 17:5.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5).

Pornography definitely causes us to lust after flesh, and it undeniably is a lust for our eyes. Pornography definitely does not qualify as one of the things we are to think about: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things (Philippians 4:8).
Pornography is addictive (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19), destructive (Proverbs 6:25-28; Ezekiel 20:30; Ephesians 4:19), and leads to ever-increasing wickedness (Romans 6:19). Lusting after other people in our minds (the essence of pornography) is offensive to God (Matthew 5:28). When habitual devotion to pornography characterizes a person’s being that demonstrates the person is not saved (1 Corinthians 6:9).

Types of pornography : It is a vast field

1. Magazines displaying nude or partially nude bodies of women or men for the purpose of sexual gratification.
2. Movies, including videotapes, CD's that display nude or partially nude bodies. This would include "R", "X", "XXX" rated movies. Even some PG and PG-13 rated movies are pornographic because of their suggestive content.
3. Television shows that have nude or partially nude bodies shown with strong suggestive content are forms of pornography that should be avoided. The televisions shows today are filled with this type of material and many people watch these shows not knowing that they are committing grievous sins for which they will be severely punished in hell.
4. Internet sites that display nude or partially nude bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification.
5. Beaches, where women dress inappropriately in bikini or other immodest clothing. Men who go to the beach and intentionally lust after these women. This is another type of pornography. Women do not have to be completely dressed in the nude to be guilty of dressing in a pornographic nature. The women who dress this way, intentionally exposing themselves, will be punished by God (Zillmann, 1988).

Sex is created by God, but pornography is sinful: God created the human race with male and female bodies capable of sexual intimacy including genital orgasm. As with other parts of his creation, God called sexual human beings “very good,” and undoubtedly wanted us to “multiply” and enjoy our bodies within the confines of his will.

Sex was created by God so we could multiply and replenish the earth. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:28). And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. God created male and female for the specific purpose of filling the earth with people. The urge to engage in sex had to be a powerful force or no one would bother with it. The book of Genesis tells us that God created Adam then made woman from one of Adam's ribs.

Why is our sexual behavior important to God: Sex is one of the most powerful ways we can honor or dishonor God. The creation of life is perhaps the greatest gift God has given us outside of Christ's payment of our sin. Sex enables us to greatly influence our mate's and our potential children's lives. The moment we introduce sin into sexual activity, we open the door to evil spirits and curses that could affect current and future generations. Honoring God's commands with our sexuality is a form of worship from the deepest part of our being.

Sex creates a powerful bond between the participants physically, emotionally and spiritually. When sex is removed from the commitment of marriage, it easily becomes a lustful and addictive activity. Pornography is a powerful tool that promotes lust-based sex (instead of love-based sex). It perverts sex and degrades the human body, which is made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27).
Pornography is addictive (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19), destructive (Proverbs 6:25-28; Ezekiel 20:30; Ephesians 4:19), and leads to ever-increasing wickedness (Romans 6:19). Lusting after other people in our minds (the essence of pornography) is offensive to God (Matthew 5:28). When habitual devotion to pornography characterizes a person’s being, that demonstrates the person is not saved (1 Corinthians 6:9).

Pornography enslaves its customers and participates: Lives are being ruined by this insidious menace. Many families are being secretly torn apart by a family member's addiction to pornography. The first thing that your family will lose if pornography entraps a family member is your innocence. For example, a wife who learns her husband has become enticed by pornography may be so desperate to keep the marriage together that she will agree to act out some of his pornography-inspired fantasies, up to and including group sex and wife-swapping. This does not happen all at once; like most sins, it creeps in by degrees. What seems to be a little innocent experimentation can easily get out of hand and lead to major transgression.

• 17.5 million surfers visited porn sites from home computers in Jan. 2000, a 40% increase from 4 months earlier. (Source: US News & World Report, 2000)
• 51% of pastors say cyber porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle. 4 in 10 pastors have visited a porn site (Christianity Today, 2001).
• 17.8% of all "born again" Christian adults (in America) have visited sexually-oriented Websites (Zogby, 2000).
• 63% of men attending "Men, Romance & Integrity Seminars" admit to struggling with porn in the past year. Two-thirds are in church leadership and 10% are pastors (Pastor's Family Bulletin, 2000).
• 1 in 7 calls to Focus' Pastoral Care Line is about Internet pornography (Pastor's Family Bulletin, 2000).

Pornography degrades women: Pornography degrades women. It defines women through their body parts. It encourages self-hatred in women because they can never “measure up” to the women seen in pornography. Women dare not grow old or become overweight. In pornography, women are rewarded for fulfilling males’ fantasies by being either the passive “good girl” or the insatiable sex machine.

Pornography sells lies about women and their response to sex. Pornography frequently portrays women as mindless, childlike and submissive. Pornography makes women out to be “pets” or “playmates.” Other forms of pornography depict women who enjoy being raped, spanked, tied up or mutilated.

Dr. Victor Cline, 1999, writes that: “Anyone who has seen much pornography knows that most of it is made by men for male consumption; gives a great deal of misinformation about human sexuality; is devoid of love, relationship, responsibility; mentions nothing about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, and for the most part, dehumanizes both male and female participants. Pornography falsely represents sex, and some of it is very hostile to females who are often denigrated and humiliated.”

Women in pornography never say “no,” or if they do, they don’t really mean it. Women in pornography are really men’s property – always available and ready. pornography, therefore, reinforces inequity in relationships. It is difficult to believe that men can use pornography and at the same time truly respect the women in their lives. Pornography instills fear and humiliation in countless women (Gubar, 1991). Women who have been raped or otherwise sexually abused suffer even more profoundly from forced exposure to pornography, largely because it validates and celebrates the criminal behavior of which they have been victims, and thus they are unable to dissociate themselves completely from the women in the photographs (MacKinnon, 1987). It seems clear that women, far more often then men, are likely to identify with the subjects used in the production of the materials.

This pain is particularly magnified for women who are coerced into the production of pornography and must suffer the enjoyment of a "permanent record" (New York v. Ferber, 1982) of their sexual abuse as someone else's sexual pleasure. Perhaps the most well-known account of this pain is that of Linda Marchiano, who was kidnapped and raped in the production of "Deep Throat." "Every time someone watches the film," she has testified, "they are watching me be raped" (Public Hearings on Ordinances to Add Pornography as Discrimination Against Women, 1983).

Men force women to do what they see: There is an increasing tendency to act out sexually the behaviors viewed in pornography that people had been repeatedly exposed to, including compulsive promiscuity, exhibitionism, group sex, voyeurism, having sex with minor children, rape, and inflicting pain on themselves or a partner during sex. This behavior frequently grows into a sexual addiction which they find themselves locked into and unable to change or reverse--no matter what the negative consequences are in their life.

Pornography is vicious, anti-woman propaganda. It tells lies about us. It degrades women. Pornography is not made to educate but to sell, and for the most part, what sells is a bunch of lies about sex and women. Women are portrayed as enjoying being raped, spanked or beaten, tied up, mutilated, enslaved, or they accept it as their lot as women to be victims of such experiences. In the less sadistic films, women are portrayed as turned on and sexually satisfied by doing anything and everything men order them to do. What this involves is, for the most part, totally contrary to what we know about female sexuality: i.e. it is almost totally penis-oriented, often devoid of foreplay, tenderness, or caring, to say nothing of love and romance (Russell, 1977).

Consider the following reports and what they tell us about the relationship between pornography and behavior:From a woman involved in street prostitution, who reported that when one John exploded at her he said: "I know all about you bitches, you're no different; you're like all of them. I seen it in all the movies. You love being beaten. [He then began punching the victim violently.] I just seen it again in that flick. He beat the [crap] out of her while he raped her and she told him she loved it; you know you love it; tell me you love it" (Silbert & Pines, 1984).

From a woman, interviewed in a study of sexual assault: "My husband enjoys pornographic movies. He tries to get me to do things he finds exciting in movies. They include twosomes and threesomes. I always refuse. Also, I was always upset with his ideas about putting objects in my vagina, until I learned this is not as deviant as I used to think. He used to force me or put whatever he enjoyed into me" (Russell, 1980).

And from three different men in my study who had been convicted of sex offenses (Dines, Jensen, & Russo, 1998):

• From a 34-year-old man who had raped women and sexually abused girls: "There was a lot of oral sex that I wanted her to perform on me. There were, like, ways that would entice it in the movies, and I tried to use that on her, and it wouldn't work. Sometimes I'd get frustrated, and that's when I started hitting her. ... I used a lot of force, a lot of direct demands, that in the movies women would just cooperate. And I would demand stuff from her. And if she didn't, I'd start slapping her around."
• From a 41-year-old man who had sexually abused his stepdaughter: "In fact, when I'd be abusing my daughter, I'd be thinking about some women I saw in a video. Because if I was to open my eyes and see my stepdaughter laying there while I was abusing her, you know, that wouldn't have been very exciting for me. You know, that would bring me back to the painful reality that I'm a child molester, where I'm in this reality of I'm making love or having intercourse with this beautiful woman from the video. The video didn't even come into my mind. It was just this beautiful person who had a beautiful body, and she was willing to do anything I asked."
• From a 24-year-old man who had sexually abused young girls while working as a school bus driver: "When I was masturbating to these pornography things, I would think about certain girls I had seen on the bus or ones I had sold drugs to, and I would think as I was looking at these pictures in these books, what would it be like to have this girl or whoever doing this, what I'm thinking about. ... Just masturbating to the thought wasn't getting it for me anymore. I actually had to be a part of it, or actually had to do something about it. ... Like sometimes after I'd see like a certain load of kids would get off the bus, I'd pick out a couple and I'd watch them or stop and look at the mirror and stare at them and stuff like that. I would think, later on in the day, I'd masturbate to some pornography, I'd just use that picture kind of as a mental, it's kind of a scenery or whatever, and I'd put in my mind I'd put myself and whoever at the time I was thinking about, in that picture."

We can see that pornography's impacts on the lives of all women and children -- and especially those who have experienced violence and sexual violation -- can be important. For example, if a woman is raped by a man she is dating who has in the past tried to force her to use pornography with him, the question of whether or not his pornography consumption was a causal factor in the rape may not be the most important issue. Instead, it would be important to examine how pornography was one component of a pattern of abuse in the relationship. This suggests that advocates in domestic and sexual violence work should ask survivors about the role of pornography in the abuse perpetrated against them.

Pornography will destroy your marriage: The temptation today to watch porn is for both men and women. Even countless married couples say, "Oh, we just watch porn to make our sex life more interesting." Wrong, God never intended for a husband and wife to need anyone other than their own spouse to cause stimulation.

Scripture tells us, "Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does" (1 Corinthians 7: 3, 4). Pornography will destroy your life! It is not harmless entertainment. It causes people to lust which is a sin. It destroys a person's sexual life as God intended it to be. It leads people into bondage. It progresses from voyeurism to actually living out deviant sexual acts in real life.

Pornography will destroy your marriage, it will ruin your ability to have a normal, healthy relationship with your marriage partner, and worst of all it damages your personal relationship with God. Pornography destroys a marriage's sex life through lust. Though it may bring a short-term pleasure, it harms your marriage by supplanting love-inspired affection with lustful gratification. It’s only a matter of time before things deteriorate. Lust naturally craves more and more, so you'll find yourself looking for more exciting outlets when your spouse is unable to keep up.

Repeatedly, the Bible warns against the enslaving influence of sexual behavior apart from marriage. Hebrews 13:4 warns us that: "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judged."
There is nothing to even hint that sexually aroused persons are free to engage in sexual intercourse, even if they intend to marry. If you cannot restrain yourselves, the Apostle Paul wrote, then get married, since it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Matthew 5:28 writes: "If a man looks on a woman to lust after her, he has committed adultery with her already in his heart."

The husband does not need to see any other breasts for stimulation, other than his wife’s. "Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths" (Proverbs 5:19b-21).

Using pictures of women or men other than your spouse for stimulation is playing with fire. Accessing porn is playing with fire, look at what Proverbs 6: 23-28: For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?

The Bible also makes it totally clear that men are never to go to another woman other than his own wife for sexual satisfaction. Proverb 5: 15 says: Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be only your own, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth.

1 Corinthians 6: 15-20 states: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Our wicked society tries to expose breasts to public view, which God's saints must fight with all their power. Immodest clothes that emphasize, enhance, or expose the size or shape of breasts must be rejected. And this rule of holiness and godliness must apply to the other parts of a woman's body that also attract the attention and desire of men. The present state of public undress makes it hard for men to be satisfied husbands at home for great marriages.

Women can also destroy their marriages, sexuality, and souls, when they wish their husbands were different. A woman must not desire the communication, emotion, intelligence, leadership, personality, spirituality, success, or any other trait she sees in other men. She must avoid thinking on these things. Her thoughts are the same as her husband wishing for the face, breasts, waist, or legs of another woman. She must choose to be content with the man she has married, just as she wants him to be content with her.

Pornography supports organized crime: Pornography is the third largest revenue for organized crime in the United States just behind drugs and gambling (Take Action Manual, National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families, 1993). Pornography is tearing apart the very fabric of our society. Yet Christians are often ignorant of its impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography “is an $8 billion a year business with close ties to organized crime” (Brownmiller, 1975).

Based on the survey and other sources, FBI intelligence analysts concluded:


The wages of sin are enormous when pornography is involved. Purveyors of pornography reap enormous profits through sales in so-called "adult bookstores" and viewing of films and live acts at theaters. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the periphery of society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales of so-called "soft-porn.”

How can you overcome this temptation to look at porn: Psychologists and counselors in the secular arena (and some in the Christian arena) subscribe to the idea that sex addicts and pornography addicts cannot be cured. I agree with them, but only if the client makes no effort to involve Jesus, the Healer in the process. Jesus Christ will deliver you from the control of whatever sin has you bound. It is by the blood of Jesus and at the name of Jesus that even evil spirits must bow.

You have to have Christ Jesus living in your heart. Then start reading your Bible everyday. You will need to go to church and pray and live for God. For all temptation, for every sort of sin, the only real Bible answer is your own personal love for Jesus, combined with self control, and perseverance -- until you overcome! Self control is listed amongst the "fruit of the Holy Spirit,” (Galatians 5:22-23) which is given to those who are committed to Love Jesus and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17; Acts 5:32). Receiving the Holy Spirit is another way of saying that God and Jesus will make their home with us. However this fruit does not grow automatically. It has to be learned by practice. It takes time to learn the lessons properly! If the porn habit is so costly, and you want to be free, why do you keep doing it? The Bible makes it clear that our desires mislead us. They entice us to do things that will not satisfy our greatest needs. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph 4:22)

What are you after when you indulge in pornography? What lies do you believe before you give in? Here some of the answers I've heard:

• An inability to believe that anyone truly loves me
• It relieves pressure when I'm stressed out.
• It gives me a sense of control.
• Well, at least I'm not actually fornicating.
• I enjoy it -- it's fun.
• Unhealed emotional wounds from the past

The truth is that pornography increases loneliness. You may be single and sad, but porn won't fix that. In fact, it does just the opposite. Pornography isolates you. It draws you in to a make-believe world where all you need to worry about is satisfying your own desires. The real world isn't like that. Porn makes you self centered and less likely to sustain a real relationship.

Also, you might be trying to punish God for your loneliness. A part of you may be saying, "God, I wouldn't do this if you would bring someone into my life." People have been shifting the blame ever since Adam. How can you think the God who gave His Son for you (Romans. 8:32) would deny you a mate if a mate would be best for you right now?

We must put away these kinds of thoughts and emotions in order to be restored. A good prayer to start with each day is: Lord, forgive me for the attitudes I have adopted that inform me that I am not worthy of anyone's love and acceptance -- that life as it is shall never truly satisfy me or meet my deep needs. I have sinned in accepting the lies that I cannot be loved. I am loved by YOU and you have made it possible for me to be loved, truly loved within your body of believers. I ask forgiveness for thinking so lowly of You, God, and believing that your intentions towards me are not in my best interest. I choose to humbly submit myself to YOU and reject anything that would deter me from my goal to serve YOU completely. YOU are the perfect God and Creator of my spirit. YOU have proven this to me by sending Jesus to pay the penalty for my sin. Please touch the core of my being with YOUR love and acceptance. Touch my heart with the truth that I do not have to do anything to be accepted and valued. I am a person of great worth because of what Jesus Christ did for me and who He is in me. I ask for YOUR grace to demolish these strongholds within my mind along with every argument and every pretension that sets itself up against YOU, Lord. I take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:4-5).

In Conclusion: It should be emphasized in this brief essay that it is not possible to review any more than a few representative studies and summarize some of the trends of current as well as past research on pornography's effects, focusing especially on the harm issue. But the studies and other evidence set forth here should still be sufficient to give the reader a sense of the field and, thus, answer for himself or herself the question of pornography's potential to change or influence sexual attitudes and behavior in adults as well as children.

Susan Brownmiller sees much woman hatred in pornography, suggesting in her book, Against Our Will: Pornography, like rape, is a male invention, designed to dehumanize women, to reduce the female to an object of sexual access. The gut distaste that a majority of women feel when we look at pornography comes from the gut knowledge that we and our bodies are being stripped, exposed and contorted for the purpose of ridicule, to bolster that 'masculine esteem' which gets its kicks and sense of power from viewing females as anonymous, panting playthings, adult toys, dehumanized objects to be used, abused, broken and discarded.

It is also important to recognize that pornography is but one aspect of a huge sex industry, which includes not only mass-media sex but phone sex, strip clubs, massage parlors, escort services, street prostitution, and sex tourism. And sexuality -- especially women's sexuality -- is used in increasingly more explicit ways to sell products of all kinds in advertising and marketing. This leads to what may be the most crucial question about pornography: What kind of human feeling, empathy, and intimate connections are possible in a world in which bodies are used so routinely in the process of selling and also are for sale virtually everywhere we turn?
Pornography is important not only for the specific effects it has on an individual man's behavior, but for its role in shaping our conceptions of the body, gender, sexuality, and intimacy.

Christians must uncompromisingly preach against all sin, including pornography, and that local governments should seriously consider outlawing pornography because of its detrimental effects on communities. Though people who raise critical questions about pornography and the sex industry often are accused of being prudish, anti-sex, or repressive, but just the opposite is true. Such questions are crucial not only to the struggle to end sexual and domestic violence, but also to the task of building a healthy sexual culture. Activists in the anti-violence and anti-pornography movements have been at the forefront of that task.


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