Is Porn A Religious Issue?

[Father Time]

Everything is a religious issue.

And yes, Pornography is a plague. It's inherently a lie, a deception. One that is powerfully more addictive than many drugs. It provides the mind with unrealistic expectations of what relationships are and should be. not to mention the exploitation that is involved with it.

Look at the superbowl comercials this weekend. Businesses are paying millions of dollars for 30 Seconds of advertisement because they have research showing that an advertisement that short will make you more inclined to purchase their product. If 30 seconds is enough to influence your purchase/consumption habits, do you honestly think that hours upon hours of pornography, not to mention other things in our media, won't?

Please don't tell me you believe the idiocy that porn will make men rape.

Also I really doubt your "more addictive than drugs" claim.

 

[Avatar4321]

On a related topic. Why will most americans run for a cop if they see a womans bare breast but allow their small children to watch someone being hacked to death with a chainsaw?

Because our society is messed up.

The violence is just as bad, if not worse.

It will be in the last days as it was in the days of Noah before the Flood.

11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence (Gen 6:11)

 

[Avatar4321]

Who cares? if an adult purchases a porno and watches is in his or her own home its nobodies ******* business.

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

 

[Dr.Drock]

Of course porn is a religious issue.

The more religious an area is the more porn sales go up. Hugh Heffner wants everyone to be a bible-thumper, works out great for his bottomline.

 

[Avatar4321]

more conservative BIG government and refusing allow people the right to govern themselves....eh, avatar?

You're the first person to mention government in the thread.

No one is advocating the government doing anything.

I am simply stating the truth about the evils of pornography and encouraging everyone to use their God given agency to choose to flee from that sin.

You really need to pay attention to what others are saying before you make ridiculous posts.

 

[High_Gravity]

Who cares? if an adult purchases a porno and watches is in his or her own home its nobodies ******* business.

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

Huh? how does watching a porno every once in a while mean you have a loveless life? alot of couples watch porn together and women are buying more and more of it every year.

 

[syrenn]

Who cares? if an adult purchases a porno and watches is in his or her own home its nobodies ******* business.

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

So that would make porn a personial issue or a couples issue. Porn should not be a religious issue. .

 

[Dr.Drock]

Everything is a religious issue.

And yes, Pornography is a plague. It's inherently a lie, a deception. One that is powerfully more addictive than many drugs. It provides the mind with unrealistic expectations of what relationships are and should be. not to mention the exploitation that is involved with it.

Look at the superbowl comercials this weekend. Businesses are paying millions of dollars for 30 Seconds of advertisement because they have research showing that an advertisement that short will make you more inclined to purchase their product. If 30 seconds is enough to influence your purchase/consumption habits, do you honestly think that hours upon hours of pornography, not to mention other things in our media, won't?

more conservative BIG government and refusing allow people the right to govern themselves....eh, avatar?

Rik you saw how the conservative right demanded more FCC regulations after the janet jackson incident, begging for more government action because if you were squinting you may have seen a nipple for .01 seconds.

Same as when Bill O'Reilly demands more regulation of cussing on tv and radio/music, we're not even talking about nudity here, simply words. Then out of that same mouth he tells you he's a small government conservative.

"Regulate every word said in all forms of media, but be small.............."

 

[Avatar4321]

Please don't tell me you believe the idiocy that porn will make men rape.

Also I really doubt your "more addictive than drugs" claim.

Make men rape? You need to jump to that extreme?

Are you honestly going to tell me that you don't think pornography effects thow who produce, distrubute, and view it? None whatsoever?

Have you ever seen a woman cry because the loss of her husbands affections because of pornography? I have.

Have you ever listened to a man talk about how he was fired from his job because of his addiction to pornography?

Last year, we saw the countless Federal Employees were found to have their computers packed with pornography. They were neglecting their duties because they were too busy looking at porn at work. It could be argued that they may have been able to help prevent some of our current economic problems if they had been doing their jobs rather than looking at pornography (Though I think we'd still have some major issues to deal with because our economic problems are symptoms of the larger corruption of society).

The fact is, pornography causes alot more problems than you are implying. And these are just the more visible problems. What about the long term less visible effects?

How do you think it effects a young girl to find her father looking at pornography? How about a young boy? How are their lives effected and shaped because of the lessons they learn at this young age?

There are studies that show Pornography has an effect on the brain:

Salvo Magazine: Slave Master: How Pornography Drugs & Changes Your Brain - Salvo 13

http://www.drjudithreisman.com/archives/brain.pdf

a number of articles on effects can be found here:

Articles | Fight The New Drug

Obviously, you will believe what you will. But I think it's rather foolish to think that businesses will pay millions for 30 Seconds of advertisement because it will increase their chances of making sales, but that countless hours of pornography will have no effect.

 

[Marie888]

This Super Bowl Sunday, church may be as jarring as a quarterback sack for some worshippers who, after settling into their pews, discover that the subject of the morning's sermon is pornography.

More than 300 churches are expected to celebrate National Porn Sunday on Feb. 6. The members will watch a video sermon featuring current and former NFL players talking about their struggles with pornography.

Religious Groups Tackle An X-Rated Secret : NPR

Is porn itself a problem? If you don't avoid people because of it, if you aren't struggling with desires for illegal acts, is it still a problem?

My liberal attitude about freedom of speech makes me want to knee-jerk answer "no". But the fact is, I have heard my women friends complain about the time their menfolk devote to porn. About the dehumanizing effect it has on some men. And God knows, there are sexual images on the web that I find disturbing.

So, since at least a few of you may hear a sermon on Sunday about porn, I'll ask:

Is porn a religious issue?

I believe it is as you imply. Just as I believe as every other sexual lust or lust is a spiritual issue. I mean, lust is lust. It's not love. Love thinks of others first. I believe alot of it stems from we, ourselves not being or feeling truly loved - or rather "sin" leading to more "sin". When we hurt, we can sometimes hurt others, (or ourselves) and disregard others. (Example - an abusive parent who themselves were abused when they were young)

My belief mostly comes from God's Word and especially what Jesus said about 2000 years ago. "Because of the increase of sin, the love of most will grow cold." (Matthew 24)

My belief is that because of the trend now towards "Godlessness", (less people seeking God) more of us are enticed by Satan, lusts of the flesh, and the world, instead of turning to the Lord our God for help. (And He wants us to turn to Him, wants to be close with us)

My belief is that its' ALL spiritual in nature, in every aspect of our lives. There is the "world", "carnality", our "struggle with the flesh", and there is the Lord, whom wants to deliver us from those things. But how can people be delivered, helped, healed, and comforted, when they don't even believe in Him?

My belief is that Satan is strong at work in the world, deceiving as many as he can, enticing as many as he can, because he hates God and His Creation. Satan knows his time is short, so as we go, it'll get worse and worse.

That's my point of view. Please know that I was not brought up in the "church" at all. I am someone who partied my butt off and had many relationships and quite the past before I knew the Lord Jesus Christ. Only He could have helped me and given me peace in (Him). His peace, is not like the "world" gives. It's chaos and horrible here, where in Him, there is great joy and comfort and the best of all - His love which is like no other.

.

 

[Avatar4321]

Who cares? if an adult purchases a porno and watches is in his or her own home its nobodies ******* business.

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

Huh? how does watching a porno every once in a while mean you have a loveless life? alot of couples watch porn together and women are buying more and more of it every year.

You misunderstand.

You stated that it's no ones business. That's only true if no one cares for you. Because if someone cares about you then everything you do is their business because your actions don't exist isolated from the rest of the world. You're actions both covert and overt effect the people around you. Thus the only way it would be no one elses business is if no one cared about you.

So why would you want to live that life?

 

[syrenn]

Please don't tell me you believe the idiocy that porn will make men rape.

Also I really doubt your "more addictive than drugs" claim.

Make men rape? You need to jump to that extreme?

Are you honestly going to tell me that you don't think pornography effects thow who produce, distrubute, and view it? None whatsoever?

Have you ever seen a woman cry because the loss of her husbands affections because of pornography? I have.

Have you ever listened to a man talk about how he was fired from his job because of his addiction to pornography?

Last year, we saw the countless Federal Employees were found to have their computers packed with pornography. They were neglecting their duties because they were too busy looking at porn at work. It could be argued that they may have been able to help prevent some of our current economic problems if they had been doing their jobs rather than looking at pornography (Though I think we'd still have some major issues to deal with because our economic problems are symptoms of the larger corruption of society).

The fact is, pornography causes alot more problems than you are implying. And these are just the more visible problems. What about the long term less visible effects?

How do you think it effects a young girl to find her father looking at pornography? How about a young boy? How are their lives effected and shaped because of the lessons they learn at this young age?

There are studies that show Pornography has an effect on the brain:

Salvo Magazine: Slave Master: How Pornography Drugs & Changes Your Brain - Salvo 13

http://www.drjudithreisman.com/archives/brain.pdf

a number of articles on effects can be found here:

Articles | Fight The New Drug

Obviously, you will believe what you will. But I think it's rather foolish to think that businesses will pay millions for 30 Seconds of advertisement because it will increase their chances of making sales, but that countless hours of pornography will have no effect.

and for all of that, it still does not make it a religious issue.

 

[Avatar4321]

Who cares? if an adult purchases a porno and watches is in his or her own home its nobodies ******* business.

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

So that would make porn a personial issue or a couples issue. Porn should not be a religious issue. .

Again, everything is a religious issue.

 

[AllieBaba]

Everything is a religious issue.

And yes, Pornography is a plague. It's inherently a lie, a deception. One that is powerfully more addictive than many drugs. It provides the mind with unrealistic expectations of what relationships are and should be. not to mention the exploitation that is involved with it.

Look at the superbowl comercials this weekend. Businesses are paying millions of dollars for 30 Seconds of advertisement because they have research showing that an advertisement that short will make you more inclined to purchase their product. If 30 seconds is enough to influence your purchase/consumption habits, do you honestly think that hours upon hours of pornography, not to mention other things in our media, won't?

What is amazing to me is the time and devotion posters devote to this topic, while never, ever addressing the violations of human rights that go hand in hand with porn.

Porn feeds the slave trade (and yes the salve trade is alive and thriving; thanks for continuing to ignore it's existence as you ponder whether porn is a legal or religious issue, and lisp around about how "porn doesn't debase people, people debase people!"). It also promotes child sex abuse and provides a lucrative market for the vicimtization of children and adults.

 

[syrenn]

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

So that would make porn a personial issue or a couples issue. Porn should not be a religious issue. .

Again, everything is a religious issue.

Then we disagree.

 

[Marie888]

Everything is a religious issue.

And yes, Pornography is a plague. It's inherently a lie, a deception. One that is powerfully more addictive than many drugs. It provides the mind with unrealistic expectations of what relationships are and should be. not to mention the exploitation that is involved with it.

Look at the superbowl comercials this weekend. Businesses are paying millions of dollars for 30 Seconds of advertisement because they have research showing that an advertisement that short will make you more inclined to purchase their product. If 30 seconds is enough to influence your purchase/consumption habits, do you honestly think that hours upon hours of pornography, not to mention other things in our media, won't?

What is amazing to me is the time and devotion posters devote to this topic, while never, ever addressing the violations of human rights that go hand in hand with porn.

Porn feeds the slave trade (and yes the salve trade is alive and thriving; thanks for continuing to ignore it's existence as you ponder whether porn is a legal or religious issue, and lisp around about how "porn doesn't debase people, people debase people!"). It also promotes child sex abuse and provides a lucrative market for the vicimtization of children and adults.

Yeah, wow. So sad, so horrific The movie Human Trafficking was unbelievable.

 

[Missourian]

James 5:20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.

 

[Madeline]

I can't come to any final conclusions, myself. For starters, how would we define what is porn? Yes, all the donkey sex sites are porn...but what about certain mainstream movies? Etc.?

Beyond that, I can see this leading nowhere good. Are we gonna start telling young girls to cover up because they are "occasions of sin" again? That sort of repression was so unhealthy. Isn't there a positive we value associated with being comfy with sex and sexuality?

On the other hand, of course I see the harm porn can do, especially the violent stuff.

As I said, I am torn.

 

[freeandfun1]

Defend that opinion with Scripture, that Christians should accept sinfulness.

Perhaps I was misunderstood... I've NEVER stated we should "accept sinfulness", but I've stated that the first step to overcoming sinfulness is realizing that we cannot overcome sin on our own nor will we ever, in this world, overcome it fully. What we have to accept is that we live in a fallen world and that no matter what we do; we're still sinners.

Romans 3:10 - As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;

Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 1:7-10 - )7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

While you are doing that, I'll see what I can find defending the opposing opinion that Christians should actively oppose sin in society. I can't pin anything down from memory, but I'll see what I can find.

I agree we are to oppose sin and that we should point out sin and let it be known what are sinful actions. But there is only so much we can do and as such, we are told in Matthew 10:14, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.”

In John 16:8, we learn that our job is just to share the Gospel while it's the Holy Spirit’s job to convict people of their sins.

So again, my initial point on this topic was that I feel Churches need to put less emphasis on our behavior and more on what it is that truly redeems us. I say this because I believe that when we do that, more and more Christians will then naturally begin to live lives that are more acceptable to God.

I base this on my own experience, and admit I may be wrong about some of how I feel. See, I was raised in a fairly strict and very hypocritical Christian family. We were raised believing we had to "act" a certain way if we wanted to go to Heaven. As such, I turned away from my faith for many years. But as I got older, I kept feeling as if I was being called back to God. So I started reading on my own and doing my own research and I realized that while my parents had good intentions, they totally misunderstood the scriptures. It's not our actions that save us, but Grace.

If our Bible teachers keep beating people over the head by continually telling them they're going to hell because they're sinners, well, it's counter-productive. Living by example is the best way to introduce people to Christ.

But we must also realize that everybody has free will.

WOW, a lot longer rant than I expected.

In closing, I just want to say I struggle every day with sin, so I am not trying to sound "holier than thou" nor am I trying to brush off the fact that sin is displeasing to God.

 

[High_Gravity]

I suppose it is no one's business if no one cares for you.

But why would anyone want to live such a loveless life?

Huh? how does watching a porno every once in a while mean you have a loveless life? alot of couples watch porn together and women are buying more and more of it every year.

You misunderstand.

You stated that it's no ones business. That's only true if no one cares for you. Because if someone cares about you then everything you do is their business because your actions don't exist isolated from the rest of the world. You're actions both covert and overt effect the people around you. Thus the only way it would be no one elses business is if no one cared about you.

So why would you want to live that life?

I don't know if I agree with that, If I'm watching a porno with my girl I don't feel the need to tell all my friends and family about it.