Far too often, the church has adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy when it comes to the devastating epidemic that is pornography. Granted, it’s not a particularly easy subject to address, and doing so might leave a congregation squirming and fidgeting in their pews. Unfortunately, whether we’d like to admit or not, use of pornography by churchgoing folk is widespread and rampant. We find ourselves in the midst of a culture which views porn as relatively harmless, and even (according to some therapists) helpful in sparking sexual intimacy. The sad reality is that porn is a lie that promises fulfillment and delivers devastation. In the true nature of an addiction, it offers diminishing returns, leaving its users in a hopeless cycle of dependency and bondage.
In discussing and addressing the issue of pornography, I’d like to point out that it’s important to avoid approaching the subject as a struggle that only afflicts men. While it’s true that men comprise the majority of pornography consumption (72%), over 25% of those viewing online pornography are women (see a helpful fact sheet regarding women and pornography here). Moreover, women are more likely than men to access erotic chat rooms and forums, which can quickly lead to emotional intimacy and extra-marital relationships. If we choose to address porn as a “guy’s problem,” we risk alienating a large portion of those who struggle with this sin.
Quite simply, porn can take hold of anybody. It is incredibly enticing, and can bring the most disciplined and determined among us to their knees. Open discussion about the issue should not be limited to men’s support groups and Promise Keepers rallies. Obviously, discretion and sensitivity should be used in discussing the issue from the pulpit, as young children are likely to be in attendance. The bottom line, however, is that pornography needs to be tackled head-on by the church. Culture is bombarding us with blaring falsities about our sexuality, and pornography is the ultimate manifestation of those empty promises. The lie needs to be brought to the stand and mercilessly examined. Far too often, porn is left to be the dirty secret that nobody is supposed to talk about it.
Drag porn out of the darkness, and put it on a pedestal.
Expose its true and terrible nature.
“God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:5-9 (NLT)
For a slew of helpful resources on this subject, click here.
Also, if you haven’t already, check out Roger and Chet’s helpful and practical discussion of pornography over in the podcasts section.
Another helpful resource is “Confessions of a Pastor” by Craig Groeschel, p. 37.