Pornography

Helen Thorne-Allenson  |  Features  |  pastoral care
Date posted:  1 Dec 2016
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Pornography

photo: iStock

It’s never been more accessible, or more socially acceptable.

So it’s no surprise that the use of pornography is on the rise. With over 90% of boys and 60% of girls viewing porn before they’re 18 – and Christian men and women (married and single alike) becoming more open about their ongoing struggles online – it’s an issue that the church cannot ignore. Too many are believing the lie that porn brings sexual freedom and quickly finding themselves in a prison of guilt, addiction or failed relationships.

Reasons why

There are reasons why people use porn. Individuals often cite boredom, curiosity, loneliness or tension-release as the immediate triggers for logging on, but below the surface deeper heart-issues are at play. For some, it is the relentless pursuit of experience – the wayward belief that to be fully human you have to be sexually active and, if that isn’t available in the real world, the online world offers a suitable second best. For others, it is the idol of relationships – believing the lies that sin-gleness can’t be good or that having the perfect partner is so important that our real partners can be dumped, for a few hours a week, to find what we truly desire.

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