Pornography

Pornography is the explicit representation of the human body or sexual activity used for the intent of stimulation. As an addiction it depends on patterns, comparable to addictions to gambling and televised football. These addictions can be overcome by taking an interest in healthy patterns: geometric games such as online chess (which millions play regularly), military history, visuals as found in architecture or the outdoors, and more challenging intellectual activity such as mathematical topology.

Pornography usually consists of images depicting the satisfaction of the sort of "unnatural lust" which leads to damnation. (Jude 1:6-7 ) It destroys the mind as gambling does and, even worse, pornography leads to terrible crimes against women, men (especially young ones) and children.^[1][2] Pornography has also been shown to cause erectile dysfunction, even in young men. ^[3] The Greek word πορνεία (porneía) appears several times in the New Testament as a sin that, unless repented of, will prevent one from entering heaven; however, such a word in Ancient Greek mostly referred to illicit sexual relationships (such as adultery and incest), prostitution, and also, in a broader sense, idolatry.

• When Christ said "any man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart," He made it clear that chastity—and unchastity—does not begin with what we do, but rather in what we think. Therefore, deliberately seeking such stimulation outside a committed marriage, even via the imagination, constitutes a sin against chastity.^[4]

Christ makes clear in the above passage that there is no such thing as "safe, healthy use of pornography." Any viewing of pornography is neither safe nor healthy. There is no such thing as "manageable viewing of pornography" or viewing of pornography that is "normal development." Rather, the viewing of pornography is a sinful act that dishonors God and transgresses His Word.

Pornographic images have been proliferating at a remarkable rate. What was a $5 million-a-year enterprise merely 25 years ago has boomed to a $7 billion to $10 billion-a-year industry today... the fastest growing sectors of the industry are pornographic DVDs, cable television, and phone sex. Pornography is no longer confined to the seedier sections of town. With the advent of the Internet, it has become readily available to all, including children, and in the dark, sick seclusion of one's own home.^[5]

Human psychology[edit]

Dr. Jerry Bergman (Ph.D.) wrote:

Pornography distorts the natural development of personality. If the early stimulus is pornographic photographs, the adolescent can be conditioned to become aroused through photographs. Once this pairing is rewarded a number of times, it is likely to become permanent. The result to the individual is that it becomes difficult for the person to seek out relations with appropriate persons. Furthermore, pornography teaches people to look upon others as nothing more than sex objects, therefore, possibly inducting thoughts of committing rape.^[6]

Furthermore, research has revealed that married couples who watch pornography have a substantially higher divorce rate then married couples who do not indulge in pornography.^[7]

Illusion and addiction[edit]

Pornography provides the illusion of intimacy,^[8] but this is a satanic trap (see sexual addiction).

• Pornography consumption is not something that can easily be stopped. Once the appetite for it has developed, it actually increases. In his 1988 study Pornography Effects: Empirical and Clinical Evidence, Victor Cline, then with the University of Utah's Department of Psychology noted that studies show pornography is progressive and addictive for many. It often leads to the user acting out his fantasy.
• The Internet is the "crack cocaine" of sexual addiction.^[9]

"People often act in accordance with the images and patterns they find around them,"^[10] so looking at pornography is a dangerous practice; although being around a loving Christian family for most of the day, and instead acting in accordance with those images and patterns seems to negate this.

Pornography says that happiness is found by having the same experience over and over again with lots of different women; true eros says that happiness is found by having different experiences over and over again with the same person.^[11]

Departure from the norm[edit]

Viewing or reading pornography day in and day out has a negative effect. It desensitizes a person, makes him more withdrawn, and makes him view others (of the opposite sex) like objects rather than the people they are. Although some people have argued that "erotica" is okay, in the history of erotic literature it is rare to find any depiction of normal marital relations.

Cary Tennis wrote:

And naturally whether you approve of porn in theory or not, its effect will be to displace you. Like crack, it tends to take over, to push out other hungers that tend to nurture the human community by making us dependent on one another. Since we are dependent on each other we must be civil and loving. If we are not dependent on each other then we needn't be civil and loving. We needn't have community and family.^[12]

There is debate whether it is truly moral to be 'civil and loving' purely because it is necessary, as Cary Tennis seems to say here. Other Christians argue that to be 'civil and loving' purely because we are dependent on others is actually immoral and manipulative. These Christians argue that to be self-contained, independent and yet still warm and loving is a greater virtue.

Debbie Nathan wrote:

Porn is everywhere today, everyone is looking, and the media responds with little more than gloom-and-doom talk about evils like Internet sex addiction, or rah-rah promotion of Brazilian waxing and Jenna Jameson’s fame and fortune. Meanwhile, few know the real history of this explosive media, or the truth about its business practices, working conditions, politics and actual effects on people. Pornography: A Groundwork Guide.

The pornographer Larry Flynt is an atheist.^[13][14] See: Atheism and pornography (photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, see: license agreement)

Neuroplasticity and Pornography[edit]

Neuroplasticity is an emerging field of neuroscience which explains how certain states of mind or thought routines can physically alter the structure of the brain, even after adulthood, when the brain is purportedly thought to be done with development. The negative effects of pornography in relation to the phenomenon of neuroplasticity is often brought up in anti-pornographic studies. However, various pseudoscientific theories have emerged, claiming that pornography can actually be used to help heal the brain and stabilize the body much in the same way as Tai Chi, Yoga, or Transcendent Meditation. Propaganda websites like Intimate Medicine have been at the forefront of perpetuating this deadly myth, as pronounced meditation on pornographic material enslaves the mind to lust and can affect work ethic. The effect of pornography on the reward centers of the brain is well documented and correlates with this evidence.

Atheism and pornography[edit]

See also: Atheism and pornography and Atheism and child pornography

One of the causes of atheism is a hedonism. See: Causes of atheism and Atheism and hedonism.

The infamous pornographers Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt were both atheists.^[15][16][17]

In 2003, Arena magazine magazine listed Flynt as #1 on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list.^[18] Flynt is paralyzed from the waist down due to injuries sustained from a 1978 assassination attempt by the serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin.^[19][20]

For more information, please see:

• Atheism and pornography

• Atheism and child pornography

Barna Group study relative to atheism, pornography and sexual immorality[edit]

The Barna Group found that atheists and agnostics in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon these behaviors as being morally acceptable: sexual relationships outside of marriage; abortion; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; pornography and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in homosexuality/bisexuality.^[21]

The Netherlands and the global spread of bestiality pornography[edit]

A 2007 survey found that distributors in the Netherlands were responsible for some 80 percent of bestiality videos worldwide.^[22]

See also: Atheism and bestiality and Netherlands and bestiality and Evolutionary belief and bestiality

In 2005, the Netherlands was ranked the 13th most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 39 - 44%% of the Dutch are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.^[23] The Netherlands also has the 11th highest rate of belief in evolution as far as Western World nations (see: Evolutionary belief and bestiality).^[24]

In February 2010, the UK news website Metro reported:

In 2010, the Netherlands banned bestiality.^[26]

For more information, please see: Atheism and bestiality and Atheism and pornography

Atheism and child pornography[edit]

• Atheism and child pornography

• Atheistic Denmark and child pornography

• Atheistic Thailand and child prostitution

• Netherlands and child pornography

• Irreligious Britain and child pornography

• Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA

• Atheistic Czech Republic and child pornography

• Atheistic Sweden and child pornography

Legal aspects[edit]

See also: Arguments Against Pornography

Due to a series of liberal decisions beginning with the Warren Court, pornography is aggressively sold and distributed in the United States without meaningful law enforcement. It is a $7–10 billion industry that affects and harms 40 million Americans. Pornography destroys relationships and exploits young people.^[27][28] The ACLU has also opposed any limits on the availability of pornographic content, as well as the Child Online Protection Act, which would have placed restrictions on how accessible pornography would be to minors on the internet.

Cultural effects[edit]

During the Russia-Ukraine war, many Russians were upset to hear that an online petition was submitted to the city council of Zaporozhe, Ukraine to change the name of a city square from the Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky to American gay porn star Billy Herrington. .^[29] The war started basically because many Russians felt Ukraine was becoming both culturally and militarily too close to the West where pornography is protected free speech but political dissent is not.

Deadly industry[edit]

Similar to Hollywood values, the pornographic industry is rife with destructive liberal values that prove dangerous and even deadly. A great number of pornographic movie "stars" have died untimely deaths due to drug use, alcoholism and sexually transmitted disease. Below is a list of such cases. Note that most names below are stage names (with their real names included where available), that such public prostitutes adopt out of shame and acknowledgment of their depraved choices. In that same vein, suicide is very common among pornographic "actors."^[30]

• Brad Chase (William Hobbs), suicide (hanging)
• John Holmes (John Curtis Estes), 43, died of AIDS
• Maria Christina, 41, (drug overdose)
• Vanessa Freeman, 29, murdered
• Elisa Bridges (real name), 28, drug overdose combining heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs
• Savannah (Shannon Michelle Wilsey), 23, committed suicide after a drunken car accident
• Chance Ryder, 26, drug overdose
• Roberta Pedon, 28, cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism
• Pierce Daniels (Rusty), 32, AIDS
• Lisa Melendez, 35, AIDS
• Teri Diver (real name), 29, drug overdose
• Wendy O. Williams (real name), 48, suicide (self-inflicted gunshot)
• Nancee Kelly (Kelly Jean Van Dyke), 33, suicide (hanging)
• Jon Vincent (Jeffrey James Vickers), 36, suicide (drug overdose)
• Caleb Carter (Ben), 31, suicide after suffering from manic depression, alcoholism
• Kyle Hazzard, 33, AIDS
• Charli Waters, 20, murdered
• Andy Mantegna, 34, suicide (hanging)
• Amber Rayne (Meghan Wren), 31, (drug overdose, cocaine and alcohol)

References[edit]

See also[edit]

• Anthony Comstock
• ACLU
• Social effects of pornography
• Netflix
• A lewd, doctored photo of Michelle Obama

External links[edit]

• Guide to Family Issues: The Harms of Pornography : United Families Intl
• How can I tell if I'm getting addicted to sex or pornography? - ChristianAnswers.Net
• Pornography & Islam : A 12-step guide To Fight Pornography Addiction
• NoPornHampton - an anti-pornography organization with an extensive, blog-style website
• Censorship or Education? Feminist Views on Pornography
• What's A Woman To Do? How Pornography Affects Women and What They Can Do, Geoff Steurer, Meridian Magazine
• How Adult Pornography Contributes To Sexual Exploitation of Children, by Robert Peters, President of Morality in Media (September 2009)
• Chapter Fourteen: Popular Culture–A Decadent Indulgence, The Epoch Times (from How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World).