Introduction
The world is dealing with a new kind
of drug. Unlike others, this drug is
accessible virtually everywhere and provides an endless supply of immediate
pleasure. The addiction that it causes is silent and destructive. It ruins
relationships, causes health issues, permanently damages the brain, is
accessible to children of all ages, and goes against the will of God. This new
drug is completely legal, and it is all around us.
The porn industry is massive. In fact,
the industry brings in about $57 billion per year. This is more than the National
Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major
League Baseball combined. However, despite bringing in this much money, 9 out
of every 10 internet porn users only use free material. How is it possible, then, that the porn
industry is still bringing in such an astronomical amount of money? When you
take into account that over 30,000 Americans are using porn every second, that amount of money is no
longer such a shock.
Porn is overtaking American society.
It is quietly and effectively creeping into the homes and lives of nearly every
family in the United States. Nobody is safe from the destruction it leaves in
its path. Although it is a subject that is rarely spoken about in homes or from
the pulpit, it is one of the most harmful and misunderstood topics in U.S
culture today. Viewing pornography is a highly addictive experience that
damages the brain, serves as a drug, destroys relationships, and negatively
affects everyone involved.
Porn Damages the Brain
Viewing pornography literally
changes the human brain. When a person views pornographic images, neurons in
that person’s brain are activated simultaneously. Those neurons release
chemicals that help strengthen the connection between the activated neurons.
For example, if you were to receive delicious food every time you went to a
certain restaurant, you would begin to form positive feelings about that restaurant.
Right? This is because the brain creates pathways connecting that specific
restaurant with feelings of happiness and satisfaction. This is the same thing
that occurs when a person views porn. The brain begins to create pathways
connecting pornographic images with pleasure.
This feeling of pleasure occurs when
the brain is flooded with dopamine, the “feel good” chemical. However, the
amount of dopamine that is released when a person views porn is overwhelming to
the brain. In an effort to control the
amount of dopamine that is overloading the brain, it destroys some of its own
dopamine receptors. After these receptors are destroyed, feelings of happiness
and pleasure are dulled. In other words, the user is literally unable to experience the same levels of happiness as before. Even if the porn user views the same material that
once brought him or her pleasure, having less dopamine receptors will leave
them feeling less aroused and more likely to seek out hardcore material in an
effort to achieve the same level of excitement. This desire for a more
“intense” experience often leads to sexual difficulties for porn users, such as
difficulties becoming aroused or Erectile Dysfunction Disorder. This need can
also cause users to seek out pornographic material featuring sex acts such as
bestiality, rape, and violence. In one study, results showed that people
exposed to significant amounts of porn believed that things like bestiality and
violent sex were twice as normal as those who were not exposed to porn. Although
it has been widely suggested that viewing this kind of material can lead
viewers to act out these same acts, there is a lack of research because such
experiments would be unethical.
Porn Is Like A Drug
All mammals are born with something
called a reward pathway. The reward
pathway’s job is to reward the brain for doing things that keep it alive. The
design of reward pathways reveals the intelligence and careful planning of an
all-knowing God. It is clear that they were designed to keep the human race in
existence by reinforcing life-supporting behaviors such as eating, drinking
water, sleeping, and having consensual sex. Whenever a person does these
things, the reward pathway rewards the brain by releasing chemicals like
dopamine and oxytocin.
When used for their purpose, these
chemicals are useful and healthy; however, this isn’t always the case.
Substances like cocaine, marijuana, and opiates trigger the reward pathway to
release unnaturally high levels of these “feel good” chemicals, giving the user
an unnatural high without having to do any work to earn it. What most people
are unaware of is that pornography works in the exact same way as these harmful
substances, causing addiction and dependency.
The chemical reaction that occurs in
the human brain when a person uses drugs is nearly identical to the chemical
reaction that takes place when a person views pornography. However, unlike
cocaine and methamphetamines, this drug is free and provides an endless supply.
When an image becomes boring or no longer arouses the user, they are able to
click a button and receive a new spike of dopamine. Due to the endless variety
that internet pornography offers, the user can keep their dopamine levels
elevated for hours at a time. While addressing a U.S. Senate committee, Dr.
Jeffrey Satinover of Princeton University had this to say about the
similarities between internet pornography and drugs: “It is as though we have
devised a form of heroin 100 times more powerful than before, usable in the
privacy of one’s own home and injected directly to the brain through the eyes.”
According to a study done by the
American Family Association, a person can become addicted to pornography after
just one use. People with this kind of addiction rarely recover through their
own efforts. Just like drugs users, pornography addicts who attempt to abstain
from pornographic images usually experience withdrawal symptoms, including
headaches, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Not only does this affect
the user, but it also harms the families and loved ones of those going through
withdrawal.
Porn Affects Everyone
Although pornography itself is not a new
thing, Internet pornography has completely changed the industry. What used to
only be sold in a private section of stores and on newsstands is now available
with the click of a button or a word typed into a search engine. Porn does not
discriminate against race, religion, economic standing, or age. It is truly
reaching all people of all walks of life, willing and unwilling. In 2009, Dr.
Simon Lajeunesse set out to study the impact that pornographic images have on
college-aged men. Soon after beginning his research, he realized that he wasn’t
able to establish a control group for his study. This is because he was unable
to find any college-aged males who had never used pornography. Dr. Lajeunesse
was later quoted as saying, “Guys who do not watch pornography do not exist.”
According to a study done by Covenant Eyes, an
internet filtering program, 90% of 8 to 16-year-olds have viewed online
pornography. With this knowledge, it is no surprise that 9 out of every 10 men
are exposed to pornography before turning 18-years-old. In fact, the average
first age of porn exposure among boys is 12-years-old. Young girls are not
immune to the images, either. The same study showed that 6 out of every 10
women were exposed to porn before turning 18-years-old. In addition to this, 83%
of boys and 57% of girls have seen group sex online, and 69% of boys and 55% of
girls have viewed homosexual sex on the internet. Although many parents try to
protect their children from these explicit images, their efforts are defeated
by the persistence and secrecy of the online world. In fact, children between
the ages of 12 and 17 have shown to be the largest consumers of internet
pornography.
Many times, early pornography addiction
leads to difficulties in young adulthood. Studies have shown that 68% of young adult men
view porn at least once a week. In comparison, only 18% of young women view
porn at least once every week. In another study, researchers found that the
average young man is viewing approximately 50 pornographic clips every week.
While there are many reasons for concern around these statistics, the most
important one is the deep impact that pornography has on mental and emotional
wellbeing of young adult users.
Young adulthood is a difficult and
stressful time for almost everyone; however, when you add in the emotional toll
that pornography use takes on a person, destructive behaviors can quickly
escalate. Studies are now showing that young people who use pornography on a
regular basis are far more prone to depression, anxiety, ADD, sexual
dysfunction, confusion about sexual orientation, and violent tendencies. All of
these things are resulting in a lower quality of life for today’s young adults.
Marriages are also greatly affected by the
use of pornography. Inability to become aroused and emotional disconnection are
just two of the ways that couples suffer from the effects. Studies have shown
that people in happy marriages are 61% less likely to use porn. Not only has it
proven to reduce marital happiness, but research has also shown that 56% of all
divorce cases involve at least one partner having an obsessive interest in
porn. In addition to this, 68 % of all divorce cases involve one party meeting
a new lover over the internet.
Pornography and the Church
In the Gospel of Matthew, it is made
clear that lust and adultery are synonymous in the Lord’s eyes. This becomes
obvious when Jesus tells the crowd during his Sermon on the Mount that whoever
lusts with their eyes has already committed adultery in their heart. Although
the bible obviously never mentions pornography specifically, God’s warnings about the
damaging effects of lust can be seen all throughout scripture. In book of Proverbs,
the author warns that anyone who indulges himself in lustful behaviors
“destroys himself” by doing so. It is a widely accepted truth throughout
Christianity that pornography use involves lust and is therefore a sinful
activity.
Although pornography is mostly disapproved of by Christian believers, the church has not been immune to the
porn epidemic. In fact, 50% of Christian men and 20% of Christian women admit
to struggling with an addiction to porn. Parishioners are not the only ones
affected, either. A recent study reported that 51% of Christian pastors admit
to being tempted by porn. Despite these surprising statistics, the church has
remained largely silent on this issue. Is this the way that Jesus would have
responded to this kind of sin? The bible seems to point in the opposite
direction.
The Gospel of John tells the story of a
woman caught in the act of adultery. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
put the woman in front of the crowd gathered around Jesus, attempting to
publically shame and condemn her. “The law of Moses tells us to stone this
woman.” They pick up stones and prepare to kill her. “What do you say?” they
ask Jesus in an attempt to trap him into saying something they can use against
him. Jesus remains silent for a moment before telling the woman’s accusers that
whichever one of them is without sin can throw the first stone at her. One by
one the teachers and the Pharisees drop their stones and walk away. When only
Jesus and the woman remain in the middle of the crowd, Jesus looks at the woman
and tells her to “go and sin no more.”
This story gives a beautiful example of
God’s grace and forgiveness. Although the woman was clearly living a sinful
lifestyle, Jesus did not condemn her for her impure actions; He did not seek to
shame her in front of his followers. Instead, Jesus offered the adulterous
woman a second chance at living a Godly life. Through his example, Christians
are given hope in their own sinful situations. Although a believer may have
fallen into lust and adultery through the use of pornography, Jesus has shown
that his grace is unconditional in these situations. Those who have fallen into
sin need only to “go and sin no more” in order to be made righteous again.
Conclusion
Pornography is without a doubt
harmful and destructive; however, there is hope for those who are caught in a
vicious addiction. For someone seeking professional help, addiction counselors
are often valuable resources. Many communities and churches also have local
support groups to give users a place to talk about and work out their
dependency issues. Often times, a person can find these kinds of counselors or
support groups by doing online research or consulting medical professionals.
Another way that individuals
addicted to internet pornography can seek help is by installing a filter on
their computer, tablet, or mobile device. Some examples of effective filters
include: K-9 Web Protection, XXX Church, Covenant Eyes, and Fortify. These
internet filters work by monitoring and blocking pornographic websites and
explicit content. Many of them also allow users to have online accountability
partners who will receive weekly reports of any suspicious activity. Millions
of people have relied on these filters to hold them accountable and keep them
from accessing pornography during moments of weakness. With the right attitude
and reliable accountability, they have proven to be extremely effective.
The most important thing for users
to remember is that addiction can be overcome. Through grace and forgiveness,
sinners can become new creations in Jesus Christ. Porn has the potential to
destroy nearly every area of a person’s life, but hope should never be lost. Relationships,
reward pathways in the brain, and personal health can all be restored and
renewed as soon as porn use is discontinued. Prevention, censorship, open
conversation, accountability, and counseling are all vital resources in the
fight against this new drug. Although pornographic images are often hard to
avoid, you do have the choice of whether or not you will allow these images to
control your life. The message of Jesus Christ in 2 Corinthians 12:9 gives hope
in the middle of our human weakness: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will
boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest
on me.”
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