Does Porn effect Christian Men?

Over the years I have seen many good Christian men, including myself, fall into the trap of pornography! Many have lost there families, ministeries, and even finances by giving in to this epidemic that spreading throughout the world.

Although I still have my struggles with porn I consider myself on of the lucky ones that realized I had a problem before it was to late! Don't get me wrong, I still feel the effects of allowing myself to fall into such a trap. I presently a medication that effect my sex drive. My wife does not believe me when I tell her that my lack of drive is due to medication and think it is porn related (Hey! I brought this problem on by myself with nobody's help!).

You probable wander how do Christian men get into this mess? I am not sure if I can speak for all men, but for me I started when I was 13 years old; years before I gave myself to the Lord! It started by reading porn that a friend of mine had hidden under his bed. Overtime it grew in into watching movies, and looking into harder forms of porn.

Just before I turned 18 I was baptized into Christ Jesus, and never looked at things the same! Since I was around the porn it became easy to walk away from it. For years I didn't look at porno magazine, or movie. While I was in Bible College I would see fellow Christians lives be ruined from issues that were tied to porn. It would only be a few more years before porn would come crawling back to me!

After I got married, to my ex-wife, somehow it was thought that it would be okay to watch porn together. Somebody told us as long as we watch in it together than it would "intensified" our romance. Well, something got intensified, and it was not out romance! We were not married three years before she cheated on me twice! The guys she was with seemed to want to do things that I did want to do; things seen to porn!

After my divorce I feel into a deep depression! I did not want to date, nor did I want to got to church. I turned strongly to porn just so I could have something. I will give myself some credit! I never went to strip clubs, or topless bars. I never even went to places like Hooters where the waitresses would wear hardly anything. But still, porn was a part of my life now!

Finally, I moved back to my childhood home, and began to go to church again! The preach where I attended was about my age, and made it easier for me to take about addiction to porn. I began reading books like "Every Man's Battle" that explain how to train myself to look away from images that stimulate me.

Now, I have been remarried for over six years! My wife wife knows that I still struggle with porn, and does feel betrayed when she thinks I am looking at some girl. As I said before I brought it all on myself but, I would rather she knows I struggle with it because I know she will step in ahead of time to prevent me from seeing something I should not see. But, she is a blessing that I do not deserve!

Porn has effected my life in a very negative way! It puts a separation between us, and God. It destroys family, and leads to other deviant behaviors! It does not intensify your love life, but rather destroys it!

One of the big reasons why porn is so ramped in society is because of the following:

1. Easy to produce!
2. Cheap to produce!
3. With internet you can get it anytime, and anyplace! AND...
4. It seems society has done little to stop it growth!

First, due to advancements in technology porn in easier to produce than ever! Anybody with a digital camcorder can produce a porn movie. Even cellphones are being used to produce cheap, low quality movies that you can place on You Tube!

Second, pornography is cheap to to produce! The cost of producing a pornographic movie is $0-$100,000 with an average cost of $30,000-$40,000. With it being so cheap to produce the porn industry has become a one-hundred billion dollar a year industry! It also, able to produce over 10,000 movies a year versus Hollywood's 400 movies a year!

Third, look how easy it is to get porn! Although, many local governments have restriction on adult entertainment it does not stop the internet! This is where many men get into trouble; not by having dirty movies, and magazines, but by have porn available through the internet! Before the internet pornography was restricted to the dirty, sleazy, red light districts. Now, you don't have to leave your home, and not worry about people seeing you walking into those stores.

Forth, and finally, it seems like society has gotten numb to seeing, and hear about porn! Years ago their were many watch-dog group trying to restrict, and banish pornography from America. Now, it all quiet! The few religious groups that continue to speak again the porn industry are ridiculed, and mocked! But, porn is continuing the damage that it has done from the very beginning. Many serial killers (ie. Ted Bundy, and Jeffery Dahmer), and rapists have contributed their action to pornography!

But, as long as we allow ourselves to be numb pornography will continue to the destroy lives of everyone it touches!

Mathew 5:27-30 says:^"27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."

God has a strong view of porn: "...whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). some may argue that this verse has nothing to with porn, but it does! When you are watching porn you are sexually stimulated by the acts that are being performed. Whether you are longing to participate in the movie, or just enjoy watching, you are lusting over the individuals in that book, movie, or magazine.

What is really bad is that it is not just pornography that we need to worry about: The entertainment industry throws sex at us at every turn! Advertising, T.V. shows, movies, and sporting events seem to have an unlimited amount of sexual propaganda that they average person sees on a daily basis. It seems to becoming more, and more, impossible for any Christian man to remain pure, and not have lustful thoughts! Sex sells, and Satan knows it!

Believe it, or not, their why to combat the onslaught of sexually stimulating images that we are exposed to everyday! Matthew 5:29,30 state:

^"29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."

Jesus is telling us to dismember our bodies, but rather remove everything that is harmful to our Spiritual health! For example:

1. If you are having a problem watch the porn that HBO airs late at night; than maybe you need to cancel HBO, or get arid of your cable all together!
2. If your favorite bookshop, or news stand, are showing dirty magazines in the front where you see them, and want to look; it might be a good idea to find a new book shop, or news stand!
3. On your way home from work you can help but fantasize about the half naked girl on the billboard; maybe you need to find a different way home, even if it is inconvenient!
   
4. Maybe it is late night internet-porn that you are having problems with; you need to either get arid of your internet, or have your wife put an internet pornfilter that on they have access to. Also, more your computer into a public area of your home! This will help you stay in check with the thought of knowing anybody can walk up behind you, and see what you are looking at!
5. If you have children don't let them have their own internet in their room! Most individuals that get involved in pornography start when they just enter puberty. Also, restrict your children's computer time to doing homework, and research.
6. Get arid of your pride! Don't go through this battle alone! Talk to your preach, or church elder. Most of all pray with them! Ask them to hold you accountable for your actions.
   

It sounds really simple, but it is not simple! It involves retraining yourself, time, and lots of dedication. Besides, what I listed above is only a short list. You will more likely see more changes that you will have to make as you strive to break free from the grip that porn has on your life!

God Bless!