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1. Pornography obscures the sin of mistreating our neighbour.
Because all women are the "neighbours" of men (and men of women),
they should be treated respectfully; not as objects for personal
pleasure if we are to "avoid sexual immorality" (1 Thess. 4:3).
What are we to make of any medium that portrays human bodies as mere
objects? These `objects of lust" are real people. To reduce them to
body parts and sexual performance tools dehumanizes them. Some would
argue that these images are not people and therefore cannot be
violated. But can we so easily separate our treatment of
photographic images and people made in God's image? When the
biblical virtues of love, modesty; purity and chastity are
suppressed by lust, exhibitionism, decadence, and promiscuity, all
of these involved are hurt, If, before marriage, we see each other
only as sexual objects, how will we stop doing so once married? What
will happen in relationships with people other than one's spouse?
2. Pornography normalizes and invites sexual immorality.
In the digitally manipulated world of centrefolds, the human
body is smoothed to "perfection", defined in limited (often
surgically enhanced) shapes, and displayed in ways that encourage
fantasy "relationships." Premarital intercourse, adultery,
multiple-partner sex, homosexuality and bi-sexuality are graphically
displayed and promoted dulling the viewer's conscience. Many viewers
says that after indulging in pornography, they think of the opposite
sex almost exclusively in sexual terms, judging them physically and
fantasizing about sex acts. If we think promiscuously, when will
these thoughts leads to actions.
3. Pornography that contains violence will stimulate aggressive
behaviour.
Decades of research show that viewers of violent pornography become
more aggressive towards females who anger them. Many viewers who
could not imagine themselves stooping to sexual violence find
themselves gradually accepting what they watch, and believing the
participants deserve what they get. While few viewers become sex
criminals, many suffer looses in gentleness and sensitivity,
self-control and patience. In addition, the consumer of pornography
supports an industry that habitually uses violence against those who
pose.
4. Pornography can injure fidelity and intimacy in marriage.
Several studies show that exposure to non-violent sexually explicit
materials results in higher tolerance for deviant forms of sexual
experience, lower esteem for women rated as "average" in
attractiveness, and less satisfaction in the level of love for one's
spouse. Young people may falsely assume they are `getting sexual
experimentation out of their systems," When they actually building
patterns that can significantly hamper their future.
According to researcher Patrick
Carnes, pornography - viewing often becomes a habit, even an
addiction. What if one's spouse is deeply hurt by this focus on
others bodies? How can any relationship live up to a fantasy, since
by definition a fantasy is about one person exercising absolute
control? In many ways pornography challenges the marriage covenant.
Faithfulness includes the mind, a perspective Jesus addressed when
he observed that "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt.5:28).
(Selected)
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Prayer Fellowship All Rights Reserved
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