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God's says: “My people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge”. That means that the more we know about, and expose the destructive power of pornography, the more people will be protected from its destruction. God also tells us that: “If we know the truth it will set us free” and that “He came to set the captives free”. He also says that “In Christ we are free indeed”. That means in Christ there is freedom from pornography. We do not have to live in bondage. Wow, this is so exciting and awesome. God is so faithful!! So let us do some exposing and freeing!!!!!!

How do you define pornography? The word pornography (Greek porne: street woman, and graphein: to write) originally meant the description of the manners, life and habits of prostitutes and their clients. Any material, text, photo, pictures, electronic or otherwise, which is sexually explicit and intended primarily for the purpose of sexual arousal (excitement) is pornography. We often think of pornography as nude pictures, naughty playboy pin-ups or calendars. Those days are long gone! It is more than that. It depicts such acts as group sex, homosexual practices, and rape, the infliction of torture and pain and sexual victimization of children. Many soap operas also fit the above definition. In ‘ Steering them straight' Atterburn and Burns (1995) explain why. “Women who often have a hard time understanding how men can get hooked on nude pictures, better understand how romance novels and soap operas can control people's lives, sapping the intimacy from their relationships”.

Why is pornography so destructive? In pornography we find dehumanized sex – sex that is devoid of human emotions. Only the animal-like lust principle is of importance here. Men and women are dehumanized, but a particularly degrading and humiliating view of women is presented. Women's bodies are presented as passive objects of sexual desire and lust. The entire female gender has reason to feel used and abused through the pornography industry.

Through pornography, immoral acts are powerfully imprinted on minds, programming the mind with evil, false and dirty images which are often indelible.

Pornography is destructive to the family and marriage in countless ways: It leads to harmful comparisons with marriage partners, comparisons with idealized physical acts. Human worth and dignity is discarded and the purpose of marriage and sex is undermined. A very serious consequence that we do not often hear is that it interferes with the normal sexual relationship between man and woman. “Rather than enhancing a person's sexual happiness, pornography diminishes it. People exposed to nonviolent pornography reported lessened satisfaction with their partner's physical appearance, affection, curiosity and sexual performance. Is dabbling in pornography worth a lifetime of diminished sexual fulfillment?” ( Focus on the Family's Life on the Edge Series 2002).

A very scary aspect of viewing pornography is its downward spiral effect. It would be bad if porn's biggest consequence is addiction, but it gets worse. In Arthur's book “Sex according to God”, Dr. Cline a psychotherapist indicates a progression also referred to as a four-factor syndrome:

Addiction: The person keeps coming back for more and still more. It becomes a integral part of their life. The person is hooked and struggles to quit.

Escalation: More and more is required to satisfy. It is like drug addiction: an increasing need for more of the stimulant to get the same initial effect. Porn that disgusted previously now becomes acceptable and excites the person.

Desensitization : The person becomes numb to the images. Even the most graphic porn does not excite anymore. The person tries desperately to find the same thrill again but cannot find it.

Acting out sexually. According to Dr. Cline “… an increasing tendency to act out sexually the behaviors viewed in the pornography that the porn-consumers had been repeatedly exposed to, including compulsive promiscuity, exhibitionism, group sex, voyeurism [peeping], frequenting massage parlor, having sex with minor children, rape, and inflicting pain on themselves or a partner during sex”.

There seems to be a relation between the viewing of pornography and violent acts such as rape: “A study of sexual offenders found that 86% of convicted rapists said they were regular users of pornography, with 57% admitting direct imitation of previously viewed pornographic scenes while committing their rape ( Marshall in Arthur 2002)

For Dillow and Pintus (1999) pornography spells death “Pornography kills the soul, steals the heart and destroys the mind. Pornography puts to death marital intimacy and destroys families. Those who engage in prostitution or affairs expose themselves and their spouse to physical death through the possibility of contracting a deadly sexual disease. But all pornographic users face certain soul death because pornography severs fellowship with God and kills moral consciousness”

Turn to the truth: The truth is that it is a deadly, damaging, destructive practice.

Turn on the light: Expose the enemy! “and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11 ).

Turn to Jesus: It takes the supernatural Christ who willingly takes the trash out of your life and my life and covers it with His Blood. Jesus will do it for you! It's what He was born to do!

Should any person be caught up and trapped in pornography please find help, it is available!!!