Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods.
1 Corinthians 6: 16-20 NKJV
According to a recent survey, 64% of American men view pornography at least monthly. The percentage of christian men is nearly the same at 79%. 58% of men claimed that they believed viewing pornography was wrong, while 56% claimed to have tried to stop but couldn't. So, over half of American men know that viewing pornography is wrong but could not stop indulging in it. Sound like an addiction to you? I would view knowing something is wrong but being unable to stop as an addiction. I should know, I was one of those guys who was addicted to pornography. As with any drug, this addiction is not overcome easily even when it is. Do I still struggle with this demon? Absolutely! Let's not forget that the union that God intended for a man and a woman was to be intmate between the two. Scripture tells of the marriage of a man and a woman as "The two becoming one flesh." You can't get any more intimate than that! It's funny how we've come to describe sex between two people, married or unmarried as "Intimcy." Where the sexual "Intimate" relationship between a man and a woman was reserved by God for marriage, we've missed the mark entirely. It's not just modern pop culture that's bastardized this gift either. What do we have in common with king David, one of the heroes of the Bible? David also engaged in sexual immorality. In fact, David went so far as to send the husband of Bathsheba into battle to be killed. Can we take heart in the fact that so many christians have fallen victim to pornography? Perhaps, but that doesn't make it right in Gods eyes. Sin is sin. Ok, many of you will say that sexual sin has no victims.
87% said that their partners online cheating (by pornography or other means on the internet) had a negative effect on their relationship. 41% called their partners online cheating significant, while 35% said it caused an end to the relationship.
From a survey taken by Robert Weiss, a counselor who works with sex addiction.
Huffpost, January 7, 2015
Still hold fast to your belief that pornography is a victimless sin? 87% of people reported that their partners engaement in pornographhy had a NEGATIVE effect on their relationship! I have a good idea why, pornography creates false intimacy. This is a no brainer, if your addicted to porn, you're devoting the attention reserved for your spouse to a image! Once again, I have first hand knowledge of this. My parents were divorced when I was 7 years old because my mother could not live with my fathers infidelity. This was back in the 1970's, long before Al Gore invented the internet! So, even before the information age brought pornography to every computer, PDA and smart phone, pornography was easily available. Playboy and Penthouse magazine have become American icons for being the first exposure of pornography to millions of young men! Indeed, my first exposure to pornography was my brothers Playboy collection. Like that first taste of herion, cocaine or meth, I was hooked. It's something I struggle with to this day. Sound victimless to you? My friend Dennis recently gave me some advice on handling this demon. When tempted to view pornography, ask Jesus if he wants to look at this. See, Galations 2:20 tells us that "Christ lives in me." So, if we have been crucified with our risen Lord and he lives in us, what we see...Jesus sees. I'll jump out on a limb and say here that I don't think Jesus wants to look at our pornography. Do we want our Jesus to look at pornography? Do you think God is grieved when we view pornography? I'll say this, I miss my dad and the relationship I never had with him. I'm sure he thought his infidelity had no victims as well.
~Scott~
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