Technology has produced great benefits in modern society. But not all of the advancements have been good for us. One of the more damaging realities of the Information Age is the ubiquitous presence of pornography.
In our wired world, pornography has become easier to produce, distribute, and access than ever before. And as people are exposed to pornography at younger ages and in greater quantity than at any point in history, porn addiction has become a problem that society, and the church, cannot ignore.
So what can Christians who struggle with porn addiction do to defeat this problem that affects so many people at the most personal levels?
Like any addiction, Christians must rely on prayer, conviction, and assistance to overcome addiction to porn. Below, we will discuss the unique dynamics of porn addiction and the unique resources available to address it.
A Unique Addiction
In prior posts about drinking and smoking, we cautioned against behaviors that might lead to various forms of addiction. And as we know from those prior examinations, we are called to serve only God as our Master, and to not be mastered by anything else.
Among addictive behaviors, pornography consumption is doubly insidious, not only because it has an addictive capacity that is as strong as some substances, but also because it necessarily involves the most personal and invasive manifestations of sin.
So we must take a two-pronged approach to defeat porn by both overcoming the addiction itself and by confronting the sin of pornography. And as we do so, we will find how closely related these two dynamics really are.
The Effects of Pornography
Like all sexual stimulation, pornography triggers pleasure centers in the brain through the release of dopamine. And as with all addictive agents, the brain can build up a tolerance to dopamine, demanding it in increasing quantities over time.
Studies have further shown that pornography triggers a motor response in the body leading to arousal and the need for an outlet for sexual expression. For this reason, masturbation is often paired with pornography use, but in extreme cases, users might even resort to sexual violence as an outlet.
The effects are particularly devastating on developing, teenage brains (when exposure to pornography often begins). The chemical reactions and neurological mapping triggered by porn consumption lead to an effective ‘hijacking’ of the brain as it develops, affecting sexual expression later in life, as we shall examine more closely later.
As with other addictions, ancillary mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and irritability have been consistently observed in people who suffer from addiction to pornography, through both the aforementioned chemical processes and the psychological impact on body image, risk-taking, and sexual satisfaction.
The Sin of Pornography
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18
The aforementioned research states in scientific terms what Paul said long ago when writing to the Corinthian church (who struggled with the culturally accepted sexual practices of their day), that sexual sins affect us inwardly. The only difference is that now we can articulate the chemistry of this long-understood truth.
As Christians, we understand that God designed us to not only rely on sex for reproduction but to enjoy it. And He designed sexual union to establish a sacred bond between a husband and a wife (Matthew 19:4-6).
But when we engage with pornography, we are interfering with this sacred bonding process not only physically, but spiritually. It is for this reason that sexual sins are addressed so emphatically throughout scripture. They disrupt our very capacity to relate to others and to ourselves as God intended.
This is why Jesus teaches us to be on guard against lustful thoughts long before they become actions (Matthew 5:28). The eye, he says, is the lamp of the body (Matthew 6:22-23), so what we take in with our eyes, whether it is light or darkness, will reach every part of us. And the more we fill ourselves with darkness, the less we can properly see by the light.
Defeating Pornography
As mentioned above, conquering porn means overcoming both the sin of pornography and the effects of addiction. As Christians, we begin by prayerfully seeking the power of the Holy Spirit to convict us and guide us in all truth.
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. – Proverbs 25:28
Without self-control, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we are exposed and left vulnerable to attack. So it is necessary for all believers who struggle with addictions of any kind to do so in the power of the Spirit. Defeating the desire for sin strengthens us against the power of addiction.
Of course, the conviction of sin in the unique work of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we cannot merely talk each other – or ourselves – out of sin. But still, we have the responsibility to one another to share God’s truth in love, praying that the Holy Spirit might speak wisdom to us as we do so.
The Moral Impact of Pornography
Pornography Causes Others to Sin: As Christians, we are cautioned to not violate the conscience of others (1 Corinthians 10:32, Romans 14:21). Jesus offers a particularly scathing rebuke to those who lead others into sin:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. – Luke 17:1-2
The consumers of pornography create and maintain the demand for pornography. And it is this demand that encourages others to engage in sexual sins themselves in order to satisfy the demand. So there is no such thing as ‘victimless’ pornography. Porn, by its nature, impacts someone else.
Pornography and Sex Trafficking: In the United States, most commercial pornography is produced in a manner consistent with regulations intended to ensure that all performers are consenting adults. However, coercive practices are pervasive throughout the industry, and it is nearly impossible to separate ‘legal’ porn from the illegal and unethical practices that feed into it.
Childhood exposure to pornography, coerced work in strip clubs, and even trafficking of at-risk teens have all been used to encourage (or force) individuals to perform in porn. One does not have to seek out overtly illegal content in order to be complicit in furthering these crimes.
Depression and Pornography: We must not lose sight of the reality that all porn performers are people created in the image of God and loved unconditionally by Him. Though it is impossible to know all of the varied reasons that people choose to produce pornography, even among those who do so consciously and voluntarily, depression is a constant in the industry.
Whether a performer engages in porn because of a preexisting depression or not, the continued production of porn has been shown to magnify and increase depression. Most notably, drug addiction, overdose deaths, and suicides are markedly higher among porn performers than among the general population.
Pornography Damages Marriages: Even single people who watch porn are distorting the proper sexual expression of any future marriage that God has planned for them. The previously discussed chemical reactions that are brought about by porn consumption interfere with the proper, God-intended chemical bonds between a husband and wife.
In addition, couples whose marriages have been infiltrated by porn often discover that porn leads to distorted sexual expectations and inappropriate fantasies that might invite discord and emotional pain into the bedroom.
Perhaps one or more of these points has spoken to you and prompted you to understand porn in a new light. If that is where the Holy Spirit has led you, then let us proceed to answer the question raised by the title of this article.
Overcoming Porn Addiction
Like most addictions, porn addiction is not conquered by willpower alone, or even willpower plus conviction. To be sure, both are necessary, but as Christians, we understand that we are part of a larger body of believers and that just as we rejoice together, we also struggle together when one of us is hurting.
So just as with any addiction, it is sensible and God-honoring to seek help to overcome an addiction to pornography. James 5:13-15 reminds us to pray when we are in trouble, and seek the elders of the church when we are sick. And addiction is both trouble and sickness.
Below are some practical steps to consider:
Talk to a Trusted Church Leader: Ideally, it is best to reach out to someone who knows you and is able to provide a measure of accountability. This person should also be someone that you trust to maintain confidentiality.
A word of caution is in order, though. You should seek help only from someone of the same gender. When struggling with sexual sins, seeking help from members of the opposite sex opens the door to inappropriate discussions of intimacy that invite new temptations for both parties. It is best to avoid setting this trap.
Seek Accountability Partners: Your pastor or church leader might be able to connect you with a coach or counselor who is trained in overcoming sexual sins, or a support group for people who struggle with the same porn addiction.
But if no such resources are available to you through your local church, consider joining an online group that can provide you with confidential, Biblically sound accountability.
Take Advantage of Online Tools: As mentioned above, an Internet search can easily lead you to online support groups and accountability partners. And some organizations provide technical resources as well.
These tools might be simple blockers and filters that you can add to your Internet browser to limit what content you can access. Other tools are designed to track and report your online activity to your chosen accountability partners for ongoing prayer, encouragement, and intervention.
Conclusion
Regardless of where you were when you started this journey, we pray that the above information is helpful to you, your church family, or your loved ones who struggle with the damaging effect of pornography in all of its forms.
