What’s wrong with porn, anyway?

A few months ago someone online accused me of sex-shaming and asked, “What’s so wrong with watching pornography, anyway?”

I knew the Sunday school answer, but this person was marginally Christian and genuinely seeking a convincing rationale.

Maybe you’re a parent of a teen who’s asked the same question, a spouse of someone using pornography, or a teen wrestling with how “normal” porn seems to be among some of your friends.

So, why should Christians resist temptations to view pornography?

Because it hurts the human on the other side of the screen, it hurts the viewer, and it hurts God.

The people in pornographic images bear God’s image and should be treated with dignity, including being asked for consent. 

Viewing pornography uses the performer’s body and their image of God without permission, turning them into objects for consumption.

Moreover, viewing pornography enables sex slavery. Many actors are trapped in sex slavery, and each video click gives the sex slavers site traffic and the ability to profit from ads on their page (even if the porn is “free” to the viewer).

If that isn’t reason enough, using pornography hurts the viewer and hurts God.

God’s wisdom isn’t arbitrary. His Scriptures are warning us to stay away from things that will harm us.

Everything about this world is broken, including our sexualities and our desires. Thankfully, God looked at the world, noticed what would bring us or others harm, and warned us in His Scriptures to avoid harmful things.

“All sin is fun for a season,” as they say, but eventually repeated pornography use will harm the viewer, often in the form of addiction.

75% of young adult men and women view pornography at least once a month. Different estimate find that between 20-30% of men are addicted to porn.

Porn addiction leads to the need for more extreme content, impairs decision-making, and warps our view of others. It can damage healthy sexual intimacy and numb our ability to connect with God and others.

And last but not least, viewing pornography hurts God. When we choose to do sexual things that harm ourselves (or another) and disobey God’s wisdom, we sin.

When Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross, He paid the price of every sin, including each time we sinfully view pornography. Colossians 2:14 takes it even further, reminding us that our sins were nailed to the cross of Jesus.

That's heavy.

For some of you, this list of harms is all too familiar. On top of your sexual addiction, you're buried under a mountain of shame.

But there's hope.

Jesus does not forsake you. He's eager to partner with you to treat your disease of addiction. And there are proven solutions, as I've mentioned before. 12-step groups and Certified Sex Addiction Therapists seem to be the most effective.

Know that no matter how great your sin is, Christ's love for you is greater.

The price of your sins is already paid. Christ has already won. And He's eager to forgive you and walk with you toward fullness of life.