Article Originally posted on December 2, 2009
Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council released on Wednesday a new study detailing the effects of pornography on marriages, children and individuals.
"This is a ground-breaking review of what pornography costs families trying to create a life together," said Dr. Pat Fagan, who authored the study and serves as FRC's senior fellow and director of the Center for Research on Marriage and Religion. "Men, women and sometimes even children are saturated by sexual content, and more significantly, are told that it has no real effect. It's just a little amusement."
But through the study, Fagan affirmed that "pornography corrodes the conscience, promotes distrust between husbands and wives and debases untold thousands of young women."
"It is not harmless escapism but relational and emotional poison," he commented.
Pornography was defined in the study as "a visual representation of sexuality which distorts an individual’s concept of the nature of conjugal relations."
The report showed that in families, pornography use leads to marital dissatisfaction, infidelity, separation and divorce.
Citing the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the report pointed out that 68 percent of divorce cases involved one party meeting a new paramour over the Internet, 56 percent involved "one party having an obsessive interest in pornographic websites," 47 percent involved "spending excessive time on the computer," and 33 percent involved spending excessive time in chat rooms.
Fagan commented, "The fact that marriage rates are dropping steadily is well known. But the impact of pornography use and its correlation to fractured families has been little discussed. The data show that as pornography sales increase, the marriage rate drops."
The FRC study revealed that among couples affected by one spouse's addiction, two-thirds experience a loss of interest in sexual intercourse; both spouses perceive pornography viewing as tantamount to infidelity; and pornography viewing leads to a loss of interest in good family relations.
Pornography use, Fagan says, is "a quiet family killer."
Men are more than six times as likely to view pornography as females and more likely to spend more time viewing it.
Men who habitually look at pornography have a higher tolerance for abnormal sexual behaviors, sexual aggression, promiscuity, and even rape. Moreover, men begin to view women and even children as "sex objects."
Additionally, addictive pornography use leads to lower self-esteem and a weakened ability to carry out a meaningful social and work life.
Among teens, those who watch pornography more frequently tend to be high sensation seekers, less satisfied with their lives, have a fast Internet connection, and have friends who are younger. Viewing such material at their age hinders the development of a healthy sexuality.
The study points out that with the growth of digital media and the Internet, social sanctions from parents, mentors and the community are operating in fewer and fewer quarters.
Fagan warns, "Habitual consumption of pornography can break down the relational substrates of human life and interaction – family, friends and society.
"As such, reinforcing these relationships is the surest guard against such destructive sexual tendencies."
The key to protecting against the effects of pornography, he says, is to foster relationships of affection and attachment, especially between the father and the mother and between parents and children. Deliberate parental monitoring of Internet use is an additional key defense. Fagan also calls on the government to "reassess its laissez-faire attitude towards the proliferation of pornography, especially on the Internet."
Family Research Council is a Christian organization dedicated to the promotion of marriage and family and the sanctity of human life in national policy.
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JMC Ministries Response
Written by: Miranda and Jeremy Caverley
If people think there is nothing wrong with porn they are diluted. Porn is as addictive as heroin at times. If the person doesn't get their daily "fix" they can become aggressive and event violent. This isn't just something I think or feel, but have actually witnessed personally. Now this of course does not apply to all people and more than likely only represents a small percentage. But, Porn is a problem for many people in the world. Our society uses Sex in everything to try to get you to buy their "Stuff" Stuff they claim will make you have a better life and give you the thoughts that you can "get some" or "hook up" with someone if you buy their product. When did we lose our morale values America? How have we fallen so far to even support TV shows that promote Porn and Sexually promiscuity? We are in Porn Overdrive in America and much of the world today. Even many Christians have issues with Porn. And many of them hide their addiction and try and cope with it on their own because as Christians we are suppose to be the image of Christ and purity. But, Christians are also human and I think people today have forgotten that. Many times when a professing Christian is caught doing something immoral or that involves porn we outcast them and shun them from the Christian Community. However, that is NOT what Jesus said we are to do. He said when a brother has fallen lift him up, love him and help him get back on his feet (paraphrasing of course). If we as Christians practice what we preach and show the love of Christ to all I feel many more people would turn from the evils of immorality, Porn and all that this world tries to throw at us, and come to know Christ as their personal Savior. There are groups for people struggling with Alcohol, Nicotine, drugs. But, I have not found alot churches that have groups to help their congregation with porn addiction. It's like this dirty little secret we have to keep hidden under the rug. When day after day, year after year. Marriages and families are falling apart because of porn addiction. This is a cry to you my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to rise up and help those struggling with Porn and other addictions. Be a helping hand to them and help lift them up with the love of Christ out of the darkness and into the light!
--Written by Miranda Caverley
Being a male that has fallen into the temptation of porn, I understand the feeling of not be able to share this problem with many people. The church as a whole is not well equipped to assist with this and when you do the only solution was to remove the internet all together. That was 15 yrs ago. Things have changed! Their are now software packages that you can use to block websites and send reports to an accountability partner and of course learning how to walk away.
Walking away from the internet, porn shops, strip clubs, peep shows, etc seems to be the hardest for anyone that is tempted to lust and sin. I personally don't like calling it a "porn addiction" because sin is "common to man" and this isn't something new for humans. Nor is it something that can just be stopped by taking a class. The world has fooled people into thinking that we don't "sin" anymore and has started calling things an addiction! I will have to also admit that any sin could look like an addiction. For example "in medicine, an addiction is a chronic neurobiological disorder that has genetic, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions and is characterized by one of the following: the continued use of a substance despite its detrimental effects" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction
This causes a person to believe that they will always be this way. No true hope but just treatment. Well Jesus didn't come to just treat us! Jesus came to give us life to help us live more abundantly! Jesus came so He could pay the full price of sin! Even porn can't stand the power of Jesus Christ! No one should ever think they are so trapped that Jesus can't help them! Jesus knows all the sins of the world past, present, and future, and none of these will stop Him from loving everyone and wanting a relationship with them!
Yes, we as humans must do our part to confess to God our transgressions and ask for forgiveness and allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives and come live in our hearts! That will never change! But for porn to continue to be a "struggle" I think not! It is we humans that place God in a box, or even at times we place ourselves in a box. Stating that we can't do this or that. Well that is partly true! We need Jesus to be in the center of our daily lives! Even when we are tempted! Yes to call on Jesus is a literal statement!
--Written by Jeremy Caverley
