Use of pornography is widespread. The Focus on the Family Organization states that 70% of men and 30% of women turn to pornography to fill their sexual needs. It affects men and women of every faith, creed, and race.
While viewing it may, on its surface, seem like a harmless activity (I remember my dad telling me he had a Playboy magazine simply and only for the articles in it), in truth, it destroys both the viewer and their spouse. As one man put it: “It was like injecting drugs directly into my vein.” It provides an idealized picture of the perfect lover, something no one can achieve. It produces a highly pleasurable response in the brain and elsewhere. It decimates marriages because, when the spouse finds out (and he or she will), they will be absolutely crushed.
There are several Biblical verses I would like to share. The first is found in Matthew 5:28: “But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” How many of us deal with lustful thoughts? Thoughts. The second, found in 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.” This says that there is something uniquely different about sexual sin; that, when you sin, you are violating your own body as well as offending the Lord. The final passage gives hope. It is John 8:3-11 and about the woman caught in adultery (where was the man?). Jesus tells her “Then neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”
Individual counseling and participating in recovery groups like Celebrate Recovery® are excellent places to start your healing process. In addition to those, building a support and relapse prevention system are also of vital importance because, like any other addiction, relapse is a possibility.
Finally, there is an online resource to help you be accountable: CovenantEyes.com. They will monitor your computer traffic and provide your accountability partner regular reports of the sites you are visiting.