The Lies of Pornography
A lot of research has gone in to finding cures for various diseases and illnesses that plague mankind. We have donations, drives, fundraisers and marathons dedicated to raising money for disease research and yet we’ve never been able to solve the most fundamental problem of man…sin. Cancer is one of those diseases that afflicts millions of people worldwide, but even it doesn’t come close to sin reach afflicting absolutely every single person in the entire world (Rom. 3:23).
Have you ever wondered why sin is so prevalent? What makes sin so pervasive and commonplace in the lives of man? Someone once said “it is easier to believe a lie one has heard a thousand times than to believe a fact one has never heard before.” Maybe sin is so rampant in our society because it doesn’t approach us as sin. Sin approaches as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Sin deceives. Sin lies. And it’s these lies that slowly lure us in, promising us pleasure only to rip us from that which truly gives life and leaving us to wonder how we ever fell this far.
Once you look past all the pleasures and temptation the lies of sin are easily seen. Here are three lies that pornography (and every other sin) tell us.
This Is the Real Thing
For whatever reason, we forget to watch movies and television through a Hollywood filter. That is to say we watch these shows, entertaining as they may be, and assume that they are a true reflection of reality. Not long ago my wife and I watched a show containing a scene where a woman was in the delivery room about to give labor, only there was no sweat on her brow and every hair was perfectly in place. My wife, who was nearly 8 months pregnant at this point, leaned over and reminded me that labor isn’t really like that. Hollywood has a tendency to change and beautify things to the point that they’re no longer recognizable and, while we get that intellectually, sometimes we get caught up in the beauty of it all and categorize it as reality. This same phenomenon is true with pornography.
Pornography is meant to be visually stimulating. It’s entertainment. It’s not honest, real, or factual and it’s definitely not love. It doesn’t try to be. The pornography industry isn’t trying to paint a realistic picture of sex; it’s trying to make money. There is no money to be made in portraying the joy, laughter, arguing, weariness, and stress that day to day married life often brings so they skip all of that and jump right to the bed. Non-married men watch that thinking that’s how married life is, and married men watch it thinking that’s how their marriage should be. Every time we view something pornographic we paint for ourselves a false reality, tricking ourselves over and over again that “this is the real thing.” It’s not. Sin never is.
You Need This
One of my teachers once said that if sin were like broccoli he’d be a perfect man, but that’s just not the case. Sin is tempting and enjoyable. That’s the trouble with it. There’s something about sin that just keep you coming back and pornography is no exception. Like a drug, pornography settles down into your brain refusing to leave you alone. Each day becomes structured around the next time you’ll be able to indulge your desires and it only worsens from there. Eventually you reach a point where you can’t wait for the next “hit” so you create opportunities to view pornography at school, at work, or anywhere else you might be. Given enough time, sin becomes a necessity. This is one of Satan’s greatest tricks. It’s not enough to get us to sin once, he once a lifetime devoted to the sin. Paul reminds us that we were once slaves to sin and obedient to its beckon call (Rom. 6:15-22). Now as Christians we’re slaves to righteousness and obedient to Christ Jesus. Satan wants us to live a life devoted to sin and devoid of the Lordship of Christ. That is what happens when we begin to treat sin as something we can’t live without. The only way out of sin is in Christ and once you begin to follow and fully rely on Him you realize just how unnecessary porn truly is.
You’re the Only One
The church is referred to by many different names in Scripture. One of the most prevalent analogies is that of a body (Eph. 1:22, 5:23, 29-30; 1 Cor. 12). The church is rooted in community. Those that are in the church laugh, cry, celebrate, mourn, and struggle together. As Christians we help each other carry the heaviness of our sinful loads (Gal. 6:1-2). Sin often blinds us to the Christian community we’re a part of. We’re made to think that we’re all alone, fighting our vices by ourselves. That’s simply not the case. Everyone has had their share of sinful struggles and some of those struggles are exactly like the ones you’re going through right now. To the porn addict reading this please read carefully the following statement:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Period. There are lots of guys out there, even Christian guys that have struggled, are struggling or will one day struggle with the lustful enticement of porn. This doesn’t mean that we should feel less bad about our actions, but it does mean that we shouldn’t continue being silent about them. I’m not suggesting we shout about our pornography problems from the rooftops, but we can quit with our Sunday Christian role-playing and the customary “I’m good” responses. Don’t be afraid to admit that you’re broken. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Where can you go? Grab a trusted friend or family member to confide in. Sit down with your preacher and ask for help. Get a hold of one of us. We’ve been there, we don’t want to go back and we want to tell everyone we can how to get out. You are not alone.
Don’t let pornography lie to you anymore. It’s not real, you don’t need it and you’re not the only one who has the problem.
