Note: The following article, in three parts, is Chapter 11 from my book “The Dark Side of Technology: Restoring Balance in the Digital Age”. In this book, I have tried to be as clear and honest as I can be. It is my goal to shed Light on what are some of the darkest areas of our culture. Please let me warn you that, in this article/chapter, I do not hold anything back. This is an honest – and, please note, explicit – appraisal of the nature of pornography in technology today. It is important to me that you understand that as you begin to read.
First Read Part I-Faux Sex and Part II-Creating New Lows
The Johns and the Dehumanization of Women
If there was no demand for the sex industry, there would be no supply. Men who purchase the services of prostitutes, children for sex, etc. are called Johns. Victor Malarek is author of the book “The Johns: Sex for Sale and the Men Who Buy It”. In a CBC Interview, Malarek said, “When I started to look at men’s need for sex and all of the crazy myths that are out there, suddenly I realized: It really is all about them. It’s all about men. It’s not about women. They are to be used.”1 The CBC interview describes men who get on planes, fly to foreign countries, and pay for deviant sex of all sorts.2 The demand for this type of prostitution has led to a massive global sex slave trade. Malarek says that men are the ones who are completely responsible for the “sexual calamity that is going on around the world” and that men have the choice to “put the brakes on this insanity”.3 When asked why there are still men going after enslaved women for sex, Malarek responded:
The flame that ignited all of this was that great thing that was going to bring phenomenal stuff to mankind – that’s the Internet. The Internet is just ablaze. It’s ablaze with porn, it’s ablaze with all kinds of offerings for sex. No matter what you put on a search engine – you know if you have a sore back and you put in massage, well you’re lucky if you find a real masseur. This has nothing to do with sex – this porn. It has everything to do with violence and with degradation and dehumanization of women. And, 8 and 9 and 10 year-old boys are seeing this day in and day out. Men are tapping into porn like you wouldn’t believe. They get themselves all roused up and the first thing they want is they go out searching for a rented body.4
Frighteningly, porn’s tentacles have dug into officials at the highest levels. CNN recently ran the headline “Report: SEC Staffers Watched Porn as Economy Crashed”. The article said, “As the country was sinking into its worst financial crisis in more than 70 years, Security and Exchange Commission employees and contractors cruised porn sites and viewed sexually explicit pictures using government computers…”5 Fox News recently ran the headline “Florida State Senator Filmed Viewing Pornographic Image During Floor Debate”. Senator Mike Bennett was looking at the images while lawmakers were debating an abortion bill.6
Hooked Teenagers
As already stated, Former US Attorney General John Ashcroft once put the estimate of teens that have been exposed to pornography at 90% and the largest demographic viewing Internet porn are those between the ages of 12 and 17. With such high numbers of teenagers receiving such a distorted view of sex and the devaluing of women, what is going to happen to our culture when the current generation becomes the next wave of leaders? We have already reached a new low in terms of morality in record time. Are we about to go over the edge? In the British documentary “Teens Hooked on Porn”, Psychosexual Therapist Frances Emeleus says:
I think the teenagers’ exposure to hard core porn at this stage is rather alarming. We don’t know yet what the consequences are going to be, but I suspect that sex will become devalued and I think there may be long-term problems for both individuals and the culture as a result of what is happening. It feels extremely unhealthy to me.7
To make matters worse, of those who were born in 1984 or after (often referred to as Millennials), only 4% are currently claiming to be Biblebelieving Christians.8 Unless we have global revival, it is frightening to think what our world will be like when the Millennials become the next generation of politicians, parents, teachers, police, judges, lawyers, etc. I believe the Bible describes what this will be like:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
What Can We Do About Porn?
The bad news is that 79% of unwanted porn exposures occur at home.9 The good news is that we can control what happens at home. Filtering software is a must. I will cover that in detail in the Parenting and Internet Safety chapters of this book. Sites such as the previously mentioned xxxchurch. com and covenanteyes.com are helpful as a start. However, as important as filtering is, it is not nearly good enough to stop the problem. Husbands and teens can be experts at getting around filtering software.
The problem ultimately lies in the heart. People have to stop wanting porn and that is a spiritual issue.
It’s Time for Shame
With all of the pop psychology in the Church, one might have the idea that we should never shame anyone. Biblically, this is just not the case. Shame, when used properly, can be a powerful and positive motivator.
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. Ephesians 5:12
Although it is shameful to mention specific sins of the disobedient, we are still called to expose them.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:11
It’s Time to Take on the Mind of God
The Word of God protects us from all evil and it has the power to deliver and heal a mind and spirit that is addicted to porn (or anything else for that matter). Understanding God’s perspective on sexual sins should instill in us a healthy desire to steer clear, for there are indeed temporal and eternal consequences to porn. The Word of God should be the first place we look to for all of the issues of life. We should not skip over certain verses just because they make us uncomfortable. God is not nearly as concerned about our comfort zones as we are. Following are just a few verses to help get us started:
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:18-24
God’s Wrath
As mentioned earlier, one of the deviant trends in pornography is anal sex. There is a very famous Bible story in Genesis 19 where God destroyed two cities because of sexual sins – particularly homosexual sin. One of those cities was called “Sodom” of which we get our modern word sodomy which refers to practices such as anal sex.
Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah— from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.
Genesis 19:24-25
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live aschildren of light Ephesians 5:1-8
Perhaps you are reading this and thinking, “My pastor never reads anything from the Bible like this.” May I suggest that you should be thinking, “My Lord and Savior says that sexually impure people will not enter the Kingdom of God and they will suffer God’s wrath.” See the difference? The Church is not ultimately responsible for our spiritual well-being. We are. It is up to us to read and digest His Word for ourselves. Church is a bonus.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
If you believe that pornography is pure darkness, capable of choking the life out of its captives, and if you believe that it is an epidemic secret of shame, then you must also believe that it cannot be crushed passively. Prayer, immersion in God’s Word, sound teaching, gut-wrenching honesty, accountability, and God-led strategy all must be harnessed in the life of a man or women trapped.
When pornography met the Internet it was the marriage of a match and gasoline. Now, too many homes are burning.
Brad Huddleston has degrees in Computer Science and Bible. He is an author, speaker, and Evangelist. He and his wife Beth travel the globe ministering in conferences, churches, schools, and retreats. Brad often appears on radio and television. His book can be ordered at www.bradhuddleston.com and www.darksideoftechnology.com, and he can be reached at brad@bradhuddleston.com.
© 2011. Brad Huddleston Ministries. All rights reserved.
Sources
1. Victor Malarek. Anti-Pornogrpahy. “Jones: Sex for Sale and the Men Who Buy It.” http://www.antipornography.org/Victor_Malarek. html. July 2010
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Cable News Network. 23 April 2010. “Report: SEC staffers watched porn as the economy crashed.” http://www.cnn.com/2010/ POLITICS/04/23/sec.porn/index.html. July 2010
6. “Florida State Senator Filmed Viewing Pornographic Image During Floor Debate.” 5 May 2010. http://www.foxnews. com/politics/2010/05/05/florida-state-senator-filmed-viewingpornographic- image-floor-debate/. July 2010
7. “Teens Hooked on Porn.” Online Video. Anti-Pornography. http://www.antipornography.org/teens_hooked_on_porn.html. July 2010
8. Luce, Ron. Battle Cry For a Generation. CO. Cook Communications Ministries, 2005. Pages 30-31.
9. Enough is Enough. “Statistics.” http://enough.org/inside.php?tag=statistics. July 2010
