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.
Read Part 1 : Faux Sex
I received a knock on my door late one evening. This does not usually happen. Beth and I were a little concerned. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see a former minister I once knew very well. He had suddenly disappeared from ministry and I simply could not figure out why. After several months, he stopped by to tell me the reason — pornography. At least he had enough integrity left to remove himself from ministry. It would have been much better had he stepped away from ministry for a while, repented, sought help and accountability and then possibly resumed ministry. But he was blinded by shame – a very common cancer that results from consumption of porn – and simply dropped out.
This is by far the most important chapter in this book. Porn is the most pervasive and destructive force that Internet technology has unleashed on the globe. It is everywhere, including the Church. One ministry that is trying to help the Body of Christ says that porn is “The Elephant in the Pew”.1
I have a friend who had a serious struggle with pornography. Thankfully, he has re-submitted his life to Christ, is thriving again and has a desire to help anyone who struggles with porn. As one who knows the power of the Gospel, he writes:
It most certainly is a very big problem in the Church. I would go so far as to say that much of the reason churches are not growing or experiencing revival is because church members do not want to give up their porn. Pastors water down the message and hide the fact that there are men and women in their congregations who are struggling with this addiction. As a result of pastors not dealing with this issue, addicted people feel they have nowhere to go and because it is such a taboo do not deal with this subject end up empowering porn-addicted people in their congregation to continue doing what they are doing.
You know there is a problem when one of America’s all-time and best known sex symbols begins waving a red flag:
As a result of the example set by their elders, by the 1990s teenage sexual promiscuity – or hooking up – with multiple partners had become a common occurrence. Many of my friends who were parents of teenagers sat in stunned silence several years ago when it came to light that oral sex had become a popular practice among adolescent girls in middle schools across the country. The 13-year-old daughter of one such friend freely admitted to performing fellatio on several boys at school on a regular basis. “Aw come on, Mom. It’s no big deal. Everyone is doing it,” she said. Apparently, since it’s not the act of intercourse, kids don’t count it as sex. Can any sane person fail to make a judgment call about that?2
That was written by sex symbol Rachel Welch in an article titled “It’s Sex O’clock in America”. She continues:
Seriously, folks, if an aging sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it’s gotta be pretty bad.3
Where do you suppose an increasing number of 13-year-old girls are learning how to perform fellatio? Former US Attorney General John Ashcroft once put the estimate of teens that have been exposed to pornography at nine in ten.4 As shocking as that might be to some, I too believe that at least 90% of teenagers have been exposed to porn with a very high percentage, especially boys, regularly watching xxx-rated material. In fact, the largest demographic who view porn on the Internet are those between the ages of 12 and 17.5 I recently spoke with a group of teenage boys from two different public high schools and they estimate that 70% of the males at each school regularly consume pornography. They estimated that the number for females is lower.
It used to be that most exposure to sexually explicit material occurred when a fairly small percentage of teenage males discovered a sexually explicit magazine and would look at the pictures in secret. The Internet has changed all of that.
Faux Sex
I could have also included the subject of pornography in the Virtual Reality section of this book. Things are not always as they seem. Part of pornography’s appeal, especially to men, is the thought that there are women who are willing to do anything, and I mean anything, when it comes to sex. What especially causes the hormones to rage is the fact that the women of porn are made to appear as though they are enjoying it. According to Scripture, the only thing that will free us is the truth (John 8:32). The truth is, the majority of the women of porn are drugged or drunk.
They are not enjoying it.
They are given drugs to mask the physical and emotional pain and to make them seem as though they like what is being done to them. I think the best way to describe what really goes on when making porn is to allow some of the former women of porn to speak for themselves.·
Shelley Lubben (www.shelleylubben.com) is a former porn star who now has a powerful ministry, the Pink Cross Foundation (www.thepinkcross.org), which helps people escape from porn. She is playing a critical role in leading many to the healing and delivering power of Christ. There are numerous testimonials on her website. Here are just a few:
“I did over 100 xxx hardcore movies where I was slapped, hit, choked and forced to do sex scenes I never agreed to.·
As I did more and more scenes I abused prescription pills which were given to me anytime I wanted by several doctors in the San Fernando Valley. I was given Vicodin, Xanax, Norcos, Prozac and Zoloft.”
– Michelle Avanti
***
My first movie I was treated very rough by 3 guys. They pounded on me, gagged me with their penises, and tossed me around like I was a ball! I was sore, hurting and could barely walk. My insides burned and hurt so badly. I could barely pee and to try to have a bowel movement was out of the question. I was hurting so bad from the physical abuse from these 3 male porn stars!
– Alexa Milano
***
“People in the porn industry are numb to real life and are like zombies walking around. The abuse that goes on in this industry is completely ridiculous. The way these young ladies are treated is totally sick and brainwashing. I left due to the trauma I experienced even though I was there only a short time.”
– Jessie Jewels***
“Guys punching you in the face. You have semen from many guys all over your face, in your eyes. You get ripped. Your insides can come out of you. It’s never ending.”
– Jersey Jaxin
***
“I found out 2 days later that I had caught gonorrhea in my first scene! As quick as that the glamour of being a porn star was gone. In the five years I was shooting I caught Gonorrhea and Chlamydia many times. Sometimes both at the same time about every 3-5 months.”
– Nadia Styles6
***
“I didn’t want to feel the pain of penetration from an over average sized man, being told to freeze in a position until the camera man was happy with his shots was very painful. I had people’s body fluids forced on my face or anywhere else the producer pleased and I had to accept it or else no pay. Sometimes you would get to a gig and the producer would change what the scene was supposed to be to something more intense and again if you didn’t like it, too bad, you did it or no pay.”
– Elizabeth Rollings
***
“I went through more heartbreaks and became suicidal. I was taken to the hospital for panic attacks. I tried to overdose on Xanax, strangle myself, and cut my wrists but not nearly deep enough. I was too scared of the pain. I prayed God would just take me away! I felt helpless. I even went to church for a few months but the guilt I felt was overwhelming that I would feel as if I were choking when I was at church. I had to choose and once again I chose to continue sinning. It was easier and I needed the money.”
– Crissy Moran7
In Part 2, I will examine the extremely high drug, suicide and death rate among porn stars, how pornography continues to stoop to lower levels of degradation, and just how pervasive porn is in the Christian Community.
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:
- X3 Network. http://xxxchurch.com/getinvolved/x3events/ pornsunday.html. July 2010
- Raquel Welch. Cable News Network. 8 May 2010. “It’s sex o’clock in America.” http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/07/welch.sex.pill/index.html. July 2010
- Ibid.
- Rob Jackson. Focus on the Family.2004. “Advice for Parents of Teen Porn Addicts.” http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/ sexuality/when_children_use_pornography/advice_for_parents_of_ teenage_porn_addicts.aspx. July 2010
- The Pink Cross Foundation. http://www.thepinkcross.org/porn_stat_page. July 2010
- Shelley Lubben Communications. http://www.shelleylubben.com/ pornstars. July 2010
- Shelley Lubben Communications. http://www.shelleylubben.com/pornstars?page=1. July 2010
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