Does the Bible condemn pornography?

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"Everyone who continually looks at a woman so as to be inflamed with passion for her [has] already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28)

WHY YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT

Pornographic material is more popular and accessible today than ever before. Anyone who wants to please God and live a happier life should know how God feels about pornography.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

Pornography is not specifically mentioned in the Bible. However, engaging in pornographic material is in direct contradiction to many biblical principles.

For example, the Bible contains the clear warning that it can lead to adultery if a married man "continually looks at" a woman to whom he is not married and makes her the object of his sexual desire. The principle behind this statement applies to anyone - married or not - who "continually" looks at pornographic images with illicit sexual ulterior motives. Such a thing is a clear offense to God.

Is pornography wrong even if it doesn't lead to sexual misconduct?

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WHAT MAN HEARS.

Some scientists doubt that there is a clear connection between pornography and actual sexual misconduct. But is engaging in pornography alone morally reprehensible?

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

According to the Bible, "lewd jesting" is immoral and unacceptable (Ephesians 5:3, 4). How much more so pornography, which often presents adulterous, homosexual, or otherwise immoral scenes to the viewer? Taking pleasure in such things is certainly a much greater offense to God than obscene language.

It is debatable how likely it is that sexual fantasies stimulated by pornography will be acted out. However, as is clear from the Bible, engaging in pornography is in itself a gross insult to God and has a destructive effect on one's relationship with Him. The Bible admonishes, "Mortify therefore the members of your body . . . in regard to fornication . . . [and] sexual lusts" (Colossians 3:5). Those who look at pornography are doing just the opposite: instead of killing such desires, they are feeding and fueling them.

How to get away from pornography?

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WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible speaks of sexually permissive people, drunkards and thieves who managed to change from the bottom up (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). How did they manage to do that? They implemented the wise counsel from God's Word in their lives and learned to hate evil.

Pornography, too, can be learned to hate by thinking deeply about what dire consequences this harmful habit can have. A recent Utah State University study found that people who view pornographic material struggle, in part, with "depression, social isolation, broken relationships" and other sad consequences. What's even worse, since engaging in pornography is an offense to God, as mentioned earlier, it drives a wedge between people and their Creator.

The Bible can help us learn to love what is good. The more we read it, the deeper our love for its moral standards becomes. This love equips us to take a firm stand on pornography and to resolve, like the writer of Psalms, "I will not put a worthless thing before my eyes" (Psalm 101:3).



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