What’s so Big about a Little Porn?

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What’s the big deal about looking at a little porn? In today’s society blatant sexuality seems to be everywhere. Movies, TV, even the commercials are increasingly blurring the line between “family” entertainment and soft-core pornography.

Clothing that would have gotten someone arrested for indecent exposure a few years ago is becoming more and more commonplace on the runways and red carpets of our rich and famous. Even in our churches it isn’t unusual to see short-shorts, almost non-existent skirts and plunging tank tops. With all that right under our noses, why is it so unforgivable to intentionally choose to watch a little sexual material? It’s not like it’s an affair or anything. Besides, it seems like EVERYONE is doing it. Why not me?

Good question. Why NOT you?

DIMINISHING EFFECTS
Men ARE visual. Men ARE naturally interested in sex. Pornography definitely has a draw. Some men can look at it a few times and walk away, but the more you’re exposed to it the more likely it is to become a problem.

Our bodies are very adaptive. If we take two aspirin every four hours for an extended period of time they would quickly stop working. Our body would begin to see that level of aspirin in our system as normal, and it would soon require  three or four or more, to give us the same pain relief that the two had originally provided.

It’s the same thing with pornography. Eventually, with repeated use, the effect, whether it be excitement or stress-reduction, lessens and you will need more frequent use or more extreme materials to get the same results. My husband never dreamed when he looked at his first “girly magazine” that there would come a time when those types of pictures wouldn’t even arouse him anymore or how many of his values and morals he would eventually have to distance from to keep getting the effect he had come to rely on.

PREDISPOSITION
Studies have also shown that some people are more vulnerable to getting “hooked” than others. Their brains are actually wired in such a way that they are more likely to become addicted to substances or activities than the average person. It’s impossible to know where that breaking point is for you.

It’s similar to the issue of alcohol during pregnancy. Some women may be able to drink a little and not hurt their baby, but there is not enough research to determine how much, if any, is safe for each unique individual and their specific baby. The wrong amount, by the wrong person, at the wrong time, can produce devastating life-long consequences for the child and its family. So why take a chance?

Porn can be equally as destructive. It can destroy marriages, families, careers and so much more. It happens all the time. If you aren’t willing or able to eliminate that possibility, it might be time to ask yourself why you’re willing to take such a huge gamble.

IT HURTS THE ONES YOU LOVE
When you choose porn, you are not only risking your own future, but the future of all the people you care about. Recent studies show that 40% of sex addicts lose their spouses; 58% suffer significant financial losses, at least a third lose their jobs. Think of how any one of these events would negatively affect your family.

Even if you’re one of the lucky ones, there is no doubt that your relationships, even with your wife and children, will suffer as the addiction progresses. My husband said that before he went for help, his addiction had reached the point that it had taken over his thought life. He was distracted all the time, whether at work, at home or at church. His mind raced with thoughts of how and when he would find the next opportunity to act out next. Fantasies pranced through his mind as if they owned it. He found excuses to be alone, and when he wasn’t, it was only his body that was going through the motions with his family, his mind was elsewhere.

It may not happen today, or even tomorrow, but that’s where just a little porn will take you if given the chance. No one believes it will happen to them, but none of us are strong enough to resist its grip if we choose to allow that door to remain open.

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”—Proverbs 4:26

TODAY’S CHAT: What did I miss? Are there other negative consequences of using porn that you have seen or experienced?