p0rnography

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Osage Bluestem

Puritan Board Junior
Have you noticed that there is p0rnography everywhere now? Just driving down the highway you are exposed to basically nude women advertising for strip clubs and such. Of course the television these days is polluted with it as well on about all the shows and commercials, and obviously the internet where light, medium or even hard core p0rnography is just a click away. As Mark Driscoll says "it is easier to look at a beautiful woman naked than it is to get up and go to your fridge."

This is a terrible development in our society and is going to be even more difficult in the coming years. We need to come up with a sound plan to keep our children away from p0rnography when the rest of the world says it is a healthy expression of sexuality and even many Christians don't condemn it because p0rnography and masturbation isn't explicitly mentioned in the bible.

This is one area where I support censorship laws. I would love to see p0rnography banned and decency laws enacted in all public places and domains. ID verification and password protection should be required by law to access it on the internet, and it should never be placed on a billboard or in any public area. Such as this billboard that was eventually taken down in New York: Calvin Klein 'Threesome' Ad Draws Oohs, Aahs and Protests - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

This is one area the devil is using right now to really drag down Christians, especially pastors and deacons and such. I think Mark Driscoll dealt with this topic well in his booklet **** Again Christian: http://relit.org/****_again_christian/toc.php

Well, the Mark Driscoll link isn't going to work because apparently the word **** can't be used here. But if you google Mark Driscoll **** again christian you can read his work. He is a Calvinist pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.
 
You're absolutely right. It's out of control. The only part I disagree with is having password verification to access it - It should be illegal to put it on the internet or publish it at all.
 
I'll add my "amen to your post. I've noticed this for a long time now. I mentioned it at a men's breakfast about ten years ago and got several "amen's", but little or no reaction. Seems the church has turned a blind eye to this sinful behavior. Sadly our pastors and leaders are big targets for Satan for it seems many are hooked on ****. When the church can't be seen as opposing the world, we are in trouble.
 
It must be fought. The most difficult battle is in our own hearts though; it is why I had to go through certain verification with Covenant Eyes just to open this thread. Our own ways must be guarded to show others that it is possible--but it's not easy! Ultimately this is an issue of the heart. The public's perception of p0rn won't change until their hearts do.
 
I'm pretty libertarian/laissez-faire when it comes to things like this generally, but this is one issue where I am becoming increasingly persuaded that strong censorship laws need to be put in place. But since this is a multi-billion dollar industry and most Americans are either strongly in favor of it or apathetic, it seems to me that we should be focusing on how we as Christians can fight it. Both on a personal level obviously, but also in the home and the church. (As some have already alluded to in this thread.) So I'm curious, in y'all's experience, what are some of the best resources/practices available to combat this deadly temptation?
 
So I'm curious, in y'all's experience, what are some of the best resources/practices available to combat this deadly temptation?

Good question brother.

I don't really know of any other than meditating on scripture and trying to think of something else whenever you are unfortunatley bombarded by something pornographic. We as Christians are on a spiritual battlefield all of our hours and there is no rest until we leave this flesh behind. Since we know the truth that p0rnography and such is as deadly to the soul as heroin is to the body we should do everything we can to eradicate this filth from the earth so that people don't always have to endure the kinds of torture we go through on a daily basis.

I think that the following passage is great to reflect on when we are greatly tempted to partake in corruption and filth. If we really, really, believed this without any doubts at all and lived like this to the letter we would immediatley be able to see these temptations of the world for what they really are and be truely disgusted by them, we would never even crack a smile at them:

Colossians 3:1-17 KJV
[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
[4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
[5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
[6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
[7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
[8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
[9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
[10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
[11] Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
[12] Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
[13] Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
[14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
[15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
[16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
[17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
 
I'm pretty libertarian/laissez-faire when it comes to things like this generally, but this is one issue where I am becoming increasingly persuaded that strong censorship laws need to be put in place. But since this is a multi-billion dollar industry and most Americans are either strongly in favor of it or apathetic, it seems to me that we should be focusing on how we as Christians can fight it.

Somewhere I read that Americans spend more on p0rn than the US spends on foreign aid. Regardless of what you think of foreign aid, better that than p0rn!
 
On lust and temptation, particular in regard to p0rn:

Tim Challies has a free book called "Sexual Detox." It's new and not very long but very on point and worth the read if you struggle in this area. Here is a PDF of it that you can save to your computer if you so desire: Sexual Detox

-----Added 11/17/2009 at 07:47:25 EST-----

I love Psalm 119 for this topic and just posted one of my favorite passages from it on Facebook yesterday. From verse 9 and 10: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments!"
 
I remember reading some years back of a 17th century Scottish Presbyterian pastor who, as he began to preach on Romans 1:18ff., said, "Such sins are unknown in our land."

Some might contest whether the pastor was entirely correct, but what a blessing to come even anywhere near to such a state of blessed ignorance.
 
Try covenant eyes and make your wife your accountability partner. You'll quit or get beaten to death.
 
I am in complete agreement with the premise of this thread, namely, that certain things should not be seen, read or heard.

However, we need to be extremely careful that we don't get ourselves into a position where we ask non-Christian civil magistrates to do the church's job for us. Our friends from Singapore will likely tell us that their non-Christian rulers censor a lot more than just unbiblical filth. I would have a very different opinion if we were a formally covenanted Christian nation, or if (as was the case until a few generations ago) we could trust the Christian consensus of our voters to elect God-fearing magistrates who will appoint God-fearing judges.

This is a Christian board, not a political theory board, and there is little point in debating the highly technical points which caused the Supreme Court to elevate "dirty dancing" to the level of protection our Founding Fathers intended for the public press and public speech. The logic involved in that twisting of original intent is complicated, and it can only be undone by replacing a number of black-robed Supreme Court justices, not by passing new laws. Furthermore, even if we replace a lot of legislators and a lot of judges, if we start passing censorship legislation without a major heart change by the majority of the American populace, we could easily see those new laws turned against us in ways we never anticipated.
 
if we start passing censorship legislation without a major heart change by the majority of the American populace

You could use that argument against any sin. For instance you could say murder shouldn't be legislated against since it does no good without a heart change.

When I first moved to SA a woman couldn't even wear a bikini in a national park. Travellers were checked for Playboy etc.. at the air port. Then things collapsed, and all those laws were dropped, and now one South African woman out of every 4 will get raped at least once in her life.

About the only type of p#rn the State gets right is kiddie p#rn. You can get thrown in jail in north America or Europe just by having it on you computer, since even the modern State realises there is a correlation between kiddie rape and kiddie p#rn.
 
I agree that we must take care to avoid temptation, but I sort of take a different approach. I would like to see absolutely no censorship whatsoever: if NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox want to show hard-core p0rnography in the middle of the day, so be it. I don't think the state should arbitrarily draw a line defining what is obscene and what isn't. What if they decide the Song of Songs is too erotic or Judges is too violent. Then what?

Let the secular state do what it will. Then Christians will have to make the choice of following God's Word and living according to its standard, or slipping into the sinfulness of the world. Just my personal take...
 
So, a crack addict gives her 9 year old daughter permission to engage in **** for lots of money and you're good with it?
 
Covenant Eyes is good for internet accountability. But, if you have children in the house or struggle with the temptation yourself it is not enough. Use a server based filter like American Family Online provides. You can still have sites visited sent to an accountability partner, but the do a very good job at filtering sites and eliminating spam if you use their email service. If you can't get there you can't see it.
 
So, a crack addict gives her 9 year old daughter permission to engage in **** for lots of money and you're good with it?

You didn't say engage in p0rnography, you said appear naked. I don't equate nudity with p0rnography, regardless of the age. Go to a Spanish beach sometime - most of the pre-pubescent girls run around in bottoms only and it isn't the least bit sexual.

As for engaging in sex acts, it's different because children aren't equipped to handle the emotional or physical baggage that comes with sex. So no, minors shouldn't be allowed to engage in p0rnography, even with parental consent. I'm not sure where you're going with this, though I'm sure you have a point I'm missing...:detective:

-----Added 11/18/2009 at 10:19:53 EST-----

Let the secular state do what it will.



Uhhhhh...no. The state needs to bow the knee to Christ just like every other sphere of life.

Agreed, but they don't and won't. If you look at the instructions to the Israelites in Babylonian captivity and the pattern of Apostolic evangelism in Acts, it is pretty clear that God doesn't want Christians to convert cities or nations wholesale, but to live as shining examples and make their communities better places.

As Christians we should carry that out wherever we live today. I don't expect extremely secular New York to conform to a biblical view of sexuality any more than you expect [-]Sodom[/-] San Francisco to repent of its sexual sins. But I try to make the city a better place and live as an imitator of Christ as best I can. I think that's what we're called to do...
 
What if they decide the Song of Songs is too erotic or Judges is too violent. Then what?

It's already here: Bill C-415

For example, Hugh Owens published an advertisement in a local newspaper that included quotations from Leviticus, the third book of the Bible, against homosexual behaviour. Owens was convicted of discrimination against homosexuals by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. The case is under appeal. Whether his appeal is upheld or not, the point is that Mr Owens has been subjected to prosecution and onerous legal costs for quoting from the Bible.

Canada Family Action Coalition - CFAC
 
I think we have to acknowledge we are living in the days of Sodom in the Old Testament.

I don't see any possibility it can be changed in this generation absent a nationwide revival. Although that's in God's hands and His grace, I think the opposite is more probable, that the church is going to be tested like never before in this country.

The pagan culture in which we live is so saturated by immorality there is not much we can do other than heed and follow the teachings of Paul he gives over and over again throughout his epistles.

You know how sick things are when this is an actual quote from a lesbian in my denomination who has now been found fit for ordination:

In a statement she presented to the presbytery’s Committee on Preparation for Ministry, Larges declared the “fidelity and chastity” requirement to be “a mar upon the church and a stumbling block to its mission,” and said she could not in conscience comply with it.

Presbytery votes to permit Larges ordination; stay of enforcement sought

To bring it home, just yesterday in our Nation's capital, it was ruled that a voter initiative supporting marriage was invalid as illegal discrimination which violated human rights. D.C. vote on gay marriage denied - Washington Times

We are living in very dark days, apart from the hope of Christ.
 
So, a crack addict gives her 9 year old daughter permission to engage in **** for lots of money and you're good with it?

You didn't say engage in p0rnography, you said appear naked. I don't equate nudity with p0rnography, regardless of the age. Go to a Spanish beach sometime - most of the pre-pubescent girls run around in bottoms only and it isn't the least bit sexual.

As for engaging in sex acts, it's different because children aren't equipped to handle the emotional or physical baggage that comes with sex. So no, minors shouldn't be allowed to engage in p0rnography, even with parental consent. I'm not sure where you're going with this, though I'm sure you have a point I'm missing...:detective:

Here's the point (or at least I think it's the point he's wanting to make) you say that children shouldn't be involved in p0rnography even with parental consent, but from whence do you draw that conclusion? Aren't you being just as arbitrary as the government censors would be? If you are removing biblical standards of what is right and wrong then how can you condemn this practice? After all, isn't the world just going to be the world? When you adopt the stand that you're suggesting you open up the door to almost anything. What about bestiality or pedophilia? Should that be censored on public television? I hope I'm not being antagonistic here, I can see where you're coming from but I just don't think any of us would like the conclusions of such a view. :)
 
So, a crack addict gives her 9 year old daughter permission to engage in **** for lots of money and you're good with it?

You didn't say engage in p0rnography, you said appear naked. I don't equate nudity with p0rnography, regardless of the age. Go to a Spanish beach sometime - most of the pre-pubescent girls run around in bottoms only and it isn't the least bit sexual.

As for engaging in sex acts, it's different because children aren't equipped to handle the emotional or physical baggage that comes with sex. So no, minors shouldn't be allowed to engage in p0rnography, even with parental consent. I'm not sure where you're going with this, though I'm sure you have a point I'm missing...:detective:

Here's the point (or at least I think it's the point he's wanting to make) you say that children shouldn't be involved in p0rnography even with parental consent, but from whence do you draw that conclusion? Aren't you being just as arbitrary as the government censors would be? If you are removing biblical standards of what is right and wrong then how can you condemn this practice? After all, isn't the world just going to be the world? When you adopt the stand that you're suggesting you open up the door to almost anything. What about bestiality or pedophilia? Should that be censored on public television? I hope I'm not being antagonistic here, I can see where you're coming from but I just don't think any of us would like the conclusions of such a view. :)

I think you - and I suppose Tim - make a good point: without God all morality is ultimately arbitrary and subjective. I wholeheartedly agree with you there.

My point is I don't want the secular government drawing the line between was is obscene and what isn't. I should be the one deciding what my family watches based on biblical principles, not the government based on some arbitrary standard. If they can allow too much obscenity they can outlaw too much of what is good and right - I would rather them not regulate the airwaves at all. I suppose that's the libertarian in me coming out again. ;)

Going back the OP, I don't think there is a correlation between the amount of skin shown in society and the degree of sexual sin in the church. Sexual sin has been present from Genesis, long before the advent of p0rnography and suggestive advertising. Perhaps Christians should be more introspective and recognize sinful tendencies in our own hearts rather than pointing the finger at secular society.
 
The governing authorities are to be protectors of those that do good and mete our punishment upon those that do evil.
 
I think it goes beyond p0rnography. Simply put, the level of indescency on television and the internet speaks volumes.
Even advertisements have become intolerable causing me to change the channel or mute the sound. It's ownderufl that I am watching a PG show only to have an R rated ad thrown in. And with the lack of consistency in censoring. You can't say the B word but you can say the A word 3 times in a row.

I use OPen DNS. My router is set up to their DNS, and I can filter any address befvore it gets to my router, so they can't easilly defeat it.
 
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