Along with all the wonderful uses of the Internet, there is another use that has been growing ever faster—that of commercialized pornography. But what are the effects of viewing sexually explicit pictures? Is it harmless? Is there any culturally redeeming value in the viewing of pornography?

Uncensored pornographic material is available today to anyone with Internet access. Some sites offer pornographic newsletters that are deposited a few times each week into one's electronic mailbox. With the advent of restriction-free, Web-based e-mail services, such material can be delivered into the in-boxes of anyone—young or old—without being detected.

In his book Slouching Towards Gomorrah, Judge Robert Bork comments on how this type of "entertainment" tears down society. After documenting some despicable tales offered on an Internet newsgroup featuring instructions for would-be child molesters, he notes that "such things can only tempt those who verge on such acts to take a greater interest in them" (p. 136).

Pornography—whether in print, on video or on the Internet—may push those who are having sexual problems over the edge. It is by the Internet, however, that the greatest damage seems likely.

With the advent of digital movies, the likelihood increases that such material will be consumed at a much higher rate. This is made apparent when one recognizes the explosion of pornographic films and profits at the time videocassettes began enabling customers to avoid adult theaters.

With the ability to download digital pornographic movies in the privacy of their own homes, those hooked on pornography can escape the potential embarrassment of being seen in public leaving an adult theater, browsing through X-rated films or facing a clerk.

Pornography is a sin

Driven by their lust for pleasure and given the privacy and means with which to seek it, more and more people will give in to sexual weakness and addiction. This, in turn, will destroy many relationships and prevent meaningful relationships from developing. It will impoverish and warp many who can't stop themselves from seeking more and more perverse porn to try to satisfy their deepening addiction.

But pornography isn't just a problem for those who succumb to its addictive influence. According to Jesus, the viewing of pornography is a sin.

Early in His public ministry, Jesus explained that "whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). The seventh of God's Ten Commandments says, "You shall not commit adultery," and the 10th tells us not to covet, which includes extramarital sexual lust (Exodus 20:14, 17). And let's be honest. People view pornography because it does create lust.

Radical individualism (unrestrained selfishness) is at the heart of today's culture war. For decades America has been evolving into a materialistic, unrestrained, hedonistic society that puts selfish lusts above life and morality. The concept of liberty, upon which the United States was founded, has unfortunately been used to promote the corruption of moral standards and the degradation of the institutions that support them. The reason for this is simple: The push for unrestricted personal freedoms has no final goals. It simply moves away from restraint with no conceivable end.

This was not the intention of the founding fathers of the United States. When they wrote about liberty, they assumed that order and morality would be practiced and protected by the states with minimal intrusion by the federal government. And it was, until the recent attacks on our cultural institutions including marriage, family, religion, education and law. Today, these attacks on traditional institutions are occurring around the world.

Judge Bork explains: "The constant underestimation of their [i.e., traditional institutions'] value and the continual pressure for more individual autonomy necessarily weakened the restraints on individuals. The ideal slowly became the autonomous individual who stood in an adversarial relationship to any institution or group that attempted to set limits to acceptable thought and behavior. That process continues today, and hence we have an increasingly disorderly society" (p. 64).

A symptom of decline

Pornography contributes to America's overall pattern of moral decline. Society increasingly rejects the self-discipline needed for education and marriage and instead embraces practices such as social (rather than scholastic) advancement and no-fault divorce. Sexual self-discipline is rejected as well, which can only lead to the lust for more self-gratification and indulgence.

Some maintain that government has no right to restrain individuals who are satisfying themselves—yet we all have to live with the effects of the people who engage in such acts. Although no one has "dropped dead" from viewing such material, Bork says it best when he responds, "No one ever dropped dead reading 'Der Sturmer,' the Nazi anti-semitic newspaper, but the culture it served caused six million Jews to drop dead" (p. 144).

The porn industry degrades women and men, destroys normal relationships, creates false expectations and perverts the true meaning for sex and family life.

Pornography is a sin in direct conflict with the value, in letter and in spirit, of monogamy and fidelity in marriage. Since marriage and family are the building blocks of any healthy society, pornography is clearly a disease that threatens our civilization. Protect yourself and your future by avoiding this cultural plague!

For more information on the causes and effects of pornography, see our article in The Good News. VT