Pornography: Lies and Chains
James 1:13-15
[Please see many more stats on this subject as well as our suggested tools and filters to help your family at the weblink at the very bottom of this message]
Intro:
“Don’t talk on this subject, preacher, it’s inappropriate.”
Oh yes, we must, and let me tell you why. The world talks about it and no one isn’t touched by it…it’s high time the church take a stand!
“But, I don’t use porn, and I’m sure my spouse and kids don’t.”
Good, then you won’t be on the spot at all today!
Pornography is big business. According to U.S. News and World Report, the industry 5 years ago grossed an estimated $10 billion. That figure represents an expenditure of about $30 per person in the United States. That’s more than is spent annually on gambling! And it has the same links to organized crime!
Porn is now as American as Apple Pie, and has found a place in every corner of our society, including the church. We’ll talk about that in a minute.
It’s now a $12 Billion dollar a year industry in the US alone! This amount is much larger than Hollywood’s domestic box office receipts and larger than all the revenues generated by rock and country music recordings. Americans now spend more money at strip clubs than at Broadway shows, off-Broadway shows, in Branson, or regional, and nonprofit theaters; at the opera, the ballet, and jazz and classical music performances -- combined. It is today the #7 grossing industry in the US!
The revenues of the porn industry in the U.S. alone are bigger than the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball combined. Worldwide porn sales are reported to be $57 billion. To put this in perspective, Microsoft, who sells the operating system used on most of the computers in the world (in addition to other software) reported sales of 36.8 billion in 2004.
Family Safe Media
Most of the profits being generated by porn today are being earned by businesses not traditionally associated with the sex industry -- by mom and pop video stores; long-distance carriers like AT&T; by cable companies like Time Warner, and by hotel chains which now earn millions of dollars each year by supplying adult films to their guests.
The United States is now by far the world’s leading producer of porn, churning out hard-core videos at the astonishing rate of about 150 new titles a week.
Each year, Americans spend more than $150 million ordering adult movies on pay-per-view.
Playboy’s Web site now averages about five million hits a day.
Telephone sex -- Every night, between the peak hours of 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., perhaps a quarter of a million Americans pick up the phone and dial a number for commercial phone sex.
There are now more outlets for hard-core pornography in the United States than McDonald’s restaurants.
The introduction of pornography to the information highway has made home computers the fastest growing and primary mode of distribution of illegal pornography.
* 38 percent of adults believe it is ‘morally acceptable’ to look at pictures of nudity or explicit sexual behavior
Morality Continues to Decay. Barna Research Group, 3 November, 2003
* 59 percent of adults believe it is ‘morally acceptable’ to have sexual thoughts or fantasies
Morality Continues to Decay. Barna Research Group, 3 November, 2003
* 38 percent of adults believe there is nothing wrong with pornography use
Morality Continues to Decay. Barna Research Group, 3 November, 2003
* 41 percent of surveyed adults admitted they felt less attractive due to their partner’s pornography use.
Marriage Related Research, Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D. Christian Counseling Today, 2004 Vol. 12 No. 1
* In a 2000 Christianity Today survey, 33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week.
[the stats are higher among pastors in anonymous surveys]
* Out of 81 pastors surveyed (74 males 7 female), 98% had been exposed to porn; 43% intentionally accessed a sexually explicit website
National Coalition survey of pastors. Seattle. April 2000
* Almost 9 in 10 pastors reported counseling a layperson on sexual issues once a year or more.
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[Written by a Pastor]
I had a hard time believing that half the men in the church would really be accessing porn, so in early 2004 I asked the church where we attended at the time if they would be willing to take a survey. They agreed, and in the survey we asked the men "when was the last time you looked at pornography?" The church was made up mostly of young families, and the idea that many of the husbands and fathers I sat next to every Sunday were dabbling in porn... I couldn’t comprehend it. Surely, I thought, the numbers would be lower. It can’t be half, not in my church.
Here’s what came back:
25% had viewed porn within the past month
44% within the past 6 months
61% within the past year
“Don’t talk on this subject, preacher, it’s inappropriate.”
Seems to me it’s quite an appropriate topic for today and tonite at the very least. Pornography is corrupting the church and destroying our nation; without action the problem will only get worse.
“But, I don’t use porn, and I’m sure my spouse and kids don’t.”
Still feel that way? It’s true, they will probably deny it…and so, guess what! That means they’ll have no problem with the new accountability and protection rules you’re going to implement! “No, you cannot have a private computer in your room.” “You have to be off the computer by 9 PM, and if you’re going to stay up until 2 AM, it won’t be with TV or PC privileges!”
[cable boxes / sexually explicit videos and video games / MySpace and internet chat rooms and webcams / set time limits / get the programs at the bottom of this sermon that aid in accountability, tho’ they aren’t completely sufficient w/out you, the adult, taking responsibility!]
It’s extremely dangerous, like an intruder in our own homes, and so Christians must become involved in the battle against pornography in order to protect themselves.
We are in the midst of a battle. Indeed, this is spiritual warfare. We must have a battle plan to fight pornography. Our battle plan must include our recognizing pornography for what it is, who the victims are and how to bring healing to them and strategies to turn the tide regarding the devastating influence of pornography in our country.
I. What is pornography?
A. Pornography is a perversion that attacks everything God cherishes most.
Man is made in God’s image. Therefore, the theological foundation against pornography begins with the premise that every human life has dignity and is sacred (Genesis 1:27).
Job 31:1
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
B. Pornography is an enemy which destroys the innocence of children.
It has been estimated that approximately 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually molested before the age of 18. The relationship of pornography to child sexual abuse is compelling. Seventy-seven percent of those who molested boys and 87 percent of those who molested girls said they were regular users of hard-core pornography. [taking advantage of the innocent!]
UNICEF reports that one million children each year are forced into prostitution and used to make pornography. [Child trafficking]
Mark 9:42 [levels in hell? I think so!]
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
C. Pornography is a lie.
Pornography says the best sex is outside of marriage. Pornography promises what it cannot deliver. Proverbs 9:17 tells us that "stolen waters are sweet..." However, Proverbs 14:12 tells us, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death."
II. Who are the victims?
A. Those who are addicted to pornography are victims.
Males: There is such a thing as the "pleasure of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25). However, according to James 1:13-15, lustful sin in its fullest form brings forth death. Death to our self-esteem, to meaningful relationships, to moral absolutes, and all too often literal death to the innocent as well as the guilty.
In an odd twist, exposure to pornography leads to a lower net return each time—which is to say that the more pornography one sees the more explicit the images must be in order to excite interest… his eyes roam across the images of unblinking faces, leering at women who make no demands upon him, who never speak back, and who can never say no. There is no exchange of respect, no exchange of love, and nothing more than the using of women as animal like sex objects for his individual and inverted sexual pleasure.
Men, to look at porn is to commit adultery, acc’d to Jesus Christ!
Matthew 5:27-28
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Males are victims of porn…and so are…
Females: both those who are sucked into exposing themselves for pay and those of you who do it for free!
Just look at the definition of porn.=exposure which leads to sexual arousal.
It’s time for Church girls to stop trying to fit in w/ every style and realize we ought to obey God rather than men…and the Bible teaches modesty, innocence, and saving that unveiling for your wedding night. It’s time for girls to realize that males will look if you’ll show it, and that he’ll take off the rest of your clothes w/ an eyeball undressing if only you hint at what else is under there!
Ill.—you’re advertising…you’d better be ready and willing to deliver the merchandise on your billboard…and if you won’t freely give it to him, he’ll take it w/ the imagination you’ve sparked in his mind!
those who’ve been addicted are victims…
B. Those who have been harmed are victims.
One woman’s story:"My husband began using porn as a teenager. What was once an adolescent hobby became the ’other woman’ in our marriage. At first it was our intimacy that suffered. Then, his pastime grew into an addiction which then started to include more serious forms of ’adultery.’ He was going to strip bars and sleeping with prostitutes. He was often late, with poor excuses. I noticed our money disappearing and never suspected he was spending nearly $500 a week to feed his addiction.
Me? I felt responsible, ugly, ashamed, alone and hopeless. Why would he look at another woman unless I wasn’t pretty or sexy enough? Friends rejected my idea that his porn use was ruining our relationship. They told me to be sexier, more sexually responsive and available so that he wouldn’t look elsewhere. I tried all these things only to find they didn’t work. I ended up feeling like a failure, as a wife and a lover. Now I know it wasn’t me.
When we got help I found out his pornography use began before our marriage, as far back as his youth. Not only was it not my fault -- it had nothing to do with me at all. After much counseling, we both understand that he entered our marriage thinking I would cure all his sex problems. No wonder he was so disappointed and angry.
We’re still together. We are living proof that a pornography or sex addiction does not have to mean the end of your relationship."
Families, wives and children, are directly affected. Women who have been raped and sexually abused are impacted forever. Babies are born with sexually transmitted diseases. Young people are scarred for life. Marriages are broken beyond repair. The dignity of women is degraded as they are viewed as mere animals, pets, bunnies! Teens are warped into never knowing what real love is, and never experiencing true intimacy w/out emptiness!
III. What action can we as believers take…to turn the tide of pornography in our country?
The First Amendment refers to freedom of speech, not "freedom of speech for obscenity, pornography, or indecency." You can apply the same to consumer fraud, conspiracy, libel, slander or false shouting "fire" in a crowded theatre. None of these are protected by the First Amendment.
In 1973, the US Supreme Court ruled in Miller vs. California that "this much has been categorically settled by the court, that obscene material is unprotected by the First Amendment." That’s the same court that voted in favor of Roe!
We should speak out at every opportunity! There must not be many speaking out!
A. We are to take a stand on our knees.
Since this is a spiritual battle the war must be waged through prayer first and foremost (Ephesians 6:10-18).
B. The parable of the good samaritan provides our marching orders.
We need to be the ones who minister the healing balm in the lives of pornography victims (Luke 10:27-37).
C. We need to be salt and light in our culture (Matthew 5:13-14).
D. We need accountability, and to make sure the problem doesn’t exist in our own household!
The Internet has brought an interstate highway of pornography into every community, with exit ramps at every terminal or personal computer, including those at school, or, God forbid, in their own bedroom.
You need to know how to check on where a pc has been taken on the net, what’s more, you need an internet filter for yourself even, as so much you can stumble upon unintentionally!
And the same goes for the TV and magazines! Accountability is the key! It’s not just about whether you need help in this area, it’s about being above reproach in a world in which the stats do not lie!
PowerPoint for this and hundreds more free sermons at our website:
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/pornography.html
