The porn industry can be down right disrespectful of women in their descriptions and portrayals, with violent and derogatory terms often being used to indicate the rough nature of how the women appearing in the films are used and abused. Women are seen as sexual objects to be used for the physical pleasures and perversions of men. No matter how brutal or invasive the act may be, women are also shown as enjoying it immensely – and in fact desiring the same things. Women are perceived in such a way that they would like nothing more than to have sex with any man with a pick up line and some easily removable pants, but contrary to what some men may allow themselves to believe, this is not the case. There is nothing wrong with seeing a female as a beautiful and sexual being, but that is not all that they are – and most desire much more than sexual gratification (especially if its in weird and unflattering ways).
The main problem with this portrayal is that many porn users are exposed to porn at a young age, which may lead to an early lack of respect for females and for sex itself. This in turn can breed a society in which not only is it the norm for men to see women as sexual objects, but young girls may be conditioned into believing that this is normal.
We live in a society where sexual values and ethics are fading, as young men are all too willing to have sex with the first willing female they can find and young women do not value themselves and the act of sex enough to wait for the right time and partner. The sexual antics with no personal connection shown in porn movies can be seen as a contributing factor to the promotion of promiscuity and casual sex. Sex itself is not the problem here – it is the way in which it is used and portrayed by the pornographic industry.
Any act seen in a porn movie can be considered to be acceptable, as long as it is done with genuine love and consent by all those concerned (which is unlikely, especially in terms of group sex or any form of humiliation), and not for economic gain where it is used as a tool of trade. Sex is not a commodity to be filmed and sold and no matter what they are being paid, the “stars” of these films are going very cheaply. As with many multi million dollar industries, ignorance is indeed bliss, as the women who act in these films are treated like the objects that they convey.
If you watch a pornographic film, how do you know when you are watching an abused or psychologically damaged women “performing” or not? Perhaps you are funding the drug addiction of abused and humiliated women who are selling their dignity and respect for their next hit? The porn industry is rife with these kinds of stories, and many worse – so if you’re not sure where your money or attention is going, why fund or use any of it? There is genuine sexual fulfillment to be found in the real world, in real relationships – where there are no cameras, money and profit margins involved.
Finding freedom from porn addiction,
pornography addiction, the effects of pornography
by Gene McConnell
Porn & addiction...sex out of context
On a cold, dark night, there's nothing better than a blazing fire in the fireplace. You can pile on the wood and let it burn nice and warm. It's safe, warm, relaxing and romantic. Now take that same fire out of the fireplace (which was built for it) and drop it in the middle of the living room. Suddenly it becomes destructive. It can burn down the whole house and kill everyone inside. Sex is like that fire. As long as it's expressed in the protective commitment of a marriage relationship, it's wonderful, warm and romantic. But porn takes sex outside that context.
Porn - A Big Business
It's a big business that makes a lot of money and doesn't care how. They'll show you whatever they think will make you come back and buy more. "There were 11,000 porn video titles last year versus 400 movie releases from Hollywood last year...[and] 70,000 pornographic web sites."1
It's a big business that makes a lot of money and doesn't care how. They'll show you whatever they think will make you come back and buy more. "There were 11,000 porn video titles last year versus 400 movie releases from Hollywood last year...[and] 70,000 pornographic web sites."1
Porn's Image of Sex
One of the most vital parts of mental environment is a healthy idea of who we are sexually. If these ideas are polluted, a critical part of who we are becomes twisted. The porn culture tells you that sex, love and intimacy are all the same thing. In porn, people have sex with total strangers -- people they just met. All that matters is my satisfaction. It doesn't matter whose body I'm using, as long as I get it. Porn gets you to think that sex is something you can have anytime, anywhere, with anyone, with no consequences.
What Sex is Really About
The problem with porn's shallow perspective is that relationships are not built on sex, but on commitment, caring and mutual trust. In that context, like fire in the fireplace, sex is wonderful. Being with someone who loves and accepts you, someone who is committed to you for your whole lives together, someone you can give yourself completely to, that is what makes sex really great.
The problem with porn's shallow perspective is that relationships are not built on sex, but on commitment, caring and mutual trust. In that context, like fire in the fireplace, sex is wonderful. Being with someone who loves and accepts you, someone who is committed to you for your whole lives together, someone you can give yourself completely to, that is what makes sex really great.
Effects of Pornography: The Lies of Porn
You can't learn the truth about sex from pornography. It doesn't deal in truth. Pornography is not made to educate, but to sell. So, pornography will tell whatever lies attract and hold the audience. Porn thrives on lies -- lies about sex, women, marriage and a lot of other things. Let's look at some of those lies and see just how badly they can mess up your life and attitudes.
- Lie #1 - Women are less than human
- Lie #2 - Women are a "sport"
- Lie #3 - Women are property
- Lie #4 - A woman's value depends on the attractiveness of her body
- Lie #5 - Women like rape
- Lie #6 - Women should be degraded
- Lie #7 - Little kids should have sex
- Lie #8 - Illegal sex is fun
- Lie #9 - Prostitution is glamorous
Effects of Pornography: Bottom Line
Pornography makes a profit from the ruined lives of young women and entraps men who will spend lots of time AND money succumbing to their product.
Effects of Pornography: The Power of Images
We might think that the things we see and hear don't affect us. Yet we all admit that good music, good movies and good books add a lot to our lives. They can relax us, educate us, move us or inspire us. Just as uplifting media can benefit us, pornographic images can negatively affect us.
Images are not always neutral. They can persuade us. Businesses know that if they can get a persuasive image of their product in front of you during a highly emotional moment, it will sink into your subconscious mind. The advertising scientists are so good at what they do, they can predict just how much more of their product you will buy if you see their ad. Sometimes, viewers don't even see the name of the product. Reeses Pieces paid a huge price just to have their candy shown for a few seconds in the movie "ET," and sales of Reeses Pieces skyrocketed. Why? Because the emotions connected with watching that small boy reaching out to the alien were transferred to the visual image of the candy. If a split second view of a product -- even when it's not the center of attention -- can affect people's behavior, imagine the effect of a movie that keeps your attention glued to the screen for an hour and a half with sexually explicit images.
What are the effects of pornography on a man?
What kinds of ideas is porn putting into our heads? If the wrong things keep getting dumped in, your mental environment can get so polluted that your life is going to have problems. One of the most vital parts of mental environment is a healthy idea of who we are sexually. If these ideas are polluted, a critical part of who we are becomes twisted.
Porn Addiction: The Pull of Porn
Not everyone who sees porn will become addicted. Some will just come away with toxic ideas about women, sex, marriage, and children. However, some will have some kind of emotional opening that allows the addiction to really grab hold. The porn companies don't mind at all if you become completely addicted to their product. It's great for business. Dr. Victor Cline has divided the progress of addiction into several stages; addiction, escalation, desensitization, and acting out. For porn addicts, I've found that there is another stage that comes first -- early exposure. Let's look at these stages:
EARLY EXPOSURE
Most guys who get addicted to porn start early. They see porn when they are very young and it gets its foot in the door.
PORN ADDICTION
You keep coming back to porn. It becomes a regular part of your life. You're hooked and can't quit.
ESCALATION
You start to look for more graphic pornography. You start using porn that disgusted you earlier. Now, it excites you.
DESENSITIZATION
You start to become numb to the images you see. Even the most graphic porn doesn't excite you any more. You become desperate to feel the same thrill again, but you can't find it.
ACTING OUT SEXUALLY
This is the point where men make a crucial jump and start acting out the images they have seen. Some move from the paper and plastic images of porn into the real world, with real people, in destructive ways.
Porn Addiction: Am I Addicted?
If you see any of these patterns in your life, you need to put the brakes on right now. Is porn becoming more and more in control of your life? Do you have trouble putting it down? Do you keep going back for more?
Porn Addiction: What Can I Do?
The first thing you've got to do is admit that you struggle with pornography. Believe me, you are not strange or unusual if you do. Millions of men are at various stages in the struggle with porn. It's really not surprising. The porn industry has spent billions of dollars trying to snare you. Is it really shocking that they have succeeded? For some of you there may also be issues in your past, such as abuse or sexual exposure, that makes porn addiction even harder to shake. There is only so much you can do in fighting addiction without help.
You need someone to help you break this addiction. Overcoming the secrecy is absolutely vital. You probably can't escape addiction without it. That doesn't mean everyone has to know you're struggling. Pick someone you can trust who counsels men who are having problems with addiction -- a pastor, youth group leader or counselor. Someone you can completely trust, feel safe with and has experience in the area of addiction isn't going to be surprised.
Is There Any Freedom from Porn Addiction?
Pornography entraps you with lies. In contrast, God can lead us into truth. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Those who heard Jesus say this were offended and countered, "We have never been slaves of anyone, how can you say that we shall be set free?" And Jesus explained that people are enslaved to sin, but that He can set you free.
Sin not only enslaves us, but it distances us from God. And no one is perfect. No one is righteous in God's eyes. Instead we're told that "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." We all deserve God's judgment and punishment. Yet God, who is holy and loving, provided a solution for our sin, so that we would not have to be justly condemned. He personally took the punishment for our sin on Himself. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was tortured and died on the cross for our sin so that we could be forgiven. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead, just as He said He would. And He now offers you a relationship with Him. One of the most amazing statements in the Bible is this one, "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The Most Important Relationship
In your search for intimacy and love, pornography is an empty substitute for real love. We have been created by God to have our intimacy needs met most deeply by God Himself. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." In contrast to the darkness and destruction that pornography can bring to people's lives, Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." God offers you his forgiveness through a relationship with Him. Do you want to ask Him to forgive you and come into your life? You can tell Him right now. If you need help putting this into words, here is prayer that might help:
"Lord Jesus, I am aware of my sin, and I know that you are also. I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I ask you to come into my life right now and begin to work in my life. Direct my life as you see fit. Thank you for your forgiveness and for coming into my life right now."
(1) New York Times, May 20, 2001, "Naked Capitalists"
(2) John 8:31-32
(3) John 8:33
(4) John 8:34
(5) Isaiah 53:6
(6) 1John 1:9
(7) John 3:16
(8) John 10:10
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