Pastors say porn a big problem among members
Most pastors believe pornography has adversely impacted the lives of their church members, but almost half cannot estimate what percentage of their congregation views porn.
That is the finding of a newly released survey by LifeWay Research of 1,000 American Protestant pastors.
When presented with the statement, "Pornography has adversely affected the lives of our church members," 69 percent of pastors surveyed agree. That includes 42 percent who strongly agree and 27 percent who somewhat agree. Nine percent somewhat disagree and 8 percent strongly disagree. Fourteen percent do not know or preferred not to answer. To read more, click here.
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About twenty years ago I experienced one of those startling illuminations that completely reshaped my opinion of pornography. I was getting on an airplane for a business trip. As I walked through the First Class cabin, I noticed a sharply-dressed business executive openly reading Penthouse Letters - complete with crossed legs to hide his tumescence. This event surprised me, and while I pondered on it, I was suddenly struck by the simplest of explanations. Pornography didn't become an Eight Billion Dollar Industry by targeting the Six-Sigma male. It's targeted right at the middle of the bell curve.
Pornography is us. It is a mirror that gives vision to male sexuality once it has been deformed by sin. It reflects the true nature that exists beneath all that camouflage and self-deception. Between the ages of (say) puberty and dead, there is no man who can truthfully say he is not attracted to pornography. This can be seen as both good and bad. On the on hand a man can say "Hey, I'm not an exceptionally bad sexual deviant because I am attracted to porn." On the other hand, he must admit "I am a rather typical normal sexual deviant just like everyone else."
Know the enemy. It's much easier to deal with the vulnerability once you accept its existence. But Christian men are proud. There is something humiliating and embarrassing about admitting this fault to others. Too many visions of dark booths and guys in raincoats. We want to maintain a certain respectable public image about certain subjects. Well, once you realize the guy next to you is just like you are, the need for the illusion falls away. We are all in the same boat. We are all sexual beings. We are all deformed by sin. That deformation is remarkably consistent.
It's pride that allows this to grow as a problem. Humility allows it to be exposed and controlled. Remember that the Scripture does not say "Stand and fight fornication." It says to flee. Like Joseph when he fled from Potiphar's wife. How long could Joseph have remained in her presence and not given in? There is not a guy alive who should want to test his resolve in those circumstances.
I have this image of Joseph hiding somewhere after he fled Potiphar's wife, and hyper-ventilating into a brown paper bag. Righteousness collides with arousal, and righteousness wins. But God, faithful to His word, would not allow Joseph to be tempted beyond endurance. In His providence, He removed Joseph from harm's way .. albeit not exactly as Joseph might have preferred. This is the formula for successful resistance. Flee. Tell your friends. Get them to help you flee. And never forget - they want to indulge it just as much as you do.
carl
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