At the end of the day, you have to look at these ppl and think where did there lives go bad and wonder what made them have sex for money on camera. Ive seen porn and I think to myself thats someones daughter, son. When you think like that it will help you stop watching it.

Obedience is the key

At the end of the day, you have to look at these ppl and think where did there lives go bad and wonder what made them have sex for money on camera.

My guess is that they believe the same as anyone else who uses their time to work for money; they believe they will die without it.

I am reminded of the situation where the pharisees brought the prostitute to Jesus. This situation is similar. Let he who is ready to work for love (as opposed to forcing others to pay us for our help) cast the first stone.

Yeah yeah, I get that the idea of a man or woman participating in fornication for the sake of getting their money is not quite the same as someone painting a house to get their money, BUT...

In both cases, the motive is money. Are the two situations really so different when it comes to motivation for WHY they work?

Waaaaaay up there in Heaven, so far above us, maybe God see's it just a bit different to how we see it, and the particular action we use to get the money is not quite so important as the fact that we are trying so hard to get money in the first place when he told us to do something quite the opposite.

Originally Posted by Konquistador

This thread is a bunch of self-righteous, rule-following, judgemental anti-Christian statements.

We are not to judge what others do, but only to point out God's love for them and other ways and choices that they can make. Not because it is wrong, but because they will have better lives because of it.

I have on purpose watched porn of every type, probably more than a porn addict would watch, and certainly a greater variety than an addict watches. I have statistically calculated various things, and written articles about it. I have talked to porn actors about their lives, and written about it.

These judgemental statements in this thread are horrifying, and about as contrary to the teachings of Christ as I can imagine. As anyone with an ounce of logical rationality can see, there is not one iota of evidence that Jesus ever condemned people in a personal encounter with the kind of language I see in this thread, nor did St. Paul ever report the value of this kind of self-righteous rhetoric.

Connect with these people, see what their needs are, and help them meet these needs in righteous ways without condemning them. Not once did Jesus tell someone to stop sinning until AFTER he had dealt with their real-life pain. That's what we are called to do.

Please, if you are going to talk about the teachings of Christ, please lay out His words, not your emotionally charged accusations.

Let God speak to these matters with His scripture. If you find that you cannot back what you are saying with His word, perhaps you should rethink how you reprove and rebuke on the internet.

Otherwise, I would love to see whatever journal articles you have on the pornography industry. What exactly have you "calculated?" Any links to your studies or writings would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by my_little_pony

My guess is that they believe the same as anyone else who uses their time to work for money; they believe they will die without it.

I am reminded of the situation where the pharisees brought the prostitute to Jesus. This situation is similar. Let he who is ready to work for love (as opposed to forcing others to pay us for our help) cast the first stone.

Yeah yeah, I get that the idea of a man or woman participating in fornication for the sake of getting their money is not quite the same as someone painting a house to get their money, BUT...

In both cases, the motive is money. Are the two situations really so different when it comes to motivation for WHY they work?

Waaaaaay up there in Heaven, so far above us, maybe God see's it just a bit different to how we see it, and the particular action we use to get the money is not quite so important as the fact that we are trying so hard to get money in the first place when he told us to do something quite the opposite.

That is a really important point, mylittlepony. Thanks for making it.


I would also observe, that this same point --- from the perspective of an addict --- can also be used as fodder to continue to justify or diminish the importance of the act itself. I agree with what you're saying about how God may view this...but if it's really all about the motive, then what actions do matter?

(****...I don't mean to lead us into what could get into a circular discussion about the ying-and-yang of motives-vs-actions, etc! Anyways, you know what I mean?)

hey sie

can also be used as fodder to continue to justify or diminish the importance of the act itself. I agree with what you're saying about how God may view this...but if it's really all about the motive, then what actions do matter?

Fair enough. I definitely do not think pornography or prostitution is okay, neither drug addiction and I think people should NOT be looking for ways to justify these things on the basis of convenient doctrines or technicalities.

I think, though, that you've answered you own question within the paragraph. You talk about "justifying". That is an important distinction when it comes to motives and actions.

Most often, our wrong actions can be justified by a good motive simply because we don't know or understand what we are doing wrong.

But if a time comes when we DO get some understanding that we are doing something wrong and we continue doing it, for whatever reason, then the motive becomes suspect.

It's just, I think it's good to take a long, hard, healthy look at our own motivations for why we support OR disagree with any particular stance and then try to compare that position with an honest look at how Jesus may have dealt with it.

Hi Pony. Like s.i.e, I think you made a good point.

I think it's strange how people ignore really horrendous jobs that people do to get money, but they think that it is more immoral to be a porn star. Things like creating/profiting from wars, or selling weapons that kill people, or forcing sick and dying people to pay hugely inflated prices for medicines that would save their lives. These types of things seem much more immoral that the porn industry in a lot of ways.
But having said that, I do think the porn industry is immoral and I think it is horrible the way young men and women get trapped into it because they are looking for easy money or a way to escape bad situations at home. It's really tragic.

I also agree with the sentiment expressed by readytogrow, that if you think about the fact that they are someone's son or daughter (or even yours) then that is a real turn off and will help you stay away from it. Also I think that if you "take care of business" yourself before you get too tempted it will help you immensely.

Beans

Over 3800 views as of this moment. One wonders why, on this otherwise scarcely surfed forum, this topic has generated so much attention.

Nowadays, one only has to hit a few keys on one's computer to release a flood of explicit images and videos of such a breathtaking variety that no desire, no matter how exotic or esoteric, remains unfulfilled.

When I was a youngster, we didn't have access to all this entertainment that has gotten so many here so hot and bothered.

But I do remember that the clothing catalogs my mother used to have contained images of women modeling underwear. I hope I am not overstepping the boundaries of this forum when I say that these catalogs, designed as they were to sell clothing, served the same purpose as the far more racy images that were purveyed, later, by the shops that rented videos, and now, the world wide web.

The point I am getting to is that pornography can take many forms, but at its root it consists of imagery which stimulates our urge to reproduce.

It may behoove us to realize that we share this urge to procreate with all of creation.

Some here seem to imagine that we can turn off this urge at will. To these people I'd suggest to blow the dust off those high-school biology textbooks and give them another read.

We are creatures who seek pleasure. It seems to me that the best course of action is to embrace this fact and work with it.

Arnold

Originally Posted by Arnold J.Rimmer

Over 3800 views as of this moment. One wonders why, on this otherwise scarcely surfed forum, this topic has generated so much attention.

Nowadays, one only has to hit a few keys on one's computer to release a flood of explicit images and videos of such a breathtaking variety that no desire, no matter how exotic or esoteric, remains unfulfilled.

When I was a youngster, we didn't have access to all this entertainment that has gotten so many here so hot and bothered.

But I do remember that the clothing catalogs my mother used to have contained images of women modeling underwear. I hope I am not overstepping the boundaries of this forum when I say that these catalogs, designed as they were to sell clothing, served the same purpose as the far more racy images that were purveyed, later, by the shops that rented videos, and now, the world wide web.

The point I am getting to is that pornography can take many forms, but at its root it consists of imagery which stimulates our urge to reproduce.

It may behoove us to realize that we share this urge to procreate with all of creation.

Some here seem to imagine that we can turn off this urge at will. To these people I'd suggest to blow the dust off those high-school biology textbooks and give them another read.

We are creatures who seek pleasure. It seems to me that the best course of action is to embrace this fact and work with it.

Arnold

I've heard the " go with the flow" philosophy for a long time. Before my salvation I did the sex,drugs, and rock&roll thing. It is another thing to pursue worldly pleasures that lead to destruction after receiving the Holy Spirit. Christian's aren't sinless, they just sin less.

Greetings,
i am not speaking to any one person in particular, but only relating what i know to be True for me and what God has revealed to me. Even though i use to desire to look at porn, i know that if i continue to look at porn, i will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, for no fornicator or adulterer shall be taken up with Him. Any person who looks upon another to lust after that person commits adultery, unless it is your spouse. i know if i look at porn, i will lust, and commit adultery by doing so. If i could not cease from looking at pornography, i would do whatever it took to stop. Tell spouse, get help, get rid of the computer, whatever it took to cease, because i know if i continue to look at porn and do not cease to look at porn, (even though i repent of it) i will still be considered an adulterer, because i failed to overcome looking at porn, i failed to find the path out of it which God has provided me. And i know there is no temptation that is so strong that i can't handle it as it is written. Jesus helped me to cease, He will also help you, and He will give you the Strength and power to do so, but you first must want to STOP. Those who Truly repent of looking at porn, no longer continue to look at porn. If you were Truly sorry for looking at porn, you would cease to look at porn. If a man continues to beat his wife every night, but afterward repents of it every night, how sorry is he, if he continues to bean his wife? Only a Truly repentant heart receives True repentance. Anyone can say "Father forgive me of _________" But if they continue to do _________. How sorry are they?

Those who truly want to quit looking at porn, will indeed find a way to do so, and with the help of the Holy Spirit and Jesus it can be done. If you do not cease to look at porn, but continue to look at it being an adulterer, it is not like i have not warned you about it, that Heaven is at stake here, and that Scriptures are CLEAR, that no adulterer will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

If a person steals, and they continue to steal, and they do not cease to steal, no matter how many time they repent of their stealing, on Judgement Day they will be judged as a thief, because they steal. And no thief will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven

If a person lies, and they continue to lie, and they do not cease to lie, no matter how many time they repent of their lying, on Judgement Day they will be judged as a liar, because they lie. And no liar will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven

If a person looks at porn, and they continue to look at porn, and they do not cease to look at porn, no matter how many time they repent of their looking at porn, on Judgement Day they will be judged as an adulterer, because they lust after others who are not their spouse. And no adulterer will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven

If i can cease to look at porn, you can too. i looked to Christ to help me, when i was tempted, i prayed or read the Bible, or called a fellow christian. After you quit it gets easier, now i have no desire at all to look at that filth, He has taken it away from me. He will you too if you have that problem.

i have struggled with mastabation since i was 12 years old. I think emotional immaturity has something to do with it. It rears it ugly head ever so often even though im 51 now.