PORNOGRAPHY

SEXUAL SINS OR NOT?

 

Sex has always played a big role in creation. Animals act on instinct and thus procreate. Humans are different. Sex has the purpose of procreation but also of bonding and enjoyment. 

When talking about sex, things like marriage, fornication, adultery, “consenting adults”, “friends with benefits”, “casual sex”, “swinging”, homosexuality, bi-sexuality”, prostitution, zoophilia, rape, incest, GSA (Genetic Sexual Attraction), “avunculate marriage”, sexbots, etc. come up. 

This is not a scientific study on sex and sexual relationships. We’ll look at general trends, behaviour of people in this field, and gather info from various sources to get a general picture of what is going on in the world of sexual relationships. 

Sex according to the Bible: 

Here I’ll refer to Kerby Anderson summary: 

God created men and women in His image (Gen. 1:27) as sexual beings. But because of sin in the world (Rom. 3:23), sex has been misused and abused (Rom. 1:24-25).

A biblical perspective of human sexuality must recognize that sexual intercourse is exclusively reserved for marriage for the following purposes. First, it establishes the one-flesh union (Gen. 2:24-25; Matt. 19:4-6). Second, it provides for sexual intimacy within the marriage bond. The use of the word “know” indicates a profound meaning of sexual intercourse (Gen. 4:1). Third, sexual intercourse is for the mutual pleasure of husband and wife (Prov. 5:18-19). Fourth, sexual intercourse is for procreation (Gen. 1:28). 

Sex is very powerful and can be compared to nuclear energy. Within certain specifications of containment it is very useful, without the bounds of containment it is very dangerous en even very destruct full and can cause disasters and lead to death. 

In the upcoming “pages” we will look closer at the various types of sexual relations for example fornication, adultery, prostitution, rape, homosexuality, pornography, sexbots, necrophilia, etc.

These pages are mainly put together from other sources, written by various people, on these matters. Credit is given and sources are quoted.

PORNOGRAPHY

 CONTENTS

·         DEFINITION

·          SECULAR 

·         BIBLICAL

·         GENERAL

·         LAWS IN COUNTRIES

·         GENERAL

·         PORNOGRAPHY VS NUDITY IN ART

·         SECULAR VIEW

·         BIBLICAL VIEW

·         PORNOGRAPHY VS NUDITY IN NEWS MEDIA

·         PORNOGRAPHY AND SONGS OF SOLOMON (BIBLE)

·         FILMS AND BOOKS

·         IN THE NEWS MEDIA

·         CELEBRETIES IN PORNOGRAPHY

·         THE PORNOGRAPHIC PROBLEM

·         WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

·         FINALLY

·         SOLUTION (GOSPEL)

 

DEFINITION

SECULAR

Definition of pornography

1. The depiction of erotic behaviour (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement

2.Material (such as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement

3. The depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction the pornography of violence

Sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, whose purpose is to elicit sexual arousal.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pornography 

Definition of pornography

1. sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, whose purpose is to elicit sexual arousal.

2. writings, pictures, films, etc, designed to stimulate sexual excitement

3.. the production of such material

Sometimes (informal) shortened to porn, porno

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pornography

 

Definitions of pornography

·         Pornography: Erotic videos, pictures, or writing designed to cause sexual excitement.

·         Cybersex: Sex-oriented messages or conversations over the Internet for the purpose of sexual excitement.

·         Phone sex: Using a phone to have improper sexual conversations or to listen to explicit erotic messages.

·         Sexting: Sending sexually explicit images or messages by cell phone.

 

BIBLICAL

Pornography, representation of sexual behaviour in books, pictures, statues, motion pictures, and other media that is intended to cause sexual excitement. The distinction between pornography (illicit and condemned material) and erotica (which is broadly tolerated) is largely subjective and reflects changing community standards. The word pornography, derived from the Greek porni (“prostitute”) and graphein (“to write”), was originally defined as any work of art or literature depicting the life of prostitutes.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/pornography

 

Definition of pornography

The Bible does not directly mention pornography, cybersex, or similar activities. However, the Bible is very clear on how God feels about actions that promote sex outside marriage or a distorted view of sex. Consider these Bible verses:

·         “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite.” (Colossians 3:5) Rather than deadening wrong desires, viewing pornography inflames them. It makes one unclean, or dirty, in God’s eyes.

·         “Everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) Images of immoral sexual practices trigger wrong thoughts that lead to wrong actions.

·         “Let fornication and uncleanness of every sort or greediness not even be mentioned among you.” (Ephesians 5:3) We shouldn’t for pleasure even mention immoral sex, much less watch or read about it.

·         “The works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, . . . and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning you, the same way as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.” (Galatians 5:19-21) God views those who use pornography or engage in cybersex, phone sex, or sexting as being unclean, morally contaminated. If we were to make a practice of such things, we could completely lose God’s favor.

https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-does-the-bible-say-about-pornography/ 

GENERAL

 

When I first started writing about pornography in the 1980s, it was already a multi-billion dollar-a-year business mostly promoted through so-called “adult bookstores” and pornographic magazines. With the development of videos, DVDs, and the Internet, pornography has become ubiquitous.

The wages of sin are enormous when pornography is involved. Revenue from Internet porn exceeds by nearly a 2 to 1 ratio, the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC. And sales of pornographic material on the Internet surpass the cumulative sales of all other products sold online.

The current estimate is the there are over 4 million pornographic websites representing almost 400 million pages of pornographic material.

Pornography is not just something a few men view in the late hours in the privacy of their homes. At least 70 percent of porn is downloaded during work hours (9 am to 5 pm). A percentage of those who do so admit to accessing pornography at work.

And pornography also affects those in church. According to Leadership Journal, 40 percent of pastors admit to visiting a pornographic website. And at one Promise Keepers Convention, 53 percent of men admitted to visiting a porn site the week before.

The impact pornography is having on young people is alarming. It used to be that when you would ask someone when they first saw pornography they would tell you a story about seeing a porn magazine at a friend’s house when they were in middle school or high school. Now a child in grade school has already seen images that were only available in an adult bookstore a few years ago. At one time these images were inaccessible to youth; now they are merely a mouse click away. The average age of first exposure to Internet pornography is 11 years old. And the largest consumer of Internet pornography is the 12-17 age group.

How should we define pornography? What is the effect on individuals and society? And what is a biblical perspective on this? I deal with each of these questions in detail in my book, Christians Ethics in Plain Language. In the next section, we address some of these questions.

Definition and Types of Pornography

How should we define pornography? Pornography has been defined as material that “is predominantly sexually explicit and intended primarily for the purpose of sexual arousal.” Hard-core pornography “is sexually explicit in the extreme, and devoid of any other apparent content or purpose.”

Another important term is obscenity. In the 1973 Supreme Court case of Miller v. California, the justices set forth a three-part test to define obscenity:

(a) The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.

(b) The work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and

(c) The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

What are the types of pornography? The first type of pornography is adult magazines, which are primarily directed toward adult male readers. The magazines with the widest distribution (Playboy and Penthouse) do not violate the Miller standards of obscenity and thus can be legally distributed.

The second type of pornography is video. Videocassettes or DVDs are rented or sold in most adult bookstores and the Internet. They have become a growth industry for pornography.

The third type of pornography is motion pictures. Ratings standards are being relaxed, and many pornographic movies are being shown and distributed carrying R and NC-17 ratings. Many of these so-called “hard R” rated films would have been considered obscene just a few decades ago.

A fourth type of pornography is television. As in motion pictures, standards for commercial television have been continuously lowered. But cable television poses an even greater threat. The Federal Communications Commission does not regulate cable in the same way it does public access stations. Thus, many pornographic movies are shown on cable television.

A fifth type of pornography is audio porn, which includes “Dial-a-porn” telephone calls, the second fastest growth market of pornography. Although most of the messages are within the Miller definition of obscenity, these businesses continue to thrive and are often used by children.

 

LAW IN COUNTRIES

Laws vary from country to country.

PORNOGRAPHY VS NUDITY IN ART

SECULAR

Difference Between Nudity in Art and Pornography
• Categorized under Fashion & Beauty | Difference Between Nudity in Art and Pornography

Nudity in Art vs Pornography

Art is the process of using one’s skills in creating and sharing objects, experiences, and conditions which stimulates the thoughts, emotions, and beliefs of the audience through their senses.

People have been creating works of art since ancient times as evidenced by the many artifacts uncovered in ruins of ancient civilizations. The way that they were presented has shown modern man how the skills of the artists were developed and how art evolved through the years. The subjects of art can be diverse. They may be of nature, man, geometric patterns, animals, religion, or man’s day-to-day life. One very controversial subject in art is nudity.

The human body has been one of the main subjects for artists. In ancient times, especially in Greek art, the nude male human body was the most common subject. Today, one of the first subjects that artists paint is the nude female body.

Nudity has been a favorite subject in paintings, sculptures, and photography. The practice probably started with the depictions of gods and goddesses in ancient paintings. Since they were deities, they wore none or little clothes, and it was but natural to paint them as such.

Today, however, there is a question of when nudity is considered an art or can be considered as pornography. Pornography is the depiction of the human body for the purpose of erotic and sexual arousal. It can be found in the different types of media: magazines, books, photographs, animation, films, recordings, videos, drawings, sculptures, and paintings. In fact, ancient nude works of art were considered unfit to be displayed by the 19th century people who have uncovered them.

They were, however, made and seen as works of art by those who created them. It is only in recent times that the thin line between nudity in art and pornography has been drawn even closer.

The difference lies in each individual’s perception and interpretation of the subject. It is important to note that nudity in art is intended to let people appreciate the beauty of the human body.

Pornography, on the other hand, is intended to arouse the sexual feelings of individuals and the audience. Models pose in such a way that their expressions convey sexuality and eroticism.

Summary:

1.Nudity in art has been an accepted subject since ancient times while pornography is an unacceptable expression which has been developed in later years.
2.Nudity in art is natural and is meant to let the audience appreciate the human body while pornography is intentionally done to arouse sexual feelings in the audience.
3.Models of nude artworks pose naturally and do not convey any eroticism while pornographic models have expressions and poses that are erotic and sexually arousing.
4.Nudity in art is accepted in society while nudity in pornography is seen as inappropriate and is banned in most societies.
5.In some cases, what one person may view as art might be viewed as pornography by another depending upon how the presentation affects the audience.

 http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/fashion-beauty/difference-between-nudity-in-art-and-pornography/

 

BIBLICAL

Where nude art is concerned, we take the view that this is an individual matter. Christians need to set their own personal standards of propriety in response to the dictates of conscience and their understanding of the Word of God. At the same time, we'd suggest that common sense is sufficient to tell the difference between nude artwork and mere pornography. Genuine art seeks to enhance our appreciation of the beauty, goodness, and truth of God's creation. Pornography is calculated only to titillate and incite lust. In certain cases there may be a fine line between the two. Sometimes it all comes down to a question of individual taste and sensibility. For this reason, we'd suggest that some people might be better off avoiding nude art, especially if they feel it stimulates impure thoughts. Your daughter may want to bear these thoughts and principles in mind as she thinks about her future as a Christian artist.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-q-and-a/faith/biblical-perspective-on-christian-involvement-with-the-fine-arts 

 

Question: "What should be the Christian perspective on nudity in art?"

Answer: The Bible has much to say about the human body, which was not only created perfect by God, but also created unclothed. Adam and Eve were innocent in their nakedness, but when they sinned, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Never before had they realized they were unclothed—the concepts of “clothed” and “unclothed” were meaningless to them. But sin affected their hearts and minds, creating vulnerability, guilt, and shame, and these things produced fear (verse 10). In their attempt to cover their spiritual shame, Adam and Eve intuitively covered their bodies. We should note that, when God took away their fig leaves—a sadly inadequate covering—He replaced them with something more permanent—animal skins (verse 21). Thus, God regarded clothing as appropriate and necessary in a fallen world.

We are not saying that the naked body is evil or repulsive; on the contrary, we see the body as a beautiful part of God’s creation. However, due to the fall, nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading (Genesis 9:21; Exodus 20:26; 32:25; 2 Chronicles 28:19; Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:35-36; Luke 8:27; Revelation 3:17; 16:15; 17:16). The only passages in which nudity is free of shame are those that describe Eden’s idyllic setting or that deal with marital relations (Proverbs 5:18-19; Song of Solomon 4).

In concert with biblical principles, most societies attach negative connotations to public nudity and place taboos on it. It is interesting, then, and somewhat puzzling, that those same societal taboos do not apply to artistic displays; a gallery may be full of nude statues, but the people viewing those statutes are required to be clothed.

So, Western culture has determined that nudity in art is permissible. What is the Christian perspective? Can nudity be used in a valid presentation of truth? Can artistic nudity be part of making a larger, legitimate point? For the Christian, does exercising “artistic license” justify portrayals of the nude human form?

Of course, all sorts of tangential questions also arise: What about partial nudity? Is a bare leg too suggestive? What about cleavage? If someone paints a scene from the Garden of Eden, how much shrubbery should surround the carefree couple? Does Michelangelo’s David need underwear? Where does “art” end and “pornography” begin? If lust occurs, whose fault is it—the artist’s, the viewer’s, or both?

We can’t answer these questions in all their particulars—we’ll leave that to individual conviction and conscience—but we can lay out some general principles concerning nudity in art. The first two we’ve already touched on:

1) The naked human body is not inherently sinful.
2) The Bible portrays public nudity as disgraceful.

To these we would add the following:
3) Lust is sin (Matthew 5:28; 1 John 2:16). We are responsible to guard our own hearts against lust. “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15). We should make every effort to avoid whatever causes us to sin and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). This means that, if a visit to the art gallery arouses lust in the heart, then, by all means, stay out of the art gallery.

Related to this is our responsibility to guard against inciting lust in others. We realize that some Christian artists draw, paint or sculpt nudes, and they do so with a clear conscience. We are loath to pass judgment on anyone’s personal convictions; however, Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 are powerful passages on conviction, freedom, and stumbling blocks. We all bear a responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the Christian artist must find a way to balance “artistic integrity” with his obligation not to obstruct the spiritual growth of others. To paraphrase 1 Corinthians 8:13, “If the art I create causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never create art again, so that I will not cause him to fall.”

4) Christians have been called to modesty (1 Timothy 2:9). In this matter, we wish to strike a balance between legalism and licentiousness. We don’t want an “anything goes” attitude, but neither do we want to wrap women in burqas. The basic guideline is for Christian women to dress “modestly, with decency and propriety.” Of course, this instruction is for living people and not for art, but perhaps there is a connection, if indeed art imitates life. Why would a Christian artist paint a model—who is to dress modestly—in an immodest way? Why should Christian art be held to a lower standard than the Christian himself?

5) Christians should have nothing to do with the evil that is pornography. It is true that our culture differentiates art and pornography, and we understand that artistic nudity does not necessarily equal pornography. But we must remember that we live in a fallen world. The legal definition of pornography—the attempt to quantify “obscenity” and gauge “salacious intent”—becomes meaningless when someone is lusting at a picture. It does not matter what the intent of the picture is—if it incites lust in someone’s heart, then there is a problem.

Some artists attempt to disassociate nudity from its sexual connotations and thereby justify depictions of the nude human form. These artists may be attempting to portray vulnerability or recapture a lost purity; they may be trying to promote an innocent appreciation of beauty or glorify the Creator of the body. We agree that humanity could use a little more recaptured purity and recognition of beauty, but we question whether artistic nudity is helpful in a society saturated with sex.

Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that “the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.” Part of the heart’s deceit is self-deception, as we try to convince ourselves that we are not affected by sin, that we are somehow uncommonly resistant to the temptations “common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). That fact is, none of us are free from the influence of the flesh (Romans 7). It’s easy to say, objectively, that a certain nude image has artistic merit and communicates truth, but as fallen human beings, we all bring a measure of subjectivity into play. That subjectivity—combined with the emotional response that art seeks to induce—makes artistic nudity problematic, if not impossible.

6) Art, since it is created by morally responsible beings, is not morally neutral. It is a myth that art is inherently good simply because it is “art”; likewise, it is a myth that art is morally neutral, regardless of subject matter. We cannot evaluate art on mechanics or technique alone; we must also consider intent, theme, and subject matter. Philippians 4:8 can serve as a guide for judging the intangibles: is it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy? This is the standard to which Christian artists are called.

In the end, we would say that, if possible, nudity in art should be avoided. This may not correspond with the world’s thinking, but it should be no surprise to find the world at odds with biblical principles. By no means are we advocating a withdrawal from the art world. We earnestly need Christian artists, critics, and patrons. Neither are we saying that the study of art, human anatomy, or artistic nudity is a sinful pursuit. But we urge believers to be extremely careful when viewing nudity in art. Put on the full armor of God and stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11-18). And, for those creating the art, remember that God clothed Eden’s emigrants. What God has covered, let not man uncover.

https://www.gotquestions.org/nudity-in-art.html
 

PORNOGRAPHY OR ART?

 

How Can I Distinguish Between Nudity in Art and Pornography?

Dan Vander Lugt  -  Bible, Ethicsart, nudity, pornography

The line between art and pornography is notoriously hard to define. In the Victorian era the sight of a woman’s knee was considered erotic, and one didn’t refer to the legs of a table in mixed company. Today in some Muslim societies women still have to cover their faces lest they incite male lust.

As much as we might wish to define our Christian responsibilities regarding things like clothing and art in stark black-and-white terms, we aren’t able to do so. The apostle Paul acknowledged this when he wrote:

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:12-17).

Christian liberty is the freedom from bondage to sin ( Romans 6:18-23 ; 1 Corinthians 15:56 ), the power of evil ( Colossians 1:13-14 ),and the law as a means for salvation ( Galatians 4:21-5:1 ) that results from voluntary submission to righteousness. 

Once we understand the meaning of Christian liberty, it’s much easier to live with a peaceful heart. People who are bound to the law (like certain legalistic sects who follow a strict set of rules for clothing) live with constant dread of failure, little sense of personal self-control, and an exaggerated feeling of guilt.

Rather than living under the law and struggling to do the right things for the wrong reasons, Christian liberty calls upon Christians to become conscious of the specific things that draw them into sinful lust and then resist them. Excessive general rules — such as those defining any kind of nudity as pornography — remove personal freedom and the responsibility to develop one’s own Christian character.

Try this simple rule of thumb: Don’t be overly sensitive, but if something arouses you, put it away. Don’t look at it any longer. Don’t let things escalate ( Genesis 39:12 ; Ecclesiastes 7:26 ; Proverbs 5; 6:25-28 ; Matthew 5:30 ). The nude image of an attractive person will always evoke a degree of sexual longing in a person of the opposite sex, but good people learn how to sublimate their longings in loving and constructive ways. 

Sexual arousal is a wonderful aspect of human experience that should be cultivated only when it is appropriate, that is, with our spouse under the right circumstances ( Proverbs 5:18-20 ). If we don’t carefully cultivate this gift of arousal, we’ll find that purity, freedom of relationship, and appropriate affection for others of the opposite sex will be progressively harder to achieve. Giving in to inappropriate (sinful) arousal always enslaves. 

The cultivation of sexual purity and self-control involves struggle and occasional failure. Developing this kind of self-awareness requires faith that God will honor our efforts to resist sin. He will forgive us for our setbacks and failures on the basis of what His Son did for us at Calvary. He will also — through the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit — enable us to overcome our sinful inclinations and obsessions.

When we proceed with faith and determination, the end result will be more personal freedom and greater intimacy with others.

https://questions.org/attq/how-can-i-distinguish-between-nudity-in-art-and-pornography/

SCULPTURES

 

PORNOGRAPHY OR EDUCATION?

 

Breast Cancer awareness or Pornography?

 

 

Medical Education or Pornography?

 

NUDITY AND CHURCH

 

The following bronze sculpture is not inside the worship space but is outside the main entrance to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. The sculptor, Paul Granlund, says it draws its inspiration from Hebrews 12:1: “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Worships cannot avoid seeing it as they enter and leave the church.

 

SISTHENE CHAPEL

PORNOGRAPHY OR ART?

 

Some of the painting in the  Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, is a cornerstone work of High Renaissance art. The ceiling is that of the Sistine Chapel, the large papal chapel built within the Vatican between 1477 and 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV

 

 

NUDE BAPTISM PAINTINGS

 

 But here are some more quotes…

Cyril of Jerusalem “having stripped yourselves, you were naked; in this also imitating Christ, who was stripped naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness put off from Himself the principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree. For since the adverse powers made their lair in your members, you may no longer wear that old garment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but the old man, which waxes corrupt in the lusts of deceit.” And also “Oh, the wondrous thing!  You were naked in the sight of all and not ashamed.  Truly you bore the image of the first-formed Adam, who was naked in the garden and not ashamed”

Catacombs of San Callisto 3rd century

Proclus of Constantinople (Archbishop of Constantinople from 434 to 446) “You appear naked, as one coming from the foe, stripped of your garment by your enemies.  Your bare feet give testimony of your poverty...In this you may know how He enriches your nakedness with His grace, how He puts on you with the chrism the scent of good deeds, how with the oil He makes you to shine to brightness...how He clothes your body with shining garments...”

John Chrysostom “Then [in the Old Testament days] it was slave toward master, but now, friend toward friend...Then there was nakedness, now there is nakedness.  But then the nakedness was a consequence of sin; now there is no sin.  Rather, now we strip to become freed from sin.  Then, he [Adam] put off the glory that had been his; now he [man] puts off the old man, and before he descends into the water, he puts it off just like a garment”

Hippolytus “When  they come to the water, the water shall be pure and flowing, that is, the water of a spring  or a flowing body of water. 3 Then they shall take off all their clothes.The children shall be baptized first. All of the children who can answer for themselves, let them answer. If there are any children who cannot answer for themselves, let their parents answer for them, or someone else from their family. After this, the men will be baptized. Finally, the women, after they have unbound their hair, and removed their jewelry. No one shall take any foreign object with themselves down into the water… Then, after these things, the bishop passes each of them on nude to the elder who stands at the water. They shall stand in the water naked. A deacon, likewise, will go down with them into the water.”

Theodore of Mopsuestia “Adam was naked at the beginning and he was not ashamed of it.This is why your clothing must be taken off, since it is the convincing proof of this sentence which lowers mankind to need”

catacombs of St. callixtus... (I couldn't find a date.

Some random guy in an internet forum: “There are nice color paintings in several Greek NT minuscule manuscripts that show Jesus being baptized in the nude. To find out which manuscripts these are (and I wouldn't know without looking), you would have to read through the manuscript descriptions in C. R. Gregory's Textkritik (in German; look for "nakt"), duplicated in his Tischendorf Prolegomena (in Latin; look for "nudus").” (I didn’t check it out, although I did briefly try..)

Anyway, I think that’s enough to pretty conclusively satisfy any objective person. Feel free to continue researching into this if you want more proof…

http://www.hopefullybiblical.com/2012/11/early-church-baptism-was-nude.html#!/2012/11/early-church-baptism-was-nude.html
 

http://www.bombaxo.com/hippolytus.html,

 

The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome (Saint; early church writer) , c. 215 AD,

1 At the hour in which the cock crows, they shall first pray over the water.

2When they come to the water, the water shall be pure and flowing, that is, the water of a spring or a flowing body of water.

3Then they shall take off all their clothes.

4The children shall be baptized first. All of the children who can answer for themselves, let them answer. If there are any children who cannot answer for themselves, let their parents answer for them, or someone else from their family.

5After this, the men will be baptized. Finally, the women, after they have unbound their hair, and removed their jewelry. No one shall take any foreign object with themselves down into the water.

6At the time determined forbaptism, the bishop shall give thanks over some oil, which he puts in a vessel. It is called the Oil of Thanksgiving.

7He shall take some more oil and exorcise it. It is called the Oil of Exorcism.

8A deacon shall hold the Oil of Exorcism and stand on the left. Another deacon shall hold the Oil of Thanksgiving and stand on the right.

9When the elder takes hold of each of them who are to receive baptism, he shall tell each of them to renounce, saying, "I renounce you Satan, all your service, and all your works."

10After he has said this, he shall anoint each with the Oil of Exorcism, saying, "Let every evil spirit depart from you."

11Then, after these things, the bishop passes each of them on nude to the elder who stands at the water. They shall stand in the

water naked. A deacon, likewise, will go down with them into the water.

12When each of them to be baptized has gone down into the water, the one baptizing shall lay hands on each of them, asking, "Do you believe in God the Father Almighty?"

13And the one  being baptized shall answer, "I believe."

14He shall then baptize each of them once, laying his hand upon each of their heads.

15Then he shall ask, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died, and rose on the third day living from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, the one coming to judge the living and the dead?"

16When each has answered, "I  believe," he shall baptize a second time.

17Then he shall ask, "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Church and the resurrection of the flesh?"

18Then each  being baptized shall answer, "I believe." And thus let him baptize the third time.

19Afterward, when they have come up out of the water, they shall be anointed by the elder with the Oil of Thanksgiving, saying, "I anoint you with holy oil in the name of Jesus Christ."

20Then, drying themselves, they shall dress and afterwards gather in the church.

21The bishop will then lay his hand upon them, invoking, saying, "Lord God, you who have made these worthy of the removal of sins through the bath of regeneration, make them worthy to be filled with your Holy Spirit, grant to them your grace, that they might serve you according to your will, for to you is the glory, Father and Son with the Holy Spirit, in the Holy Church, now and throughout the ages of the ages. Amen.

22After this he pours the oil into his hand, and laying his hand on each of their heads, says, "I anoint you with holy oil in God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit."

23Then, after sealing each of them on the forehead, he shall give them the kiss of peace and say, "The Lord be with you." And the one who has been baptized shall say, "And with your spirit."

24So shall he do to each one.

25From then on they will pray together will all the people. Prior to this they may not pray with the faithful until they have completed all.

26After they pray, let them give the kiss of peace.

27Then the deacons shall immediately bring the oblation. The  bishop shall bless the bread, which is the symbol of the Body of Christ; and the bowl of mixed wine, which is the symbol of the Blood which has been shed for all who  believe in him;

28and the milk and honey mixed together, in fulfillment of the promise made to the fathers, in which he said, "a land flowing with milk and honey," which Christ indeed gave, his Flesh, through which those who believe are nourished like little children, by the sweetness of his Word, softening the bitter heart;

29and water also for an oblation, as a sign of the baptism, so that the inner person, which is  psychic, may also receive the same as the body.

30The bishop shall give an explanation of all these things to those who are receiving.

31Breaking the bread, distributing a  piece to each, he shall say, "The Bread of Heaven in Jesus Christ."

32And the one who receives shall answer, "Amen."

33The elders, and the deacons if there are not enough, shall hold the cups and stand together in good order and with reverence: first the one who holds the water, second the one who holds the milk, and third the one who holds  the wine.

34They who partake shall taste of each three times. And he who gives shall say, "In God the Father Almighty." The one who receives shall respond, "Amen."

35The one giving shall say, "And in the Lord Jesus Christ." The one who receives shall respond, "Amen."

36The one giving shall say, "And in the Holy Spirit, and in the Holy Church." And the one who receives shall respond, "Amen."

37It shall  be done so for each.

38When these things are done, they shall be zealous to do good works, and to please God, living honorably, devoting themselves to the church, doing the things which they were taught, and advancing in piety.

39We have delivered these things to you only briefly concerning baptism and the oblation because you have already been instructed concerning the resurrection of the flesh and the rest according to what is written.

40If there is anything else which needs to be told, the bishop shall tell it privately to those who receive baptism. None but the faithful may know, and even them only after receiving baptism. This is the white stone about which John said, "A new name is written on it, which no one knows except the one who received the stone." 

The fact that at sometime they quit doing baptisms in the nude shows that they wanted to suppress the sexual connotations developed by the church at some point. 

http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol7No1/Bare%20Naked%20Christians.htm,

 

Nude Baptism In Early Christianity
Early Christians were baptized nude because they believed that baptism somehow "reversed the curse." One aspect of the symbolism of nakedness was the comparison of Christ, designated as "the second Adam" (see Romans 5:14, 1 Corinthians 15:22,45), with the first Adam prior to The Fall:

 

St. Chrysostom, speaking of baptism, says, Men were naked as Adam in paradise; but with this difference; Adam was naked because he had sinned, but in baptism, a man was naked that he might be freed from sin; the one was divested of his glory which he once had, but the other put off the old man, which he did as easily as his clothes.

St. Ambrose says, Men came as naked to the font, as they came into the world; and thence he draws an argument by way of illusion, to rich men, telling them, how absurd it was, that a man was born naked of his mother, and received naked by the church, should think of going rich into heaven.

Cyril of Jerusalem takes notice of the circumstance, together with the reasons of it, when he thus addresses himself to persons newly baptized: As soon as ye came into the inner part of the baptistry, ye put off your clothes, which is an emblem of putting off the old man with his deeds; and being thus divested, ye stood naked, imitating Christ, that was naked upon the cross, who by his nakedness spoiled principalities and powers, publicly triumphing over them in the cross. O wonderful thing! ye were naked, imitating the first Adam, that was naked in paradise, and was not ashamed.

So also Amphilochius in the Life of St. Basil, speaking of his baptism, says, He arose with fear and put off his clothes, and with them the old man. . . (Institutes of Biblical Law, p. 758, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, 1973).

 

According to Rev. Rousas J. Rushdoony, a conservative Reformed theologian:

Since baptism meant in part the believers' death and rebirth or resurrection in Christ, it was very early associated with the Easter season, although
not exclusively so. This same aspect, rebirth, led to an interesting custom which survived for some centuries as basic to baptism, namely, baptism, usually by immersion, in the nude.

Sprinkling and immersion were both used by the church, which recognized sprinkling, after Ezekiel 36:25, as the mark of the new covenant. Aspersion was also very early a common practice. The emphasis on death and rebirth led to a stress on immersion as symbolically representative of this fact. Men were born naked; hence, they were reborn naked in baptism. No works of the unregenerate man could be carried into heaven; therefore, the candidate symbolically stripped himself of all clothing to indicate that he had nothing save God's grace.

There were two baptistries thus in churches for some generations, since men and women were baptized separately. Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 were passages cited to confirm this practice of symbolic burial and resurrection.

This practice of naked baptism indicates how seriously the Biblical symbolism was taken by the early church; nothing was avoided, and sometimes over-literal applications resulted.Umberto Fasola of The Christian Catacombs of Rome indicates that their catacombs show Christians being baptized in the nude. The Jews, in their parallel rite of proselyte baptism, insisted upon this to such an extent that "a ring on the finger, a band confining the hair, or anything that in the least degree broke the continuity of contact with the water, was held to invalidate the act" (C. Taylor, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Cambridge, 1886, pp. 51, 52).

The allusions of the early Fathers imply a like nudity in their method of celebrating the Christian rite (Bingham, Origines, XI, xi, 1; DCA, i, 160).

According to the Australian EJournal of Theology:

 

Just prior to entering the water the candidates removed their clothes, for the baptism was received nude. This surprises moderns, for we wonder about modesty. This may be a consideration in the instructions of the Apostolic Tradition (21.4-5) to baptize the small children first, the grown men next, and finally the women. In order to observe decency women deacons assisted at the baptism of women according to the third-century Didascalia (16), repeated in the 4th century Apostolic Constitutions (3.15-16).

In the baptism of a woman, the male presbyter anointed the forehead, pronounced the formula, and dipped the head, but the female deacon anointed the body and received the woman as she came out of the water. Some baptisteries may have had curtains.Another factor is that the
ancient world seems to have had a more relaxed attitude toward nudity.

The nudity expressed the idea of new birth- hence in art the baptizand is shown not only nude but smaller than the baptizer. This manner of representation is not an indication of infant or child baptism but follows artistic convention. The newly baptized person put on a white garment, symbolizing purity

http://nudebaptisminearlychristianity.blogspot.co.za/

 

PORNOGRAPHY VS NUDITY IN NEWS MEDIA 

NAPALM GIRL – PORNOGRAPHY?

The Real Life-Changer

Despite the fear that no one would want her, Kim is now married and has two sons. She says her conversion from the Cao Dai religion to Christianity at the age of 19 changed everything.

"And when I read in John 14:6, where Jesus say, 'I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except by Me,' I was really confused," she told Griffith. "Oh, my religion different and why Jesus say that? I keep searching. And finally in Christmas 1982, I became a Christian."

"How did that help you forgive the people that dropped the bombs that burned you?" Griffith asked. 

"The picture of Jesus Christ when they put Him on the cross and they kill Him, so Jesus say, Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing," she replied.

"So that picture, that words, Lord, help me to do the same thing like you did. And I started to pray for my enemies, and the more I prayed for my enemies the softer my heart became," she said.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2016/april/the-amazing-testimony-of-vietnam-wars-iconic-napalm-girl

PORNOGRAPHY OR NEWS/NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY?

 

 

 

 

OTHER  NEWS PICTURES - PORNOGRAPHY?

Holocaust  and WWII

 

 

 

PORNOGRAPHY AND SONGS OF SOLOMON (BIBLE)

Various stories are published, some goes in length explaining sexual acts. That should be considered pornographic. (The intention to cause sexual excitement and arousal)  But what of the Songs of Solomon? 

EXAMPLES

“your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, l will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. All beautiful are you are my darling, there is no flaw in you.… You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; your plants are an orchard of pomegranites with choice fruits… and all the finest spices.”

 

It gets more explicit, of course: there are descriptions of her breasts (4:5; 7:3, 7-8; 8:10), her hips (7:1), her naked belly (7:2), the allure of her “garden” (4:12-5:1), and the blossoming of her “orchard” (6:11). At least some would interpret the metaphor of 5:14, “his abdomen is carved ivory,” as thinly veiled phallic imagery. But when these unashamedly erotic descriptions are taken along with the rest of the imagery presented in the Song, the overall effect is not inordinate fixation on any one or two body parts. We delight in the human body as a whole, both male and female. To put it another way, Solomon is enraptured with beauty, not sexuality.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/whats-the-difference-between-erotica-and-song-of-solomon/ 

Songs of Solomon 1:13 A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

4:5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

7:2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.
7:3 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
7:7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
7:8 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples
8:8 We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
8:9 If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.
8:10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.

PORNOGRAPHY

Is this not the modern equivalent of reading the Song of Solomon?

I think not. The fundamental difference between the erotica of the Song of Solomon and the pornography provided on the Internet is that the Song of Solomon envisages a couple engaged in sexual intimacy. Their lovemaking flows out of a relationship in which there is mutuality, kindness, and a deeper knowing of one another.

http://scottjhiggins.com/if-pornography-is-so-bad-why-does-the-bible-give-us-the-song-of-songs/

 

FILMS AND BOOKS

 

IN THE NEWS MEDIA

Just a few examples of porn in the media.

 

 

 

 

CELEBRETIES IN PORNOGRAPHY

CAMERON DIAZ

She was only 19 when she started her career doing a legit soft-core smut video before she did Sex Tape with Jason Segal. Though she is not very proud of her porn career and it is believed that the holders of that video demanded $3.5 million from Diaz, to bury the video. Her career took a turn with the Jim Carrey blockbuster The Mask, My Best Friend’s Wedding and finally Charlie’s Angels.

 

SYLVESTER STALLONE

Before Rocky could happen Stallone had to really struggle for many years, where he had to do an adult film called The Party at Kitty and Stud’s, which was re-released under the name The Italian Stallone when he became famous. He was evicted from his apartment and was homeless before the smash hit Rocky happened.
http://sarcasm.co/celebrities-started-career-porn-star/

KENDRA WILKINSON-BASKETT

The Kendra on Top star and married mother of two, who celebrated her 32nd birthday Monday, has made headlines many times since her days as a Playboy model, one of Hugh Hefner's live-in girlfriends and a cast member of The Girls Next Door.

She has often aired out her drama on her own reality show. Other times, drama simply found her.

1. Sex Tape: In 2010, adult film company Vivid Entertainment announced that it planned on releasing a sex tape Kendra made years ago when she was 18. She had reportedly launched a legal battle to stop it from being released but the footage hit the Internet weeks later.

"It bothers me because people are going to judge me and stuff," Kendra said on her E! reality show Kendra. "I just hope to God nobody looks at me like a porn star or something. I just hope they don't press play because that's not me. I mean, that was me, but that's not me now."

"It broke my heart because how can you do that when I have a baby?" she continued. "I have a kid. I have a husband. It just sucks. It's the hardest thing to deal with right now, and it's hard on Hank [Baskett]. It's hard on him because it involves another guy and it's hard on him because of our son."

Kendra later told Ryan Seacrest on E! News that the ordeal was "extremely embarrassing."

http://www.eonline.com/news/860376/kendra-wilkinson-baskett-s-biggest-scandals

 

KIM KARDASHIAN
This is the real story behind Kim Kardashian’s sex tape… and how it made her a star
Kim's sex tape has been viewed online more than 150 million times and Vivid has named March 2017 as Kim K. Sex Tape Month

In October of that year, the couple went on a trip to the luxury Esperanza resort in Cabo, Mexico, to celebrate Kim’s 23rd birthday.

They took a handheld camcorder with them and filmed themselves goofing around for the camera, and also having sex.

In March 2007, the tapes that Kim and Ray J had made were released to the public by porn company Vivid Entertainment as Kim Kardashian, Superstar, a 41-minute movie.

In the end, Kim stopped trying to prevent the publication of the tape and settled with Vivid in February 2007.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3196659/this-is-the-real-story-behind-kim-kardashians-sex-tape-and-how-it-made-her-a-star/

 

PARIS HILTON

One Night in Paris” can last a lifetime.

It was just 12 years ago on June 15 when hotel heiress Paris Hilton went from daddy’s little girl to pretty much a porn star.

Although the leaked video between Hilton and ex-Rick Salomon was soul-crushing for the young woman, many say it put her name on the map.

Formerly the BFF of Kim Kardashian — who also found fame thanks to a sex tape “leak” — Hilton’s 2001 video bared it all.

The porn business was buzzing after this one debuted.

“One Night in Paris” received AVN Awards in 2005 for "Best Selling Title of the Year," "Best Renting Title of the Year" and "Best Overall Marketing Campaign — Individual Project."

"It was the most embarrassing, humiliating thing that's ever happened to me in my life," she told the host.

“People assume that ‘oh she’s a slut’ just because of one thing that happened to me and it’s hard, I’ll have to live with that the rest of my life,” she said as her mom fought back tears

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/dozen-facts-paris-hilton-sex-tape-night-paris-article-1.2671960

 

FARRAH ABRAHAM

Farrah Abraham has admitted she hired porn star James Deen to have sex with her in a 70 minute porn tape.

The Teen Mom star has been attempting to explain why she made the X-rated video after initially denying any involvement.

In a new interview, the 20-year-old star confessed to Entertainment Tonight that she hired the adult entertainment star to appear in the tape with her on the advice of friends. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2321512/Farrah-Abraham-admits-hiring-James-Deen-claims-sold-sex-tape-gain-control-video.html

 

PAMELA ANDERSON

Pamela Anderson turns into a crusader against porn after Playboy covers, Baywatch swimsuits and THAT sex tape

The 49-year-old actress and model blames porn for marriage breakdown and young men becoming desensitised to love and sex    She described pornography as a 'dead end outlet'  Anderson said porn killed Playboy, which 'wasn't very explicit'  

By Mark Wood For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 00:15 GMT, 9 October 2016 | Updated: 02:48 GMT, 9 October 2016

She starred in the world’s first celebrity sex tape, appeared on numerous Playboy covers and entranced an army of teenage boys in her skimpy Baywatch swimsuit.

But now Pamela Anderson is reinventing herself as an anti-pornography crusader.

The 49-year-old actress and model blames the widespread availability of pornography for marriage breakdown and a generation of socially dysfunctional young men who have been desensitised to love and sex.

Pamela Anderson pictured last month (left), and in her Baywatch days (right)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3828885/Pamela-Anderson-turns-crusader-against-porn-Playboy-covers-Baywatch-swimsuits-sex-tape.html

 

 

OCTOMOM - NADIA (NOW NATALIE) SULEMAN

EXCLUSIVE: 'I had to kill Octomom to save my life.' Mom-of-14 Nadia (now Natalie) Suleman tells of her shame over stripper and porn past  - but says she has turned her life around and has no regrets about having her in vitro 7-year-old octuplets.

Natalie Suleman, formerly known as Nadia, says she is ashamed of the 'dehumanizing and exploitative' lifestyle she led as Octomom in an candid interview

• Suleman, who had octuplets in 2009, worked as a porn star and stripper to make ends meet
• She says she developed an addiction to Xanax to numb the shame of her work - but has now put all that behind her
• 'I've had plastic surgery,' she confesses. She had breast augmentation after breastfeeding three kids and a tummy tuck after the octuplets
•  'I have had no work on my face but I admit that in 2008 I injected my lips and it looked horrible. I was so embarrassed and ashamed'
• She lives in California and has returned to her former life as a counsellor, and says 'no one hates Octomom as much as me'

By Emma Foster In Laguna, California For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:43 GMT, 12 September 2016 | Updated: 02:43 GMT, 13 September 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3781725/I-kill-Octomom-save-life-Mom-14-Nadya-Natalie-Suleman-tells-shame-stripper-past-Xanax-addiction.html#ixzz56txpAmy6

 

 

TORI SPELLING
Tori Spelling has a sex tape - and it's in the hands of someone who may sell it.

Spelling admitted this week that she and husband Dean McDermott have in fact made a sex tape but that a very bad friend came over to her house and lifted the homemade film from her laptop.

Now, she's found that the person who has it has been shopping it around for cash. No deal has yet been made, although porn producers from Vivid Video are interested.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/tori-spelling-admits-sex-tape-husband-article-1.1503881

Tori Spelling has been offered a large sum in exchange for the sex tape she made with her husband Dean McDermott.

Tori Spelling could make a substantial amount if the video really exists.

Spelling revealed she had made a sex tape with her husband McDermott on Valentine's Day in 2009. She discussed the tape, in her latest book Spelling It How It Is. Later, a friend of McDermott's was in possession of a copy of the tape. It seems this friend copied the video file from McDermott's computer. This 'friend' was quickly prevented from using the tape by Spelling's lawyers. However, there are other interested parties willing to take advantage of Spelling's allegedly difficult financial circumstances and the celebrity which will be generated by her tape 

 

 

 

 THE PORNOGRAPHIC PROBLEM

Addiction to Pornography

Victor Cline, a psychologist, documented how men become addicted to pornographic materials, then begin to desire more explicit or deviant material, and finally act out what they have seen.{ He maintained “that memories of experiences that occurred at times of emotional arousal (which could include sexual arousal) are imprinted on the brain by epinephrine, an adrenal gland hormone, and are difficult to erase. This may partly explain pornography’s addicting effect.”

Other research showed that biochemical and neurological responses in individuals who are aroused release the adrenal hormone epinephrine in the brain, which is why one can remember pornographic images seen years before. In response to pleasure, nerve endings release chemicals that reinforce the body’s own desire to repeat the process. Kimberly Young, an authority on Internet addiction, found that 90 percent of those who became addicted to cyberporn became addicted to the two-way communication functions: chat rooms, newsgroups, and e-mail

Psychologists identified a five-step pattern in pornographic addiction. The first step is exposure. Addicts have been exposed to pornography in many ways, ranging from sexual abuse as children to looking at widely available pornographic magazines.

The second step is addiction. People who continually expose themselves to pornography “keep coming back for more and more” in order to get new sexual highs. James L. McCough of the University of California at Irvine said that “experiences at times of emotional or sexual arousal get locked in the brain by the chemical epinephrine and become virtually impossible to erase.”

A third step is escalation. Previous sexual highs become more difficult to attain; therefore users of pornography begin to look for more exotic forms of sexual behavior to bring them stimulation.

A fourth step is desensitization. What was initially shocking becomes routine. Shocking and disgusting sexual behavior is no longer avoided but is sought out for more intense stimulation. Concern about pain and degradation get lost in the pursuit of the next sexual experience.

A fifth step is acting out fantasies. People do what they have seen and find pleasurable. Not every pornography addict will become a serial murderer or a rapist. But many do look for ways to act out their sexual fantasies

In my book Christian Ethics in Plain Language, I discuss in further detail the issue of pornographic addiction as well as describe the social and psychological effects of pornography. 

Social Effects

Defining the social effects of pornography has been difficult because of some of the prevailing theories of its impact. One theory was that pornography actually performs a positive function in society by acting like a “safety valve” for potential sexual offenders.

The most famous proponent of this theory was Berl Kutchinsky, a criminologist at the University of Copenhagen. His famous study on pornography found that when the Danish government lifted restrictions on pornography, the number of sex crimes decreased. Therefore, he concluded that the availability of pornography siphons off dangerous sexual impulses. But when the data for his “safety-valve” theory was further evaluated, many of his research flaws began to show.

For example, Kutchinsky failed to distinguish between different kinds of sex crimes (such as rape and indecent exposure) and instead merely lumped them together, effectively masking an increase in rape statistics. He also failed to consider that increased tolerance for certain crimes (public nudity and sex with a minor) may have contributed to a drop in the reported crimes.

Proving cause and effect in pornography is virtually impossible because, ethically, researchers cannot do certain kinds of research. As Dolf Zillman said, “Men cannot be placed at risk of developing sexually violent inclinations by extensive exposure to violent or nonviolent pornography, and women cannot be placed at risk of becoming victims of such inclinations.”

Nevertheless, a number of compelling statistics suggest that pornography does have profound social consequences. For example, of the 1,400 child sexual molestation cases in Louisville, Kentucky, between July 1980 and February 1984, adult pornography was connected with each incident and child pornography with the majority of them.

Extensive interviews with sex offenders (rapists, incest offenders, and child molesters) have uncovered a sizable percentage of offenders who use pornography to arouse themselves before and during their assaults. Police officers have seen the impact pornography has had on serial murders. In fact, pornography consumption is one of the most common profile characteristics of serial murders and rapists.

Professor Cass Sunstein, writing in the Duke Law Journal, said that some sexual violence against women “would not have occurred but for the massive circulation of pornography.” Citing cross-cultural data, he concluded, “The liberalization of pornography laws in the United States, Britain, Australia, and the Scandinavian countries has been accompanied by a rise in reported rape rates. In countries where pornography laws have not been liberalized, there has been a less steep rise in reported rapes. And in countries where restrictions have been adopted, reported rapes have decreased.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS­

When I first started writing about pornography in the 1980s, it was already a multi-billion dollar-a-year business mostly promoted through so-called “adult bookstores” and pornographic magazines. With the development of videos, DVDs, and the Internet, pornography has become ubiquitous.

The wages of sin are enormous when pornography is involved. Revenue from Internet porn exceeds by nearly a 2 to 1 ratio, the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC. And sales of pornographic material on the Internet surpass the cumulative sales of all other products sold online

The current estimate is the there are over 4 million pornographic websites representing almost 400 million pages of pornographic material.

Pornography is not just something a few men view in the late hours in the privacy of their homes. At least 70 percent of porn is downloaded during work hours (9 am to 5 pm). A percentage of those who do so admit to accessing pornography at work.

And pornography also affects those in church. According to Leadership Journal, 40 percent of pastors admit to visiting a pornographic website And at one Promise Keepers Convention, 53 percent of men admitted to visiting a porn site the week before.

The impact pornography is having on young people is alarming. It used to be that when you would ask someone when they first saw pornography they would tell you a story about seeing a porn magazine at a friend’s house when they were in middle school or high school. Now a child in grade school has already seen images that were only available in an adult bookstore a few years ago. At one time these images were inaccessible to youth; now they are merely a mouse click away. The average age of first exposure to Internet pornography is 11 years old. And the largest consumer of Internet pornography is the 12-17 age group.

How should we define pornography? What is the effect on individuals and society? And what is a biblical perspective on this? I deal with each of these questions in detail in my book, Christians Ethics in Plain Language. In the next section, we address some of these questions.

Definition and Types of Pornography

How should we define pornography? Pornography has been defined as material that “is predominantly sexually explicit and intended primarily for the purpose of sexual arousal.” Hard-core pornography “is sexually explicit in the extreme, and devoid of any other apparent content or purpose.”{

Another important term is obscenity. In the 1973 Supreme Court case of Miller v. California, the justices set forth a three-part test to define obscenity:

(a) The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.

(b) The work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and

(c) The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

What are the types of pornography? The first type of pornography is adult magazines, which are primarily directed toward adult male readers. The magazines with the widest distribution (Playboy and Penthouse) do not violate the Miller standards of obscenity and thus can be legally distributed.

The second type of pornography is video. Videocassettes or DVDs are rented or sold in most adult bookstores and the Internet. They have become a growth industry for pornography.

The third type of pornography is motion pictures. Ratings standards are being relaxed, and many pornographic movies are being shown and distributed carrying R and NC-17 ratings. Many of these so-called “hard R” rated films would have been considered obscene just a few decades ago.

A fourth type of pornography is television. As in motion pictures, standards for commercial television have been continuously lowered. But cable television poses an even greater threat. The Federal Communications Commission does not regulate cable in the same way it does public access stations. Thus, many pornographic movies are shown on cable television.

A fifth type of pornography is audio porn, which includes “Dial-a-porn” telephone calls, the second fastest growth market of pornography. Although most of the messages are within the Miller definition of obscenity, these businesses continue to thrive and are often used by children.

A sixth type of pornography is “cyberporn,” or Internet pornography. Virtually anyone can download and view hard-core pictures, movies, online chat, and even live sex acts through the Internet. 

Addiction to Pornography

Victor Cline, a psychologist, documented how men become addicted to pornographic materials, then begin to desire more explicit or deviant material, and finally act out what they have seen. He maintained “that memories of experiences that occurred at times of emotional arousal (which could include sexual arousal) are imprinted on the brain by epinephrine, an adrenal gland hormone, and are difficult to erase. This may partly explain pornography’s addicting effect.”

Other research showed that biochemical and neurological responses in individuals who are aroused release the adrenal hormone epinephrine in the brain, which is why one can remember pornographic images seen years before. In response to pleasure, nerve endings release chemicals that reinforce the body’s own desire to repeat the process. Kimberly Young, an authority on Internet addiction, found that 90 percent of those who became addicted to cyberporn became addicted to the two-way communication functions: chat rooms, newsgroups, and e-mail.

Psychologists identified a five-step pattern in pornographic addiction. The first step is exposure. Addicts have been exposed to pornography in many ways, ranging from sexual abuse as children to looking at widely available pornographic magazines.

The second step is addiction. People who continually expose themselves to pornography “keep coming back for more and more” in order to get new sexual highs. James L. McCough of the University of California at Irvine said that “experiences at times of emotional or sexual arousal get locked in the brain by the chemical epinephrine and become virtually impossible to erase.”

A third step is escalation. Previous sexual highs become more difficult to attain; therefore users of pornography begin to look for more exotic forms of sexual behavior to bring them stimulation.

A fourth step is desensitization. What was initially shocking becomes routine. Shocking and disgusting sexual behavior is no longer avoided but is sought out for more intense stimulation. Concern about pain and degradation get lost in the pursuit of the next sexual experience.

A fifth step is acting out fantasies. People do what they have seen and find pleasurable. Not every pornography addict will become a serial murderer or a rapist. But many do look for ways to act out their sexual fantasies

In my book Christian Ethics in Plain Language, I discuss in further detail the issue of pornographic addiction as well as describe the social and psychological effects of pornography.

Social Effects

Defining the social effects of pornography has been difficult because of some of the prevailing theories of its impact. One theory was that pornography actually performs a positive function in society by acting like a “safety valve” for potential sexual offenders.

The most famous proponent of this theory was Berl Kutchinsky, a criminologist at the University of Copenhagen. His famous study on pornography found that when the Danish government lifted restrictions on pornography, the number of sex crimes decreased. Therefore, he concluded that the availability of pornography siphons off dangerous sexual impulses. But when the data for his “safety-valve” theory was further evaluated, many of his research flaws began to show.

For example, Kutchinsky failed to distinguish between different kinds of sex crimes (such as rape and indecent exposure) and instead merely lumped them together, effectively masking an increase in rape statistics. He also failed to consider that increased tolerance for certain crimes (public nudity and sex with a minor) may have contributed to a drop in the reported crimes.

Proving cause and effect in pornography is virtually impossible because, ethically, researchers cannot do certain kinds of research. As Dolf Zillman said, “Men cannot be placed at risk of developing sexually violent inclinations by extensive exposure to violent or nonviolent pornography, and women cannot be placed at risk of becoming victims of such inclinations.”

Nevertheless, a number of compelling statistics suggest that pornography does have profound social consequences. For example, of the 1,400 child sexual molestation cases in Louisville, Kentucky, between July 1980 and February 1984, adult pornography was connected with each incident and child pornography with the majority of them.

Extensive interviews with sex offenders (rapists, incest offenders, and child molesters) have uncovered a sizable percentage of offenders who use pornography to arouse themselves before and during their assaults. Police officers have seen the impact pornography has had on serial murders. In fact, pornography consumption is one of the most common profile characteristics of serial murders and rapists.

Professor Cass Sunstein, writing in the Duke Law Journal, said that some sexual violence against women “would not have occurred but for the massive circulation of pornography.” Citing cross-cultural data, he concluded, “The liberalization of pornography laws in the United States, Britain, Australia, and the Scandinavian countries has been accompanied by a rise in reported rape rates. In countries where pornography laws have not been liberalized, there has been a less steep rise in reported rapes. And in countries where restrictions have been adopted, reported rapes have decreased.”

 

Biblical Perspective

God created men and women in His image (Gen. 1:27) as sexual beings. But because of sin in the world (Rom. 3:23), sex has been misused and abused (Rom. 1:24-25).

Pornography attacks the dignity of men and women created in the image of God. Pornography also distorts God’s gift of sex which should be shared only within the bounds of marriage (1 Cor. 7:2-3). When the Bible refers to human sexual organs, it often employs euphemisms and indirect language. Although there are some exceptions (a woman’s breasts and womb are sometimes mentioned), generally Scripture maintains a basic modesty towards a man’s or woman’s sexual organs.

Moreover, Scripture specifically condemns the practices that result from pornography such as sexual exposure (Gen. 9:21-23), adultery (Lev. 18:20), bestiality (Lev. 18:23), homosexuality (Lev. 18:22 and 20:13), incest (Lev. 18:6-18), and prostitution (Deut. 23:17-18).

A biblical perspective of human sexuality must recognize that sexual intercourse is exclusively reserved for marriage for the following purposes. First, it establishes the one-flesh union (Gen. 2:24-25; Matt. 19:4-6). Second, it provides for sexual intimacy within the marriage bond. The use of the word “know” indicates a profound meaning of sexual intercourse (Gen. 4:1). Third, sexual intercourse is for the mutual pleasure of husband and wife (Prov. 5:18-19). Fourth, sexual intercourse is for procreation (Gen. 1:28).

The Bible also warns against the misuse of sex. Premarital and extramarital sex is condemned (1 Cor. 6:13-18; 1 Thess. 4:3). Even thoughts of sexual immorality (often fed by pornographic material) are condemned (Matt. 5:27-28).

Moreover, Christians must realize that pornography can have significant harmful effects on the user. These include: a comparison mentality, a performance-based sexuality, a feeling that only forbidden things are sexually satisfying, increased guilt, decreased self concept, and obsessive thinking.

Christians, therefore, must do two things. First, they must work to keep themselves pure by fleeing immorality (1 Cor. 6:18) and thinking on those things which are pure (Phil. 4:8). As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov. 23:7). Christians must make no provision for the flesh (Rom. 13:14). Pornography will fuel the sexual desire in abnormal ways and can eventually lead to even more debase perversion. We, therefore, must “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). Second, Christians must work to remove the sexual perversion of pornography from society.

https://probe.org/pornography/

 

FINALLY

 Some of pornography's toxic side effects include:

1. Creates emotional bond with artificial world

All people have a critical need for human intimacy and emotional connection with others. When someone views pornography, they end up creating an intimate bond with an artificial, fake world and can actually lose the ability to bond with real people.

2. Sex without intimacy

Pornography is about sex being used for the wrong reasons. Because it is sex without emotional closeness, the underlying hunger remains unsatisfied. The viewer starts wondering what is wrong with their relationships and gets irritated or depressed. They end up feeling emotionally empty and disconnected from those around them.

3. Unsatisfying

While pornography use may result in a short term high, it eventually results in feelings of emptiness, low self-esteem and deep loneliness. It ultimately creates emotional distance in relationships. Because the world of pornography is artificial and cannot satisfy the need for emotional intimacy, this basic need remains unmet, creating an appetite for more and more.

4. Triggers addiction cycle in brain

Studies show that actual brain function changes in someone who has an addiction – and the changes are the same in all addiction: alcohol, drugs, or pornography. Because pornography use can become an actual addiction, viewers are not able to stop through their own will power. Pornography addicts will need to engage in the same difficult recovery process a drug addict has to go through.

5. Unfulfilling

Using pornography to feel pleasure and escape feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety, boredom and frustration creates a gateway for addiction. When the rush of pleasure disappears, the feelings a user is trying to escape from reappear stronger than ever, and they are compelled to repeat the cycle. Over time, their brain chemistry is altered and a full-fledged addiction occurs.

https://familyshare.com/394/10-toxic-side-effects-of-pornography-use
 

Pornography has been tearing apart the very fabric of modern society, but the problem has been made much worse with pornography’s proliferation through the Internet. Studies show that 40 million adults regularly visit Internet pornography sites. To put that in perspective, that is ten times the amount of people who regularly watch baseball.

And pornography also affects those in church. According to Leadership Journal, 40 percent of pastors admit to visiting a pornographic website. And at one Promise Keepers Convention, 53 percent of men admitted to visiting a porn site the week before.

The average age of first exposure to Internet pornography is 11 years old. And the largest consumer of Internet pornography is the 12-17 age group.

The average age of first exposure to Internet pornography is 11 years old. And the largest consumer of Internet pornography is the 12-17 age group.

https://probe.org/pornography/

WHAT IF YOU WERE/ARE INVOLVED?

 

SOLUTION (GOSPEL)

 

Solution – Break with it and seek counselling. 

The real solution regarding any sinful sexual relationship is found in the Creator of mankind and in His word, the bible. A Heart changed in the inner-man, by the grace of God through His Holy Spirit sets you free from bondage. 

Consider the following:

Sex is like nuclear energy. Within a contained environment (marriage) very useful, outside disastrous, harmful and dangerous. 

The solution to this disillusioned lifestyle is the Christian gospel. A Gospel of forgiveness and restoration.

 

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